Colombiano

What an incredible book!

Was excited to read Colombiano and see what the story was about, then became apprehensive after reading reviews suggestive to the violence, but this is so much more then the moments of grim horror.

A teenage boy well loved, well brought up, and well protected by his family has his world turned upside down, and the safety and security of his respectable family jeopardised. People live in fear of the guerrilla, and actions have consequences, especially growing up in politically sensitive times, right in the middle of 2 warring sides.

The main character, Pedro, isn’t an adult at the start of the story, but someone who is still very much a caring, loving, but hurt child who quickly enters into an adult world naively driven by his emotions. With a motive fresh in his mind, and an obsession to deal with it, there was only one thing for him to do - get revenge. Caught up in a world where innocent people are extorted and powerful people have their own agenda and means to gain control, Pedro slowly becomes like the enemy, but is soon made to realise that the situation surrounding him was far greater than he is or ever was, making him just a pawn in a game of guerrilla warfare.

Full of planning, plotting, training, and taking action (war games), with an undertone of love, care and trying to make right. A story of a teenage boy becoming a man living in tough times. It’s quite a commitment to get through, but the chapters are short and I kept wanting to read more. So well written and a story to be told. Keep reading to the very end.

I've been wanting to read something like Colombiano for a long time, but without really knowing exactly what it would be. Rusty Young does an impeccable job overlaying facts and events with fictional characters and circumstances. I had to resist my urge to find out if every person or utterance *actually* happened, because it doesn't really change anything. The stories in this book are representative of a larger issue and have real-world, human consequences. It didn't matter if there was a kid named 'Coca-Cola'.

The novel did end up being a lot longer than I thought, but the chapters are relatively short & digestible. That said, there's definitely parts that could have been cut down. I think Young was trying to incorporate his main subjects' full testimony of the conditions in Colombia and perhaps didn't feel right about removing these portions.

One thing I appreciated was that the author didn't skim over the women and girls who were caught up in the fighting as well. It might have been easy for a protagonist who's young & male to brush off what happens to his female comrades, but he confronts the sexual exploitation and straight-up assault by commanders and other enlistees towards those in their own ranks. And though not as often, the racism in the country is pointed out by way of Pedro's best friend, Palillo.

The ending was as much of a resolution as you could hope for in a no-win situation like this. For anyone who wishes to gain some insight into the other side of the 'War On Drugs', I strongly recommend Colombiano.
I can tell this will be one of my favorites of the year!

I have a special interest in the war on drugs and Latin America related stories, so when I saw Colombiano I immediately knew I had to read it. Colombia has a special place in my heart as it gave me three wonderful months of memories during my time living in Cartagena as well as it being the place where I first met my hubby. Colombia has a complicated history though and Rusty Young does a fantastic job portraying the struggles and give insight in what it was like for innocent inhabitants and autodefensas members alike. Colombiano is a mix of facts and fiction as the author spent years working secretly for  the US government in Colombia and was able to hear a lot of testimonies of child soldiers during that time. If you want to learn more about the struggles between the guerrilla, army and autodefensas and its consequences for both country and inhabitants, this book is an excellent way to do so in an entertaining way. I know it's a huge book with over 800 pages, but it's worth every single minute of your time. Like I said before, facts and fiction are mixed in Pedro's quest for justice for the death of his father. Both sides have been incorporated into the story in such a way that feels natural and Colombiano is informative without it slowing down the pace of the story. The driving force behind Colombiano are Pedro, Palillo and the other main characters. Together they help understand what it is like living in a small village in the middle of the fight between the guerrilla and the army, and also show why someone would join the autodefensas and how that organization works. This story is about violence, drugs, power struggles and revenge, but also a coming of age story about young people growing up in such a difficult situation. Colombiano is hands down one of the best books I've read so far this year and definitely worth your time if the topic interests you. Between the writing style, characters, descriptions and plot you will have no idea this story is that long as you will find yourself turning those pages with gusto.

The author, Rusty Young, has first-hand knowledge of the dreadful Colombian war between the pro-government Autodefensas and the communist backed FARC. Shockingly, each side was directly, or indirectly, sponsored by the distribution and sale of drugs

I was previously unaware of the roles played by child soldiers on both sides of the conflict and was quite shaken by how many were recruited from the age of 12 years old upwards.

The main character, Pedro joined the ranks of Autodefensa after being forced to watch his father being executed by FARC soldiers. It seems that most of the soldiers on both sides had personally experienced violence perpetrated on their families, which was a major recruiting factor..

The totally dehumanising training regime of the Autodefensas was quite extreme and ruthless. Any sign of weakness ending in harsh punishment or death.

The main characters are well portrayed by the author and are totally believable. Young seems to fully understand the conflicting emotions of the young soldiers faced in war situations as well as their private lives. The adult officers were also quite complex individuals, most of whom had experienced violent personal traumas in their past.

In summary, a long but very readable book, well researched, brutally but not gratuitously violent, and extremely gripping. I would love to read other books by this author.

Having read Rusty Young’s first book ‘Marching Powder’ many years ago, and found that a fascinating read, I was very keen to read his second book. This book did certainly not disappoint me, and if anything I found it even more fascinating that his first. It is set in Columbia and tells the story of child soldiers fighting against Guerrilla warfare. It follows the tale of a young boy Pedro who witnesses his father murdered in front of him as a young boy. In retaliation to this he joins the illegal paramilitary group the ‘Autodefensas’, avenging to kill the people responsible for his father’s death. It tells his story of his brutal training, how they fight the Guerrillas in a world of corruption and cocaine trafficking and how this affects his relationships with his mother, girlfriend and best friend, as well as addresses how warfare and corruption can tear relationships and families apart. As we follow his story we also share how he develops from a boy into a young man and gets to know himself as a person, as he is faced with many difficult moral dilemmas. It is a well written book, part fact part fiction, which keeps you gripped throughout. Whilst having an idea of the kind of corruption that occurs in Columbia, it was a real insight into what we don’t hear and know about. Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book wanting to know what happens to our main character, especially when he finds himself in some dangerous positions, it was also an emotional read at times, with the bloodshed, loss of life and brutality that comes with war. My thanks go out to netgalley and Havelock & Baker Publishing for the opportunity to read an ARC of this. This book is in my opinion well deserved of five stars, which I would thoroughly recommend to anyone interested in this subject matter.

Animosity
I expected a documentary style book outlining the research and feedback Rusty Young had gathered from all the interviews and investigations he had in the region and with the real-life Child Soldiers. Not the case!

Colombiano is a novel styled book which is based on a fictional character, Pedro (probably an amalgamation of several people in an attempt to protect identities), who experiences the events that drove him to enrol as a child soldier and fight in a conflict that was brutal, remorseless, perilous and full of hate.

Law and order do not exist in the traditional sense in Colombia. During their troubled past, there have been a number of factions. Firstly the Colombian Army and police forces providing limited law and order in a divided country – not to mention their exposure to corruption and criminality. The second group was the FARC Guerrilla, who were peasant farmers who took up arms, aiming to fight poverty and social inequality by toppling the government and installing communist rule. To fund their revolution, they ‘taxed’ businesses and kidnapped the rich, appropriating their lands for redistribution to the poor. The third group were the Paramilitaries who were wealthy land and business owners, tired of the government’s failure to protect them, who formed their own private militias and ‘death squads’.
“No matter how hard you try, you can’t remain neutral. Eventually, you have to pick a side. And if you don’t, one will be picked for you. As it was for me.”

When Pedro was 15 years old he had to witness his father being executed by the Guerrilla for allowing the army to drink their water on the farm. There may have been other reasons and often it was to send a message. The execution is cold and clinical but disturbingly they are not allowed to bury the body in the consecrated ground and have a priest pray for his soul. While Pedro’s parents had always pleaded with him to remain neutral, now his father’s death must be avenged.

Rusty Young creates excellent characters, particular, Pedro, and a society that is circumspect and threated by cruelty from forces on all sides. He portrays an environment where the futility of staying removed from the violence is common, where events can strike and change a life in a matter of moments, and where hate and revenge are the staple diet of young men and women. Who can say what we would do if we watched a family member murdered and the law enforcement unwilling or unable to address the crime? Unfortunately, bloodshed begets bloodshed and when all sides can cite atrocities the spiral into horror and hostility is the norm.

The length of the book is nearly 700 pages and I started it with the decision in my mind that if this dragged I would stop and not commit any more time to a book I wasn’t loving. I read the 689 pages and also read other material around the subject. One major blessing in reading a book this length is that the chapters are short and there is that feeling that you are progressing and probably reading more in a session that you may otherwise have planned. I felt the writing was excellent and the pace of the book was brilliantly maintained while becoming totally enthralled with the story.

I would highly recommend this book and I would like to thank Havelock & Baker Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC version in return for an honest review.

I am blown away by Colombiano. At close to 700 pages this is a tomb of a novel, however, it passed very quickly and I found myself wishing it was a lot longer. This is a powerful, heartfelt, terrifying story based in fact about Colombia's child soldiers. There is a lot of graphic violence but it never feels gratuitous; it explores the topics of murder, war, corruption, drug trafficking, exploitation, violence, racism, revenge and eventually the redemptive power of love. Part thriller, part coming-of-age tale, I was drawn in rapidly and gripped for the duration. You'll find this very difficult to put down. Rusty Young has always written highly original stories which draw on real-world experiences to create an affecting narrative, but this is his best so far, in my opinion.

It's certainly a book that I will remember for a long time to come as it had such a huge impact on me. The situation in Colombia is not widely known, so I hope this informs a few more people about it; it makes for quite depressing reading, however, it really is a story that needs to be told. Hats off to Mr Young for creating an eminently readable narrative on such a difficult subject. As for structure, the short, snappy chapters keep you progressing and the writing is indeed well done. You can tell that he is extremely knowledgeable on this topic and the background and description of the Colombian landscape. This comes from his years spent undercover as a member of the US government; the testimonies of the child soldiers in this book are therefore from first-hand experience.

With it being a mix of fact and fiction a fine balance between the two is crucial to keep readers interested, but this is done so beautifully here that it's a non-issue. This is a disturbing, intense, emotional history lesson all wrapped up in thriller form. This will without a doubt feature in my top books of 2019. I urge you to read it.

Many thanks to Havelock & Baker Publishing for an ARC.

I wont go into detail about the story as i dont want to spoil the book, i see so many reviews that give 80% of the story away and it spoils it for the reader in my opinion. I loved this book, I enjoyed the story and i felt connected with the characters. One of my favourite books this year in fact. The story was a real page Turner and infact my other half kept needing to tell me to put it down and go to sleep, I was gripped. Pleaseantly surprised and brilliantly written, a must read for sure.

"Its strange to think that a quick decision taken in the heat of a single moment could change the course of a boys life".

And that one quote sums up 700 pages of text.

This is the story for Pedro and his friends, all teenagers, all for various reasons are tangled up in war funded by cocaine, criminals and the corrupt. This is the story of how ruthless human beings can be.

I haven't read much on Colombia and from the first chapter I was pulled in, this book is so readable the words flow as easily as the Colombian rivers mentioned. As someone who doesn't mind reading a bit of gore I had to put this book down on many occasions due to the graphic content, maybe because it's based on true stories, maybe because its teenagers or maybe because it's so damn real I felt I was there.

This book made me think of all the wars going on today, all the children being trained as fighters, the corruption, the blind eyes.

I felt a lot of things reading this book but not the 700 pages. This book is a journey that deserves every star available.

Colombiano is a terrific book for both general readers and motivated young adults. In Pedro, Young has created a sympathetic, complex, and realistic adolescent narrator. Clearly, the author's experience lends considerable authority to his story's historical and social context, and as a writer he sustains riveted interest at near-epic length. Among the many things I loved about the book were its attention to both the inner and outer details of a child soldier's life; its balance in presenting the turmoil of civil war; its echoes of classical literature like Antigone and The Odyssey; and it's touches of humor amidst the horror. Young does a very nice job honoring young love (and lust), as well. HIGHLY recommended!

Colombiano is a fictional novel based on interviews with real people. It takes the reader on a journey into the heart of Colombia, but its a heart that has been cleft in two and ripped apart. Rural Colombia is beset by the Communist revoluntaries of FARC who, in their quest to topple the status quo, have set out a reign of terror. Faced against the Guerrillas (as they are generally referred to in the book) are a paramilitary black ops organization, the Autodefensas Unidas. The Autodefensas are not regular army and the army and the government can claim lack of knowledge for anything the Autodefensas do. And, in the background is the cocaine industry, which pays for the Guerrillas and infects the wealthy class.

Pedro is growing up in a small town, going to high school, dating Camila, making plans to go to the university together in Bogota. But, this is a world of child-soldiers and, after Pedro is seen with Autodefensas recruiters, Pedro's father is brutally murdered in front of him by the Guerrillas and he and his mother are forbidden from ever setting foot on their property again. Pedro swears vengeance and joins the Autodefensas with his best friend. They train on a secret base, reminiscent of any grunts being whipped into shape on any military training facility. The weak are separated from those who succeed. But, one difference, there is no room for the weak or the disloyal in the Autodefensas and the brutality and murders that take place among the teenage recruits turn them from innocent teenagers to violent mercenaries. Through it all, Pedro never stops plotting revenge.

It is a long book, but wonderfully written from Pedro's point of view as he plots his vengeance and climbs through the ranks of the Autodefensas. The story portrays the world of the child-soldiers across Latin America, Africa, and other places. It shows where vengeance leads as it eats you alive and spits you out and poisons everything it touches. The story shows how the circle of violence keeps growing as one act leads to another and everyone is caught up in it and Pedro can't let go no matter the consequences. Ultimately, it shows a world rotten at its core and few ways to escape.

This is a terrific novel and well worth reading. Many thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for review.

A very powerful and incredibly disturbing book. Right from the beginning this book keeps you engrossed. The author has done a fantastic job while writing the story of Pedro. The characters in the book were well developed and believable. I had mixed reactions while reading the book, it was totally unputdownable but at times it was so depressing and hard hitting that you wanted to read something light in between. A really good book! Thanks to Havelock & Baker Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book.

WOW, Wow, Wow and wow. There are no words to describe just how, astonishingly, good this book is.
I really enjoyed Marching Powder, so when I was asked to read and review Colombiano for the publisher and #Netgalley I jumped at the chance. To be honest, I was a little worried that I would struggle to understand the politics of a 'war book' but there was nothing to fret about; this was, hands down, one of the best books I've ever had the pleasure of reading.

It's post Pablo Escobars Colombia, but now the country is in the midst of a devastating civil war. The army and police can't, or won't, protect it's civilians from the communist Guerilla forces, so a new fighting force is born; the Autodefensas. Their aim is to fight back and defeat the terrorists and ultimately restore law and order.

Fifteen-year-old Pedro lives on a small farm in the town of Llorona with his hardworking, loving parents. He's doing well in school, has a beautiful girlfriend, he goes to church regularly and enjoys fishing with his father. It was a good life but Llorona has been taken over by the guerilla soldiers. The charming little town is now a lawless, terrifying place. There are kidnappings and murders daily, every citizen is forced to pay vacunas; taxes the guerilla use to fund their war. The only thing thriving now is cocaine production and the corrupt politicians that are only interested in helping themselves.
After a terrible tragedy, and whilst still, in a fog of grief and anger Pedro joins the Autodefensa's. Not because he believes in what they do, but because he wants revenge. Will it make him feel better? Or will his obsession for justice take from him all the good things left in his life?
The author writes Pedro's journey, from angry child soldier set on punishing all those who have wronged, to a mature, brave and forgiving hero, so well you feel like you are there by his side the whole time. I was on the edge of my seat; dodging every bullet with him, feeling the emotional highs of a victory and the devastating lows of a loss.
This book will take you through more emotions than you even knew you had and you'll enjoy every bloody word.

Captivating from start to finish!
“The war was like a slow burning campfire onto which both sides occasionally threw wood. And that’s probably the way it would’ve continued, if not for the arrival of the
Autodefensas”. ( United Self-Defenders of Colombia).

The campaign against organize crime in Columbia, has caused a violent response, increasing vulnerability of the civilian population due to the skirmishes between the organizations and the federal forces.

Author Rusty Young, Australian born, was recruited as a Program Director of the U.S. Government anti-kidnapping program in Columbia.
It was so dangerous, that Rusty Young, had to keep his job completely secret from his family and friends.
Hate, violence, drugs, children soldiers, a divided country.....Columbia had the highest murder rate of journalists in the world. Rusty, himself wasn’t a true journalist- but he might as well have been. He was working in a country with two terrorist organizations whose members numbered in the tens of thousands.
The first group was the FARC Guerrilla. Farmers aimed to fight poverty and social inequality by toppling the government and installing communist rule. To fund their revolution, they taxed businesses and kidnapped their rich, appropriating their lands for redistribution to the poor.
The second group - the Paramilitaries- was created in response. Wealthy land business owners, tired of the governments failure to protect them, formed their own private militias and ‘death squads’.

Young’s dedication to human rights - risking the safety of his own life - and the lives of others he interviewed - being in the heart of corruption and violent crimes - tells me that Rusty Young is one heck of an extraordinary human being....let alone an exciting storyteller.

This story - fact and fiction IS GRIPPING - written in storytelling - dramatic- style. It reads like a thriller.....true crime suspense with frightening - complicated revenge, danger, betrayal, power struggles, cocaine, punishment, death, and eventually a form of redemption.

The book begins when Pedro Gutierrez, the teenage adolescent narrator, was 15 years of age.
Pedro’s father was executed in front of him by Guerrilla soldiers. He and his mother were extradited from their farm. Pedro retaliates by joining an illegal paramilitary group with his close friend Palillo.

It’s a long book - but reads fast: Pedro, Palillo, and the other teens are brave in the face of unimaginable adversity.
Engrossing from the first page. Stunning story of strength and survival. It is sometimes brutal....but always fascinating. It shows terrorism at a shockingly personal level.

“Child-soldiers”....( two words that don’t belong together), has always been unfathomable to me. But “Colombiano ” is a wrenching, and mesmerizing important story.
Rusty Young describes the unthinkable, and the unforgettable.

Inspiring triumph....this book shines with energy - leaving a profound impression on the reader. I never - EVER- expected THIS BOOK - to be SUCH A PAGE TURNER....but anyone who starts it, is bound to have their own unputdownable experience.

“Crouching in a ditch with Palillo, an hour before dawn, I realized my life was now divided in two. The time before Papa. And the time after.
“My dream of running the ‘finca’, ( Farm), with him and taking it over during his old age was shattered, and I replaced it with a far darker ambition: to track down and punish his murderers”.

Powerful as can be!
Many thanks to Lily at Havelock & Baker Publishing with the advance gift of both the Audiobook and ebook. Listening to interviews with the author - enriched my admiration for Rusty Young.
Thanks again, Lily .....( I’m genuinely glad I read this....I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget.

Kudos to Rusty Young.....( mean guy...now I ‘must’ read your first book, Marching Powder”). I loved your interview talking about Bolivia, and your ‘REQUEST’ to stay in the San Pedro prison. Glad you never smuggled drugs in! Ha!