5 star Review
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Editorial Book Review:
By Jazmin James
This intense novel delves into the murky intersection of power, violence, and morality, centered around a deeply flawed protagonist scarred by trauma. Thrust into a world of organized crime and political corruption, the protagonist (Cole) is caught between survival and doing what’s right. What makes the story compelling is its nuanced approach to violence—not just as an act but as a force shaping human destiny. His vulnerabilities create a deep sense of conflict as he struggles to navigate his dangerous new reality, often balancing on the edge of moral collapse.
The way the author creates suspense keeps readers on edge since every choice seems to have no back point. The protagonist's inner struggle gives the story a psychological element and transforms it from a criminal thriller into an investigation of the boundaries of morality in a society gone corrupt. Readers are pulled into the protagonist’s emotional turmoil, questioning along with him what justice means when power is wielded unjustly. His actions, while morally ambiguous, are painted in shades of gray, challenging the reader to grapple with their own definitions of right and wrong.
One of the novel's merits is its portrayal of a protagonist who does not conform to the stereotype of a classic hero. Instead of straightforward objectives and simple decisions, the character is a complex figure motivated by terror, survival, and psychological scars. The stakes continually rise as he sinks deeper into a world of crime and violence, testing the boundaries of his morality.
This book doesn’t just tell a story—it confronts the reader with uncomfortable questions about justice, power, and the cost of survival. In a world where the lines between good and evil are blurred, it offers a gritty, intense narrative that challenges the reader to think deeply about what it means to endure and thrive in the face of overwhelming odds. This is an engrossing read for fans of dark, psychological thrillers who appreciate thought-provoking, complex characters and moral ambiguity.
About the Author
Luke Gherardi
Luke Gherardi is a writer of short stories. Children of Violence is his first novella. He writes what he knows, basing his fiction on real-life people and inspired by his observations or first-hand experience of actual events.
He is a fighter. And a survivor.
He overcame childhood cancer – lymphoma. That was the easy part. Being raised in dysfunction was not.
Growing up in a suburb of St. Louis, Luke lived with his mother, a church-going, God-fearing woman from The Philippines, who provided anything but a sane childhood. To the outside world, everything seemed normal in this nice farm community. But in reality, he says his mom’s practice of her faith was more like a cult, where militaristic brainwashing went on. He grew up with survivalists.
His parents were divorced when he was very young. He would visit his dad on the weekend in a crime-infested part of St. Louis, where the gang-ridden streets were filled with people who cared nothing about their lives and even less about yours. His dad was a bit of a hustler and gambler. He drank excessively, popped pills, and smoked marijuana. He lived in a condemned building and suffered from mental issues. He committed suicide a decade ago.
As soon as Luke turned 18 and graduated from high school, he left home and never looked back. He moved to Denver, where he knew no one and had nothing. He made a life for himself, met a woman, and got married. They had a child together. A few years later, they divorced. For the past decade, he has worked for North Park Transportation, beginning as a dock supervisor and working his way up to fleet safety manager. He earned his A.A.S. in Avionics Engineering from Colorado Aero Tech. He lives just outside of Denver and enjoys raising his daughter, age 7.
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