Seasons in the Kingdom on Amazon
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
I personally lived on the ASCOM base and the village, in 1969, a victim of the draft in a very confusing time, being only 23 and yanked from an even more confused America, into this mind numbing whirl of sensations - Korea, and the camptowns. After living one year in the military (state side), GI's get used to jumping to the whistle, making the bed, polishing the shoes, cleaning up and making ready for inspection. As the author so accurately describes, once in Korea, you get a houseboy, to do all the spit polish, bed making, and even preparing for inspections, then you find that you probably won't even use your bed as the bunks in the village are plentiful and they come complete with a companion for the night, at very little cost. Every need you could have as a 23 year old is met. Except perhaps answers to all those questions you have spinning in your head about life, love, sex, children, and what will happen when I go home. Take this journey with Tim Norris as he weaves a tale, true in every detail, explore the wonderment of a 20 year old GI and a 20 something Korean girl, with every wish come true, but in need of answers to questions they didn't know existed.
This book is not for everyone, as you will have to enjoy or get past the language and the extreme situations. However, if you were ever a 20 year old, and remember falling in love, or even lust, you'll find something very familiar in this story. Age old life questions, told in a very modern and unusual circumstance. Exciting, full of lust, love, romance, and all the baggage that tags along.
Korean Quarterly, Fall Edition 2007
An unusually compelling and well-written story about an American soldier's relationship with a Korean girl who is seeking to avoid a life of prostitution in postwar South Korea, circa 1973. The extremely insightful portrayal of their complex relationship is skillfully contrasted with detail evoking the banality of military camp life and the culture of prostitution in nearby civilian areas. Extraordinarily beautiful and detailed "word paintings" of the land and its people form the background of this drama, rounding out this unforgettable book.
Seasons in the Kingdom is an evocative and compelling story that merges history and fiction into a literary feast for the senses. Describing the events of a small American military outpost in Korea in 1973-74, the story resonates with the experiences of hundreds of thousands of US service men and the Koreans near whom they lived. With vivid authenticity, Tim Norris has created an uncompromising world of human strife told through the experiences of a young GI seeking comfort in a Korean business girl. Commerce, deceit, prostitution, violence, all are commonly intertwined in this fascinating narrative illuminated by the grim light of camptown life.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars "Seasons in the Kingdom" Don't miss this sleeper!, September 12, 2010
By
Pro Photo (Upstate NY USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Seasons in the Kingdom (Seasons in the Kingdom) (Paperback)
AbsoF...loutely, an outF...standing book, to use the vernacular military speak. The custom of putting four letter words between every syllable is a constant in the military, and one soon tunes it out, not noticing when you or others do it. The author Tim Norris, has written an astutely accurate historical narrative, including (as they say in movie reviews) adult language, adult situations, drugs, violence, brutality, racism, prostitution, sex, and in this village -- more sex. The story takes place in a real military camp ASCOM (Army Support Command), and a real Korean village, Sin-Chon, complete with American named clubs for pool, drink, and debauchery. The reader should not be fooled by the backdrop, language, or circumstance. This is a love story, the build-up is slow, and carefully constructed, designed to carefully veil the impending and often tenuous romance. Over all the story is an exploration of love, marriage, children, and life's dreams, as seen by a 20 something boy and girl. The life of a GI in Korea was far from a usual experience. Even the sex is different, as the author humorously contrasts prostitution in America, with love making Korean style.I personally lived on the ASCOM base and the village, in 1969, a victim of the draft in a very confusing time, being only 23 and yanked from an even more confused America, into this mind numbing whirl of sensations - Korea, and the camptowns. After living one year in the military (state side), GI's get used to jumping to the whistle, making the bed, polishing the shoes, cleaning up and making ready for inspection. As the author so accurately describes, once in Korea, you get a houseboy, to do all the spit polish, bed making, and even preparing for inspections, then you find that you probably won't even use your bed as the bunks in the village are plentiful and they come complete with a companion for the night, at very little cost. Every need you could have as a 23 year old is met. Except perhaps answers to all those questions you have spinning in your head about life, love, sex, children, and what will happen when I go home. Take this journey with Tim Norris as he weaves a tale, true in every detail, explore the wonderment of a 20 year old GI and a 20 something Korean girl, with every wish come true, but in need of answers to questions they didn't know existed.
This book is not for everyone, as you will have to enjoy or get past the language and the extreme situations. However, if you were ever a 20 year old, and remember falling in love, or even lust, you'll find something very familiar in this story. Age old life questions, told in a very modern and unusual circumstance. Exciting, full of lust, love, romance, and all the baggage that tags along.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Editorial Review from the Korean Quarterly Fall Edition, 2007, December 12, 2007
By
This review is from: Seasons in the Kingdom (Seasons in the Kingdom) (Paperback)
"Tim Norris has written a moving novel that weaves real life events and places with a memorably touching love story between a U.S. GI and a local Korean girl."Korean Quarterly, Fall Edition 2007
An unusually compelling and well-written story about an American soldier's relationship with a Korean girl who is seeking to avoid a life of prostitution in postwar South Korea, circa 1973. The extremely insightful portrayal of their complex relationship is skillfully contrasted with detail evoking the banality of military camp life and the culture of prostitution in nearby civilian areas. Extraordinarily beautiful and detailed "word paintings" of the land and its people form the background of this drama, rounding out this unforgettable book.
Seasons in the Kingdom is an evocative and compelling story that merges history and fiction into a literary feast for the senses. Describing the events of a small American military outpost in Korea in 1973-74, the story resonates with the experiences of hundreds of thousands of US service men and the Koreans near whom they lived. With vivid authenticity, Tim Norris has created an uncompromising world of human strife told through the experiences of a young GI seeking comfort in a Korean business girl. Commerce, deceit, prostitution, violence, all are commonly intertwined in this fascinating narrative illuminated by the grim light of camptown life.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Korea many years ago, January 10, 2011
By
oldski "ski" (Cheyenne Wyoming) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Seasons in the Kingdom (Seasons in the Kingdom) (Paperback)
This is a great book especially veterans that have lived across the pond in Asia for any length of time. There was not a major war going on in Korea so if you didn't get stationed on the DMZ you usually had time to go to the Vill for a change of pace from Army life. It was great to get away from Uncle Sam and find a companion to stay with for the night or for longer. I was lucky as was not committed to anyone back in the States so I was free to scatter my wild oats many times. Staying in the Village was a real eye opener to a much different kind of life than we were used to. It gave one a real look into such a different culture. This book describes this place very well and will take you back to the Land of The Morning Calm called Korea. 
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