[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Office Clerk" by Richard Willis.]

4 out of 4 starsShare This Review

 

The Office Clerk is a tale about the fictional United States of Britannia (USB). In this book, Richard Willis writes about the fascism that Felix Mendez inflicted on the USB and about acts of resistance in this regard. Mendez began to rain terror on the country and its people when he came into power. Anyone who showed defiance was condemned to death, but there were still those who resisted clandestinely to undermine it. One of these people was Stephen Lewis, an office clerk at the bureau of justice. Stephen made the courageous decision to do what he could within his job to undermine the regime, placing his life in grave danger. Will Stephen continue to resist in this clandestine manner without being caught? Will the USB be liberated from Mendez’s murderous and destructive rule? Have a read of this thrilling novelette to find out.

I like that this book is filled with thrill and tension that keeps the reader in suspense about what will happen next. Furthermore, I liked that the book followed the story of the heroic acts of an unlikely hero. Usually, a hero is depicted as someone held in high regard, who occupies a prominent position in society or has a large following of supporters, or who does significantly notable acts of heroism. Stories similar to the one told in this novelette - acts deemed small, yet heroic done by ordinary individuals, are rarely written about. Stephen was just an office administrator who stood up for what was right, even if that meant risking his life. So many people have done this in liberation struggles and are rarely acknowledged, and I appreciate this about this book.

In terms of the organisation of the text, I like how the author first introduced the country, the politics and what was happening at the time before bringing Stephen, the protagonist, into the picture and then explaining his role and experiences. Even though the book is a work of fiction, it felt very real, as it closely resembles the many dictatorships that existed in real life.

The only thing I did not like about the book is that it was not separated into sections or chapters. Even though the book is concise, only 28 pages long, demarcation would make it easier to digest for readers.

Apart from the lack of demarcation, there is not much else to dislike. The book is well written, has a coherent storyline, and has very few errors. For this, I rate it a solid four out of four stars and recommend it to anyone interested in politics, fascism, and resistance. It may, however, not be suitable for people who are sensitive to human suffering, ruthlessness, and drug abuse.

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The Office Clerk
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