American War
by Omar El Akkad · first published 2017
100% recommend
"An audacious and powerful debut novel: a second American Civil War, a devastating plague, and one family caught deep in the middle--a story that asks what might happen if America were to turn its most devastating policies and deadly weapons upon itself. Sarat Chestnut, born in Louisiana, is only six when the Second American Civil War breaks out in 2074. But even she knows that oil is outlawed, that Louisiana is half underwater, and that unmanned drones fill the sky. When her father is killed and her family is forced into Camp Patience for displaced persons, she begins to grow up shaped by her
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American War by Omar El-Akkad, read by Dion Graham. Not many characters but a riveting story about a plausible second American Civil War. The Power of the Dog and The Cartel by Don Winslow, read by Rob Porter. A…
on “Ash HN: What is your must-read audiobook?” ↗American War by Omar El Akkad. Incredible post-apocalyptic civil war story.
on “Ask HN: Favorite fiction books of 2018?” ↗…can't think of many: Margaret Atwood, William Gibson, Omar El Akkad, any others? I recently read an NPR article [1] about the best sci-fi and fantasy of the past decade. With one exception (El Akkad's American War), it's pretty much all space opera or similar. I guess Emily St. John Mandel's Station Eleven isn't, but I haven't read it. [1] https://www.npr.org/2021/08/18/1027159166/best-books-science...
on “William Gibson is a literary genius” ↗…many out there ideas. I know OP wasn't looking for dystopias, but if you like Parable of the Sower, I recently read two excellent new scifi/dystopia books: Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, and American War by Omar El Akkad. American War was really cool - it's by a journalist who covered military trials at Guantanamo Bay and the Arab Spring, who transposes the stories/atrocities he witnessed as a reporter…
on “Ask HN: What are the best Sci-Fi books you've ever read?” ↗> I was introduced to sci-fi last year and pretty much stuck to it throughout 2018. If you're looking for additional science fiction suggestions: 1. American War by Omar El Akkad 2. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel 3. Artemis by Andy Weir 4. Daemon by Daniel Suarez 5. Old Man's War by John Scalzi 6. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch 7. Red Rising series…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2018?” ↗