Customer Reviews

False Refuge

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Rico Bocanegra is surely the finest alias for a fictional character in modern literature! Of course, with a name like that, I have to believe that Alex Swenson did not want his lie to go unnoticed. That, on some level, he always wanted to be held accountable for his actions and his point of view. I read Steve Anderson's, False Refuge, in a handful of sittings. It is the engaging and thought- provoking story of an army reservist gone AWOL. Even more, it is a meditation on war, politics, economics and social justice. The ultimate theme, as embodied in Alex Swenson, is personal responsibility and how the individual must take a principled stand, all the while, expecting to be held to account. In the absence of this individual, we get violence, war, injustice and Reacton Uni-Corp. But don't take my word for it. Give this book a read and decide for yourself.

Have you ever felt so strongly about something you'd be willing to give up everything? Alex Swenson did when he questioned what honor and loyalty really meant to him. Author Steve Anderson has created a cast of diverse and interesting characters who all have their reasons for establishing new identities on the Big Island of Hawaii. Steve Anderson has captured regional accents in his writing so well that I could hear some of the characters voices in my head while reading. Honestly, Alex Swenson and I would probably not agree with each other while sharing our beliefs over brewskis. But I have to say, even though we are so different, I still found myself empathizing with him as Steve Anderson developed and expanded on this characters experience. By far my favorite character was Swenson's girlfriend (Kanani) who I would love to see again in a future story. This was an easy to read, and well constructed story. I would recommend this book to anyone who can put their political ideals aside and enjoy the author's efforts to create this thrilling chess match in paradise.

This is the third Steve Anderson novel I've read over the past six weeks or so--and it's the best.

Anderson does an amazing job telling a tough story about a 1991 Persian Gulf War veteran who'd rather go AWOL than deploy to Iraq for the continuation of that conflict more than a dozen years later.

In addition to vivid descriptions of Hawaii and his trademark character development, Anderson also articulates a point of view on the current Iraq War that got little airing during the 2002 war debate and the subsequent press coverage of the 2003 invasion.

Even if you don't agree with the political points of view expressed, False Refuge is a great story and it's told in a memorable way. At the very least, it'll make you think--and that's not a bad thing.

Nice paced, fun read. Adventure/Mystery was a nice departure from my usual reading fare. I saw Steve's posting on a Kindle chat group and found this book from there. Real page turner (page clicker on the Kindle), I was engaged in the book and the characters the whole time.

--I received a free copy of this book in exchange for writing a review of the novel.

When I first obtained the novel "False Refuge" by Steve Anderson to read and review, I didn't know what to expect: I had never heard of this author before and therefore had no way of knowing if I was in for a good surprise or a slow read. Thankfully, I found it mainly to be to my enjoyment.

Although this book has been circulating a couple years, it still feels very recent, thanks to the ongoing situation in Iraq. Added to this, is Anderson's great use of description and detail; one aspect that some bestselling authors unfortunately lack. Anderson also does a decent job of character development, and in creating some very believable character relationship scenes. The setting of Hawaii was also to my liking.

In reading this book, I felt that the beginning had great character development and buildup of suspense. By the middle of the book, I eagerly looked forward to picking it up and reading. Unfortunately, by the end... some things just did not seem to add up to me. It almost seems like Anderson got closer to the end and wanted to wrap it up quickly and cut some corners in order to make that happen. The book still flowed, and I was not disappointed by the ending necessarily, just I had some remaining questions of whether things would really happen the way they were said to happen, based on the prior information I was given earlier in the novel. Alex also did ramble on a lot about his convictions, which mainly was called-for, but near the ending the rambling gets to be a little too much, and I never found myself able to decide if I agreed with him or not.

Before I reached the final chapters of "False Refuge" I was convinced that I would give the book very high marks, and gladly recommend the novel. However, taking it as a whole, I can only say it was so-so. I loved the beginning however...

"False Refuge" is the story of Alex Swenson, an Army Reservist who goes AWOL to avoid returning to Iraq. He goes to Hawaii in search of a safe haven and a new identity. Another reservist had told him about Krieger Estates, where he could find what he was looking for. That safe haven was not quite what he bargained for. On his journey he meets Kanani, a local native girl, who follows him to Krieger Estates because she too has a past to hide from. She ultimately ends up saving his life.

I thought the story line was good, there was adventure, suspense, and a little bit of a love interest. The descriptions of the island were wonderful, I could imagine just where they were during the story. However, I felt it was boring at times and there was quite a bit of rambling. Alex has some very strong opinions regarding politics and war. And whether you agree with them or not, it's very thought provoking. I think I would have liked a different ending, this one was a little boring. It was OK. I don't regret the time I spent reading it, but I don't think I would recommend it to friends.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for writing this review.

"False Refuge" is the story of a Gulf War veteran, gone AWOL to avoid the current Irak war. His original intention of getting a new identity slowly changes into a decision to stand up for his own beliefs, even if it means facing an Army trial. In his own words:

"I'm learning a hard lesson now. You can't just run. Can't keep seeking a new reality. If you do that it only becomes a new and, in our case, far worse version of the old, established reality. [...] The old wrongs need to be addressed, not forsaken. That's the lesson here. I can't run. I too need to be accountable."

The story develops gradually, expanding from Alex Swenson's limited point of view as he begins to explore the Hawaiian paradise, trying to reach the place he thinks is a safe refuge. Along the way he meets the native girl Kanani, who will join him in his quest, and ultimately save his life, together with his old time friend from the Gulf War, Jerry Bateman.

The exotic world is depicted in a vivid light, the characters have lives of their own, the action gets tense sometimes, but all these elements (well written and enjoyable), fail to be connected by a consistent plot. Though we have access to Alex's thoughts that lead him to change his decision, I don't feel that the conflict was intense enough. Something seems to be missing, I couldn't connect with the character. Also, for all his talk of standing up and being accountable, the book's ending doesn't reflect that.

All in all, the book is still a good read, especially if you are close to the Irak war matter. Even if you don't agree with the political views expressed here, it will be a good insight into the mind of a war veteran, forced to return to the horrors of the battlefield.

-- Reviewed a free copy received courtesy of BookRooster.com

False Refuge by Steve Anderson is the thought-provoking story of Alex Swenson, an army reservist who has gone AWOL. Having fought for his country, Alex is left to determine what loyalty really means to him and how far he is willing to go. Alex soon makes up his mind that he is done with the violence and suffering and takes action into his own hands by going AWOL in hopes of starting over. He travels to an island in Hawaii where there are rumors that a place called Krieger Estates will help him stay hidden. Alex's conscience is put to the test when he must decide between staying hidden or risking everything to disarm a gunned robber.

Alex happens to meet a local Hawaiian named Kanani who puts up a good cover of being an innocent local when really she has a dark and mysterious past that she is running from. Instantly drawn too Kanani, they go on the run together in hopes of starting new. Things turn out differently once they reach Krieger Estates when Kanani's past may be more of a hindrance rather than an attraction. No matter their pasts, Alex and Kanani must stick together and enlist outside help to battle the powers that are demanding their obedience inside the Krieger Estates walls.

Mr. Anderson writes an extremely descriptive tale that allowed me to easily envision the scenery and really get a feel for Hawaiian climate. The descriptive details alone make this book a good read but is balanced out with a great story line as well. I could almost feel the wetness of rain soaking into my pores while reading False Refuge.

There are several issues covered in the book that may leave the reader agreeing, or disagreeing, with Alex and his beliefs on war. Is war needed to secure our freedom, is it just a necessary evil, or is it just a way for certain people to gain more power without having to get their own hands dirty? If you have an open mind when it comes to aspects such as war, I recommend giving False Refuge a try.

I was given a copy of this book to review.

This is the second title by Mr. Anderson that I have been given to review and I think he is a good writer, I think I enjoyed his other book, The Losing Role, much better than this one. It was also well written but I found the main character, Alex to wax poetic about his stance on guns and the war, which was more evident in the ending. It sounded like he was trying to convince the reader to accept Alex's 'no more guns' approach to world peace. The writing is descriptive and I liked the setting, but sometimes didn't understand the native language used by Kanani. Alex's friend, Jerry, was the real hero of this story and I found myself enjoying his role in the story. I wanted to give it four stars but I felt like the ending seemed rushed and I needed more closure and accountability for Alex.
This book was good and for the price you definately can't go wrong. It is an interesting story and very well edited.

I am a slow reader so it usually takes me several days or weeks to get thru a book, but this one had me staying up late to see what happens next. Alex and Kanani make an unlikely couple that end up having a few things in common, they are both on the run from their past. For a while I was thinking, "just how do I get into Kreiger Estates"? It sounds like paradise, but as they say, "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is". Give it a read and you will even learn a little bit about Hawaii.