The Damage Done

De: Michael Landweber

Narrado por: Anna Caputo, Gary Bennett, Senn Annis, Raymond J. Lee, Cary Hite, J. D. Jackson, Dominique Franceschi, Zac Aleman

Imagine a world devoid of violence - a world where fists can’t hit, guns don’t kill, and bombs can’t destroy. In this tantalizing novel of possibility, this has - suddenly and inexplicably - become our new reality. The US president must find a new way to wage war. The pope ponders whether the Commandment “Thou Shalt Not Kill” is still relevant.

A dictator takes his own life after realizing that the violence he used to control his people is no longer an option. In the first days after the change, seven people who have experienced violence struggle to adapt to this radical new paradigm: Dab, a bullied middle-schooler; Marcus, a high school student whose brother is the last victim of gun violence in America; Ann, a social worker stuck in an abusive marriage; Richard, a professor whose past makes him expect the worst in the present; Gabriela, who is making a dangerous border crossing into the US; the Empty Shell, a dissident writer waiting to be tortured in a notorious prison; and Julian, a white supremacist plotting a horrific massacre. As their fates intertwine, the promise and perils of this new world begin to take shape. Although violence is no longer possible, mindless cruelty is still alive and well - and those bent on destruction still seek the means to achieve it.

For fans of Ben Winters and Sarah Pinsker, this mind-bending and thought-provoking novel pushes the limits of fiction, questioning the violence sewn into our DNA.

©2022 Michael Landweber (P)2022 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Interesting concept, needs a little more work

I enjoyed the different perspectives on the end of violence against humans, and I’m even okay with the “how” part never being explained, as this would have spun the story in a completely different direction. However, I do think the plot contradicts itself in that Ann’s husband could hurt her by breaking the bottles, but that the generals could not hurt the prisoners by having other humans fall on them (intentionality existed in both cases). Additionally, the reference to chicken McNuggets at the end of the book suggests that violence against non-humans can and does continue, suggesting that those with violent tendencies still have an outlet for violent behavior. I think it would have rounded out the basic premise to have addressed these couple of issues- but again, a well written story and an intriguing premise.

Quite disappointing, given a very interesting premise

None of the things I was excited to see explored around this premise were actually in the book.