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Review:

Jun 06 2007

Teresa Moran, soldier by Ken Catran


cover image

Lothian books, 2007. ISBN 978 0 7344 0963 8
The fourth in the Moran Family series by New Zealand author, Ken Catran, Teresa Moran is as exciting and fast paced as the three before it, Jacko Moran, sniper; Robert Moran, private; Jimmy Moran, regular, all showing one person's involvement in the twentieth century wars that Australia and New Zealand have been part of. While telling a personal story of each of the main characters, each tale reveals war and its horror to the reading generation, and shows the moral decisions which countries and participants must make in times of war.

Teresa is a survivor of an incident in East Timor and must now go to Afghanistan and Iraq where she is under some suspicion, and so relegated to a minor role. She bears the brunt of criticism from her comrades and she knows that they all have their own version of what happened to her. It makes her position even more challenging. Meanwhile she has a never-ending stream of advice and criticism from her father, now a member of a committee looking at the effects of Agent Orange on those who served in Vietnam. The stories of Teresa and her father go hand in hand in this examination of the role of combat forces in the defense of a country.

For those who want a good story line, embedded in realistic fighting sequences, this story will go down well. This book could well be presented along with non fiction like Scarecrow Soldiers (Davidson) and Animal Heroes. Ages:13-15
Fran Knight







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