The Homelanders Series

Storyline - Book 1 - The Last Thing I Remember - Charlie West is an average teenager: Goes to school, has a crush on a girl, wants to join the air force, and is a black belt in karate. But one night, after going to sleep in his own bed, he wakes up strapped to a chair being torchered by a group of terrorists by the name of the Homelanders. Not only that, a year of his life is gone and he can't remember what happened. Also, (as if the above stuff wasn't enough) he is convicted of a murder of an old friend.

Book 2 - The Longest Way Home - Charlie's home and trying to figure out what happened. But when his friends insist on helping out, it might be more than any of them can chew.

Book 3 - Charlie finally finds a man by the name of Waterman who is some how connected to his past. But when Waterman says he has to chain Charlie to a chair and give him an injection that will be painful, how it Charlie to know if he is on his side? Or is he another enemy? And what exactly is hidden in his memory? And how far behind are the Homelands?

Author - Andrew Klavan

Age Group - 15 and up (at least in high school because of at least one mature situation in book 1)

Positive - Charlie tries to do the right thing and find out the truth, even if that truth is not what he wants. He looks out for his friends and is trusting in his faith. In book 1, a women is being attacked and Charlie intervenes to protect her, even though he doesn't even know her. At the end of book 1, he tries to help someone else and gets himself accused as a bad guy. He looks after others before himself. When Charlie is sick, the woman who's house Charlie broken into cares for him even though he broke and entered, showing she was willing to help someone who needed it even though they did wrong.

Negative - Like stated before, a woman is attacked in book 1 but it is not graphic or detailed but makes the book in appropriate for anyone below high school (I just don't think a younger person should be exposed to the idea). Charlie has doubts at least once and feels God tells him "he has no where to go" which is quite hopeless and not something God would say. But Charlie does come back from that and I think he knows God didn't abandon him. He brakes into a house and eats someone else's food but does leave them money.

Finish - Fascinating and original storyline and idea. As one person said (I can't remember who or where I read this) but these books is The Fugitive and The Bourne Identity mixed together. I have to agree with that assessment. It can move a little slow and things can be repeated more than they have to but the books leave you wanting to know what happens next.

Links - You can learn more about the series at: http://www.thehomelanders.com/index.php and at: http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/

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