Synopses & Reviews
“This compelling debut novel, which won the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction, dramatically examines the insidious role unrestrained technology plays in the moral and ethical corruption of people, institutions, and government . . . This is an excellent story, well told, suspenseful, and tragic.” —Publishers Weekly
When Jessica, a young Air Force drone pilot in Nevada, is tasked with launching a missile against a suspected terrorist halfway across the world, she realizes that though women and children are in the crosshairs of her screen, she has no choice but to follow orders. Ethan, a young Wall Street quant, is involved in a more bloodless connection to war when he develops an algorithm that enables his company’s clients to profit by exploiting the international financial instability caused by exactly this kind of antiterrorist strike. These two are only minor players, but their actions have global implications that tear lives apart—including their own. And West Is West is a politically and socially charged book whose author has crafted a terrifyingly real scenario.
“Impressive and keenly relevant to our time. And West Is West moves seamlessly between drone strikes and high-speed trading on Wall Street. I devoured it in forty-eight hours, and during the hours I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. I still am . . . This writer can write; these characters are real; the story is crackerjack.” —Barbara Kingsolver
“I’m impressed by the power of Ron Childress’s voice and the accuracy with which he describes human behavior. He’s an intelligent and gifted writer who doesn’t show off--he knows how to tell a story that you won’t forget.” —Terry McMillan
Synopsis
A calculated nail-biter that shines a dark light on life in the 21st century. The Washington Post
A story no one has ever written before, and one we all need to read . . . Impressive and keenly relevant to our time. Barbara Kingsolver
When Jessica, a young Air Force drone pilot in Nevada, is tasked with launching a missile against a suspected terrorist halfway across the world, she has no choice but to comply, even if it means women and children will be killed too. Meanwhile, Ethan, a young Wall Street quant, develops an algorithm that enables his company s clients to profit by exploiting the international financial instability caused by exactly this kind of antiterrorist strike.
These two are only minor players, but their actions have global implications that tear lives apart--including their own, as they are cast out by
a flawed system and forced to take the blame for the orders of their superiors.
Award-winning author Ron Childress has crafted a powerful, politically charged, and terrifyingly real novel for our time.
Extraordinary. The Kansas City Star
This compelling debut novel . . . dramatically examines the insidious role unrestrained technology plays in the moral and ethical corruption of people, institutions, and government . . . An excellent story, well told, suspenseful, and tragic. Publishers Weekly
This powerful and morally chilling tale depicts the chasm modern technology can create between actions and consequences. Library Journal
A smart, satisfying work about real people navigating the uneasy compromises of today s world. With sharp writing and likeable characters, Ron Childress has woven a very human story out of the tangle of conflicts--military, political, financial--that bind us together. Washington Independent Review of Books, 2015 Best Novels of the Year
A master study in how people can emotionally detach themselves from the damage they cause in our computer-driven world. The Washington Post"
Synopsis
When Jessica, a young Air Force drone pilot in Nevada, is tasked with launching a missile against a suspected terrorist halfway across the world, she realizes that although women and children are in the crosshairs, she has no choice but to follow orders. Ethan, a young Wall Street quant, is involved in a more bloodless connection to war when he develops an algorithm that enables his company's clients to profit from the financial instability caused by this kind of antiterrorist strike. These two are only minor players, but their actions have global implications that tear lives apart--including their own.
About the Author
Ron Childress started his work life in boatyards up and down the New England coast, but at nineteen, he enrolled in community college and went on to earn his BA, MA, and PhD in literature. Childress worked for several years as a communications manager for a professional association near Washington, DC, before joining his wife in her tech marketing agency. In 2000, he left the business to pursue fiction writing full time. And West Is West, winner of the 2014 PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction, is his first novel.