At War by Andria Large
Excerpt Follows
At War begins with what seems a hurried journal entry from Dennis who is struggling with leading a rogue team of marines he affectionately refers to as motherfuckers on an unauthorized mission to rescue his wife Zara from the hands of who is only described as fuckers. She has been kidnapped or taken hostage by enemy soldiers or terrorists or for a personal vendetta. The bottom line is Zara is being raped and beaten while held against her will and Dennis is her husband and will stop at nothing to get her back. But he can't control everything and the men responsible for her capture take her life only seconds before he is able to rescue her and Zara collapses in death within his arms. What seemed to be a journal entry was a nightmare from which he woke in a VA hospital. And although sometimes our sleeping hours delude the truth and give us strength for different consequence, this seems more like a true memory than an altered reality. At any rate, it is a clear foundation for the war in which we are to experience with Dennis through the story Andria Large makes us privy.
Tucker's introductory nightmare is more dreamlike. It begins with him running in an aborted mission with his fellow soldiers falling before him and behind. In his dream, Dennis is present although he was not there the day his memory is reliving while he sleeps.
Dennis and Tucker met in the VA hospital while being treated for post traumatic stress disorder and when we meet them they have already become roommates. Tucker had lost his hearing but understands completely when Dennis climbs into bed with him comforting his body and calming his mind from the nightmares.
Throughout their experiences dating women, their individual employment situation, grieving for past loss and coping with their individual wars, they find love.
The progression is slow, starting with a caring for a friend and then an infatuation with physical appearance and the comfort found at each others touch. Finally, the two roommates and friends plunge into a sexual threesome with a woman. Although these two men, who were certain of their heterosexuality just days before, set ground rules to keep the experience strictly for personal growth, they find themselves experiencing floods of pleasure from each other leading to future encounters.
Tucker seems more comfortable with the immersion of a sexual relationship with a man than Tucker. Tucker lost his hearing when Dennis lost his wife. When Tucker's friend Duke comes to stay with the two, Dennis really struggles with his feelings, jealousy and need to have Tucker close to him. Tucker reveals to Duke that the two have a sexual relationship, but as a reader I felt more was conveyed with the revelation. There was an ease with the discussion and some humorous exchanges. At the same time, Dennis struggled with telling his sister the same news.
Finally we get the closure of everyone knowing what we, the reader, has understood since page 15 when Dennis comforted Tucker when climbing into his bed.
In a pivotal event, Dennis' father who had been neglectful and abusive in the past struck Tucker to steal money for an alcoholic binge. Dennis returned home to find his friend and lover in need of medical care and quickly jumped into action, getting him to a hospital. Finally, the cliffhanger - it is revealed that Tucker has a desire to be whole once again and agrees to Dennis' wish to have his hearing fixed. But we also find that it may be too late to save him from the silence in which he concealed his true self.
The focus seems to be discovering bits of oneself and the unease felt when battling with wanting to tell everyone how good someone makes them feel and keeping private the feelings they are not yet certain they feel. A true internal war.
Excerpt Follows
At War begins with what seems a hurried journal entry from Dennis who is struggling with leading a rogue team of marines he affectionately refers to as motherfuckers on an unauthorized mission to rescue his wife Zara from the hands of who is only described as fuckers. She has been kidnapped or taken hostage by enemy soldiers or terrorists or for a personal vendetta. The bottom line is Zara is being raped and beaten while held against her will and Dennis is her husband and will stop at nothing to get her back. But he can't control everything and the men responsible for her capture take her life only seconds before he is able to rescue her and Zara collapses in death within his arms. What seemed to be a journal entry was a nightmare from which he woke in a VA hospital. And although sometimes our sleeping hours delude the truth and give us strength for different consequence, this seems more like a true memory than an altered reality. At any rate, it is a clear foundation for the war in which we are to experience with Dennis through the story Andria Large makes us privy.
Tucker's introductory nightmare is more dreamlike. It begins with him running in an aborted mission with his fellow soldiers falling before him and behind. In his dream, Dennis is present although he was not there the day his memory is reliving while he sleeps.
Dennis and Tucker met in the VA hospital while being treated for post traumatic stress disorder and when we meet them they have already become roommates. Tucker had lost his hearing but understands completely when Dennis climbs into bed with him comforting his body and calming his mind from the nightmares.
Throughout their experiences dating women, their individual employment situation, grieving for past loss and coping with their individual wars, they find love.
The progression is slow, starting with a caring for a friend and then an infatuation with physical appearance and the comfort found at each others touch. Finally, the two roommates and friends plunge into a sexual threesome with a woman. Although these two men, who were certain of their heterosexuality just days before, set ground rules to keep the experience strictly for personal growth, they find themselves experiencing floods of pleasure from each other leading to future encounters.
Tucker seems more comfortable with the immersion of a sexual relationship with a man than Tucker. Tucker lost his hearing when Dennis lost his wife. When Tucker's friend Duke comes to stay with the two, Dennis really struggles with his feelings, jealousy and need to have Tucker close to him. Tucker reveals to Duke that the two have a sexual relationship, but as a reader I felt more was conveyed with the revelation. There was an ease with the discussion and some humorous exchanges. At the same time, Dennis struggled with telling his sister the same news.
Finally we get the closure of everyone knowing what we, the reader, has understood since page 15 when Dennis comforted Tucker when climbing into his bed.
In a pivotal event, Dennis' father who had been neglectful and abusive in the past struck Tucker to steal money for an alcoholic binge. Dennis returned home to find his friend and lover in need of medical care and quickly jumped into action, getting him to a hospital. Finally, the cliffhanger - it is revealed that Tucker has a desire to be whole once again and agrees to Dennis' wish to have his hearing fixed. But we also find that it may be too late to save him from the silence in which he concealed his true self.
The focus seems to be discovering bits of oneself and the unease felt when battling with wanting to tell everyone how good someone makes them feel and keeping private the feelings they are not yet certain they feel. A true internal war.
Excerpt from At War by Andria Large
“Speaking of Tucker, when are we going to meet this serious girlfriend of his?” she asks,
her eyes lighting up with curiosity, my busted face all but forgotten.
Shit.
How did I not know that this line of questioning would be coming? What should I say?
Should I just tell her the truth? This relationship with Tucker really seems to be working
well and I’m pretty damn sure that I’m in love with him. What the hell, she’s my sister, I
know that she’s going to be happy that I’m happy.
I rub the back of my neck. “About that...”
“Don’t tell me that they broke up already!”
“No, it’s not that.”
She cocks her head at me, eyeing me curiously. “Then what is it?”
“That girlfriend that he mentioned at dinner...” I start.
“Yeah?”
Jesus, why is this so hard? Spit it out already!
“He was actually talking about me,” I say in a rush.
Lizette’s brow furrows in confusion. “What does that mean?”
“Speaking of Tucker, when are we going to meet this serious girlfriend of his?” she asks,
her eyes lighting up with curiosity, my busted face all but forgotten.
Shit.
How did I not know that this line of questioning would be coming? What should I say?
Should I just tell her the truth? This relationship with Tucker really seems to be working
well and I’m pretty damn sure that I’m in love with him. What the hell, she’s my sister, I
know that she’s going to be happy that I’m happy.
I rub the back of my neck. “About that...”
“Don’t tell me that they broke up already!”
“No, it’s not that.”
She cocks her head at me, eyeing me curiously. “Then what is it?”
“That girlfriend that he mentioned at dinner...” I start.
“Yeah?”
Jesus, why is this so hard? Spit it out already!
“He was actually talking about me,” I say in a rush.
Lizette’s brow furrows in confusion. “What does that mean?”
