Customer Reviews

Awaiting Orders

5 star:		(3)
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On the surface, Awaiting Orders (Idylls Press, August 2006, paperback, 236 pages) is the story of young men, waiting for life's next move. They have assembled together in what appears to be a paradise situation - recent graduates of military institutions, they have nothing more responsible to do than lounge around in beachfront living, awaiting their next military assignment. Given today's military situation, is seems hard to remember that the era surrounding the first Persian Gulf War was a time of cutbacks and troop stand downs.

In the book, we meet a cast of characters who are developed wonderfully by Catholic author Farrell O'Gorman. Although the majority of the story is told through the eyes of Wes, we quickly see how his story line is interwoven with that of his friends, both male and female. It is these relationships that are at the core of Awaiting Orders. This is not a war story, or a book about the military. Although it does contain tactical information and is well based in its historical context, the characters and their interactions are truly at the heart of this book.

In the end, it becomes apparent that it is in fact a less noticeable character in the story that truly drives the message of the book home. John, Wes' roommate, seems to operate at times on the periphery of the storyline. However, John's relationship with Wes and with so many of the others in this book is really the focal point. A second and closer reading of the book brought me to the perspective that John is ultimately, in his own quiet way, leading each of his friends in a unique fashion to his or her own vocation or calling in life.

Set in a time so different from today's military climate, this book caught my attention from the first page and kept me glued to it until the very end. I am pleased to give Awaiting Orders my highest recommendation.

I recommend this book to anyone who would like to read a good story but who also is interested in exploring an important view of life and its purpose.

I was engaged by the story. The main characters, just out of various military colleges, go on numerous "road trips" while awaiting their military assignments. I found myself reading the book first very quickly because I wanted to know the outcomes of these adventures as well as each person's final military assignment.

However, I also found myself re-reading sections, in effect, reading the book twice. I needed to figure out how the author was informing the feelings of his characters. I guess there is a little bit of all the characters in each of us, however, I found the main character most interesting. He has it very nice/easy (a cush "assignment" while awaiting his real orders) but there is an empty feeling, a void, he needs to fill. Anyone familiar with Walker Percy's main characters would know it as the "malaise" found so frequently 20th century America. The author does a wonderful and original job of having his main character deal with and explore this issue.

Three different types of readers will enjoy this book. One who wants a story to read and nothing else; another who appreciates the underlying significance in the story. Or, if you are like me, a reader who will like both.

This is a fresh look at how the military operates - how modern soldiers serve in war time from the perspective of what appear to be very real people.