Reviews By Charline

“The Fires of Europe”

Author: Phyllis Harrison

I have to say “The Fires of Europe” initially drew my attention because of the title as well as the book’s cover. However, I was unsure whether I actually wanted to read it until I perused the back and the words “Huguenots” and “Catholicism” jumped out at me. My family traces some of its lineage back to France until, being Huguenots, they opted to move to the Netherlands rather than face religious persecution from the Roman Catholic Church. Needless to say there is some family history for me within this book and it instantly became a “must read.”

In reading it I was not disappointed either as once I picked the book up I was unable to set it down. The author, Phyllis Harrison, is a very descriptive writer but does not overload one with so much information as to make the book read like a textbook. He seamlessly combined 16^th century history, religious intrigue, plots, hidden agendas, and the story of a young man from a wealthy and well respected family who unfortunately managed to get himself caught up in the middle of all this quite by accident.

Gilles Montroville is a pampered young man living in France in the year 1640. We first meet him inRouenwhere he is bored and rather upset at being required to learn the intricacies of his father’s shipping business. He would much rather be wandering the docks seeking out new and exciting adventures. If he cannot do that then he would even settle for listening to tales of interesting exploits from seasoned sailors instead of being chained to a desk in a stuffy office learning boring skills like accounting. We follow his life, which is actually that of his parents choosing, until suddenly and without warning, everything changes and he is thrown into a world that he has never experienced before.

In summary, I found “The Fires of Europe” to be a captivating read and a well written story. I definitely recommend it to readers of all ages. Harrison covers the history and religious upheavals of the time with believability and his writing style makes it an easy and enjoyable read.

“The Election”

Author: Darryl Greer

“The Election” initially started out as a difficult read for me to get into. The book is set in Australia and the author writes with a distinct Australian flair which takes a little getting used to especially as I didn’t have my Aussie to English dictionary available for some of the lingo. Crikey! It also didn’t help that in the opening chapter I was almost immediately thrust into a tragic and shockingly gruesome World War II scene which transpired on the Kokoda Track in 1942. I presumed this was an integral piece of information for later in the story but I hoped that there would not be too much more of the same throughout. However, once I started reading the subsequent chapters the tone changed and I was able to sit back, relax, and enjoy the book.

“The Election” focuses on Australia becoming a republic and the consequent campaigning and election of its first president. One of the book’s main characters, Michael Takada, is Australian-born but his father is full-blooded Japanese. These are turbulent times for Michael Takada and his family as well as anyone of Japanese decent within the country because of racial discrimination from a fanatical right-wing organization as well as a white supremacist terrorist group. While I know the story is fictional I am aware that racial discrimination is not and quite often the book took a very realistic turn because of this.

In summary, “The Election” is a well written story and the author, Darryl Greer, does an excellent job of making the characters come to life for the reader. He walks us through the complete election process which begins with an “idea” of who the candidates should be and ends with Australia successfully voting in its very first president. The ending has a rather unexpected twist which definitely leaves an opening for a sequel should the author feel compelled to write one. Lastly, Greer is descriptive without becoming verbose or boring and I feel “The Election” will definitely hold the attention of anyone who reads it. All in all a great book; an interesting read and I highly recommend it.

“The Barbary Pirates”

Author: William Dietrich

I found “The Barbary Pirates” by William Dietrich to be an attention grabbing tale. This book is the author’s most recent work and features Ethan Gage in yet another adventure. I enjoyed the read so much I will be making a point to read more of Dietrich’s books in the future. Honestly, I had difficulty setting the book down. When I was sitting in court waiting to find out if I was going to be selected for jury duty I was very thankful to have brought it with me.

Ethan Gage, the book’s dashing hero, seems to be part ladies man extraordinaire and part unwitting spy. He is forever winding up in the wrong place at the wrong time and in the company of the wrong people. His character reminds me of a humorous mix of an 18^thcentury James Bond meets Mr. Bean meets MacGyver and let’s just throw in Captain Jack Sparrow for good measure since some of his adventures happen on the high seas.

Gage’s usually innocent escapades have a way of landing both himself and his companions in hot water, wherever they travel, and more often than not they barely escape by the seat of their pants. Of course it is never Gage’s fault; trouble just seems to follow him around as intently as Wile E. Coyote followed the roadrunner.

Like all good heroes Gage must battle countless bad guys. These heinous villains are only concerned with world domination and he must attempt to stay one step ahead of them. This challenge is made even more difficult once he discovers he must also rescue his former lover Astiza and a three-year-old son he never knew he had.

“The Barbary Pirates” is an extremely well written book. The story is entertaining and believable since Dietrich seems to recount the historical aspects in it with the same ease and familiarity of someone who had lived and experienced it several hundred years ago. It is a definite “must read” for anyone who enjoys action and adventure stories. I would even go so far as to say I feel Dietrich’s work belongs on the shelf right next to Clive Cussler’s Dirk Pitt novels. Sit down; prop your feet up and enjoy the read!

“auf Wiedersehen”

Author: Christa Holder Ocker

“auf Wiedersehen” by Christa Holder Ocker is a heartfelt recounting of the author’s early childhood growing up in Nazi Germany. It is a well written autobiography and I am grateful that Ms. Ocker has decided to share her story with us.

When I first decided to read this book my interest was piqued because of the subject matter. I was interested to read from a child’s point of view how Germany was affected by WWII. I also wondered if there would be any similarities between “auf Wiedersehen” and “Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl.” Of course I hoped “auf Wiedersehen” would have a much happier ending. I was not far off. Both are poignant stories and as children there is no guile or deception in their words. To quote Christa’s mother “black is black and white is white.”

It was eye-opening to read about Nazi Germany from the experiences of a German child. It reminded me that as children we do not start out filled with hate but rather learn this from those around us. Discrimination is not a way of life it is instead a choice. It was also interesting to read about Christa’s life in the outside world versus Anne Frank’s experiences as she and her family hid for their lives. Christa shared her memories of young men so proud to wear the uniform of the Third Reich while on the other hand many German women showed sorrow because of the men’s actions. Unfortunately as a woman what could they do except show love and kindness and lend a helping hand as able.

“auf Wiedersehen” is a poignant remembrance of Christa’s life as she was uprooted from her home, her friends, and everything else she had previously known. Her story shows the courage and love of her family and yet throughout the book there are sobering reminders of the horror the Jews and other victims of this world war went through. At times I honestly wondered who were the luckier ones? Those who lived or those who died?

Christa Holder Ocker has written a beautiful memoir and I highly recommend it. It is a shorter book consequently making it an easy read but its ultimate message is one of power. Simply that love can conquer all…

“An Unimaginable Journey”

Author: Aviad Meitar

“An Unimaginable Journey” by Aviad Meitar is an inspiring story. The author has a clear and easy to read writing style and he is not without a sense of humor. Put all of this together and Meitar’s readers will definitely enjoy his first-hand recounting of the sixteen year journey detailed in this book.

Meitar’s story starts with an idea; the idea of bringing Pepsi to Romania where until this point only the Romanian “elite” were lucky enough to drink it. “An Unimaginable Journey” details out an incredible undertaking by people with little to no experience or knowledge in the beverage industry or for that matter, Romania. Meitar’s words and actions are a powerful reminder that no matter what someone says can or cannot be done if there is a burning desire to succeed then succeed you shall! In the end true determination will win out over any man-made obstacle.

Meitar’s book shows us the positives of “capitalism” and how it can be used to benefit all parties involved. His team went into a country with a population of twenty-three million and helped create jobs and business opportunities for its citizens. They knew this would also help in the rebuilding of Romania’s economy. They also managed to find charitable ways to give back to the community while still propelling the Pepsi brand further into the spotlight making it a win-win situation for all.

There is a chapter in the book which details “The Viking Laws” and how they were enacted in this business venture. No matter where we each reside I feel these ancient “laws” still hold true even in today’s world. I wonder how much less complicated our lives would be if each person implemented them on a daily basis. I agree with Meitar in his assessment that these laws “apply beautifully to running a successful business in modern times.”

In summary “An Unimaginable Journey” is a fantastic read made even more phenomenal because it is a true story. I highly recommend this book to readers of ALL ages and from all walks of life. There were many important truths realized during this journey and Meitar has graciously shared them with us. I also look forward to reading about his current endeavors in Bulgaria in the future.