Reviewed by Leonard Smuts for Readers' Favorite

Can war ever be justified? Can war prevent further wars? Bauder sets out to dissect these questions using a series of short stories. Each reflects an aspect of warfare and prevailing attitudes to it, from misplaced patriotism to the reasons that soldiers enlist and the consequences of their actions. My Father’s Name Is War: Collected Transmissions concentrates on the post-2001 Global War On Terrorism (GWOT), which involves the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. It has flashbacks to the past to add perspective and some glimpses into what might be with the advent of AI and virtual reality. The End Times Apocalypse is also featured. In many cases, there is a family legacy of service in the armed forces, but the author poses the question as to whether a veteran would want his son, daughter, or grandchildren to serve their country nowadays, given the profound changes to the political and military landscape, with the background manipulation, propaganda, and corruption that have crept in. It also reflects on the question as to whether there is still any uniform set of values remaining in the military. Is there still a warrior class? The notion that perception becomes a reality is expanded on, with the implication that the resulting construct no longer fits the facts. The ethos of warfare has been slanted toward a paradigm defined by business and politics. We are left to search for identity, with the authentic self at odds with the acquired self. A radical revision is overdue.

My Father’s Name Is War is hard-hitting, raw, and at times surreal. It lays bare the predicament of soldiers who have little or no say in their deployment and are at times subject to mortal danger, while the survivors can be maimed or suffer from post-traumatic stress. It also highlights the plight of the local population, who are equally powerless. This book should not be seen as a conspiracy theory, but rather as a critique of modern warfare that highlights injustice whereby neither the troops on the ground benefit nor the luckless civilians who are affected. The reality is that wars are engineered by politicians and that arms manufacturers are the ultimate beneficiaries. In that context, the author aptly refers to “the American business of war”. While written as military fiction, the situations depicted are realistic, giving rise to the disturbing possibility that much of what has been presented is true. Bauder writes with a fascinating style that is provocative, punchy, and will challenge the reader. He maintains a philosophical tone throughout, touching on many pertinent social, political, and military issues. The format is innovative and includes poetry and a play. Its powerful message is a strident call for the population to wake up. However unpalatable the content may be to some, it is an intriguing, perceptive, and thought-provoking work that is highly recommended.