Andrew K. (kuligowskiandrewt) - , reviewed on 3/16/2017 + 569 more book reviews

Ben H. Winters has a history of addressing social issues by causing the reader to think while reading novels based on a single adjusted âhistoricalâ (past, present, or future) premise. In âThe Last Policemanâ trilogy, society breaks down due to a meteor heading towards Earth. And in Underground Airlines, President-elect Abraham Lincoln was assassinated while traveling to Washington for his inauguration; a political compromise in the aftermath produced 3 constitutional amendments irrecoverably allowing the southern states to maintain slavery in perpetuity. THEY could choose to opt out, and most did, BUT with 4 states â the âHard Fourâ â retaining the practice, the United States becomes a trading pariah to the rest of the world (with exception of states like South Africa); materials from states such as Carolina (the merger of the former North and South states) and Alabama are anathema to the rest of the nation.

The Federal Marshal service has become the enforcement arm of the law; fugitive slaves are tracked throughout the country to be returned to their now mostly-corporate masters. In fact, a few runaway slaves are waylaid by the service and trained to become hunters; hunters of runaway slaves AND of the Underground Airlines that helps to transport them to the safety of Canada. THIS is the tale Winters tells ⦠The tale of a former slave named (maybe) Victor, chasing a runaway through the Underground Airlines for the U.S. Marshal's service â except, something feels off-kilter about this case â¦

I quickly found myself engrossed in this novel; the attitude of âthat's just the way it isâ collides with ânot now, never againâ in the population. Further, the concept of equality is an obvious myth, even in the Northern states. Attitudes among many of the population and police echo back to the US before the 1960s, in which African Americans in the free states are obviously second-class citizens, expected to produce ID and explain their presence in a given location at the drop of a hat. (Given the emergence of the alt-right over the past few years, one has to wonder if Mr. Winters is trying to tell us something â¦)

I cannot put this into words without risking spoilers â one has to set the scene to truly appreciate the action and characterization. However, it is definitely a page turner and well worth the investment of time and money.

RATING: 5 stars.

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