Divided We Fall (Divided We Fall, Book 1) (1) - Hardcover

Reedy, Trent

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0545543673 ISBN 13: 9780545543675

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2014

Synopsis

"DIVIDED WE FALL delivers cover-to-cover action, intrigue and suspense, all with a gut-punch of an ending that'll leave you begging for the next installment." -- Brad Thor, author of THE LAST PATRIOT

Danny Wright never thought he'd be the man to bring down the United States of America. In fact, he enlisted in the Idaho National Guard because he wanted to serve his country the way his father did. When the Guard is called up on the governor's orders to police a protest in Boise, it seems like a routine crowd-control mission ... but then Danny's gun misfires, spooking the other soldiers and the already fractious crowd, and by the time the smoke clears, twelve people are dead. The president wants the soldiers arrested. The governor swears to protect them. And as tensions build on both sides, the conflict slowly escalates toward the unthinkable: a second American civil war.With political questions that are popular in American culture yet rare in YA fiction, and a provocative plot that asks what happens when the states are no longer united, Divided We Fall is Trent Reedy's very timely YA debut.

About this title

About the Author

Trent Reedy is the author of Divided We Fall, Burning Nation, and The Last Full Measure, a trilogy about the second American Civil War; If You're Reading This; Stealing Air; and Words in the Dust, which was the winner of the Christopher Medal and an Al Roker's Book Club pick on the Today show. Trent and his family live near Spokane, Washington. Please visit his website at www.trentreedy.com.

Reviews

Gr 8 Up—Popular high school football player Daniel Wright loves his country, so the moment he turns 17, he joins the Idaho division of the Army National Guard. Daniel is looking forward to a bright future in Freedom Lake with his girlfriend JoBell at his side; he hopes to earn enough money from the Guard to help pay for auto tech classes and eventually purchase full ownership in his deceased father's garage. When his company is mobilized and sent to Boise to help maintain the peace between protestors and proponents of the Federal ID Card Act, Daniel never imagines that people would die, that he would be the cause of their deaths, or that his future-and the future of the United States-would forever be altered. Author Reedy's first book in a planned trilogy is an action-packed look at what could happen in an America where state and federal governments are at odds with each other. Set in a not-too-distant future, the book mixes patriotism with incredible realism, creating an all-too-possible pre-dystopia. Using the enactment of a controversial law as the catalyst, Reedy effectively places the audience in Daniel's shoes as he struggles with his feelings and actions in the aftermath of the riot, and it is this first-person perspective that will resonate with readers long after the thrilling final pages. Strong characters, a fast-paced narrative, and complex questions about what it means to be an American make Reedy's speculative novel a must-read.—Audrey Sumser, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Mayfield, OH

Here’s a unique premise that could become disturbing real. Danny Wright, 17, signed up for the Idaho National Guard, in part because his father died in the war. He has completed summer training, and until he graduates, his commitment will be minimal. Then the governor of Idaho gets into a squabble about sovereign rights with the president. Danny’s unit is called up to quell a riot in Boise; when a rock hits him, he accidentally shoots a protester. Now, all hell breaks loose. As each side’s position hardens, Danny is caught in the middle, wanted by the feds, and protected by the state. As the situation spirals out of control, Danny’s choices become narrow and inevitable. Novelist Reedy adds length, if not always substance, as Danny tries to keep life normal with football, rodeo, and his devoted girlfriend. But Reedy does a very good job of presenting all sides’ opinions, especially through the tweets and news reports that end chapters. This has the dual advantage of giving readers an action-filled story that will also make them think. The dramatic ending promises more. Grades 8-12. --Ilene Cooper

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

From DIVIDED WE FALL: Lieutenant McFee ordered our squad ahead with a hand motion. Sergeant Meyers on point held his rifle up above his head with both hands. I walked after them on the far left. Inside my gas mask, I could hear my every breath heavy and loud. I kept my thumb on the safety switch of my gun and my finger right next to the trigger. "Oh God," I prayed. "Please help me get out of this one. This stuff isn't cool anymore. I just want to –" Something smacked into my mask and my weapon went off. Through the cracked plastic of the eyepieces, I saw the flash out of the end of my barrel. “Hold your fire!” someone shouted. How had that happened? Someone threw a rock and hit me and I was surprised. Must have accidentally – Another gunshot went off. Wasn't me. A third shot.

Edition details

• Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0545543673
• ISBN 13: 9780545543675
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 384