When the bombs drop and reality as you know it disappears in the blink of an eye, what do you do next? In White Smoke, John Gilstrap offers a raw and realistic look of just what might happen. With an emphasis on illustrating the benefits of survival skills, Gilstrap is quick to demonstrate that what might seem odd and even extreme in today’s society could in fact be what saves us if the worst should come to pass.
White Smoke is the third installment in this post apocalyptic series, featuring former Congresswoman Victoria Emerson as she continues to try and forge a functioning community in rural West Virginia. While Victoria tries to keep things progressing in ‘Eden’, as it’s come to be called by outsiders, a request comes down from on high… literally. The small band of violent men and women who have taken over a posh mountain top resort that had served as the cover for the U.S. government’s doomsday bunker. With what remains of the executive branch and congress now imprisoned by a mad man and the masses crying out for blood and retribution, a show trial has been established to quell the bloodlust. The current President of the United States, perhaps in name only, has requested Victoria preside over the trial in an attempt to bring some sense of fairness and normalcy to the process.
While this request is a political minefield in the fledgling society, it is the actual threat of physical violence on the roads that Vicky and her team must overcome to even stand a chance of giving the President what he wants. With marauders, slavers, and desperate souls lurking behind every bend in the road, nothing about this request or journey will be easy.
Gilstrap does an exceptional job of condensing complex societal and interpersonal issues into easy to digest and compelling storylines. The philosophical debates about the nature of man, the cost/benefits of extreme justice, etc. in this story (and series) should make readers ponder “what if”. There is plenty of action and emotional turmoil if you just want to read a fun action thriller without too much thought though. I’m not sure what is in store for this series after three installments, but I hope for more to come in this intriguing universe.
Follow Todd on Twitter or contact him via the site.
Purchase White Smoke
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)
Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen
