Trent Reedy - Divided We Fall

“However, they most certainly do not have the right to, by force of arms, refuse to allow Constitutional authority to take precedence in their state. This is what they have attempted to do, and entertaining arguments toward the legality or legitimacy of this practice only serves to prolong it, escalating the problem.

“I have, therefore, reluctantly been forced to declare the state of Idaho to be in a condition of rebellion, and by the authority vested in me as the commander in chief of the United States military, I have ordered our armed forces to end this rebellion.

“All Idaho military, law enforcement, and militia personnel are ordered to immediately and unconditionally surrender. All Idaho residents are ordered to disarm, remain in their homes, and obey all instructions from federal authorities. These demands are not open to negotiation or debate.

“This is a dark and dangerous time for our nation, but the United States of America has overcome difficult times before. Our people will persevere through this current crisis. We will be united once more.

“Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.”

The screen and our comms switched to the presidential seal for a moment. Then they cut out, displaying the “no signal” message. I fiddled with the setting on my comm, trying to see if I could connect to anything, but it was cut off. No cellular feed was available.

Then the power went out, plunging us into darkness.

I squeezed JoBell’s hand.

“My God.” I reached for my gun. “They’re coming.”

TRENT REEDYserved in the Iowa National Guard from 1999 to 2005, including a year’s tour of duty in Afghanistan. Based upon his experiences there, he wrote Words in the Dust , which won the Christopher Medal and was chosen for Al Roker’s Book Club for Kids on the Today show. His most recent novel for children is Stealing Air , a Junior Library Guild selection. Trent now lives in Spokane, Washington. Please visit his website at www.trentreedy.com.

Gr 8 Up —Popular high school football player Daniel Wright loves his country, so the moment he turns 17, he joins the Idaho division of the Army National Guard. Daniel is looking forward to a bright future in Freedom Lake with his girlfriend JoBell at his side; he hopes to earn enough money from the Guard to help pay for auto tech classes and eventually purchase full ownership in his deceased father’s garage. When his company is mobilized and sent to Boise to help maintain the peace between protestors and proponents of the Federal ID Card Act, Daniel never imagines that people would die, that he would be the cause of their deaths, or that his future-and the future of the United States-would forever be altered. Author Reedy’s first book in a planned trilogy is an action-packed look at what could happen in an America where state and federal governments are at odds with each other. Set in a not-too-distant future, the book mixes patriotism with incredible realism, creating an all-too-possible pre-dystopia. Using the enactment of a controversial law as the catalyst, Reedy effectively places the audience in Daniel’s shoes as he struggles with his feelings and actions in the aftermath of the riot, and it is this first-person perspective that will resonate with readers long after the thrilling final pages.

Strong characters, a fast-paced narrative, and complex questions about what it means to be an American make Reedy’s speculative novel a must-read.

Here’s a unique premise that could become disturbing real. Danny Wright, 17, signed up for the Idaho National Guard, in part because his father died in the war. He has completed summer training, and until he graduates, his commitment will be minimal. Then the governor of Idaho gets into a squabble about sovereign rights with the president. Danny’s unit is called up to quell a riot in Boise; when a rock hits him, he accidentally shoots a protester. Now, all hell breaks loose. As each side’s position hardens, Danny is caught in the middle, wanted by the feds, and protected by the state. As the situation spirals out of control, Danny’s choices become narrow and inevitable.

Novelist Reedy adds length, if not always substance, as Danny tries to keep life normal with football, rodeo, and his devoted girlfriend. But Reedy does a very good job of presenting all sides’ opinions, especially through the tweets and news reports that end chapters. This has the dual advantage of giving readers an action-filled story that will also make them think. The dramatic ending promises more.

Grades 8-12.

Text copyright © 2014 by Trent Reedy

All rights reserved.

Published by Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., Publishers since 1920 .

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Reedy, Trent.

Divided we fall / Trent Reedy. — First edition.

pages cm

Summary: Seventeen-year-old Danny Wright joined the Idaho Army National Guard to serve the country as his father had, but when the Guard is sent to an antigovernment protest in Boise and Danny’s gun accidently fires, he finds himself at the center of a conflict that results in the federal government declaring war on Idaho.

ISBN 978-0-545-54367-5 (hardcover : alk. paper)

[1. Government, Resistance to — Fiction. 2. Idaho. National Guard — Fiction. 3. High schools — Fiction. 4. Schools — Fiction. 5. Mothers and sons — Fiction. 6. Idaho — Fiction.] I. Title.

PZ7.R25423Div 2014

[Fic] — dc23

2013016368

First edition, February 2014

Cover art © 2014 by Shane Rebenscheid

Cover design by Christopher Stengel

e-ISBN 978-0-545-54369-9

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