Title: Wages of Empire
Author: Michael J. Cooper
Publisher: Koehler Books
ISBN: 979-8888241868
Pages: 392
Genre: Novel / Historical Mystery
Reviewer: Liz Konkel
Pacific Book Review
The summer of 1914 was a time of great change, with the beginning of World War I erupting in Europe. But for teenage Evan Sinclair, it was an opportunity to leave home. He has a plan to be part of the Great War for Civilization, and no one, not even his father, can talk him out of it. It’s soon revealed that the primary goal of the German Kaiser is to become the Holy Roman Emperor, which will centralize conflict in Ottoman Palestine. Evan journeys far from home to the Western Front in hopes that he can help make a difference in the direction of the war and engages in events that will change everything he has ever known. Real historical figures from Winston Churchill to Gertrude Bell to Chaim Weizmann are incorporated throughout, intermingling with fictional characters.
Events occur during the first months of the war and are derived from real history, with real figures woven throughout the story of fictional characters. The historical backdrop is a necessary part of the story as it triggers the obstacles and threats the characters face, as well as catalyzing what sends Evan on his journey. His choice to leave sets multiple aspects into motion, from his involvement in the war to his father’s searching for him. The story is fueled by history with the Kaiser’s thirst for Jerusalem creating a lively mystery and twist in the background that keeps you engaged as you await how this impacts the characters. This is a clever way to explore the desire for Jerusalem and how this shifted the war the way it did, which unfolds in the background and adds suspense. Author Michael J. Cooper provides a genuine sense of impending doom as the war spreads, and this creates concern for the characters. The historical setting impacts how the characters communicate, with the incorporation of letters that provide insight into different relationships and authenticity to the time.
The fictional journey of Evan provides the historical aspects with a human element needed to balance the brutality and fear that war causes. His arc begins with him feeling a desire to get away, following his mother’s death, which is what drives his motivation and creates a strain with his father. Through him, you’re able to see upfront the consequences and effects of war through a character who provides the story with an innocent perspective. The focus is on his journey away from home with this intriguing commentary about civilization from his perspective, only to find himself in the middle of destruction and chaos instead. Using fictional characters allows you to immerse yourself in history and have sympathy for what is happening, while giving these events a more rounded perspective for the conflict’s initial explosion.
The war impacts the direction where the characters are steered and the actions they take, with multiple storylines explored. Among these is Evan’s father, who adds a richness to the story through his dynamic relationship with Evan, which tugs at the heartstrings as he searches for his son. The estrangement between them gives the story something outside the war and creates coinciding journeys that provide suspense as you await answers if father and son will reunite. The most intriguing aspect of the story is the exploration of Jerusalem and the desire to obtain it, which is done through the human beings living there, particularly Gunter and Rachel. You get a genuine feel of the plights they face, with illness and quarantine, as a looming war hangs over their heads, and Cooper effectively makes you care about what happens to them.
Wages of Empire is an engaging historical voyage that follows different characters during the onset of World War I through the plights they face in an exciting and suspenseful adventure. Wages of Empire plunges readers into a world where the decisions of kings, generals, and ordinary men ripple across continents. Michael J. Cooper delivers a gripping story of espionage and resilience as a young soldier is swept into a clash of civilizations, forced to confront the price of duty.
