Children of Paranoia
Trevor Shane. Dutton, $25.95 (384p) ISBN 978-0-525-95237-4
In Shane's well-written if less than compelling debut, Joe, a 25-year-old soldier, considers himself one of the good guys in a mysterious war that most of the world doesn't even know exists. Joe's entire reason for being is committed to battling the enemy and following the war's strict set of rules: no killing innocent bystanders, no killing anyone under the age of 18. He's been a cold-blooded assassin for years, ruthlessly murdering whomever his handlers tell him to. But when he meets a young woman while on a mission in Montreal and falls in love, he begins to see the bloody conflict%E2%80%94and himself%E2%80%94in a new light, and watches as the boundaries between good and bad blur into nonexistence. While the relentless pacing, frequent plot twists, and intimate narrative structure (in the form of a journal) keep the pages turning, the sheer unbelievability of the story's premise coupled with the complete lack of explanation regarding the conflict's shadowy beginning will leave readers anything but thrilled. (Sept.)
Details
Reviewed on: 07/11/2011
Genre: Fiction
Open Ebook - 384 pages - 978-1-101-54902-5
Open Ebook - 384 pages - 978-1-101-54907-0
Paperback - 400 pages - 978-0-451-23691-3