Rating: 
Summary: A Stunning Work
Review: J. N. Stroyar has written a stunning novel in "The Children's War." It is amazing that this is Ms. Stroyar's first novel. The book is emotionally gripping from the first page, and never lets up. The historical detail is impeccable, and the world of a present day Nazi Germany in control of Europe all too believable. Stroyar does not bog the reader down with a detailed explanation of how things got to this point. There are fleeting references to alternate events in history, but this is an exercise in humanity, not in history. The reader is presented with the world of Nazi Europe, Communist USSR, and capitalist (and free) USA, and accepts it. The book can be dark, but that is what makes this such a compelling work.This is an outstanding book that is well worth the investment of time and emotion that it will require to finish.
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Summary: A Masterly Look At An Alternate 20th Century History
Review: J. N. Stroyar's "The Children's War" is one of the most impressive debuts in fiction that I've come across in recent years. Not only is her work replete with excellent research, but more importantly, the characters in her novel are vivid, fully realized figures who think and act credibly in response to their dire surroundings. Although the tale is primarily the saga of Peter Halifax, a young Englishman enslaved by the Third Reich, it is also a moving, emotionally gripping tale of the Polish resistance's struggle against the Nazis. This the finest alternative history of 20th Century Europe I've come across. Stoyar's thoughtful, at times, lyrical, descriptions of Nazi society are quite compelling to read. Although the book is over 1100 pages in length, it easily swept me up in its realistic depiction of a Nazi-occupied Europe at the dawn of the 21st Century. Without a doubt, it's one of the finest novels I've read on Nazi Germany, even with its alternate history premise.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: One of the best books I have read in a while. The fact that the author did alot of research is very evident. The book makes you think what if. The book is very well written with lots of action and a good plot.
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Summary: Outstanding WWII Story
Review: Stroyar grabs you on page one and doesn't let you go for eleven hundred gripping pages. The mood is amazing. She is a brilliant writer and I cannot stop raving about this book. As a fan of WWII novels I cannot remember ever being so moved and involved.
Wow!
Rating:
Summary: Thoroughly Engrossing
Review: Stroyar puts an entirely new spin on the typical alternate history work. Rather than focusing on battles and the big picture, she has created a character-driven novel in which the alternate setting puts a mirror to our world. While the scope and length of the novel are epic, it is the people rather than any particular event that claims the readers interest. I felt almost as if I lived throught he many sorrows of Peter, the main character, and all the secondary characters came vividly to life. This is a work for anybody who loves fine literature, not just traditional science fiction or alternate history fans.
Rating:
Summary: Genius, Bravo, encore
Review: The Childrens War was by far the best book I have ever read. At somewhere around 1150 pages the book may seem tedius, but once you start, you cant put it down. So much inner turmoil and thought is depicted its mind boggling, Stroyar obviously understands the twires of the human mind. I would reccomend this book to anyone who has the time to read it, This book is simply magnificant. I never praise literary works, infact I critisize them, but I cannot find anything I dislike in this book, violence was present but it never interfered with the plot, or character building. Every twist in the plot was believable but at the same time, not... If you have time on your hands and want to read a good book, put that book you were going to read aside, and pick up The Childrens War. (P.S. I apologize for any spelling and/or puncuation mistakes, this review was written on a plane)
Rating:
Summary: Overwhelming but rewarding & enlightening
Review: The size can be intimidating but you will find yourself immersed in a world that rivals the scope of any in science fiction. The novel revolves mainly in Poland, more than half a century after the Nazi VICTORY in WWII. Much of Europe and the United Kingdom is under Nazi occupation. The British gov't has relocated to Toronto and has joined with Canada and the U.S. to form the North American Union, which doesn't recognize the Nazis as the offical government of the Third Reich. The range of characters can also make your head spin but essentially the main group is an English resistance fighter who joins with the Polish Underground and a high official in the Nazi gov't.
The facinating aspect of the book is that virtually every act of violence or abuse happened to real victims of oppression somewhere in the world in the past century. The author simply crafted these stories with fictional characters in a fictional world. The violence in the story can get downright numbing and no one will get through the constant torture of one servent in the book unscathed.
The novel also showcases the sometimes hypocritical role of the United States. While they condemn the rumored atrocities, they have no problem selling the Reich weapons and torture devices (something the US does to this day). One scene shows Polish rebels discussing what was better, dictatorship or occupation. But one of many great scenes involves a rebel traveling to the US and marveling at the free and unregulated knowledge in an independent bookstore.
The single great moments in the novel are when two characters discuss the current world they live in and how they choose to change it. Everyone from North America to the Middle East can understand the very different perspectives these conversations bring up. The novel was written before 9/11 and it seems to be quite sympathetic to the cause of terrorism, but just like the reality, it isn't black and white. It showcases the brutality of terrorism while emphasizing the fact that it is really a response to oppression.
If there's any complaints, length can get pretty monotonous and the dialouge can sometimes verge into soap opera territory. Also, and this is really being over-analytical and beside the point of the story, but it is hard to believe that a regime as corrupt and murderous as the Nazis could last as long as it does in the novel. I know many will bring up the Soviets but there's was an empire centuries in the making, while the Nazis took an incredible 3 years to invade and take over much of Europe. Everyone could go on and on about the merits of my argument and none of this should take away the beauty of this book.
I hope many will listen to a slave laborer's declaration to a Berlin girl right before his escape,
"Change the world."
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Summary: One of the scariest books I have ever read!
Review: This book has re-ignited my interest in World War II and reminded me how much we owe to those who fought against Nazi brutality during that war. Thank heavens the US entered the war and fought back Nazi agression! In a nutshell, the book presents what the world would be like if Germany had not been stopped. The length of the book is great because it turns out to be one of those books which you do not want to finish. The characters are all well developed and the plot is well woven. I haven't enjoyed a book this much since Tom Clancy's Sum of All Fears. Too bad this is a first book for this author since I wish I could pick up all of her past books!
Rating:
Summary: Important
Review: This book is without a doubt the most important new book of the year (or may be the decade) Stroyar has used the backdrop of an alternate history to say very important things about today's world. The alternate history is unimportant to the book's main message and should not deter readers who dislike fantasy. The book is very much about the real world in which we all live and function. By using an environment that stretches her characters to breaking point the author can make important points about what it means to be human and how we are all molded and warped by the world into which we are thrown. I would defy any reader not be both emotionally moved and intellectually challenged by this book; it is amazing that it is a first novel. I guess it shows that genius does not play by the conventional rules.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible book
Review: This had to have been one of the longest books I have ever read (1149 pages). I did not like it in a soft cover, since it was difficult to hold and turn pages while reading in bed at night. That was necessary, since once you get into it, this book was very hard to put down. Very engrossing. However, I must add that this was one of the darkest, most difficult books to wade through that I have ever read. I thoroughly enjoy alternative history, and this satisfied that quite well. However, the violence in this book was on such a personal level (you could not help but feel it yourself), that it was at times painful to read. One other reviewer said they felt dirty when they finished it. While I wouldn't go quite that far, I can honestly say that only the most dedicated person that is into alternative history should even attempt this. Do not start it, unless you intend to finish it. Also, be prepared for a good many of the characters (the author does a marvelous job of developing them), NOT to be such very nice people. I think this book would have been better as a short series. I am amazed at the thoroughness of this author, this being her first book. I will look forward to more from her, but hope she attempts a different subject matter.
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