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For the past few years it's become a tradition for me to start out the year with this novel. After the Revolution is a deeply endulging genre novel. In a genre I despise. It's difficult for me to read any fiction novel about war, even less so if it's speculative fiction AND adventure. I turned to this novel regardless of my preconception because I enjoy Robert Evan's voice.
After the Revolution is not revolutionary, nor is it a masterpiece. I adore it for one simple reason that will become clear.
After the Revolution cares about war unlike most people do. It almost makes war fun. It's combat seems joyous, because guns will give you exactly that feeling. The power, excitement and adrenaline. There is nothing that can even come close. Even all the drugs that are consumed on page, will make you feel the difference to actual, real fighting. And then Evans will detail the aftermath of the violence you so thouroughly enjoyed. Roland is the key to follow. His entire being exists in this ambivilance. He cares about people, he knows how to fight, he is addicted to it. Roland tries to be better, but even a superhuman cannot control the chemistry in your brain. Do you get it yet?Nothing has inspired Evan's speculation of another US-civil war like the Syrian Civil-War. It's everywhere in this book. The Heavenly Kingdom is the ISIS/Daesh-Clone. We have the old Regime still clinging on to something. A free and liberated Texas with the SDF. And then you also have Rolling Fuck.Rolling Fuck is what After the Revolution is build around. A traveling city of superhuman freaks, addicts, lovers and anarchists. It's the most indulging Part of the novel. And surprisingly I am into it. How heavinly an anarchist commune of freaks sounds, that can also beat up an army with 10% of the headcount. Of freaks that can change their appearance on a dime. Modificate their bodies how they want.But it is not why I return to this book every year. If you have not understood why, the novel has no qualms about spelling it out for you. Fighting Fascism is necessary. But we must never ever forget that they are also humans. We must not loose ourselves in the violence, no matter how justified, it will make us loose our humanity.
After the Revolution answers the question of how to make a Revolution sound fun in the 21st century. But it also wants us to be better doing it. Remember that all this violence is still human.
For the past few years it's become a tradition for me to start out the year with this novel. After the Revolution is a deeply endulging genre novel. In a genre I despise. It's difficult for me to read any fiction novel about war, even less so if it's speculative fiction AND adventure. I turned to this novel regardless of my preconception because I enjoy Robert Evan's voice.
After the Revolution is not revolutionary, nor is it a masterpiece. I adore it for one simple reason that will become clear.
After the Revolution cares about war unlike most people do. It almost makes war fun. It's combat seems joyous, because guns will give you exactly that feeling. The power, excitement and adrenaline. There is nothing that can even come close. Even all the drugs that are consumed on page, will make you feel the difference to actual, real fighting. And then Evans will detail the aftermath of the violence you so thouroughly enjoyed. Roland is the key to follow. His entire being exists in this ambivilance. He cares about people, he knows how to fight, he is addicted to it. Roland tries to be better, but even a superhuman cannot control the chemistry in your brain. Do you get it yet?Nothing has inspired Evan's speculation of another US-civil war like the Syrian Civil-War. It's everywhere in this book. The Heavenly Kingdom is the ISIS/Daesh-Clone. We have the old Regime still clinging on to something. A free and liberated Texas with the SDF. And then you also have Rolling Fuck.Rolling Fuck is what After the Revolution is build around. A traveling city of superhuman freaks, addicts, lovers and anarchists. It's the most indulging Part of the novel. And surprisingly I am into it. How heavinly an anarchist commune of freaks sounds, that can also beat up an army with 10% of the headcount. Of freaks that can change their appearance on a dime. Modificate their bodies how they want.But it is not why I return to this book every year. If you have not understood why, the novel has no qualms about spelling it out for you. Fighting Fascism is necessary. But we must never ever forget that they are also humans. We must not loose ourselves in the violence, no matter how justified, it will make us loose our humanity.
After the Revolution answers the question of how to make a Revolution sound fun in the 21st century. But it also wants us to be better doing it. Remember that all this violence is still human.