Normally, I'd write an introduction to this week's story, but honestly I just can't think of a good opening on the anniversary of 9/11. Maybe there isn't one, but today I'm going to let Timothy M's opening for a review of Mark Arbour's 9.11 say it for me.

9.11
by Mark Arbour

Reviewer: Timothy M.

Status: Complete

Word Count. 440,371

There are some events which fix themselves in the collective mind of humanity. You’ll always recall where you were and what you were doing, when you heard. In our modern information society, such news spreads at the speed of light, but there are also examples from before internet and mobile gadgets keeping us constantly online. The older generations may mention the assassinations of President Kennedy (1963) and John Lennon (1980). The death of Princess Diana was breaking news 20 years ago, and as a Scandinavian, I’ve a clear picture in my mind of the moment I heard about the Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme being killed (1986). But of course the big one, which everyone over a certain age recalls today, is 9/11/2001 – the airplane attacks on the WTC's twin towers and the Pentagon, which Mark Arbour entwines into 9.11, his 13th book of the CAP series.

Naturally, it doesn’t make sense to recommend reading 9.11 on its own. You’ll have to start with the first book of the series: Chronicles of an Academic Predator. This way you’ll gradually be introduced to the main characters in 9.11, and you’ll be engaged in their lives, whether you like them, love them, or hate them. Since some of them experience the attacks on the twin towers up close, the event has a huge personal impact in CAP, as well as the wider national and international consequences. If you were among those of us who watched the horror unfold on 9/11 (mostly via TV), I’m sure Mark’s descriptions will bring you back to the stunned disbelief, the anger and the sorrow. If you’re too young to remember, the story might give you a taste of what happened on that fateful date sixteen years ago, and why most people older than 25 can immediately answer the question “What were you doing on September 11th, 2001?”

There are plenty of things I admire about the CAP series and about Mark Arbour as an author. Brilliant writing, memorable and whole characters, interesting plots and story lines, lots of hot guys in action and reading material for months of enjoyment. But perhaps one of the most impressive achievements of Mark and his diligent team of beta readers and editors, is the way history, politics, culture, matters of ethics, conflicts of both society and humans, as well as specific events in the U.S.A. and the world, have been woven into CAP in a natural and logical way. JP, the first and main character of the whole series, will always be a beloved and ideal character for me, for his personal integrity and his understanding of the complex lessons of history and human struggles.

Go make his acquaintance, and you’ll soon be caught up in the CAP world. It’s a great place to be, and Mark is slowly catching up to the present day, since his current CAP story starts out in 2003. If you’ve forgotten what was hot more than ten years ago, take a trip down memory lane, and don’t forget to visit the story forum for pictures, songs, trends, and discussions related to each time period. 

Category: Fiction   Genres: Drama, Historical, Romance   Tags: teen, young adult, mature adult, gay, brothers, friendship   Rating: Mature