Customer Reviews

War at Home

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

 

 

This is one of the better novels that I've read in the past year. Guntner achieves what most first time authors miss: character development. The hallmark of the first time novelist tends to be one-dimentional card board cut outs masquerading as charcters. NOT HERE! The people in this book are more than just fleshed out, they jump off of the page at you. They also have staying power. I could easily see an entire series of novels centered around one, some or all of the book's principle characters and the book's punch in the stomach ending just crys out for sequel. Secondly, Guntner shows the keenest insight into what it's like to practice law I have ever seen in a non-lawyer. I am an lawyer myself and I can tell you that he displays an in the trenches knowledege of what the drama and stress of criminal law is all about, in a way that you can't possibly know unless you've been there. Lastly, and above all else, this is just a great story well told by a masterful story teller. Guntner is as good as Grisham used to be and better than Turrow ever though about being. Keep writing John, the crowd is crying out for more!

A terrific read! Give me more books by Mr. Guntner. The thoughtful character development and the fine description of the loyalties between men who fought in Vietnam make "War at Home" a book I didn't want to put down. This "Lawyer Book" is first rate.

John Guntner writes on the flyleaf that he has told a story about Vietnam veterans reunited when one of their own heroes is threatened by hoodlums in a Virginia countryside setting which is replete with lovable animals and people who are as decent and straight forward as the adversaries are mean and devious. Yeah, he does all that as advertised. But what puts the book over the top is the battle of wits between a District Attorney (Commonwealth's Attorney in Virginia lingo) and a criminal lawyer from that Vietnam platoon who is top notch but battling his own demons of alcohol and probably a lack of new worlds to conquer. Illustrating the "be careful what you wish for" adage, the savvy attorney gets a late night phone call and a new world scene with people you can count on, some countermoves that he doesn't anticipate; and, not to leave out what the world travels on, notable barbecue that is a part of the setting. Guntner has every nuance just, well..., perfectly nuanced in his legal maneuvering and courtroom scenes. You could take this book to the beach with you and thorougly enjoy it, but definitely take it to court.

I loved the plot and character development. I liked the way the author used a lot of legal details but intertwined them with humorous anecdotes. Toby Ryan is someone I would love to read more about. I felt as though I was there in the courtroom while waiting for the verdict!I can hardly wait for the next one!

This book has a good combination of a fast paced plot with great character development. While the plot moves along, the characters develop into multidimensional people with different prospectives and experiences but united with a single goal. Very much like Clancy and Griffith, these are a group of characters who I can see having several encounters both preceeding and following this particular plot line. I would like to see if the author has more on these people or was this a "one shot wonder".

War At Home, the first novel by John Guntner, is a fast-paced legal thriller in the genre of Grisham and Baldacci. The novel is about Viet Nam vets; one of whom is a lawyer who decides to defend the other in a murder trial. One of the Viet Nam vets, Norman Kane, is accused of murdering two motorcyle bikers who come to his home and pose a threat to his family and property. The reader is treated not only to the details of the trial, but to a behind the scenes look at the tactics and manuevers of the prosecutor and defense attorney, some of which are surprising, but all of which have a ring of authenticity to them. Guntner displays a broad knowledge of the law as well as the "behind the scene" actions surrounding a trial such as this which often impact heavily on the final verdict in the case. The author is also very adept at using character dialogue to define the personalities and motives of his characters. This technique is much more interesting than long detailed narratives sometimes used to describe characters. Another interesting technique the author used is the juxtiposition of some of the characters' disabilities - Norman Kane's paraplegia as a result of an injury in Viet Nam and Freddy, his best friend's wife's blindness - with the immoral acts of the bikers and the questionable tactics of the prosecutor who tries to make the jury believe that Norman Kane has been involved in illegal activities with the bikers. This scenario sets up some interesting dynamics in the story dealing with not just good aginst evil, but who is flawed and who isn't. The twists and turns of the story hold the reader's interest throughout the book and it is not until the very end that the verdict handed down at the trial is revealed. The verdict is not what the reader might have expected, but it does ring true. All in all - a very satisfying and good read.