I want to start this off with this is a complex book. If you are looking for a quick, easy read, this is not it. Do not be fooled by “collection of essays, short stories” etc.; each section is layered with depth and impact. I would also not recommend picking this up if you are not in a good mental space at the moment as the themes explored do not include victory or triumph, but only the aftermath of the ravages of war.

“I’ve rejected that salute every day since, rejected the salute of twenty-one guns while seeking the favor of one.”

This collection will leave you hollowed.

As posted on Goodreads:

“Find any veteran, ask if they’d agree with a son’s willingness to enlist, and you might receive mixed opinions.

Then, ask the same about a daughter.”

My Father’s Name is War is a combination of real life observations about the complexities and consequences of war, and genre-bending fiction about the past, present and future of human warfare. This, combined with the “short story + brief introduction” format makes for a quick and entertaining read.

As with most short story collections, there were certainly some I preferred more than others, but I really appreciated the author not pulling punches and being clear about the cost of war, and the human toll that it takes - both mentally and physically.

Overall, I think this is a fantastic debut from Bauder, and I hope we’ll see more work from them in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, Meconopsis Press, and Bauder for providing me with an early copy of this book!

This book has one of the most interesting formats of anything I've ever read. Bauder presents several short stories, each an extremely detailed allegory dealing with various aspects of warfare and the institution of the state, and then follows them with exceptionally informative passages explaining how each of those things take place in real life and have taken place throughout history. This is, in my opinion, an ingenious way of presenting everything.

The allegorical presentation not only creates a much deeper, more empathetic understanding of the overall concepts, it also means that the reader is going into the nonfiction sections with emotional engagement. By doing so, it ensures that the true understanding of the human cost of all of this is at the forefront; it is impossible to read the nonfiction sections with a flat, distant, academic sense of tragedy that so often is a blight to the effectiveness of these sorts of texts.

I would say this is a must read, especially in the current climate.

The allegories are fabulously written. They have well-developed, complex science fiction settings that are remarkably detailed given the limited length. They invoke a sense of empathy and investment in characters that is quite frankly remarkable for such short stories because the characters are deeply human, flaws and contradictions and all. A short story has never made me cry, until Omertà.

The nonfiction sections were engaging and laid out clearly and concisely and their compliment to each of the allegories is clear. I like to think of myself as someone who's fairly educated in the realm of the state/methods of control/conflict/the military complex because I studied a lot of it in school; this was a more powerful read, and a better educator because of that, than any other piece of reading I have ever had on the subject. So much so that I'm considering emailing my professors to suggest they add it to their reading lists.

I really hope to see more releases from Bauder in the future.