Reviews: The Cattle
"This fast paced thriller will keep the readers engrossed in the story right from the word go, filling them with suspense and a sense of anticipation as to what will happen next. This is a book not to be missed..."
**BookWire
"The Cattle is a very interesting book about a period, sometime in the not too distant future, which warns us about the dangers of government control and the ultimate lack of self determination, in the name of security. It is a very frightening commentary on what happens when a population, faced with the threat of terror, puts too much faith in and gives too much control over their own fortunes to the government. In the face of recent terroristic acts, both here and abroad, it is not too far fetched a concept."
**Sue Nussbaum - Published Author
"All in all, The Cattle is a cold splash in the face—a stark, sobering view of what might yet come to pass. It is a tale many will find as entertaining as it is thought provoking. Chicagoans will delight in the familiar settings, Americans will be enthralled by Jacob’s common man heroics, and readers everywhere will pause to wonder, “Is this fiction or is this a prophecy?”
**James K Bowers – SF&F Author
“The Cattle, by Greg M. Sarwa, is a fast-paced story of a horrible government conspiracy and the people who discover and try to expose it before they are killed. Being a Chicago area native, I appreciated reading a book that takes place there. This story takes George Orwell's 1984 to a frightening level and behooves us all to keep an even closer eye on the governments of the world than we already do! It kept me intrigued throughout is well written and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good political thriller.”
**Michelle True, www.michelleailenetrue.com (published author, poetry magazine publisher and book reviewer)
“The Cattle is a timely and creepy tale that gives a taste of what might happen if the sleeping masses allow a corrupt government to use terrorism as an excuse for total control of the public. And if you think we, the people, are too savvy to let that happen, then you have not been paying attention.”
**Curled Up With A Good Book, Marie D. Jones
“THE CATTLE (the title refers to how we as members of a governed society are treated under evil, adverse circumstances) is a brief but spellbinding novel that deals with the permutations of policies already in place in this country…Scary thought, this, but in Sarwa's fine hands he carefully reveals just how possible this situation might be, AND the ultimate secret of just how powerful the system could become…Sarwa gratefully takes his time with his writing to find terse, rapid-fire progress in language that is ever thoughtful and beautifully phrased. The manner in which he interconnects all the varied players he introduces is absolutely first rate and on target. Here is a writer who debuts with a very solid novel that begs for a screenplay.”
**Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States)
“I must admit that this little book caught me quite by surprise…the book is an enthralling tale of a government project that can make its citizens safer, and also a good deal less free… [I] found this to be a suspenseful story, watching the main characters unravel the mystery and try to escape the embrace of the government. I really enjoyed the story, and think that it is a great cautionary tale.”
**Kurt A. Johnson (Marseilles, Illinois, USA)
“Despite my fundamental inclinations, I enjoyed the book. The action is fast-paced and well written. It kept my attention even though I knew that the plot line was very far-fetched. The best writing causes you to suspend your most fundamental principles of disbelief and that is what happened to me when I read this book. Works despite a premise that I generally dislike!”
**Charles Ashbacher "(cashbacher@yahoo.com)" (Hiawatha, Iowa USA)
"The Cattle is a top notched novel! The story focuses on what might happen if the government is given control of our lives… As I read the book, I began asking myself - how true can this really be. With the passage of "The Real ID Act of 2005" and the latest news from Digital Angel that they are speeding up the formation of the national database for tracking our beef supply, the reality of this book becomes very real! A definite eye-opener for all people to read.
**A. M. Frizzell, Publicist
“One can view Sarwa's book as political; at any rate, it is clear that he is sending a message. His message is a terrifying and frightening one; how plausible it actually is anyone's guess, but he certainly makes it sound plausible. It's been a long time since a book like this, in the quasi-dystopia tradition, has been written, and it's high time that one was written for our day and age. Sarwa's vision is stark and brutal, and credit must be given to him for asking difficult questions and not providing easy answers. I applaud his courage in not tacking a Hollywood ending onto the end of this story; it is much more powerful and affecting as it stands…To be sure, the book is thoughtfully-plotted, well thought out, and precisely constructed; it moves along at a crisp pace, and it is a stellar example of the "Show; don't tell" type of narrative…”
**VoodooLord7 (Oklahoma, USA)
“The Cattle is a fast-moving, tightly-packed science fiction nightmare grown from the seeds of modern-day events… it's an electrifying read you'll have a hard time putting down.
**Daniel Jolley "darkgenius" (Shelby, North Carolina USA)
“The Cattle is stark, political in a sense. Entertaining. An intriguing read for futuristic die-hards embroiled in what-if scenarios.”
**Eugen Bacon, TMC Reviews
“Sarwa’s writing is sprinkled with some vivid detail and his characters are
nicely drawn and distinctive. And while the novel sounds like the set-up for a
routine thriller, the surprising ending is far from predictable. The Cattle is
Sarwa’s first novel and he has effectively set the hook for future thrillers.”
**Norm Goldman, Bookpleasures.com
“This fast paced, well-written story is an intense ride. One of the best conspiracy theory books I have ever read, I am betting that it will take the world by storm. I cannot find a bit of fault with “The Cattle” except to say that there might be readers who believe it to be true. The possibility of it all is the scariest thing. I highly recommend Greg M. Sarwa’s book, “The Cattle.” Outstanding!”
**Heather Froeschl, BookReview.com
"The Cattle by Greg M. Sarwa is the chilling tale of the "Real ID Act of 2005" and an engaging not-so-futuristic depiction of a future where their government mandated implants secured in every American citizen's body. Grippingly depicting the intricacies of the "Real ID Act" and the United States National Identification System, The Cattle carries readers through the entire process as systems are developed and tested in a sense of the "Mark of the Beast" lore. However, the "Mark of the Beast" includes a greater agenda than a collectively identifying every person. The Cattle slowly reveals the true intent behind the technology and public policy. The Cattle is very highly recommended reading for its vivid writing and outstanding predictive interpretation of a quite possible American future if we are not diligent in being aware of today's political trends and technological possibilities.
**Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)
"The book holds tight to that fine line between fiction and reality, with its plausible story line. The story involves a "secret agenda" behind a National Identification System, created by the U.S. government to protect its citizens. It starts with the need for a registration of personal data for all Americans and ends with the implantation of a radio frequency identification microchip that not only stores personal information, but authenticates identity. The chilling question becomes frightening. Is that the only reason behind the microchip? Is there, perhaps, a secret agenda? Sarwa, of Northbrook, does a fine job of keeping the suspense hovering.”
**Joanne Zerkel, Star Newspapers
“In a time when the American government is violating privacy laws in the name of the anti-terrorism war, author Greg M. Sarwa's look at a reasonable next step in that war is welcome. Government protestations that what they do is harmless and intended for the greater good are welcome, but when they can't be tested and proved, they may not be enough…
THE CATTLE has a faint fundamentalist take--readers may get a kick out of how Sarwa works the '666' mark of the beast into his story--but the story is really about governments and their willingness to take away rights when they can rather than about any particular religious faith. Overall, Sarwa delivers a satisfying story.”
**Booksforabuck.com (Dallas)
“In The Cattle, the fear factor has prompted U.S. citizens to willingly trade away their freedoms for questionable protection… When we hand over our personal responsibility to any one else, including our government, we must then be prepared to live with the consequences.”
**Andrea Garvey, Creation Magazine
“The strength of "The Cattle," by Greg Sarwa, lies in its "ripped-from-the-headlines" plot. Every week, the news media proclaim that watchdog groups are uneasy about wireless eavesdropping and other infringements upon civil liberties in America… I read this novel in a few hours and found the story involving and extremely frightening. "The Cattle" made me wonder: How far is our government willing to go to keep track of its citizens?”
**E. Bukowsky "booklover10" (Brooklyn, NY United States)
“In a frightening and timely novel, Greg M. Sarwa has issued a warning against an ever-intrusive Big Government that wants to control every aspect of our lives… This book is in the tradition of George Orwell’s 1984 and reflects the real life effort of the government to impose high tech national ID cards on every American… I guarantee that you will not be able to put down this novel once you begin to read it.”
**Alan Caruba, Editor, Bookviews.com
“…Sarwa’s debut novel, this story is well-written, action packed and easy to follow. Readers will enjoy the frenetic pace of the story with its fascinating twists and turns. What will concern readers, however, is how close Sarwa’s fictional story may be to reality. While the book is not intended to be a truthful or accurate accounting of government programs or goals, the story will cause readers to think twice about privacy issues and the frightening possibilities suggested by The Cattle… Overall… readers will enjoy this fast paced novel that asks more questions than it answers. It is a scary but gripping read!” **Dana Blozis, ForeWord CLARION reviews
“Sarwa has crafted an Orwellian adventure story around ID tags implanted in hands that is neatly “ripped from today’s headlines”…
**David Schiefelbein, Lake Sun Leader.com
“The issue of immigration is covered in this timely cautionary tale of government gone bad in the near future. A new law on immigration is to take effect. A few days before, several people are found dead while a disk with information on what is really going on disappears. Bodies pile up as government agents try to recover the disk. It seems the government in its infinite wisdom has come up with a way to solve the immigration problem. I loved the writing and the situations that the author has presented of government-gone bad trying to protect itself.”
**Gary Sroen, Midwest Book Review
“As an American, with a Libertarian point of view, & in general a very politically uncorrect fellow, I find the premise of The Cattle to be disturbing & prophetic… I highly recommend The Cattle to anyone... As with all good science fiction, it may only be fiction, but the truths within it cannot be denied.”
**D. H. BROWN, A RebeccasReads.Com Reviewer
