The Cards in the Deck by Robert Stanek

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MWSA Review

The blaring alarm awoke Scott Evers in his bunk on the Sea Shepherd, a 201 foot ship with a crew of 45 operated by an organization similar to Greenpeace. Its mission was to disrupt illegal Tuna fishing in the Mediterranean Sea.

On his way to the topside Evers, whose job is security, discovered Libyans had sunk a sister ship, the Bardot III. When he reached the top deck he saw the ship was circling one of five Tunisian fishing boats and their crews were hurling links of chain at the Sea Shepherd, whose crew was responding with fire hoses and stink bombs, a repeat of previous battles. Then things went south.

David Gilbert, a NASA senior data mining and analysis specialists at a super secret National Cybersecurity Initiative Data Center (DC), Camp Williams, Utah was a troubled man. Gilbert was early because he wanted to review the latest D-Wave test results from the latest generation of supercomputers employing quantum computing. Gilbert’ supercomputer was one of three with super-cooled niobium chips. After studying the results he realized something was amiss in the Med. Now Gilbert had two things to worry about: What was not being reported in the Med, and his long time concern about supercomputers exceeding human intelligence and enslaving the human race. 

The “director” enters the story and Scott Evers and his gal pal Edie have rollicking, fantastical adventures as they chase the bad guys across the Mediterranean to Malta with the help of the CIA, NSA, SEALs and the Sixth Fleet. 

Reviewer: Lee Boyland

ISBN-10: B00TBFNFFC
ISBN-13: 978-1511983631

Reflections of Life by Dustin Bogue

MWSA Review

Post 911 warriors—like their parents and grandparents before them—must approach faith, culture, loyalty, and service through eyes seared by war. Jon Nelson’s slim volume of poetry, Reflections of Life,  is broken into seemingly diverse sections: American Pride, Love of a Lifetime, Human Nature, A Darker Side, and God’s Beauty.  However, the order of these topics is as meaningful as the poetry contained within them. Nelson’s poetic style is simple but his thoughts are intellectual and brave. 

In the first section, most of the poems are “in your face” patriotism, the thoughts of a man who has chosen to spend his youthful years in a war zone. Painful transitions from innocence to protector are explored in “As You Get Ready.” Then poems like “Lay My Guns Down” and “Freedom isn’t Free” probe the realities of life in a war zone. By the time I got to “Heart of a Soldier,” I appreciated the layers of meaning in “On my back, I carry this unbearable load, As I walk along this seemingly endless road.”

The second section, Love of a Lifetime, seems all the more joyous for the months and years spent in a desert waiting for something ugly to happen. Lovers often say things like “Your love is what keeps me going” and “Your inspiration always surrounds me” and “You are my rock.” However, coming on the heels of poems like “A Soldier’s Night Before Christmas,” they take on deeper, darker meanings.

In the next two sections, Human Nature and A Darker Side, the poet moves on to deeper reflections. “Leave Your Mark,” sounded so much like my father, a World War II veteran who often pondered the same issues. When Nelson talked about the need to prove yourself “if someone makes you feel worthless,” I swallowed back sad memories of the years my dad was lost inside his own head. And “Insanity” was all too familiar for a child of war.

The final section focuses on spirituality. These poems made me smile. They aren’t truly about religion but more about a reboot, a deliberate way to perceive life. “Forces Stand Against Me” once more reminded me of the challenges veterans face. While they were away, the world changed. While they were away, they changed. This thoughtful little book explores the challenges a combat vet faces trying to find home again.

MWSA Reviewer: Joyce Faulkner

ISBN: 978-1625103321  
ASIN: 1625103328

Meant To Be by Jessica James

MWSA Review

When a chance meeting on a quiet beach turns into a fun day of laughter and a déjà vu feeling of companionship, Lauren Cantrell and Michael "Rad" Radcliff find it hard to say good-bye.  They soon find their paths unexpectedly cross in the most undesired way, in a place where courage and hope are all they have left to give.  In this world of danger where lives are at stake, they'll do anything to keep each other safe... if it's not too late. 

In her romance novel, Meant to Be, Jessica James introduces us to two strangers who make us want to believe in soul mates or, at least, love at first sight.  The author builds on layers of romance, secrets, heartache, and sacrifice to reveal a tapestry of emotion deeply set inside the bravest of Americans; the soldier.  Ms. James' characters are real, multi-faceted and engaging; the reader soon becomes entangled in the dichotomy of the horrors of war juxtapose with love-fueled and patriotic bravery with these new-found friends. 

Meant to Be takes us on a tumultuous journey of love, heartache, healing, and hope.  I found myself on the edge of my seat, feeling the pain and sorrow, clinging to the idea love beats all odds for the sake of her characters.  I look forward to reading Jessica James' other romance novels.

Reviewed by: Sandra Miller Linhart (Oct 2015)

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Author's Summary

It started as a chance encounter on the beach, and ended 24 hours later when they parted to go their separate ways. 
Or so they thought.

Actually it was just the beginning.  When LAUREN CANTRELL said goodbye to the guy she had just met on the beach, she had no way of knowing their paths would ever cross again. But fate had another unexpected meeting in store for them—this time in a place where danger was part of the culture and the stakes were life and death. 

THE LAST PERSON in the world Rad expected to see at a special ops briefing in Afghanistan is the girl he met at the beach two weeks ago—the one he can’t stop thinking about. 

From the sundrenched beaches of Ocean City, Md., to the snowcapped mountains of Afghanistan, this thrilling tale of espionage and intrigue takes readers on a spellbinding journey into the secret lives of our nation’s quiet heroes—and answers the question: 
What do you do when the person you most want to protect is the one risking everything to make sure you survive? 

MEANT TO BE recounts the dedication of our military, the honor and sacrifice of our soldiers, and a relationship that is tested and sustained by the powerful forces of love, courage and resolve. 

Hello, Wigwam by L John Lawrence

MWSA Review

Private Costas first gets a desk job for no apparent reason in Vietnam. Everything and anything runs out of control from there. Costas finds himself strangely ordered to join in covert field operations with real warriors, under the control of an unseen "Wigwam" command. The young soldier feels the gamut of emotions from fear to bravery in the terrifying fog of war. Triumph and disaster are never fully reported in this classic "SNAFU" as he chooses to lead the fight. In the aftermath, Costas sorts through what can't be stated - and the young man's life goes on totally changed forever.

Reviewed by:Hodge Wood (2015)

Author's Summary

Creating a most unlikely hero, the army assigned Albert Costas, the youngest and lowest-ranking soldier in the Vietnam War, to run errands and do other menial tasks for the headquarters staff in Saigon. The transition to the real world, coming of age - difficult for any young man - becomes for Albert the unreal world of Army life in a combat zone. He sees the parade of bizarre and irrational behavior of men under stress and struggles to maintain his own grasp on reality. Unknown decision-makers hiding behind the code name Wigwam, add to the confusion, where all is upside down, inside out, and backwards. Sacrifice and achievement become twisted with tragic results.

The Stonegate Sword by Harry James Fox

A wonderfully told story of character, faith, and military action set in the future…which seems like the past!

Review

Harry James Fox scores with a unique story that blends the past with an apocalyptic future to produce an adventure of character, faith, and military action.

The “old way” (our time as we know it) ended, and what now exists is a world of swords and shields, reminiscent of Medieval times.  The Black Prophet is the ultimate evil, and the lands he controls know oppression, heavy taxation, and ruthless enforcement by the Raiders.  The lands outside his reach have an easier life, but the Prophet is always trying to expand his territory.

The beginning of the story details how the lives of two dissimilar characters (Donald and Phillip) are damaged irreversibly by the Prophet.  As the book follows these two lives, they eventually come together when both are fighting on the outnumbered side of good.  Only solid military prowess and planning, coupled with technologies from the old way which are not fully understood, can hope to defeat the Prophet’s armies.

Book is well written, and the author shows his command of the English language well.  It also has an obvious Christian influence, in a way that is refreshing but not heavy-handed.  It is obvious the author researched heavily into cavalry warfare from Medieval times, and the book “feels” very real.  It is not a short read, but is worth the effort and sets up well for a sequel.

Author: Harry James Fox
ISBN: 978-1-63315-322-5
MWSA Reviewer: Rob Ballister

I'd Walk With My Friends If I Could Find Them

Review

Three soldiers brought together by the war in Afghanistan, and after one fateful event none can erase from memory, Wintric, Dax, and Torres struggle to return to normalcy in the country for which they fought.

In his novel, I'd Walk With My Friends If I Could Find Them, Jesse Goolsby depicts the lives of three men fighting personal demons after their return from war.  Goolsby pens flawed, loathsome, and lovable characters who burrow their essence into the reader's mind, and become more real than neighbors.  His story spans decades, weaving through time and place, and comes out on the other end as a satisfying read; one which haunts far after the last page is turned.  Even now, I find myself wondering about the characters, wishing for their peace, and missing them.

I'd Walk With My Friends If I Could Find Them is a heart-wrenching narrative of revenge, redemption, and release.  The tale is all too real and relatable by generations of soldiers who've returned from the battlefield, and their families who witness the battles still raging within. I enjoyed this book, title and all.  I found it to be one of the best of its kind.  I look forward to reading Jesse Goolsby's next book.

Author: Jesse Goolsby
ISBN: 978-0-544-38098-1
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Cover Design: Brian Moore
Reviewed by: Sandra Miller Linhart; 29 November 2015

Mataluna: 151 Afghan Pashto Proverbs

MWSA Review

Mataluna-- 151 Afghan Pashto Proverbs, by Captain Edward Zellem, is a wonderful compilation of Afghan Pashto proverbs common to another element of Afghani culture.  

Zellem takes an entertaining and enlightening approach to sharing ancient cultural wisdom from a country often veiled from our view.  Zellem, as an interpreter and educator while serving in the United States Navy, was privy to an aspect of Afghanistan's history that most combatants never discover.  As a man skilled in the languages and historical nuances of a country where our nation was at war, chose to share proverbs that define it but also parallel our own.  It is an interesting and different journey into a battlefield for anyone interested in history.  I recommend his book and thank Captain Zellem for his continued and successful work.

Reviewed by Mike Mullins (2015)

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Author's Summary

By popular demand from around the world, the much-anticipated new book of Afghanistan's top Pashto Proverbs has just been published. Collected and written by Edward Zellem, the award-winning author of Zarbul Masalha: 151 Afghan Dari Proverbs and Afghan Proverbs Illustrated. Illustrated by Afghan high school students in Kabul, Afghanistan. Edited by Hares Ahmadzai.

Mataluna ('Proverbs' in Pashto) is the first and only book of its kind. It is a unique multicultural and multilingual collaboration between an American naval officer, an Afghan high school, and native Pashto speakers from all over the world. 

Mataluna features 151 commonly used Pashto Proverbs and 50 original illustrations by Afghan high school students. The book is bilingual in English and Pashto, and includes Pashto script, English translations, and transliterations for easy pronunciation.

Honor Thy Brothers: The Fight Against Communism; by Suzanne Simon Dietz

MWSA Review

Suzanne Simon Dietz has written a compelling book about veterans of WWII, Korea and Vietnam. She covers a spectrum of experiences by including people from all of the services and a variety of military skill sets. She does not embellish their stories. 

The words are the words of veterans, the views are those of veterans, the conclusions are those of veterans. Dietz is a historian, a writer dedicated to sharing personal history and thus preserving it. anyone who enjoys military history from the personal viewpoint of those who fight our wars will appreciate her work. The research she has performed provides many avenues for further reading for anyone who includes this book in their library. I recommend Honor Thy Brothers for both reasons. It is worthy of being on a military history lover's bookshelf.

Reviewed by Mike Mullins (2015)

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Author's Summary

"Honor Thy Brothers" preserves the stories of sacrifice from some of those who served from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam in the backdrop of the strengthening Soviet Communist government, which challenged America for world leadership for half a century.

Sheppard of the Argonne: Alternative History Naval Battles of WWII

MWSA Review

“Sheppard of the Argonne” is a fast read, and once the action starts, it becomes a book that keeps your attention through to its dramatic conclusion. 

Although not fully physically or emotionally recovered from painful leg injuries sustained in combat near Pearl Harbor, Captain Sheppard McCloud was honored to receive command on one of the Navy’s most modern battle cruisers in 1942. Plagued with self-doubt and guilt following the loss of many of his men and the extensive damage to his previous ship, he struggles to put his mission and instincts first.

On Sheppard’s first cruise as skipper of the Argonne, he is part of America’s first naval task force ordered to take the war to the German fleet in the eastern Atlantic.

In this well written historical novel by an author who is a retired Navy captain, the reader sees the action unfolding not only from Sheppard’s perspective but also from the viewpoint of commanders in other vessels and aircraft. The battle scenes are vivid, the descriptions authentic, horrific, and detailed without being overburden with jargon and minutia 

“Sheppard of the Argonne” is a story of a complex battle involving carriers, cruisers, submarines and aircraft. Although skillfully presented from the perspectives of American, German and British characters, it is primarily Sheppard’s story as he works to keep his ship afloat and fighting in a battle that teeters on the edge of disaster. 

There are no stereotypes portrayed here, rather men pushed to their limits in courage, decision-making, and training. I find the book a compelling read and as useful in providing sound leadership advice as it is entertaining.  “Sheppard of he Argonne” is highly recommended.

Reviewed by Joe Epley(2015)

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Author's Summary

Captain Sheppard McCloud, a hero of the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor and “savior” of the west coast from air attack, must hide his post-traumatic stress from senior officers and subordinates alike in an age that considered its symptoms cowardice. Though still suffering from both his physical and psychological wounds, the Navy brass has decided they need their best Captain back in command of the latest capital ship—the battle cruiser Argonne. With less than a day until they leave on a mission that could decide the fate of the allied cause, Sheppard must rally his officers and men, gain their confidence, and build them into a team. Leadership challenges abound, as the task force that includes the Argonne crosses the Atlantic they confront submarines, aircraft, and finally enemy surface ships, in exciting battles vividly described, culminating in that rarest of actual battles—a gun duel between capital ships. The novel has been carefully researched to accurately reflect the customs, traditions, and equipment the United States Navy used to win a two ocean war. Much of the hardware from the novel can be seen on board the battleship memorials to the greatest generation. Notes G. William Weatherly is a pen name for a retired U.S. Navy Captain with 30 years of service and command of three ships. His last assignment was as a professor of operations and chairman of the Joint Military Operations Department at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. He is a member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers.

Her Own Vietnam by Lynn Kanter

MWSA Review

Lynn Kanter has hit a home run in Her Own Vietnam.  This is more than just a story about a woman suffering from PTSD, or a story about a nurse's experiences in the Vietnam war.  Her Own Vietnam is a thought provoking journey into the realities of war and its impact on individuals and society. 

Don't let me scare you into thinking this is some philisophical treatise that you have to fight your way through, this book is an easy, interesting read.  It is also a book that will leave you thinking about a significant, but often overlooked part of any war - the life and death in an evacuation hospital where the troops are brought directly from the battlefield. 

At first, I thought the book's focus was fairly specific, but as I read on I realized there was more than one story being told here.  The book is well written.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good literary fiction.

Reviewed by Bob Doerr (2015)

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Author's Summary

For decades, Della Brown has tried to forget her service as a U.S. Army nurse in Vietnam. But in the middle of the safe, sane life she’s built for herself, Della is ambushed by history. She receives a letter from a fellow combat nurse, a woman who was once her closest friend, and all the memories come flooding back.

As the U.S. prepares to plunge into war in Iraq, Della struggles to make peace with her memories of Vietnam. She must also confront the fissures in her family life; the mystery of her father’s disappearance, the things mothers and daughters cannot—maybe should not—know about one another, and the lifelong repercussions of a single mistake.

An unflinching depiction of war and its personal costs, Her Own Vietnam is also a portrait of a woman in midlife — a mother, a nurse, and long ago a soldier.

Publisher: Shade Mountain Press (2014)
Binding: Paperback, 214 pages