A Chilling Vision Of An Armed Insurrection In The US: Norman Brewer's Spellbinding Political Thriller 'January 6: A Novel' Explores America's Darkest Nightmare

    WILMINGTON, NC, June 11, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ -- It goes without saying that most of us were mesmerized, riveted to our screens on January 6, 2021, as the U.S. Capitol fell under siege by extremists determined to keep a former president in power. They were not successful. The seldom-used term "insurrection" has since become part of our lexicon. While most of us understand what "insurrection" means at the surface level, few truly grasp its profound ramifications. A successful insurrection in the United States would not only disrupt governmental functions but also pose a dire threat to democratic institutions, ignite civil unrest, destabilize the economy, encourage domestic terrorism, and potentially lead to the imposition of martial law. It did not happen. But what if? That is the subject of Norman Brewer's stunning political thriller 'January 6: A Novel'.

Who better to present a dire warning via an engrossing political novel than a former award-winning Washington journalist? Ron Cohen, former managing editor of UPI, said, "Journalist/novelist Norm Brewer has masterfully combined both those skills in a cracklingly good narrative of the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. His terrorists might be fictional characters, but he has so skillfully woven them into the horrors of that day you will feel like you've known them all your life."

In Brewer's masterful political tale, democracy is assaulted when the President's rally morphs into a mob and storms the Capitol. Right-wing extremists take the House Speaker hostage, force a horrific standoff, and unleash terrorist attacks nationwide. The President weighs declaring martial law to restore order – and justify refusing to leave office.

In their review, Midwest Book Review stated, "Although a work of fiction, 'January 6: A Novel' provides genuine and vivid insider glimpses of what might come next in 2024 in real life. All kingdoms, empires, and nations throughout history have risen, flourished, and then fallen. America may not be an exception. Following a disputed election in 2020 and the possibility of an insurrectionist political candidate being once more defeated at the polls, the very real possibility of what is described in 'January 6: A Novel' makes it an unreservedly recommended addition to community and college/university library collections – and essential reading for those with interest in politics, terrorism, freedom, and the future of the United States of America."

"I wrote the book to entertain and warn that our democracy is in greater danger today than it was on Jan. 6, 2021," Brewer stated. "Then, Donald Trump was on his way out. If elected again, he'll have years to destroy his foes and gather the power needed to realize his autocratic ambitions."

Readers and reviewers alike have praised 'January 6'. Retired Army Maj. Gen. Mari Eder said, "Everyone who watched the events of January 6th unfold live on television that day in Washington knows how close this country came to total calamity. Norman Brewer's take on the events of that day is fiction, but only barely so. It will enthrall, frighten, and draw in the reader to feel as though they are inside the events of the day and leave them gasping with the awareness of what might well have been."

G. J. Meyer, New York Times bestselling author of 'A World Undone,' stated, "Drawing on skills honed as a Washington journalist, building on his exhaustive knowledge of what happened at the Capitol on that horrendous January day, Norman Brewer spins an all-too-plausible tale showing how easily events could have followed a worse course, with consequences even more ominous for the future of our democracy. The result is a great read and a work of genuine value."

'January 6: A Novel' is book 3 in the Anti-Hero Rebellions series. Book 1, 'Blending In: A Tale of Homegrown Terrorism,' introduces Stickman and Maple, homegrown terrorists hell-bent on bringing down the government. They break the mold of terrorists being social misfits, extremists seeking martyrdom. Stickman and Maple are trained and disciplined. They hold down jobs. They blend in. They could be your next-door neighbors.

Except for being hell-bent on upending government, these anti-heroes launch murderous attacks on "soft" targets – a press conference in DC, an iconic mall in the Heartland. Hundreds die. Fear grips the nation. Other extremists join their horrific crusade.

In Book 2, 'Killer Politics: A Satirical Tale of Homegrown Terrorism,' a Trump-like president inspires a white supremacist to launch attacks on innocents in a ruthless bid to incite civil war – and defend the "American way of life." Hoss, the supremacist, teams up with a "Most Wanted" terrorist to attack a rock concert, contaminate the food supply, destroy a reservoir, and flood homeowners living downstream. People die. Fear mounts. A rogue FBI agent is in hot pursuit.

Razor-edged satire, aimed at a so-called President Tower, is "keen and stinging," one reviewer said.

Norman Brewer was interviewed on The Authors Show. His interview can be accessed at https://wnbnetworkwest.com/channel/1/?play=January%206%3A%20A%20Novel. He is available for media interviews and can be reached by email at [email protected]. All of the books in the Anti-Hero Rebellions series are available in paperback and ebook versions at Amazon and other book retailers. 'January 6: A Novel' is also available at Amazon in audiobook format.

About Norman Brewer:

Norman Brewer is an award-winning reporter and editor who worked for The Des Moines Register and Tribune and for Gannett News Service in Washington, D.C. As a reporter, he covered Congress, the White House, and federal agencies, and pursued investigative projects that earned recognition, including from the National Press Club. He was also Director of Employee Communications at the U.S. Transportation Security Administration.

His experience has given him a powerful perspective regarding the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the Capitol, domestic terrorism, and the political landscape. Exposure to terrorism issues helped shape 'January 6: A Novel' as well as two earlier novels, 'Blending In: A Tale of Homegrown Terrorism,' and 'Killer Politics: A Satirical Tale of Homegrown Terrorism.' 'Killer Politics' can be read as a stand-alone book or as a sequel to 'Blending In.'

Brewer lives in Portland, Ore.

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