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Lynch, Chris
34 Reviews
(4)
YA
Special Forces series.
After stealing a motorcycle, pugnacious high-schooler Daniel is given the option of enlisting in the army as a Special Forces agent fighting a secret mission in Laos during the Vietnam War. Lynch squeezes too many conveniences (e.g., Daniel's supportive high-school wrestling coach is his commanding officer) into this otherwise moving story about family dynamics, war heroics, and maturation under fire.
Reviewer: Jack Forman
(4)
YA
Beginning after Keir raped Gigi (Inexcusable), here Keir leaves for far-away Carnegie College on a partial football scholarship; having to prove his toughness reignites Keir's temper and self-aggrandizement. Keir's conversion comes quickly at novel's end when he confronts situations no words can alter. Since readers only hear Keir's promise to change, there's room for discussion about his future and the role of violence in society.
Reviewer: Betty Carter
(3)
YA
World War II series.
In the midst of WWII, Army Air Corps gunner Theo McCallum has just learned his older brother Hank, a Naval sailor, has gone missing in the Pacific. Theo tries to be positive but struggles to stay focused as he flies over Europe fighting Nazis. The thrills and terrors of war are tempered with heart and humanity in the series' third book.
Reviewer: April Mazza
(2)
YA
Arlo Brodie makes varsity football, plays like a man possessed, and becomes a god on the gridiron. An alarmingly high hit count, or number of hard blows to his head, forces the coach to bench him--but by now Arlo's addicted to the adulation, the workouts, and the thrill. A thought-provoking, unflinching examination of the price of athletic power, with bone-crunching play-by-play action.
Reviewer: Betty Carter
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2015
(4)
YA
After fighting with his father, Kevin flees to Crystal City, where he meets fellow runaways Molly and Stacey. The three quickly bond, spending their days at a grimy beach and meandering around the city. But soon Kevin falls in with a rougher crowd. Flashbacks unfurl the events leading up to Kevin and his father's fight in this quiet and slow story.
Reviewer: Randy Ribay
(3)
YA
World War II series.
As World War II begins, Nick and Zack, semi-professional baseball buddies, enlist in the elite Marine Parachute Battalion. Assigned to the Pacific Theater, their division faces increasing Japanese resistance as they invade island after island. The horrors of war are not soft-pedaled: carnage and death are conveyed in graphic detail. Military buffs will welcome this fourth book in Lynch's fast-paced series.
Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg
(3)
YA
World War II series.
Roman loves playing semi-professional baseball. Unfortunately, he's not very good. When war breaks out, he volunteers for the army and finds something he can do better than anyone: drive a tank. Here's WWII-lite, with fast-paced battle scenes in Northern Africa recalling video-game action. By book's end, however, Lynch has built a lucid, realistic setting for his new war series.
Reviewer: Betty Carter
(4)
YA
"She doesn't need me. She doesn't need anybody. I am the one with needs. Beyond Junie Blue, I need...something." Oliver has been dumped, but he's not giving up. Especially considering that his (ex)girlfriend may be holding a winning lottery ticket, and the local organized-crime lord may be expecting a cut. This is a complex--slightly manic--and character-driven coming-of-age novel.
Reviewer: Rebecca Hachmyer
(3)
YA
World War II series.
In the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, Hank finds himself on the USS Yorktown. Missing his family, he befriends a fellow sailor and, along with the dangers of war, learns about the racism his friend must face. Hank's naiveté is shed as he learns difficult life lessons. Heavy topics such as war and prejudice are approached with compassion and gravity in this second series installment.
Reviewer: April Mazza
(3)
YA
Vietnam series.
Previous installments featured the perspectives of four friends as they experienced the Vietnam War in different branches of the military. Here they come together to mourn the loss of one of their own, the remaining three each grappling with secrets surrounding his death. As with other books in this series, the emotional complexities and violence of war are handled with sensitivity and grace.
Reviewer: April Mazza
(1)
YA
In this unsettling narrative, an anguished boy's self-inquisition prompts readers to ask their own questions about what's going on and what Will--whose parents are deceased--may be responsible for. It turns out that conflict and resolution, like the text, are all in Will's head. Lynch guides the reader through this complex internal journey with a remarkably light touch.
Reviewer: Lauren Adams
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2001
(3)
YA
Vietnam series.
Rounding out this series, which chronicles the experiences of four young soldiers from Boston, is Beck's story of his deployment in the Air Force. Death as an inevitable outcome of war is treated realistically and with intensity. As with the previous installments, emotions run high as the characters come to terms with the Vietnam War and how it changes them, for better and for worse.
Reviewer: April Mazza
(3)
YA
Eric, a teenage hockey player, begins to question his violent behavior on the ice in this forceful novel. Like Lynch's Shadow Boxer, the story employs an intriguing sports metaphor and presents an especially interesting relationship between Eric and his nonconformist older brother.
Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.
(4)
YA
Lynch first explored the closeness of brothers Duane and Eric in Iceman. But now Duane is dead, and Eric struggles to cope. Since Duane was an organ donor, parts of him are technically alive in others, and Eric sets out to find them--and his beloved brother's essence. This intriguing premise gets sidetracked with a host of characters and Eric's own ill-defined quest.
Reviewer: Betty Carter
(2)
YA
Fourteen-year-old George has felt responsible for his younger brother Monty ever since the death of their father, a heavyweight fighter. George passes on the boxing lessons Dad taught him and is equally intent on teaching Monty about life outside the ring. The fight sequences, fraternal dynamics, and memorable cast of eccentric characters make for some riveting episodes in the rough, tough-talking book.
Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 1993
(2)
YA
Daniel's grandfather, Da, retired from his government job, begins hinting at former involvement in political intrigue, coups, and assassinations. When old "friends" begin showing up, worried that Da might reveal past deeds, Daniel and Da hit the road. The premise is great, developed with brilliant prose and featuring characters who are sympathetically and vividly evoked.
Reviewer: Dean Schneider
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2012
(4)
YA
Vietnam series.
This is the second book in Lynch's series about how the Vietnam War affects four friends. Here Ivan, the only one excited about serving, joins the army and is trained as a sharpshooter. Emotions surge as he comes to terms with the harsh realities of war. The characters are flat, but this book gives an honest account of wartime military service.
Reviewer: April Mazza
(3)
YA
Vietnam series.
This series follows four friends who join different branches of the military, experience the excitement and horrors of war, and struggle to stay connected to one another and to their true selves. Rudi finds that as a Marine he can survive by following orders, but as the Vietnam War's realities encumber him, he loses himself. A gritty story told with heart.
Reviewer: April Mazza
(3)
YA
Robert is attending community college, trying to reach his career goals, and looking out for his mother (in over her head in debt) and younger brother, Alexander, who's increasingly caught up in extreme activist causes. When Xan's activities turn violent, Robert must determine where his loyalties lie. Complex family dynamics bolster this taut character study.
Reviewer: Betty Carter
(4)
YA
Vietnam series.
This first series entry introduces four Boston boys with a strong friendship. They make a pact: if one is drafted to Vietnam the others will volunteer. The inevitable happens, and all four head for war. Narrator Morris (this book's star) believes his job is to look out for the others. The characters are disappointingly two-dimensional in this otherwise solid offering.
Reviewer: Betty Carter
34 reviews
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