Burning Nation (Divided We Fall Series #2)

by Trent Reedy

Overview

In this wrenching sequel to DIVIDED WE FALL, Danny and friends fight to defend Idaho against a Federal takeover and the ravages of a BURNING NATION.

At the end of DIVIDED WE FALL, Danny Wright's beloved Idaho had been invaded by the federal government, their electricity shut off, their rights suspended. Danny goes into hiding with his friends in order to remain free. But after the state declares itself a Republic, Idaho rises to fight in a second American Civil War, and Danny is right in the center of the action, running guerrilla missions with his fellow soldiers to break the Federal occupation. Yet what at first seems like a straightforward battle against governmental repression quickly grows more complicated, as more states secede, more people die, and Danny discovers the true nature of some of his new allies.

Chilling, powerful, and all too plausible,, BURNING NATION confirms Trent Reedy's place as a provocative new voice in YA fiction.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545548731
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	01/27/2015
Series:	Guides to European Diplomatic History Research and Research , #2
Pages:	432
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.30(h) x 5.00(d)
Lexile:	HL760L (what's this?)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

Trent Reedy is the author of WORDS IN THE DUST, winner of the Christopher Medal and an Al Roker's Book Club pick on the Today Show, and STEALING AIR. Trent and his wife live in Spokane, Washington. Please visit his website at www.trentreedy.com.

Editorial Reviews

★ 12/22/2014
The second installment of Reedy's Divided We Fall trilogy, about an Idaho National Guardsman caught between loyalties when the state and federal government end up in armed conflict, opens with a bang, as Idaho resists efforts at forceful suppression. Private Danny Wright, the accidental figurehead of the Idaho rebellion, becomes an insurgent in his hometown, fighting the Feds alongside his closest friends. Matters escalate, turning into open revolution and the beginning of a new American Civil War, and leading to a chilling portrayal of a disintegrating nation where neither side is entirely right or wrong. While Danny's moral conflict is easier now that he's committed to the fight, the increasingly personal stakes keep him from growing complacent. As in Divided We Fall, Reedy spins an action-packed cautionary tale, allowing both state and federal viewpoints their strengths and weaknesses, stopping just short of condemning both sides while acknowledging the validity of their arguments. It's a complex story rooted in current events, all the more worrisome for its plausibility. Ages 14–up. Agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for DIVIDED WE FALL

*"[A] stunning trilogy opener... This cautionary tale screams immediacy and urgency, a page-turner that rapidly moves toward a catastrophic cliffhanger." – PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, starred review

"Set in a not-too-distant future, the book mixes patriotism with incredible realism, creating an all-too-possible pre-dystopia. . . . 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." -- SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

"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.

"Tense, heart-wrenching, and all too believable–I can't wait to read more!" – Tamora Pierce, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of BATTLE MAGIC and TERRIER

"Powerful and timely! Trent Reedy's chilling tale hits hard as an ambush. Prepare to lose sleep reading what could be your very near future..." – W.E.B. Griffin & William E. Butterworth IV, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling authors of THE LAST WITNESS and HAZARDOUS DUTY

From the Publisher

In this gritty sequel to Divided We Fall, Private Daniel Wright is at the epicenter of social chaos once again. Once a soldier serving in the Idaho National Guard, Daniel now finds himself fighting against the Federal Government. Idaho has seceded from the Union and now faces an onslaught of Federal troops. He fights in a guerrilla war with steadily increasing brutality. For Danny, the conflict becomes more complex than simply defending his state when other states begin to follow Idaho’s lead and break with the national government. Now the nation spins into a civil war spawned by polarized politics and mutual misunderstanding. Throughout this all-too-believable look into the future, readers are presented with news flashes, blog posts, and other media coverage of the escalating conflict. While fighting, Danny is exposed to the brutality of war both his Federal opponents and his allies. Wishing nothing more than to settle down with his girlfriend, Danny must continue fighting even though the war grows more confusing and painful each day. As in its predecessor, this volume is unsettlingly plausible. Readers will feel compelled to race through this book while simultaneously feeling growing unease when thinking about the political divisions that exist in our nation and fuel discord similar to that presented so well by Trent Reedy. Book two in the “Divided We Fall” series. Reviewer: Greg M. Romaneck; Ages 12 up.

Children's Literature - Greg M. Romaneck

Idaho’s secession from the United States has nineteen-year-old Danny Wright and his fellow Idahoans battling the federal government for sovereignty. The Fed is determined to squash resistance to the Federal I.D. Act, and state militia groups and former National Guard members are just as determined to resist. In this sequel to Divided We Fall (Scholastic, 2014), the stakes are high and the motivations muddy. Danny has become the face of the rebellion, and his anguished cry at the death of his mother at the hands of federal forces, “I will give you a war,” is the rallying cry for the rebel army. The unrest is an opportunity for local militia groups, particularly the Brotherhood of the White Eagle, to seize authority and impress their own militaristic agenda onto the populace. The theft of nuclear warheads and public executions without trial are the order of the day, a situation that has Danny questioning the world he has helped create. Danny’s dense first-person narrative is interspersed with news from various media, the Fed, and the new government of Idaho; comments from readers and listeners provide a sense of the national response to the conflict. Characterizations are slight, particularly the female players; political points of view given by characters provide context. Guerilla skirmishes and chases and escapes make up the core of the action, and readers with a fondness for weaponry and war games will find much to enjoy here. The conclusion of this second volume in a planned trilogy has Idaho teetering on the edge of a military dystopia; fans will queue up for the next book. Reviewer: Janice M. Del Negro; Ages 12 to 18.

VOYA, February 2015 (Vol. 37, No. 6) - Janice M. Del Negro

12/01/2014
Gr 9 Up—In this gritty sequel to Divided We Fall(2014), Private Daniel Wright finds himself at the forefront of Idaho's fight for independence from the United States. Following the state's refusal to enforce the Federal Identification Card Act, military occupation ensues, and Wright and his fellow soldiers, overwhelmed and outnumbered, find themselves on the losing side of America's Second Civil War. Surrounded by death and escalating brutality, Danny, conflicted over his sense of duty and his desire to start a peaceful life with his girlfriend JoBell, watches the Idaho he loves descend into savagery. A symbol for the rebellion and the target of federal forces, Danny struggles to maintain his humanity while his enemies will stop at nothing to destroy him and the rebellion. Adrenaline-fueled and gut-wrenching, Reedy's depiction of an America on the brink of governmental collapse feels all-too-plausible in today's complex political climate. Here, readers are given an intense first-person look at the atrocities of war as seen and experienced by Danny, whose growing inner turmoil is understandable in light of the brutality he faces, and it's this gradual change in character that makes Danny more believable. Further pushing the boundaries of realism is Reedy's use of italicized news reports and social media posts in particular that puts the audience in the middle of the action, much like what can be experienced in online coverage today. Frighteningly authentic, Daniel Wright's plight will have readers clamoring for the final installment in this action-packed and thought-provoking trilogy.—Audrey Sumser, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Mayfield, OH

School Library Journal

2014-10-01
In the second installment of the Divided We Fall trilogy, PFC Daniel Wright continues fighting for the Republic of Idaho against the federal government in what is becoming a second civil war. Danny Wright blames himself for firing the shot that led to this war, a shot at a protest in Boise that caused fellow National Guardsmen to open fire, killing several protestors. A standoff with the Feds has ensued, and with the Idaho governor's refusal to enforce federal laws, Idaho has been invaded by federal forces. War makes its inexorable descent into darkness, chaos and brutality, until Danny wonders what kind of person he has become. Innocent people are killed, prisoners are tortured, the death toll mounts, and soon it's difficult to say what has been won, though it's easy to see what's been lost. The media don't inform, they only obfuscate. Long, italicized excerpts from various news sources inserted between chapters effectively demonstrate how the media can muddle and provoke rather than offer necessary, thoughtful analysis. And by the end, Danny realizes, "We gotta save something of ourselves, of our humanity, if we're ever going to leave the war behind." An action-packed thriller that may well lead readers to further explore the complicated constitutional and political issues it raises. (Thriller. 14 & up)

Kirkus Reviews