OATHKEEPER-book review

OATHKEEPER-book review

“Oathkeeper” by Troy Grice.

When I ran across “Indivisible” by the same author, I just had to get it.  Some folks are suckers for zombie fiction ( not that I can understand why, but then I also have a hard time understanding Bodice Rippers for the ladies ), I am a sucker for anything remotely depressing involving mass casualties without reanimation following.  Throw in the description Economic Collapse, Post-Apocalypse, End Of The World or anything similar and I’ll buy your damn book.  And am disappointed more often than not.  But, knowing the disappointment is the price of admission,  I keep doing it.  And then I run across gems.

*

 Like “Indivisible”.  I’ve read it twice, have it in paper rather than digital, and will likely read it again.  I love Troy’s writing style.  He is passionate, but logical and witty.  There is no jingoistic blather so common to the genre of post-apocalypse fiction ( no doubt due to the original Survivalist series being so popular, it became 99% of the new writers template ) which is usually Militia Porn with nuclear detonations thrown in to sell tripe to the suckers.  Their testicle tingling uber-patriotism fully endorsed by our fascists overlords usually makes me ill. 

*

Well, as you can imagine, I was a bit cautious with Troy’s newest book.  I mean, the name says it all.  I’m more Constitutional than you, I’m a patriot, I’m going to fight the evil FedGov and freedom will return to the globes super power and our economy will magically rebound and it is all because we have AR-15’s and a copy of the Founders document.  You know the shtick, barely a redo of a Rush Limbaugh screed painting Democrats with an evil brush and Republicans with sparking Unicorn glitter.  Well, I don’t know why I was worried. 

*

This is Our Boy, yo.  All the magic in his other book is here also.  This too shall be a re-reader for me, and I can’t give a book a better compliment ( I read three to five books a week and always have stacks of them waiting my consumption.  To spend my precious resource Time on a book by reading it again means it must be superb ).  While all the elements of Militia Porn are there, they are NOT cardboard cutout cartoon characters.  They are treated with rational thought and some humor, while still retaining the passion. 

*

Now, if I could in good consciousness deduct stars for a story being way too damn short after I get excited about it, I would.  But I can’t.  I have to respect the author for perhaps having a life and wanting to do something besides devoting it to writing longer tomes for largely ingrate and fickle audiences.  With Troy, you get a short novel.  Just enjoy what you can.  I’ll be looking forward to his next book, and in the meantime order a paper copy to put in its place of honor amongst the too few others.  Troy is a talented writer, and knows what the heck he is writing about.  Treasure those few.

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