Synopses & Reviews
The year is 1943 and World War II in the Pacific rages on, with Americans engaged in desperate battles against a cunning enemy. Coast Guard Captain Josh Thurlow is on hand at the invasion of Tarawa, as the United States Navy begins throwing her Marines at island after bloody island across the Pacific. But nothing goes as planned, and young Americans go up against fanatical defenders.
As blood colors the waters around Tarawa, Josh flounders ashore through a floating graveyard of dead men and joins the survivors. Critically wounded, Josh expects to die. Instead, Sister Mary Kathleen, a pretty Irish nun, nurses him back to health, then shanghais Josh, sidekick Bosun Ready ONeal, and three American Marines to a group of tropical islands invaded by a brutal Japanese warlord. Josh and his little band must decide whether to help the Sister ?ght the battle she demands, return to Tarawa and the “real” war, or settle down in the romantic splendor of the South Seas.
With an incredible eye for historical detail, edge-of-your-seat writing, and the talent of a master storyteller, Homer Hickam delivers another page-turning tour de force.
Review
Praise for The Far Reaches"Excellent." --
Kirkus“Entertaining…compelling and historically grounded.” --Military.com“Packed with action and pathos…[Hickams] impressive writing skills chronicle a near-catastrophic battle early in World War II….it is here that Hickam injects his rich and colorful characters into the story.” -Bookreporter.com
Praise for The Ambassador's Son“A tightly wrapped tale of wartime action.” --
Publishers Weekly“Homer Hickam establishes himself as an heir to such greats as James Jones and Herman Wouk.” --James Bradley, bestselling author of Flags of Our Fathers
"This fast-moving tale of action, intrigue, and romance during World War II is filled with fascinating characters and vivid backgrounds. Hickam is one of the best yarn-spinners in the business." --James Reasoner, author of The Last Good War“A well-written piece of WWII fiction that would be worth reading even without its bonus characters.” -Roanoke Times
“Hickam effectively weaves storytelling and exhaustive research on Kennedy into a thrilling tale” -The Denver Post
“A fast-paced adventure novel with sea chases and skin-of-their-teeth rescues…the real strength of the book lies in the characters. The main protagonists are well-drawn and credible…[and] the peripheral characters truly shine.” -Richmond Times-Dispatch
"THE AMBASSADOR'S SON is the reason I love to read. It takes you to a place where propellers and tides and bullets decide men's fates and you feel like you're sweating along with the heroes and villains. Homer Hickam is such a good writer that I'd probably read anything that he put out, but this adventure made me feel like a kid again." --Rick Bragg, bestselling author of ALL OVER BUT THE SHOUTIN'
"Homer Hickam is the best natural storyteller I've read in years." -Stephen Coonts
Synopsis
The #1 "New York Times"-bestselling author of "Rocket Boys" continues his thrilling World War II adventure saga featuring Captain Josh Thurlow in the South Pacific.
About the Author
Homer Hickam is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Rocket Boys, which was made into the acclaimed movie October Sky. He is also the author of the previous Josh Thurlow novels, The Keepers Son and The Ambassadors Son. He is married to Linda Terry Hickam, an artist, who is also his assistant. They share their time between homes in Alabama and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Reading Group Guide
Below are some ideas for discussion in your group. Please contact Homer at http://www.homerhickam.com to let him know when you're meeting. He might even be able to answer your questions via telephone!
(1) The book opens with the battle of Tarawa. Had you ever heard of this battle? What would you think would be the American public's reaction today to so many of their troops killed in a single battle?
(2) Did this novel make you want to read a non-fiction book about Tarawa?
(3) What's your opinion of Josh Thurlow? What did you like about him? What did you dislike?
(4) Who was your favorite character in the novel? Why?
(5) Homer calls this novel, like all his Thurlow novels, a story of love in a time of war. Do you agree with that, in this case? What kind of love is portrayed in this novel?
(6) Why do you think Ready loved Sister Francis Marie? Why do you think she shunned him for so long?
(7) What did you think of Sister Francis Marie? If she was sitting in this group, what would you ask her?
(8) The Sister has a secret sin she cannot reveal to anyone but a priest throughout most of this novel. Did you guess what it was? Or was it more than one?
(9) Do you understand why she acted as she did after being captured by Colonel Yoshu?
(10) Why do you think Colonel Yoshu wanted Sister Francis Marie back? Do you think he loved her? Was he in any way a sympathetic character?
(11) What do you think of some of the metaphysical aspects to the story? The talking corpses on Tarawa, Purdy the Pelican, Dave the Megapode? What do you think the author was trying to reveal with these moments?
(12) Why didn't the people of Tahila just pack up and leave when they knew the Japanese were going to attack them?
(13) Why do you think Josh got so drunk when he arrived at Tahila?
(14) Josh and Colonel Burr clearly have a past that has led them to dislike one another. Why do you think living on Tahila seemed to make them more friendly?
(15) Would you like to live on Tahila and in their culture?
(16) Did you like the way the story ended? How would you have liked it to end?
(17) Did this story have a moral?
(18) Would you read another Josh Thurlow novel?