Title: War and Woman
Author: Robert Rogers
Publisher: Authors Tranquility Press
ISBN: 978-1962859899
Pages: 114
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy
Reviewed by: Alyssa Avina
Hollywood Book Reviews
In times of great distress and tragedy, a person can either find themselves breaking completely, or finding their true selves and who they are meant to be. While difficult to see the forest through the trees during those heartbreaking moments, tragedy can often become a defining moment in a person’s life, and bring about changes or experiences they would otherwise have never known in their lives.
That idea and concept becomes the backbone of author Robert Rogers’s War and Woman, a story of tragedy, trauma, and finding something else in the process. Following a young man from the years spent growing up in California to his college years and into his time as an Army officer, the story explores this young man’s experiences in the Vietnam War. During this time of upheaval, he meets a young woman named Lan, the female interpreter assigned to him during this time, and both together and individually experience tragic incidents which stay with them forever.
While a fast paced read, the author still managed to create enough depth of character and relatable storytelling to keep the reader engaged. The first-person narrative allows the reader to feel not only connected to the story, but to the experiences the protagonist was engaged in. The emotional connection shared between the protagonist and Lan was the heart of this story, as both engaged one another on an emotional and intellectual level that allowed their relationship to grow and evolve as their shared and isolated experiences shaped who they ultimately became. The vivid imagery in the author’s writing style brought the Vietnam setting and the harsh realities of war to life in a visceral way, and allowed this reader to feel the mounting tension and heavy atmosphere of that era.
Experiencing a book such as this, one which speaks to readers who enjoy short story and novella level narratives with an emphasis on relationships, wartime experiences, history, and the Vietnam War in general, will stay with readers long after the book ends. The way the author focuses and hones in on that particular time period for the narrative and leaves the future of these characters open ended is a masterful use of storytelling in this book. It allows the reader to grow connected to these individuals and form a bond that leaves a hopeful tone for the character’s futures. War and Woman is a thought-provoking and emotional journey, reminding readers of the indomitable strength found in the most harrowing of circumstances.