"In 'In the Name of the Father' by Michael McDermott, readers are taken on an emotional journey through a father's poignant struggles and redemption. McDermott's writing is a masterful blend of raw honesty and poetic storytelling, painting a vivid and relatable portrait of familial love and resilience. The narrative's depth and McDermott's empathetic insight into the human condition make this a compelling and heartrending read, leaving a lasting impact on all who delve into its pages."

A little slow to start; scenery and plot is described so a reader can visually view approximately what they look like and what they are looking at and the area that they are in. As a reader I felt like I was right next to them while listening and understanding their conversation, connection, feelings and emotions. I personally was unable to understand the storyline. I do understand that the stories from a number of characters and somehow link together. I didn’t finish the book as I was unable to enjoy reading the book but I do recommend the book to those who appreciate the genre and can understand the plot.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Hemisphere Publishing via NetGalley for my honest review of the book In the Name of the Father. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own thoughts, feelings and viewpoints of the book.
#thefatherbook #NetGalley

Review run date was set for 30 March 2020 for Netgalley, unfortunately life stood at a standstill as I finished the final semester and three subjects of my studies. On 28 March 2021 I was set to write the review and my health became an emotional roller coaster so here I am today 18 October 2021 review will be posted on my WordPress blog, Facebook blog, Instagram, LinkedIn, Amazon.com.au, goodreads, along with the non-linked retail online stores that sell the book is at:

My WordPress blog link is http://bluefalkon95adorationofallgenres.wordpress.com I have 27 followers
My Facebook reader blog page link, is https://www.facebook.com/BlueFalkon95-Readers-blog-104660277776984 I have 27 followers
My Amazon link is: Sorry I do not have any followers, I have a reviewer ranking #10,871

Imagine a world where the law means order, stability, complete unity and obedience to the same set of rules without exception. Religion is outlawed and the Father rules the citizens living in the Republic.
The main characters include the following. Slinky leads the Freedom Fighters on raids to stop the citizens from making the mistakes of the old world and help eradicate rebels. Ever since her childhood she has wanted to hunt the insane and eradicate the old beliefs. Employed by the Republic she keeps a dark secret. Heath leads the rebels on raids from the Grey Zone into the Republic for much needed medications for their people. Although young he is dedicated to helping the people attain freedom again. Timothy is a young boy with a heart condition living and attending classes in the Republic.
I started out thinking this wasn’t the sort of book I would normally read then felt a compulsion to follow through to the end. A little slow in parts, others felt a like a lesson with tense breath holding material thrown in.
I felt like there was some truth in this story and it wasn’t hard to imagine the same situations happening in the future. Seems to me worlds might change but people will always want power over others.
Top marks for a first time dystopian thriller. I particularly enjoyed the parts involving the Extraction Centre.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of the book in return for an honest review.

In The Name of the Father is a dystopian thriller set near the end of the 22nd Century about an authoritarian regime called The Republic, where religion is outlawed and the lucky few live comfortable lives inside electric fences while the rest scrabble to survive in the wasteland. I started it in March, fully intending to finish it in time for publication, but then it became apparent just how long that was going to take, and how bleak it is, so with the Covid crisis escalating globally, I put it aside. Had it not been an ARC from NetGalley I would’ve abandoned it, but I really hate to do that, and it did have an interesting premise. I now wish I had followed my instincts - it really is unreasonably long and depressingly dark.

The plot is in some ways fairly standard dystopian fare. After a long ago unspecified war in an unnamed country, but somehow triggered by 9/11, the Republican regime controls every facet of it’s subjects lives. Told from multiple POVs, this is about a group of rebels from the Grey district, including MC Heath, who conduct raids across the fence for essential medical supplies. There’s a narcissistic sexually depraved politician, a vicious Agent of the Republican Guard who uses the campaign to stamp out all traces of religion to indulge her own sadistic urges, and a bright but naive schoolboy suffering from congenital heart disease who dreams of one day becoming a minister to impress the Father who leads them all from behind closed doors.

I normally like PA/dystopian fiction, with or without supernatural/paranormal or sci-fi elements - stories about survival against the odds, the rise of new civilisations, plucky rebels overcoming evil Empires - but I really don’t like war stories because too often they focus on violence, torture, abuse of power and senseless death - well this book takes all those and dials them up to 11. It’s definitely not for the faint-hearted. Early on there is a gratuitously graphic extended rape scene, and later a stomach-turning torture scene that I skipped over - pages and pages of it.

In fact every scene all the way through is four times longer than it needs to be, and when I resumed it at 50% I realised that the only way I was going to get through it was by skim reading whole sections. Even with that, it’s taken hours. The author writes well but feels the need to describe every single action, thought, motivation, step and emotion of each protagonist, over and over. Spending that much time in evil antagonist Slinky’s head has left me feeling nauseated, and while there is a happy ending of sorts, the pay-off was definitely not worth it.

This is an ambitious debut novel with some intriguing ideas and a lot to say, but confused messaging. Large parts of the history and philosophy of the Republic are conveyed through Timothy’s private tutoring, which felt pretty clunky, and his awakening to the meaning of life via quantum physics and subsequent abandonment of his whole belief system was implausible for a thirteen year old. The final revelation of just who the nonverbal family snatched from their own country and transported into captivity - then forgotten for much of the book, was no great surprise but dampened any sense of relief.

Maybe I might’ve enjoyed this more if the whole world wasn’t going through a minor apocalypse - and if you’ve got a lot of free time to spend on one story, this might make the real world that bit brighter by comparison. It has several high-star reviews but I didn’t enjoy it at all and recommend proceeding with caution. If I haven’t put you off, it’s available now.

I always like to read a new style/genre so that I can expand my repertoire but I must say I didn't enjoy this book.
It was like a long winded story that to me didn't make much since, there were too many varying views, too much violence and very confusing.
I have to admit I didn't finish this book and that doesn't happen very often.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. Written from too many perspectives, quite slow at points and honestly i just confused and then completely disinterested to the point where I did not finish. Sorry but thanks for the ARC NetGalley.

In The Name of the Father - Michael Francis McDermott


‘In the Name of the Father” is the debut novel of Australian author, Michael Francis McDermott.

This novel is a dystopian based story that follows the stories of three characters: a rebel, a republican and a child caught between it all.

Hundreds of years ago the old world collapsed and died thanks to what became know as the Religious War and the inadequacies of the governments and rulers of the time. Almost destroying everything that was left of humanity and civilization as knew it.

What came out of the ashes was a new government that became known as the Republic, all in the name their leader, all in the name of the Father. With society broken down broken up into pieces known as the Republic and the various Grey zones. The people that lived in the Grey zones were considered to be inferior people compared to those of the Republic. Savage and lawless, but reality couldn’t be further from the truth. The people of the Grey zones were forced to live under the punishing rules of the Republic.

Heath has spent his entire life living in the Grey zone under the oppression of the Republic, having lost many family and friends. But as a rebel that is a more frequent occurrence for Heath but he doesn’t let hat stop him from doing what he can to fight back and help win freedom for all the people of the Grey zones. There is just one major obstacle in his way.

Intent on stopping the rebels and crushing all those in his path to power, by any means necessary, is the Republic’s Treasurer, Henry Erskine. Besides the Father himself, Henry Erskine was the most powerful man in the Republic, so getting his way was something the Treasurer was very much use to. Yet things were starting to unravel at the seams for Henry, and as far as he was concerned the rebels were at the centre of it all.

Yet without knowing it, stuck in the middle of this battle between good and evil was a young boy, Timothy. He was a good boy who lived in the Republic with his Mama. He did well in his classes with his tutor and on the Campus with his fellow classmates. Yet Timothy wasn’t like all the other children, He had a series heart defect that only a life saving heart transplant would fix. Luckily for Timothy he was able to get a new heart, but that’s when everything changed. Timothy started to think for himself and realise not everything was as it seemed. Maybe the people he trusted and been hiding the truth from him, from everyone the whole time.

As Heath fights for freedom and Henry does everything in his power to stop the rise of the Rebels, Timothy battles to uncover the truth. Can good really overcome evil? Will Timothy be able to uncover the truth? And when it all comes to an end who will be left standing to pick up the pieces?

“In the Name of the Father” was the longest story that I have read in quite some time, it took me few chapters to get into the groove of the story. However, I was rewarded for sticking it through.

This dystopian novel picks up the pace after the first few chapters and immerses you into a world where not everything is as it seems and even thought the battle may seem hopeless and lost, its still worth fighting for what you believe in. You feel for Heath as he is forced to grow up before his time and struggles through things many kids and people his age are luckily to never have to think about. Henry makes you realise what power can do in the hands of the wrong person, for someone who has no regard for others just their own needs and agenda. Timothy is just an innocent child influenced by propaganda and the misinformation feed to him by the very people who should be looking after him. It is a gritty story that keeps you rooting for the underdog even when it seems like everything might be lost and hoping that everyone gets what they truly deserve.

This story keeps the reader engaged with it’s interesting twists and turns that you do not see coming and with an ending that I believe ties it all together nicely.

This is my voluntarily submitted review, fair and honest and in my own words, for this ARC. This will probably be a long review but I feel it is warranted. In The Name of the Father is a dystopian fiction that has the feel of current (or what COULD quickly become current) events. This is a huge book! If you happen to be in quarantine, this is the book that will see you through. The story is based in the 22nd century where religion and leadership are in opposing camps. There are references to the "old world" which apparently ended shortly after the 911 tragedy. The Father promotes social separation based on the haves and haves nots, those who are sensible and follow the Father's laws and those who question those laws and want freedom. I have to warn you, there are some very violent and disturbing depictions and sexual references which might offend some readers. You can pretty easily pick out when they are coming and skip over them if you think it might upset you, as I am sure they will some people. Despite these very graphic scenes, this is a very well written book that makes you think and question. One that will leave you suspended in this world, never knowing if what you believe is real or propaganda.

‘Perfect. In the Republic, there is only what is allowed, and what is not.’

2196. A new world, in which the Republic is the sole surviving state. The Father is the ruler, the Law is immutable, religion is banned. Those who are citizens of the Republic are protected from the lawless sectors outside by electric fences. Some of those who live outside conduct raids across the fence for supplies.

‘Freedom was a thing of the old world, a thing that had died with the ancient communities during the last conflicts, but it was a concept that wasn’t forgotten.’

In this epic dystopian tale, five different characters tell the story. The good, the bad, the ugly, the impressionable and the exploited. It’s a long, complex story with backstory provided in part as history lessons and the occasional soliloquy. BUT there is a lot of violence. Unnecessarily graphic violence at times, in my view. I am not squeamish, but I certainly didn’t need all the detail of torture and rape sometimes provided. I get it. I worked out who the bad guys were, I don’t need to have frequent reinforcement of their badness.

I’m frequently in the mood these days for dystopian fiction, and I found a lot to like in Mr McDermott’s story. I just wish it was less believable. There’s hope here, as well as violence, love as well as hate. Can the heroes build a new and better world? I hope so.

Recommended, but not for the squeamish.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Hemisphere Publishing for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

The year is 2196 and it is a very different world to the one we know. Citizens of the Republic live inside the fence, and everything is done to keep those on the outside out. Inside the fence is a world where there is one law, law that is completely unchanged from time of enactment. Religion is outlawed. Outside the fence we have civilisations struggling to survive, trying to get inside the fence to steal medical supplies and the like, and often relying on food drops from inside the fence.

I loved the premise and enjoyed the journey this book took. I found the perspectives of the new world very interesting, and particularly liked the classroom sessions between an intelligent nine year old and his tutor looking back at history - our current times - and explaining the failings of the West (were individual freedoms took precedence over everything) and the East (where religion took precedence), all of which led to the collapse of both and the birth of the new Republic which corrected these failings.

Free ARC from Net Galley

Strange to see this book out there with the content casting long shadows on the "cool" of today. There are some characterizations that are over the top stereotypical in the hundreds and hundreds of pages here so don't start it without time but as you read think about what happened less than75 years ago and think about whether it could happen today. Hmmm

BE AWARE: This book could easily be a prediction of future societal direction. Michael McDermott is a fan of George Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty Four” and has now penned his own exciting glimpse into his future of “2196”.

Our country’s leadership decides on the rules we must abide and how we must live. The author gives us a dramatic view of how easily we could be led into following and voting in new ideas and fads that can lock us into a lifestyle of divisiveness and also fearful for our families and the future.

This book is a must read exciting thriller to the end.

I am a voracious reader though not a regular reader of dystopian novels; I have read a few and enjoyed them, though more along the lines of The Handmaid's Tale, Never Let Me Go and The Road rather than this. This one had an interesting blurb and good cover and piqued my interest; I thought I should give it a go without making any preconceived judgements. I had not heard of the author.

I regret I was disappointed. The writing style was not sophisticated and whilst I'm sure it was not in any way purporting to be a novel of great literary merit I read a few chapters in and decided it wasn't for me. I appreciate, however, that a 50-something woman such as myself probably isn't the demographic for this particular book, though having said that I'm not sure that, had I persevered with it, I would have recommended it to my two teenaged sons either.

This certainly reads more like - and should be marketed to - a young adult audience. Thank you for the opportunity to read it, and I'm sorry that it just wasn't for me!

Note: This review is scheduled to hit my blog the week before it’s published. I have a few history buffs I will recommend this to in my spare time!

It is the year 2196. Religion is outlawed, genuinely thought to be nothing but problematic or the product of insanity. Because of this, the world, as you or I know it now in 2019, has collapsed. From its ashes rises a new world order, The Republic, the sole surviving state of the new world, and - of course - the resistance.

Welcome to Michael Francis McDermott’s ambitious, sprawling epic debut novel IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER. It begins by tearing into a dystopian world like a bat out of hell. Your only option is to grab a hold of something and come along for the ride.

Beyond its fiercely propulsive opening chapters, the novel slows down. It sputters a little, taking its time to find its rhythm, and learning about the history of how things came to be feels more like exposition being dropped rather than arising organically, but the novel gets there in the end, finding a cosy groove between energetic action and engaging drama.

It’s opening chapters feel familiar, I must admit. The world is split into sectors, there’s an all-powerful governing force and a small resistance, but Michael Francis McDermott has his own agenda. He has his own voice and he intends to deliver upon the concept he establishes. It’s different enough, for me, that I continued to read. Intrigued by what would come next.

His writing style has the engaging action like Matthew Reilly with all the imagination of Suzanne Collins and all the tenderness of John Marsden’s Tomorrow, When The War Began. As I said, he channels the spirit of such authors but he comes into his own, especially as the novel goes on and the world is fleshed out and establishes his themes.

I mean, a world without religion? Just think about that for a moment. Think about the chaos, think about the violence the world has carried out in the name of religion - for years. What would happen if religion all around the world was eradicated? What would the world fight about then? What would that mean for people? And what does that mean for a reader who has faith? Do we assume or hope the novel has a fantastical element to it? What if it doesn’t have a fantastical element, what does that mean? Talk about an existential crisis.

Michael Francis McDermott, thankfully, paints the world in shades of grey. You get to see both sides of the conflict, from characters within The Republic - some sane, some fanatical - to the resistance and their reasons for fighting. As a reader, you get the whole picture, which I was satisfied with.

I just wish the novel had a glossary, featuring a list of characters and a timeline and a map. As this is an ARC, I cannot say whether such an aspect will be included but I think that given the cast of characters and locations, both a map of some areas and list of characters with a brief description, would be add to the immersion of the novel.

Ultimately, IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER is an impressive debut, with some strong ideas that drive the plot along. It is a long novel that often feels slow and some delivery of story beats feel more clunky than organic but Michael Francis McDermott displays a talent for writing set pieces, characters and action and I do believe there’s a bright future ahead for him.

3.5 stars

This wasn't for me. It was quite slow (not always a bad thing) and I had trouble stomaching the violence at one point was gratuitous. I felt preached to at time, while some subject seemed to be left open, which was an interesting contrast.

I really appreciate the ARC for review!!

Set 176 years in the future, In the Name of the Father takes place in The Republic, an authoritarian society where religion is outlawed and the law is sacrosanct. The virtues and follies of The Republic are explored through the eyes of a politician, a child, an "agent", and a resistance fighter.

McDermott has crafted a masterful plot, managing to take me by surprise a number of times. Other plot twists are made obvious to the reader, but are withheld from the characters, adding to the building tension towards the end of the book.

There were some interesting references that I was left pondering. The FF (Freedom Fighters) seemed not too distant in name or style from the SS. Giving the Republican tutors Roman style names seemed deliberate - was it a nod to influence of ancient Rome on modern systems of government?

For much of the book I felt that the author was deliberately leaving the reader to ponder on the big questions. What place does faith and spirituality have in a modern society? What forms of government work best? What does it really mean to be free? What are the virtues and follies of our own modern society? I heard recently that great art doesn't answer questions, it asks them. I appreciated the parts of this book that left the questions open for me to contemplate.

At times though it seemed more like I was being preached at, particularly through the complex discussions that Timothy, a child of the Republic, had with his tutor Aurelius. These discussions also felt far too advanced for a child of that age. As fascinating as it was to observe a faith crisis in reverse, some of these sections felt too long and too detailed. When the name of the opposing faction within the Republic was revealed, it also felt like a political statement about the relative merits of modern-day political parties.

Lastly, I felt that the protracted and violent sex scene was out of place and overly graphic. Some may argue it was necessary to fully flesh out the characters involved, but I don't think there was any question before or after this scene that the person involved was rotten to the core.

After finishing this book, I was left feeling that it was both a condemnation of the human propensity for violent, controlling behaviour, and a tribute to human strength and empathy. I don't think the author knows which will win out in the end, but he leaves us with the hope that love will prevail.


Note to publisher - typo at location 5897 "inner thy".