American Terrorist by Tyler Chin-Tanner

American Terrorist Reviews

• 
  Chad

  The book makes some solid points and I agree with quite a bit of it but it all feels very contrived and one-sided. This was written during the George W. Bush administration and a lot of this was the authors getting out their frustrations with a repressive government. (Who knew it'd get even worse a decade later, doing their best to subvert Democracy and venture into full-on fascism?) There are a lot of logic leaps and asinine decisions made by the "bad" guys to tell the story the Chin-Tanners want to tell.
  
  Received a review copy from A Wave Blue World and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
• 
  Cale

  The name doesn't seem appropriate for a book I finished on the 4th of July, but it is actually in keeping with the American spirit. The story follows four individuals who through fairly contrived coincidences end up becoming wanted domestic terrorists. So they band together and take it to heart, becoming visible symbols and stirring up civil disobedience in their attempts to bring attention to the corruption of the status quo. It's a doomed story, there's no question of a happy ending, but the book isn't offering a fairy tale, it's a cautionary tale. And it's a call to action - the final pages lay it all out, with a second story coming from the point of view of the officials on the hunt for these terrorists that serves to highlight the very claims the 'terrorists' are making. It's a frustrating book because you don't want to believe it's true, and it's a frightening book because it doesn't take much to make you think it could be. And it's thought provoking - are we as far gone as the book paints the world? What can be done to move away from its conclusion? And who determines what makes a person a terrorist? This book doesn't answer the questions, but it expects you to consider them for yourself.
• 
  George Ilsley

  An earnest effort to look into the efforts of the fringe groups of environmental activists who turn into what can be labelled as domestic terrorists.
  
  Two of the main characters, who are friends, are a journalist and a lawyer. Their sudden journey from respectable careers into being outlaws was startling — brief and unbelievable.
  
  Once the main characters go on the run, the story deteriorates into a fantasy of what domestic terrorism might look like, live streamed. Transitions were so abrupt that twice I checked to see if pages had been torn out of my book.
  
  Much of the media analysis and critique is interesting and relevant; however this book is ultimately weighed down by a preposterous plot.
• 
  Rod Brown

  Through an unlikely series of events, an investigative reporter, a school teacher, a scientist, and a lawyer find themselves labeled domestic terrorists and on the run from a variety government agencies.
  
  Frankly, after a year of protests and an insurrection at the capital, this book really clunks.
  
  It started out fine, if slow, but kept getting more stupid and unbelievable with every page until I'm just shaking my head and chanting "Nope, nope, nopity-nope."
• 
  Wayne McCoy

  'American Terrorist' by Tyler Chin-Tanner and Wendy Chin-Tanner with art by Andy MacDonald is a graphic novel written about 10 years ago that still feels pretty current.
  
  The story follows four Americans from different walks of life who end up together. One is a reporter, one is a teacher, one is a civil rights lawyer and one is an EPA scientist. Through an accident, they find themselves on the run with the US government chasing them. Along the way, they meet other disaffected folks that help them with shelter and escapes.
  
  I get where this graphic novel is going, but it does feel a bit overly one-sided and blunt. It does still pretty current though, so maybe it was on to something. The art was just ok. Nothing really stood out.
  
  I received a review copy of this graphic novel from A Wave Blue World, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
• 
  Rachel

  As a social justice activist, this touched my heart. Lots going on in this graphic novel - which is why it held my interest so well - while still being super easy to follow and very engaging. I found myself reading frantically wanting to know what would happen next. The ending was not what I expected but exactly how it should have ended.
  
  The illustrations were complementary to the story and fit perfectly!
  
  Still so timely ten years after its original release which makes me sad but the fact that people are writing work like this and reading it gives me hope.
  
  
  Thank you to Tyler Chin-Tanner, Wendy Chin-Tanner, Andy McDonald, Matt Wilson, Diamond Book Distributors, and #NetGallery for an ARC of #American Terrorist in return for an honest review. Review will be posted on NetGallery, Goodreads (
  goodreads.com/radicalrachelreads), Facebook, and online retailers.
  
• 
  Christopher Owens

  I was provided with an advance copy of this graphic novel through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
  
  This is a re-release of the 2010 graphic novel American Terrorist.
  
  
  The plot of this book touches on several themes that were especially relevant between 9/11 and the 2008 financial crisis that are in some instances even more relevant today. Themes such as the effect of the modern surveillance state on individual liberty, the point at which activism may be considered terrorism, and the overeagerness of some of those charged with protecting society from terrorism all play major parts in the story.
  
  The plot touching on so many themes makes this a difficult story to summarize. When circumstances band four characters together to flee from the law and from accusations that they are terrorists, they accept help from groups of individuals who may legitimately be considered as terrorists.
  
  I gave American Terrorist four stars. It raised a lot of interesting questions about the world we live in, but I thought some of the characters' choices were irrational and over-the-top.
• 
  Jeff

  Terrorist or true American? This graphic novel explores good vs evil and how lines are blurred when a false narrative is the accepted norm. Whose reality is the truth? What is the difference between acts of accidental heroes and the real enemy? It may be a little contrived, but it shows how situations and 'reality' can cause action to snowball in to a whole new realm. The illustrations worked well, but the jumping around of the story POV was hard to get used to at first.
  
  I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
• 
  Sharon

  Too many logic jump failures mar a political tale that could have been written yesterday. I just couldn't get past all the "WTF?" moments. Several confusing fight scenes and the occasional dropped plot lines didn't help.
• 
  Lily

  I love anything with ecoterrorists and this is OLD, I guess in the heyday of such activities, a more hopeful time when we believed the oil and gas industry was challenge-able I guess (2010) ! I didn't get the romance plot-line, seemed a little random or unnecessary and there were some wobbly plot points, mostly the plot was just a vehicle for ideas. Although from George W. era, feels relevant today.
• 
  David

  This was dope! A flashy piece on the birth and life of a direct action movement and the lengths the government would go to stop them. The cast was likeable, the plot believeable, and the message forever relevant. I got chills reading this! Definitely pick this one up.
• 
  Clara

  Great concept, many topics that i love seeing represented. However, the story line felt rocky and I would have likes to see more development with everything but especially the characters.
• 
  Patrick

  Loved the story and artwork. Great way to showcase some of the issues that we as a country face. And how we as the American people need to unite against the ruling classes.
• 
  John T

  Not sure what i thought of it. I did read it. It is militant and reactionary in thought and tone. But that is the whole point, I guess.
• 
  Aaron

  Chapters 1 and 2 were fantastic but the rest was a bit of a let down.
• 
  Juan

  
  
  The premise is excellent, not new, but real, and crude. No happy endings, no mystery, but reality. In one side radicalism, naive people. In other, the system. Good book, not as scandalous as the name could sound.
• 
  Justin

  Read the first part of this on ComiXology. I assume it'll get better as it goes along because I found it to be quite dull and not a whole lot was going on other than going back and forth between characters. It was decent and worth checking out.
• 
  Jordi

  The idea is very interesting and the plot really attracted me to try and get the other issues. I would recommend this to any comic lover.
• 
  Elengendro

  Muy mala, los personajes son bastante repelentes y la historia es totalmente increíble