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Eric J. Brown
Science Fiction, Historical Fiction
Taken at Alberta Beach Farmers' Market
August 21, 2016
My name Is Eric Brown, I was born raised and still reside in the Canadian province of Alberta. I began writing when I was 13 years old, and self published my first novel, Ginny, in 1998 and have sicne published, Ingrid 2000, Anna 2002, The Promise 2004, and To the Last Tree Standing 2006.
I graduated from Seba Beach highschool in 1967 and have since workewd for CN signals and Transalta Utilities. I am married, raised two sons, and have five grandchildren. I have a keen interest in modren history, geography and general science, particularly astronomy. I love music of all descriptiosn save modern rock/punk/rap. Love of music and knowledge of astronomy are reflected in most of my books.
ISBN 9780968438435
Abba us a bright eighteen-year-old girl, a member of a happy family and has a bright future ahead of her. Then her world is shattered when the Soviet Union forcibly annexes her tiny homeland of Lativa in the summer of 1940. A year later it is conquered again, by the Nazis. Anna's family is destroyed and she is forced to live by her wits. Her only hope is to somehow find her brother, who is abroad, and the young man in her life who is also lost in these brutal crosscurrents of history. Her only dream is to reach the faraway golden land of Canada. Thus, begins Anna's incredible odyssey to freedom.
Reviewer's Comments This is Brown's best work yet! The story of Anna, the Latvian girl caught up in the horrors of the Second World War, takes the reader through parts of Europe and to the New World. The gripping account of this courageous girl chasing her destiny across the world gives us a chilling picture of the violence of war and it depicts the determination of the oppressed to escape to freedom at all cost.
Anna tugs at our heartstrings as she faces her choices in love, and happiness and we tremble with her in danger and indecision.
Exciting, yet tender, colourful yet sensitive, Anna is well worth reading.
Lillian Ross
Publisher/Author
Grassroots Publishing
Check out the author on GoodReads Eric J. Brown (Author of The Effective CIO) | Goodreads
Anna : Her Odyssey to Freedom
Easiest FIVE star I've given in a long time. This is one of those books that are going to stay with me for a long time.
Cover
This cover is simple but explains so much. Having Latvia's flag and Canada's flag speaks volumes. Tie it to the title everything makes sense.
This title is actually more cleaver than the cover alludes it to be. This title doesn't only present itself as a global journey but it's also a mental journey. The title couldn't have been any better.
Interior
Before you even start the book there is a, Latvia description, Author's Note and a Preface. So much research and work went into this book. If it wasn't for the disclaimer and fictional locations in Alberta I'd think it was real.
(Granted there is a Morning Glory Lakes just past Banff in BC I think it's safe to say it's coincidence.)
This book really pulls on your emotions. The tragedy and horrors of Russia and Germany are done respectfully and properly for the setting and style of reading.
At one point deep in the horrors of WW2 with the Siberian Shock troops I'm deeply impressed with how amazingly cleaver and naturally the comedy fits into that particular section.
Throughout nearly the entire book I felt this heavy cloud of dread over the story over impending doom that clearly the character feels in the entire book even when it's as sections of peace and just working the chemistry among the characters.
Because it is WW2 with SS, Gestapo, Red Army, and Siberian Shock Troops, I have to say with every danger and nightmare in this book every spark of kindness has a stronger impact and every risk feels all the more real and dangerous. This is what the book excels in the most.
The end was very poetically written.
One of the greatest realizations is that when Anna just starts speaking English it is spelt in broken English. Every time you read broken English it really hits home that EVERYTHING you've read before was in Russian, German, or Latvian.
Final Thoughts
I love references. Strangely enough the call out to his other work Ginny and Ingrid weirdly don't feel unnatural or out of place being incorporated into the story so smoothly. It's hard not to think all these books are real. Especially when you read the Epilogue.
Lillian Ross's review on the back says everything be I could ever say about this book best.
To the horror that happens and did happen all I can say is, "May Yehovah judge righteously."
SPOILERS! (If it matters)
I know it's impossible to add without being overly forced probably hindering the story I would have loved to see a cross path happen with Jacob and Golda. Since the story webs characters and family trees in and out of the story.
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