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Book Review By Keith David
End of the Beginning by Harry Turtledove

This novel is the second book in the "Days of Infamy" series by Harry Turtledove, after the successful invasion of Hawaii by the Japanese in this Alternate-History series, End of the Beginning continues with the development of society under Japan's rule.

The book follows several differnt characters (on both sides) as those characters survive under Japan's rule, battles with the American forces, POW's and American civilians trapped are covered in great detail as the Japanese discover holding Hawaii has many challenges and difficulties.

The American Navy is rebuilding, and preparing for a massive counterattack, while Japanese Americans on the Island search for their identity, trying to discover if they belong under Japanese rule, or American. POWs struggle to survive, and tolerate the abuses of the Japanese soldiers, while the American Civilians suffer themselves under an oppressive regime.

The final portion of the book is the American invasion of occupied Hawaii, battles, survival, and stuggles of both the soldiers, and the civilian population.


Plot & Themes
Tone of book - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - alternate history
War or Invasion Yes
Major kinds of combat: - guns
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 30 %
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10 %
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20 %

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status:
Age: - 20's-30's

Main Adversary
Identity: - none

Setting
Terrain
Earth setting: - 20th century
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - descript of kissing - descript of touching personal anatomy - impregnation/reproduction - major character becomes a sex slave - actual description of sex - rape/molest (yeech!)
How much dialogue? - significantly more descript than dialog
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