Astrid Book I: War Changes People

In her youth, Astrid had dreamt of becoming an actress. But once war breaks out, she gives up her dreams to fight for her country. She retains her acting skills and uses them to her advantage, and she will do absolutely anything to ensure the success of her missions.The war has degenerated into regular small skirmishes, but her commanders know that there will inevitably be a major assault that will overwhelm them. The only thing that is keeping the onslaught at bay is a policy of assassinating those enemy officers who show talent.But an enemy general has become aware of Astrid and is determined to stop her.

T G Trouper lives with his wife in Essex, England. He has one son, who currently resides in America.

T G worked in live music production for many years, dealing with the technical requirements of some of the biggest artists in the world. Only after retiring to look after ailing parents did he find the time to take up writing, something he regrets not taking up sooner. He is also a singer and guitarist in a couple of bands.

Customer Reviews

5.0

7 reviews

Alexis C. Reynolds

Dear T G Trouper, Reading Astrid Book I: War Changes People was like stepping into a world where courage and sacrifice were tested on every page. Astrid wasn’t just a soldier or a fighter to me, she was a woman with dreams and a past, someone who gave up the life she once imagined for a cause that demanded everything. The way she carried both her pain and her determination made her feel so real, like someone I could almost meet in the street if history had shifted differently. I loved how her acting skills weren’t forgotten, but instead became part of her strength. It reminded me that no matter how far life takes us from our original dreams, the pieces of who we once were always stay with us, waiting to be used in ways we could never predict. Astrid’s story showed me how war doesn’t just change people on the outside, but reshapes their very core, forcing them to find new ways of surviving and even thriving. The pacing, the tension, the looming threat of that enemy general all kept me turning the pages and holding my breath. You captured the fear, the grit, and the quiet resilience of someone fighting not just for survival, but for meaning in the chaos. I’ll be honest with you, I’m not a critic, not a professional reviewer, not a marketing expert. I’m just Alexis, a lover of books who sometimes gets lost in stories so deeply they feel like memories. And this book gave me that feeling. It reminded me of the cost of war, but also of the strength of the human spirit. Thank you for giving us Astrid. She is fierce, flawed, and unforgettable, the kind of character that lingers long after the last page is closed.
Mark MacLean

This story casts Astrid, a budding actress, suddenly exposed to the atrocities of a horrific war and follows her journey for revenge. On the other side, Brigit Malaya is on her own path to navigate through a male dominated army to a senior position against the odds and to stop Astrid. Both women show the morality depths that humans perhaps are willing to justify in the name of war and their own individual causes.
Gary Taylor

Good first novel. Sucks you in from the start, as you warm to the main character immediately.
There is some doubt as to who the bad guy/guys is/are, but ultimately for me it was an easy choice.
I hope there will be a "book 2".
Dave Bailey

A great read, very difficult to put down.
Sally M

Two women find themselves on opposite sides of a brutal war. Astrid was a confident young budding film actress but her world gets ripped apart by a bomb attack. She enrolls in her army in a senior position and becomes an undercover assassin. Malaya is an enemy officer who has to endure wicked, demoralizing tests to prove she’s as good as any man in her army to achieve her promotion to general. Both women are aware of each other, their bond is beyond enemies.

I love the story building of each character, feeling their pain and determination to win. I can feel the chemical reaction between them and their desire for each other.
megora

Loved it from page 1 to the end!
Sally

Do not underestimate Astrid Peterson, she was an actress. Her country is at war, she has become a weapon and a deadly assassin, war does change people.