Customer Reviews

The Generals of October

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When I first read this book, in manuscript about three years ago, I was impressed by the writing, which even for John is superior. And I've been familiar with his work for a quarter of a century. Being a writer myself (search me on Amazon) I was impressed with his grasp both of geopolitics and the military establishment. Of course, John is a former military man in addition to being passionate about politics and where this country is heading. GENERALS sprung from his mind even before the current administration took control, and it really is kind of eerie how well his future dovetails with current events. For everyone's sake, we better hope that the future he depicts in THE GENERALS OF OCTOBER doesn't come to pass. But I'm still glad he wrote about it, because I dearly love a good thriller -- and this is a *very* good thriller.

Readers of science fiction, romance/mystery novels or military exploits will welcome this addition to their book shelves. In the style of Tom Clancy, Cullen offers a thoughtful storyline that weaves elements of all three genres into a compeling and provocative tale based on the premise of a new constitutional convention, the great and would-be great who seek to subvert it and the very human characters fighting their plot (and, not-inconsequently, finding love in the process). I found it thorougly enjoyable and satisfying; the type of novel that can easily find its way to a screenplay and movie.

I love a good political thriller, but boy did this one have an eerie feeling of reality to it, given the 2000 election, the Patriot Act and other abuses of the current Administration. But the book really works so beautifully because the author understands how to make the characterizations realistic and true. This is a gripping read, and a wonderful work of speculative fiction that comes a little too close to America's current reality. You'll stay up nights worrying about all this, if you're not careful. I highly recommend this book!

This is a cautionary tale about a second constitutional convention that is hijacked by sinister forces. Tangled into this story is romance between David Gordon and Tory Breen, who stumbled across the conspiracy somewhere around page 300.

While I find the idea that people would attempt to manipulate a consitutional convention plausible, the the bad guys become cartoonish in their goose stepping manner. I felt the book was about 300 pages too long. I really didn't care for the main characters all that much (except for the cigar chomping general) and the ending got a bit ragged.

What I did like was the idea that things could go very badly in a consitutional convention and maybe it would be best to try and fix the ssyetm we have rather than tinker with it radically. There are elements of a SEVEN DAYS IN MAY conspiracy, but this is kind of sprung on the reader towards the end.

I've just reread this novel, and am ever more thrilled at its fast-paced, highly controversial story. You won't have any luck sleeping, eating, or accomplishing anything else, once you start in on this non-stop action thriller that is both realistic, and frightening in its depiction of reality. To steal a quote from an unrelated source: "It's all true, it just hasn't happened yet." National tragedy sparks a constitutional convention to draft a new US Constitution, but what was intended to increase the effectiveness of the government in our modern violent world, instead results in a military coup by maniacs in positions of power that threatens to destroy the country we know and love. This action-filled novel is ever more scary, now that we are facing the challenges of the Post-9/11 world, with questionable anti-terrorist legislation, and even more questionable leadership. Not just a political action novel, this book will thrill readers of Science Fiction, with its near future technology, and steam up the windows with its ultra-hot romance. A book that everyone should read - a novel that will open your eyes to the danger that exists in our country, and excite your senses with its polished and fast-paced action, romance, and intrigue.

I've read and loved John Cullen's science fiction and I knew I wouldn't be disappointed when John tackled a contemporary near future. The Generals Of October is a thriller that keeps the reader on edge from the first page. Great combat scenes rival any combat scenes in literature. The ability to envision society on a grand scale and keep it in focus so it rings true is rare talent. I would love to see the movie.

Cullen takes several interesting premises: a second constitutional convention, a global economic crisis, the fall of the Republican and Democratic political parties, an attempted military coup, the rise of a new Pan-Arabism; and does absolutely nothing of interest with any of them. Plot, characterization, background, and writing are all two-dimensional at best. Cullen's efforts to create depth to his characters and pathos to his story are remarkably clumsy and wholly ineffective. The most I can say about this book is that you can at least take it to a used bookstore for some trade credit.