A House Divided [Kindle Edition]

Noah S Friedland (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Jonathan Geller, an ambitious young academic, is struggling to build a new life for himself in the US. An American born Jew who had immigrated to Israel with his family as a child, Geller fled the Jewish State after a deadly incident that occurred during his service in the Israeli army. Ten years into his self imposed exile, Geller's younger brother is killed in the line of duty, so he reluctantly returns to Israel to attend the funeral.

Once back, Geller is forced to confront his broken family and a life and country he thought he had left behind for good. Colored by his own military experiences, he begins to question the circumstances of his brother's death. Aided by a mysterious source, a childhood friend, an old flame, and his brother's girlfriend, a fiery young redhead, he slowly uncovers the truth - a path that embroils him in a deadly clandestine chess game between two opposing forces - each fighting for what they believe is the very soul of the Jewish state.

A fast-paced, character-driven thriller, A House Divided provides an authentic, first-hand look into Israeli society and its legendary military. Unlike many other books in this genre, which have focused on the Arab-Israeli conflict, this work examines the long-term effects of almost one hundred years of conflict on a nation deeply divided on how best to define its future. It also explores how a wounded family, whose bonds have been weakened by distance and time, copes with adversity and loss.

About the author:

Noah Friedland is a Seattle-based technologist and technical manager. After spending four years in the Far East as a young child, his family immigrated to Israel in 1971. He attended Israeli schools until his induction into the Israel Defense Force in 1979 where he spent a year as an air force cadet and two as an artillery crew commander. Upon his release from the armed services he attended the Technion (1982 - 1988) earning Bachelor and Masters degrees in Aeronautical and Electrical Engineering respectively. He returned to the US in 1988 to pursue a PhD in Computer Science at the University of Maryland (1988 - 1993). Throughout his 20-year career Dr. Friedland has developed advanced applications and technologies in academic, government and commercial settings and has authored dozens of peer-reviewed scientific papers. This is his first foray into fiction.

About the Author

Noah Friedland is a Seattle-based technologist and technical manager. After spending four years in the Far East as a young child, his family immigrated to Israel in 1971. He attended Israeli schools until his induction into the Israel Defense Force in 1979 where he spent a year as an air force cadet and two as an artillery crew commander. Upon his release from the armed services he attended the Technion (1982 - 1988) earning Bachelor and Masters degrees in Aeronautical and Electrical Engineering respectively. He returned to the US in 1988 to pursue a PhD in Computer Science at the University of Maryland (1988 - 1993). Throughout his almost 20-year career Dr. Friedland has developed advanced applications and technologies in academic, government and commercial settings and has authored dozens of peer-reviewed scientific papers. This is his first foray into fiction.

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 415 KB
• Print Length: 234 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1449976794
• Publisher: Noah Friedland; 2 edition (February 22, 2010)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B003ARTHS6
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #466,554 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

I am a Seattle-based technologist and technical manager. After spending four years in the Far East as a young child, my family immigrated to Israel in 1971. I attended Israeli schools until my induction into the Israel Defense Force in 1979 where I spent a year as an air force cadet and two as an artillery crew commander. Upon my release from the IDF I attended the Technion (1982 - 1988) earning Bachelor and Masters degrees in Aeronautical and Electrical Engineering respectively. I then returned to the US in 1988 to pursue a PhD in Computer Science at the University of Maryland (1988 - 1993).

Throughout my 20-year career I have developed advanced applications and technologies in academic, government and commercial settings as a scientist, researcher, manager and entrepreneur. Over the years I have authored dozens of peer-reviewed scientific papers.

But this is only half my story. As a precocious child I devoured books - sometimes four a week - a habit I maintained to early adulthood. My nascent interest in science was driven by Jules Verne, Asimov, Clark and many others. Apollo 11 was the clincher. At some point, fantastic futurism gave way to the practicality of real science and I saw my interest in fiction abate. By the mid 1990s I was a full fledged researcher. It was during my employment with a large defense contractor that I experienced a crisis when I began to understand the degree to which money, politics and large egos influenced the scientific process. It was then that I felt compelled (at least part time) to rekindle a relationship with a long lost love, and, for the first time since high school, took "pen to paper". Fifteen years, four computers, twenty rewrites, and hundreds of rejection letters later, my book, A House Divided, rolled off the press for the first time.

I am in awe at the steadfast love and support of my family and many friends, without whom I would have never reached this milestone. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heartfelt & Fast-paced, March 14, 2010

By 

Eric Wilson "novelist" (Nashville, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: A House Divided (Paperback)

As a writer of ten published novels, I get daily requests to read books by new authors. I cannot read a book a day, and self-published titles in particular often lack in quality, so I decline--most of the time. In the case of Noah Friedland, I was intrigued by his Israeli heritage and its place in this story. Going against form, I agreed to receive and read a copy of "A House Divided."

Friedland's writing is descriptive, yet fast-paced, revolving around the "accidental" death of a young soldier doing maneuvers with the IDF (Israel Defense Force). The soldier's older brother, Jonathan Geller, flies into Tel Aviv for the funeral after years of self-imposed exile in Seattle, where he serves as a professor at the University of Washington. He begins to suspect foul play as conflicting details emerge from his brother's death. Even as Geller's own secrets surface from a stint in the IDF, he once again faces his mom, stepfather, best friend, and old girlfriend. The Geller family is a house divided, and they serve as a microcosmic look at the political divisions in modern Israel.

The book turns into a full-fledged thriller as Geller uncovers conspiracy upon conspiracy, and finds himself the target of powerful men. Murder, sex, and intrigue are all on display as the action races from Tel Aviv to Haifa to the Jezreel Valley to Jerusalem and the Negev Desert. The author's knowledge of the area adds depth to a timely tale. Although themes of family, loyalty, violence, and peace are explored, they never slow down the story.

I broke my own rules by deciding to read this book, and this is the reason every rule has its exception. Yes, there are quite a few punctuation errors. And, yes, from a literary standpoint, the author tends to throw in a lot of exclamation points, as well as plenty of adverbs when the strength of his verbs would do. Nevertheless, I enjoyed every page of this book.

"A House Divided" is more than an exception. It's exceptional.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A HOUSE DIVIDED, March 26, 2010

By 

Joel L. Barries (Annapolis, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A House Divided (Paperback)

It is hard to believe that a first time author could write such and intelligent and complex thriller. Friedland gives an eye opening look into the diametrically opposed political forces of Israeli Society, and the very timely issues of peace in the area.
The story is a tour de force, in prose, of the Israeli landscape, architecture, and military infrastructure rolled into a fast paced and gripping and often brutal thriller. Could not put it down. Looking forward to his next book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read, March 4, 2010

By 

C. Gamel - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A House Divided (Paperback)

This book is a great read that kept me turning till the end. I had a really hard time putting it down and needed to see how it all came together. I loved it and would tell everyone out there to get a copy asap!