This is the second book in a series. I did not read the first book, but the subject matter in the two books is completely different, and this book works fine as a standalone. In 1987, the police in a small California town are faced with several seemingly unrelated incidents - a poisoned child, a murdered real estate developer, a dead dog behind a Vietnamese grocery. But when detective Ben Wade and his pathologist girlfriend Natasha Betencourt look closer, they find the links, and once they see them it is obvious that hatred is all around them. The stories of Vietnamese refugees in Orange Co. of their escapes after the Fall of Saigon and the reestablishment of their lives are fascinating and inspirational. Bao Phan, the sensitive art teacher, becomes a store owner, happy to do so because he, his wife and daughter escaped and lived. Teh Vietnamese community seems to always be fighting the hatred of those with resentment toward Vietnamese refugees, or just any refugee, or just any non-white. Robert Muchamore wins Bolton Children's Book Award". SLA. 4 July 2005. Archived from the original on 20 October 2007 . Retrieved 14 August 2014.

The story involves bigots who hated the thought of Asian immigrants buying property, opening businesses, dating while people and integrating into society. At times I felt the author was preaching. At other times it felt like truth. Having been on planes that transported Vietnamese refugees to the US many years ago, I could visualize some of the experiences of the refugees. My parents volunteered as grandparents at school for a Vietnamese immigrant, who we today consider family. The Recruit by Robert Muchamore is exactly what people wouldn’t think. It opens up minds to what could be, but nobody knows. James is a teen that seems to get into trouble, but also seems brilliant in his way of doing good things. James has no idea to expect when he finds himself as a Cherub recruit, but he has no other options after his mother dies and no one else is there to take care of him. Why would James want to seek out his future as an agent for Cherub when life isn’t even worth it? The answer is “refuge”; James needs success to complete something in life. He hasn’t accomplished anything else in life and this is it. Saving the world from terrorists! Drew does a great job of painting 1987 Southern California. This small, middle class community doesn’t have a crime problem. In fact, people move here to escape the crime of the big cities. Ben Wade was one of those people. But still, there’s a Vietnamese sub-community that isn’t welcome by all. “This kind of thing didn’t happen until they got here.” The parallels to today are frightening.

Book Summary

Principal photography for the series reportedly took place in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec and Los Angeles, California, on October 25, 2021. [9] [10] [16] Filming had reportedly wrapped on March 28, 2022. [16] Release [ edit ] Meanwhile, Natasha Betencourt, a county medical examiner and Ben’s girlfriend, is on a scene of her own, where a wealthy real estate developer has just been found dead in his pool. At first glance, a drowning is questioned, but as Detective Joseph Vanek and Natasha work the scene, there appears to be evidence of head trauma. I was trying to dramatize in The Recruit: that the aftermath of the Vietnam War sparked a new white supremacy movement, one that coalesced in the 1980s around the fledgling Internet and ultimately found legitimacy as a mainstream political movement in the presidency of Donald Trump."

A graphic novel adaption of the book, adapted by Ian Edginton and illustrated by John Aggs, was released on 4 August 2012 by Hodder Children's Books. [4] Audio book [ edit ] Prior to James’s 100 days of basic training, he begins some physical drills. Since he can’t swim, one of his greatest challenges is overcoming his fear of water. A 16-year-old CHERUB named Amy trains him. James is pleased to learn Lauren has been removed from Ron’s care and invited to join CHERUB as well. Basic training is brutal, emotionally and physically. James gets off to a bad start with his 11-year-old partner, Kerry, but eventually sees her as an asset, friend and potential romantic interest. These are just a sample of the strange lines, often about guns or tech devices, which are misused or do not make any sense. The author must have self-edited. Romero, Ariana (September 28, 2022). "Noah Centineo Is All Suited Up in New 'The Recruit' Photos". Netflix . Retrieved October 3, 2022.Having grown up in Southern Orange County, I have loved Drew’s ability to capture the setting so well: When detective Ben Wade responds to a call, he goes to “...a nice street…every house painted a shade of beige, little squares of mowed green grass, sprinklers draining the Colorado to keep that green.” However, I give this a two star because I did want to find out how it ended. But I was relived to get it over with. The beginning started out with much potential, but it was squandered in the end. It took place in LA, Orange County, CA and sometimes in Big Bear - I grew up here and it was fun to picture everything that was in the book. Overall though, i absolutely adored the book and remains to be one of the best i have ever read. :D

Anyway, the writing style was also bad. There were several errors and typos in the text. Some of the sentences required a second read, which greatly disrupted the ease of reading.I kept thinking of Eric Hoffer while reading this book. Although there are murders, (this is a real police procedural), the overarching theme of the book is about organized white supremacist terrorism. There are evil leaders of the movement, just as in real life, but there are legions of followers, dedicated to the cause, true believers to the last man. The recruit of the title is the archetype of Hoffer's philosophy.

Although the book has been given many positive critiques, there are some minor issues with the book. There seems to be some places where 'heavy' swear words are being uses and the use of alcohol and cigarettes. These things can be disturbing for younger readers as it can negatively influence them especially since kids are doing these actions. Also, at times, minor information as well as details were taking over particular parts of the novel which can be quite boring for readers as it will disinterest them. Finally, there are some places where suspense and 'punch' is not quite written in detail which doesn't quite accentuate the meaningfulness of a particular action.The story begins with James sitting in his science class. He doesn’t like school very much, and he feels bored with the material. There is a girl that everyone likes named Samantha, who is a bit of a goody-two-shoes. James, however, knows a different side of Samantha, who teases him about his overweight mother. On this day, James cannot handle her taunting, and he snaps, pushing Samantha against a wall and injuring her. The teacher, Mrs. Voolt, yells at James, and he pushes her, too, in panic. Not knowing what to do, James runs from the classroom. He knows he will be in trouble with the school and with his mom, so instead of returning home, he goes to a park and hides within the playground. Alan Drew creates a thoughtful mystery with multiple viewpoints in The Recruit. It’s set in 1987 and happens around a small city in Orange County, California. Drew uses a smart approach to his suspenseful story. He’s unafraid to confront the big issues of the day, like refugee realities, white supremacy, Christian nationalism, and how the police interact with the disparate communities they serve. As you can see, the topics are equally relevant today. A female classmate comments on Mum’s weight one too many times, and James pushes her against the wall. Her face catches on a nail, leaving a bloody gash. James runs from the school and wanders around to think. When he finally goes home, he sees Mum’s answering machine is full. She and Ron are drunk, and she hasn’t heard the school’s messages. a b c d Fleming, Mike Jr. (April 28, 2021). "Noah Centineo to Star in Netflix CIA Series from Alexi Hawley, Doug Liman & eOne". Deadline . Retrieved October 3, 2022. a b Andreeva, Nellie (May 23, 2022). "Alexi Hawley Inks Big New TV & Film Deal with eOne". Deadline . Retrieved October 3, 2022.