Group 1-30

Terror's Sword, A Kyle McEwan Novel by Kevin Kuhens

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MWSA Review

Terror’s Sword: A Kyle McEwan Novel by Kevin Kuhens is a gripping, action-packed example of art imitating life. Kyle McEwan is the hero of this exciting saga. His bravery, intelligence, and unconventional skills are unmatched. McEwan’s reputation for success and dogged determination has come to the attention of the President of the United States when the country is threatened by a cunning terrorist with a deadly bio-weapon. Motivated by revenge, religious fanatics led by Al-Dosari conjure up an evil, devious plan for death and destruction in the Western world. McEwan vows to stop this elusive man with or without the sanction and backing of the US government. POTUS knows the only chance of thwarting the Al-Dosari, aka The Terror’s Sword, is to put Kyle McEwan in charge of the plan. This alone ruffles the feathers of many heads of the alphabet soup agencies in Washington, and McEwan is faced with those who subvert his efforts of keeping tactics and operations on a need-to-know basis.

Kuhens provides edge-of-your-seat entertainment from beginning to end. Terror’s Sword is the consummate thriller packed full of psychological one-upmanship. The author paints an action-packed picture of the real world, real locations, and real military scenarios.

To quote Grant Stinchfield, four-time Emmy Award-winning investigative reporter: "Terror's Sword is a counterterrorism espionage thriller that goes into the deep state, politics at its absolute worst, and the heroism of those trying to do what's right inside government. Kuhens knocks it out of the park with this one.” I wholeheartedly agree with him. Terror’s Sword is a great read.

Review by Nancy Panko (March 2023)

 Author's Synopsis

Target America. An attacker known only by the nom de guerre Terror’s Sword is headed for the US to commit mass murder with an undetermined bioweapon. When conventional intelligence methods fail to identify the terrorist and define the threat, the president taps the only resource that matches this clever and elusive foe. Elite counterterrorism case officer Kyle McEwan is the off-the-books weapon America’s chief executives unleash when all else fails.

McEwan establishes the threat as legitimate and imminent by connecting kidnappings and murders of the world’s foremost bioweapons experts. Tracking the terrorist, McEwan and special operations forces conduct raids in the Middle East and Africa. The actions produce evidence unmasking the terror mastermind and identifying the bioagent as a virus genetically altered by gain-of-function research. Despite these discoveries, America’s greatest scientific minds cannot invent a medical cure to counteract the deadly virus. The world faces an untreatable pandemic if the attack on America succeeds.

With the attack looming, McEwan battles both embedded terror cells and powerful deep state forces whose political machinations complicate his search and increase the likelihood of an attack on US soil.

Global survival hangs in the balance as two deadly weapons hurtle toward each other: the terror mastermind determined to strike, and McEwan resolved to stop him. Who prevails?

By probing presidential decisions and political factors impacting military, intelligence, and law enforcement operations and personnel, the novel immerses readers in the real-world inner workings that thwart terrorist threats and the obstacles that sometimes impede those efforts.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 362

Word Count: 96,000

The Spirit to Soar: Inspiring Life Lessons and Values for a Victorious Life by Jim Petersen, PhD

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MWSA Review

The Spirit to Soar is a fiercely patriotic story highlighting Major Barry B. Bridger’s survival after his F-4 Phantom was struck by a missile over North Vietnam. How Barry negotiated a safe landing after ejecting almost defies reason, but the real gem is learning about his life as a POW for almost seven years in the infamous Hanoi Hilton. Barry’s narration, beginning with memories of his first six years in an orphanage and adoption by the affluent hardworking Bridger family, provides deep insight into how this little boy became the tower of strength he is today.

There are layers to this book. Jim Petersen, the author, sets up each chapter for an episode of Barry’s life. You can almost hear Jim nudging Barry along. Researched excerpts provide precise documentation of places and events. Weaving life lessons into his story, Barry describes how he and his fellow POWs used “what’s between our ears” to stay alive. Calculating how to weigh themselves with the help of a cistern paints an image of sheer genius. Finding ways to communicate using codes and other innovations allowed the men to stay connected when isolated from family, friends, and fellow prisoners.

Barry’s story is also a tribute to the United States military and the values that define this elite membership’s commitment to the nation, to the service, and to each other. Barry calls on wisdom from ancient Greek philosophers to modern-day sages in support of his premise that a precise understanding of what liberty means is the guiding light. Whether you agree with his political and religious beliefs or not, Barry’s words will leave you contemplating your own values.

Review by Janette Stone (January 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

 On January 23rd, 1967, Lt. Colonel Barry Bridger and his copilot, Dave Grey, launched a mission over Vietnam in their Phantom F-4 fighter jet in treacherous weather. It was Colonel Bridger’s 75th mission and the only one he had attempted in the daylight hours. 

Suddenly, his plane was split in half by a ground-to-air missile. He and Grey ejected while the plane was going 600 miles per hour and began their descent into the unknown below. When Bridger finally landed on terra firma, he found the North Vietnamese army waiting for him. They arrested him and Grey and checked them into The Hanoi Hilton—a place designed to break the spirit of all who entered. 

Barry Bridger survived that hellish experience and even thrived. He will tell you without any hesitation that it was his deeply held values that made it possible to withstand the torture he and his fellow prisoners of war were subjected to. 

The Spirit to Soar (Morgan James Books, February 2022) was conceived by Bridger’s good friend and colleague, Jim Petersen. When they met some thirty years ago, Petersen knew right away that Barry was special. The following quote from Bridger gives you a glimpse into Barry’s remarkably optimistic mindset: 

“In Vietnam, I solved more problems with nothing than I did with something because I had control of my mind, similar to what I had experienced as an orphan. We got to the point of doing so much with so little, we figured we could do everything with nothing. That’s where the happiness factor comes in. That’s why POWs were happy. I was never, ever sad. I wasn’t sitting around crying because of my circumstances.” 

Bridger’s harrowing experiences in Vietnam prepared him to be successful in every phase of his life. Instead of tearing him down, his worst enemies actually built him up! All because he refused to have even one bad day, no matter how much they tried to make it so. In fact, Bridger and his comrades had great fun befuddling their North Vietnamese captors; you will probably find yourself laughing at the antics they engaged in to infuriate their captors. 

“Here is the legacy I want to leave to my family: I would remind them to live by this model: first and foremost, to obtain virtue, which means you sacrifice your own private approach to life for the greater good.” 

It has been more than fifty years since The Hanoi Hilton, and Barry still hasn’t had a single bad day. His is a successful marriage to the love of his life, Sheila. He raised two successful children who adore him. He had a successful career in the financial services industry and is constantly reinventing himself. He is blessed with a great reputation and a host of friends who love and admire him. He has no regrets. 

Barry Bridger has soared. Jim Petersen shares life lessons learned from Barry’s life in this book which will inspire you, too, to rise above your darkest hours and be your best. Not with some ivory-tower, theoretical mumbo jumbo. But with real life lessons drawn from the life of a real, live American hero.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 247

Word Count: 69,357

101 Chuck YEAGER-isms: Wit & Wisdom from America's Hero General Chuck Yeager & his favorite wingman, Victoria by Victoria Yeager

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MWSA Review
The real General Chuck Yeager is more deeply revealed in, 101 Chuck Yeager-isms, compiled and written by Victoria Yeager, his wife and companion for more than twenty years. The “Right Stuff” American hero’s wit and wisdom is shown through his brief retorts commenting on everything from the abilities of a wingman: “An arrogant pilot will get ya killed; confident ones make history,” to life’s secrets: “You don’t have to be good to be a legend, all you gotta do is live.” Added value for readers are the many excellent photos: color and B & W. Further, an index makes 101 Chuck Yeager-isms a keeper for future references as a personal reminder to some of life's secrets espoused by an American favorite.

Review by Tom Beard (January 2023)
 

Author's Synopsis

Chuck Yeager was the greatest aviator who ever lived. He was the first to break the sound barrier: fly past the speed of sound, Mach 1 and beyond. He also was very witty and very wise. This book has actually 131 quotes from Yeager with some rare photos and the stories behind the quotes and photos.

For instance; one of Chuck Yeager's quotes is: "First time I saw a jet...I shot it down!" The details of the story are in this book.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 180

Word Count: 13118


Don't Go There! by Charles A. Rothbard

MWSA Review

Don't Go There! by Charles Rothbard is a rollercoaster of gasps, groans, and head-scratching. Due to mature content, Don’t Go There is certainly not family-friendly.

Disgraced former intelligence soldier, Eric Palmateer, descends into crippling mental illness and defects to Korea, thinking that he can unify the peninsula while developing safe artificial intelligence. Palmateer works diligently to develop a pack of AI dogs and does so successfully.

From there, the story descends into chaos as Eric falls in love with Sora, an active porn star, and aligns himself with kooky Kim Jong Un. In addition to the pack of AI dogs, Eric and Sora take on real dogs that accompany them everywhere.

Don’t Go There misses the mark for Horror and/or Sci-Fi. Readers might find the technical errors, content, or language in this book objectionable. Reader discretion is advised.

Review by Nancy Panko (February 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

Don't Go There! is a story with the perfect blend of everything you want; divine redemption, the future of AI science, hot romance, real political conspiracies, and of course, true love.

At the center of it all is Eric Palmateer, a disgraced former US intelligence soldier suffering from crippling mental illness.

Through a series of twists and turns, Eric's madness proves to be a blessing when Providence works through him to bring about the peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula and the development of safe and trustworthy AI technology.

Knowing Eric's life leads to these great things, you should definitely root for him... And preemptively forgive him for falling in love with a porn star and aligning himself with Kim Jeong Un along the way.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci Fi

Number of Pages: 206

Word Count: 45790


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The Jackson MacKenzie Chronicles: Duty, Honor, and Courage by Angel Giacomo

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MWSA Review

The Jackson MacKenzie Chronicles: Duty, Honor, and Courage by Angel Giacomo is a multi-faceted mystery/thriller that is sometimes predictable. MacKenzie, sometimes known as JJ to those who know him best, is a highly decorated but disgraced soldier. His freedom and honor were stolen from him in a plot carried out in Southeast Asia. Although severely wounded, MacKenzie is dragged out of a hospital in Vietnam by brutal MPs who have been told the soldier betrayed his country. In the brig, he suffers severe post-traumatic stress and becomes severely withdrawn. Jackson bristles when he hears that many in the Army call him a traitor. The evil ones underestimate Jackson’s determination and his survival instincts. His prison mates overcome the guards and escape, dragging Jackson across the country in stolen vehicles seeking freedom.

The rag-tag group finally reach their destination, Jackson’s godfather’s home in Montana. JJ begins to deal with and heal his PTSD with the aid of his horse that listens and gives unconditional love to this wounded man. With the help of his family and friends, Jackson works hard to become healthy, fit, and well-nourished.

Jackson has sworn to discover the real traitors and reclaim his lost honor and reputation. MacKenzie and crew risk their lives and the lives of friends and family from a rogue element in the CIA and the White House, both towers of power.

Finding an unlikely ally who can give him protection by the Secret Service, Jackson continues his attempts to clear his name while getting closer to the villains who feel the pressure. They begin to make mistakes with repeated attempts on Jackson’s life. Finally, Jackson and family are able to live in peace, eternally grateful for God’s grace to do so.

Review by Nancy Panko (March 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

Danger lurks in the shadows, danger that threatens not only Colonel Jackson MacKenzie and his friends but the American way of life. MacKenzie’s honor and his freedom were stolen from him once. Now a disgraced soldier, he must risk his life and his freedom in a fight to save his friends, his country, and himself. Or will the real traitor destroy everything Jackson holds dear?

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 280

Word Count: 99,391


The Jackson MacKenzie Chronicles: Peace at a Cost by Angel Giacomo

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MWSA Review

 Peace at a Cost is full of action-packed heroes doing the right thing for the right reason. While Jackson MacKenzie and his team are on the run from some parts of the US government, other parts understand their value and continue to call on them when required. See how this brave team overcomes pain, loss, and disadvantages to continually come through for their country.

Review by Dawn Brotherton (March 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

War – What happens to the soldiers who fight them? Do they just go home and ride off into the sunset? Do they return to their families and a normal life? Or do they have an internal war? Trying to come to terms with what happened to them and their buddies in a war that no one wanted. Scars made not only outside but inside. Called baby killer, murderer and so many others vile names. Ignored and sometimes abused by the very system they gave their oath and sometimes their lives to protect. Lt. Colonel Jackson MacKenzie is one of those men. He gave all on many occasions and nearly gave his life to honor his oath and the men with which he served in Korea and Vietnam. Only to be betrayed by those above him. Those who know the truth but refuse to come forward. Honor, Duty, Country, Loyalty aren’t just words to him. They are his life. His problem, does he follow his heart and stand by his duty or disappear into his mind and let his demons take over? His other choice, live the rest of his life as a simple cowboy hiding out on a cattle ranch in Montana? It is a decision both hard and easy. And one he has to make or lose himself entirely.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 285

Word Count: 104,715


The Jackson MacKenzie Chronicles: In the Eye of the Storm by Angel Giacomo

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MWSA Review

In the Eye of the Storm, by author Angel Giacomo, continues the saga of Jackson MacKenzie, a man born in 1934, who fought in the Korean War and subsequently attended West Point, carrying on his family tradition. The time frame for this book is 1972 through 1973. Jackson has moved up through the ranks and is now on his fourth deployment to Vietnam following his capture, torture, and escape from a prisoner of war camp. Sent on a mysterious mission to Hanoi by the Department of Defense and possibly the CIA, his team is arrested upon their successful return to their base camp. Despite severe injuries, they are transported back to the United States and imprisoned in a military prison without the benefit of medical attention or proper legal counsel. Although Jackson is a hero and recipient of the Medal of Honor, he is treated as a traitor. This book is part of a trilogy, so the reader would have to purchase two more books to find out how the situation is resolved.

Review by Betsy Beard (February 2023)

Author's Synopsis

War - It changes everyone and everything it touches. But especially the men who live in the trenches. Who fight the battles. Lt. Colonel Jackson Joseph MacKenzie is one of those men. He grew up in the shadow of a legendary Marine. Part of a family tradition to serve, he joined the United States Army. His first war - Korea -taught him death the hard way, both personal and professional. His second - Vietnam - never-ending pain. And betrayal by those above him. Those he trusted. His superiors. Given a top-secret mission to help end the war, he carried out his orders. Then upon his return, they disavowed any knowledge of it. He found himself in a six-by-eight cell with no way out and no hope. A man broken by the horrors of the Vietnam War and the POW camp that left everlasting scars. Memories - nightmares - that haunted him, even awake, and left him a prisoner in his own mind.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 282

Word Count: 107,909


The Jackson MacKenzie Chronicles: Golden Feather by Angel Giacomo

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MWSA Review

Born into one of the wealthiest families in the county, Dakota is expected to work for his father’s drilling company, the biggest employer in the area. But as a high school senior, he doesn’t know yet what he wants to do. Dakota and his father butt heads over the youngster’s indecision. Dakota graduates and, one day at breakfast, tells his father that he doesn’t want to work on an oil rig; he wants to work on cars.

The two mutually disown each other and Dakota impulsively enlists in the U.S. Army, leaving the mother he adores and his high school sweetheart Julie. Insisting on being called by his high school nickname Chief, the young man leaves Little River and looks forward to serving his country. He is certain that Julie will wait for him, and someday he’ll come home, they’ll get married, and start a family.

It is 1963 and men are sorely needed in Southeast Asia in a remote country called Vietnam. Chief’s ethics and values ingrained by his Osage parents make him the ideal soldier. The ensuing story chronicles Chief’s journey to hell and back with several tours in Vietnam. Author Giacomo vividly depicts what life was life for the infantry in Southeast Asia. On his way to becoming a man, Dakota Blackwater experiences intense struggles for life and death along with unexpected twists, turns, heartbreak, gut-wrenching grief, and the balm of forgiveness.

Review by Nancy Panko (January 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

Born into a well-off but strict family, eighteen-year-old Dakota Blackwater doesn’t appreciate his father’s plan for him. He wants to find his path through life and chase his own dreams. Instead of taking the easy road, he rebels, enlists in the US Army, and goes to war in a place foreign to him – Vietnam. He finds this choice may be the more difficult one, learning the pain of death, not only of his friends but his own hands. Will he keep his morality or slide down the rabbit hole of hate?

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 173

Word Count: 55,774

Sandusky Burning by Bryan W. Conway

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MWSA Review

Sandusky Burning by Bryan W. Conway is a thriller set in an RV campsite and recreational park an hour away from Cleveland, Ohio. The author creates an interesting plot by having the owner of the campsite spy on and blackmail several of the guest residents in the RV park. A natural tension develops between the main antagonist and his team of thugs and those being blackmailed. Bring in an outsider who sees what is going on and you have a protagonist for whom you start rooting. The tensions rise as the bad guys resort to violence and even attempted murder to control their victims. The point has come where the protagonist knows he must take a stand, and with the help of one of the victims, they plan their move. The concluding confrontation will be deadly.

Review by Bob Doerr (January 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

He’s desperate to come back home. But a sinister crime lord will stop at nothing to keep him wrapped in a corrupt spider’s web…

Brady Sullivan isn’t living at a Lake Erie campground by choice. Temporarily estranged from his family, the dedicated army vet longs to see his kids and be back in his wife’s arms. But a local’s invitation for a friendly drink turns ominous when he wakes from being drugged to discover he was photographed in a compromising position with a prostitute.

Despite blackmail threatening his marriage, he refuses to compromise his security clearance by giving up government secrets. But when the vicious crime lord endangers his family, Brady faces a terrible choice between his loved ones and his honor.

Will this former soldier stand up to evil, no matter the sacrifice?

Sandusky Burning is a rollercoaster ride of a crime thriller novel. If you like complex characters, devious plans, and high-stakes excitement, you’ll love Bryan W. Conway’s gritty tale.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 393

Word Count: 113,000


He Charged Alone: World War I Medal of Honor Recipient Private First Class Frank Gaffney by John R. Strasburg

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MWSA Review

He Charged Alone is the story of World War I Medal of Honor recipient Private First Class Frank Gaffney. Gaffney served with Company G, 108th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army’s 27th Division during 1918. His unit assaulted the Saint Quentin Canal tunnel, an extremely fortified portion of the Imperial German’s Army Hindenburg Line, the last line of defense protecting Germany’s occupied areas of Belgium and northeastern France.
The story covers Gaffney’s early life, civilian working life, and his journey from civilian to World War I “doughboy” as well as his combat experiences, including the tremendous acts of heroism that earned him the Medal of Honor. We get a fairly complete picture of Frank Gaffney as a man, both in and out of uniform.

Gaffney was assigned as a Lewis gunner, which was a “light” machine gun carried and employed by one soldier as a part of a three-man team. The team also consisted of an assistant gunner that carried extra ammunition and a soldier equipped with a standard rifle to provide protection for the two men dedicated to the operating the Lewis gun. Gaffney’s exploits, as reported at the time, deemed him second only to Sergeant Alvin York, America’s preeminent Medal of Honor recipient and “war hero” to the American masses in 1918. Both Gaffney and York earned their medals during the same massive Allied campaign that broke the back of the German Army, at a high cost in U.S. casualties, but essentially ending the war.

The author constructs a rich backstory of PFC Gaffney’s time in the hastily constructed basic training camps of the World War I American Expeditionary Force, including training received by both British and French soldiers in the United States. The perilous voyage to France, in which his convoy engaged with a prowling German U-boat submarine, is detailed, and then the extended period of further training and introduction to the front-line trenches in France is covered.

The author does an outstanding job of balancing details with quotes from Gaffney. Where there are no direct references by Gaffney, the author weaves information available from the officers and men of Gaffney’s unit, associate units in his regiment, and his division. The story flows in a smooth and logical manner. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in World War I and U.S. Army combat history or stories of exceptional valor in combat.

Review by Terry Lloyd ( February 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

Frank Gaffney was a 33-year-old papermaker from Western New York when America entered the Great War in 1917. While his age exempted him from serving in the military, Gaffney ran to the colors anyway. He fought bravely on Belgian and French battlefields as a U.S. Army soldier with the 27th Division's 108th Infantry Regiment. On September 29, 1918, Gaffney singlehandedly breached a section of Germany's Hindenburg Line, coming away with 80 prisoners. Six grateful nations recognized his bravery, including his own. In June 1919, the United States awarded him the Medal of Honor. Years later, the 27th Division's commanding general, Maj. Gen. John F. O'Ryan, wrote of Gaffney, "…no one man had performed more daring exploits and had exercised a bigger influence upon those about him by the gallantry of his conduct." 

In He Charged Alone, John Strasburg chronicles the life of a First World War American soldier whose bravery was once compared to that of the legendary Sergeant Alvin York. The author weaves together Gaffney’s personal correspondence with military/government records, newspaper accounts, and published unit histories. Nearly fifty illustrations--photographs and maps--augment the narrative. 

Much of the book focuses on Gaffney's military service, heroism on the battlefield, and subsequent rehabilitation from a combat injury he received in the war's closing days, but not overlooked are Gaffney's upbringing and how he managed the burden that comes with being a Medal of Honor recipient. At its core, this book memorializes a true American hero from New York State who, in life, was admired by people across the country but, in death, has been nearly forgotten. In He Charged Alone, Frank Gaffney's legacy returns to the fore, where it belongs.

Format(s) for review: Paper Only

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 249

Word Count: 59,000



Gunny Mac Private Detective: Trouble in Chinatown by Steven Walker

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Author's Synopsis: Four recuperating wounded Guadalcanal veterans fight to stay alive after accidentally finding out about a million-dollar heist! Anybody who is somebody in Chinatown in Honolulu wants them deader than the mackerel Gunny Mac had for lunch. But after the hell of Guadalcanal, it just might be hard to kill them. Gunny Mac Navy Cross recipient, hero of Bloody Ridge, hates what he has been forced to be...a civilian. Gunny Wojohowitz, Mac's best friend needs Mac to help him kill a man that needs killing. Lt. Alan Burke a spoiled, rich Harvard graduate and Naval officer sent to the Marine Corp as punishment needs Mac to help him find redemption. Padre McCaffery, a Navy Cross recipient and Jesuit priest, padre of the 1st Marine Battalion, promises himself to keep Mac alive at all costs. One last battle...for their country and friends...one last victory!


Genre(s): Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery/Thriller

Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle, ePub/iBook, Audiobook

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-7357026-0-5, 978-1-7357026-1-2, 978-1-7357026-2-9

The Uprising: the Escambray Rebellion by Jorge Torrente

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MWSA Review
Many Americans are familiar with the foreign affairs debacle that resulted from the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961. However, few will be aware of the Escambey Rebellion that was occurring at the same time. Both operations would be doomed to fail, but many participants have incredible stories to be told. Author Jorge Torrente–who escaped Castro’s Cuba during the Mariel boatlift–brings this story to life in his fast-paced historical fiction novel, The Uprising: the Escambray Rebellion.  

The Escambray Rebellion, which lasted roughly five years, took place in the mountainous central-southern section of Cuba of the same name. The anti-Castro participants in this struggle were called “bandits” by the regime. Perhaps not surprisingly, a large number of their compatriots considered them heroes. 

Combat scenes are graphic and intense; the wartime relationships are urgent and, in many cases, tragically short. Yet, through it all, Torrente brings his fictional characters to life and will keep you on the edge of your seat while reading about their struggle for a Cuba Libre

Review by John Cathcart (April 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

Trinidad, Cuba, 1960.

Old and sick, Elpidio Garcia lost his ranch to the new Agrarian Reform Law and died as a result. His youngest son and namesake decided enough was enough, armed himself, and fought back, but he made sure to always carry his grandfather's machete into battle. It was the beginning of a spontaneous uprising of farmers and small-town dwellers from a proud mountainous region steeped in libertarian traditions. They were all direct descendants of the men and women who had fought off Spain's colonialism in the late 1800's, and they also knew what had happened in Russia after Lenin's October Revolution and in Eastern Europe after WWII. Like-minded people from all over the island also joined the rebellion: whites, blacks, Catholics, Jewish, Santeros, a gay young woman named Rosa who couldn't care less that women were supposed to stay home, and the usual smattering of adventurers and misfits, the sum total representing the human fabric of the nation.

And fight they did, men and women, shoulder to shoulder, oftentimes to the death.

On the other side of the struggle, men like Lieutenant Antonio De la Huerta and his comrades were as passionate as their opponents and no less inclined to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Bur soon the CIA heard about it and started recruiting and training young Cuban exiles in Miami. Nestor Guttman and Luis Muriel, volunteer.

¨We are German Jews, my son, you were born in Cuba by accident!¨ Nestor´s father was desperate.

¨That´s not your fight!¨

¨Luis, no!¨ Luis´ wife can´t stop crying. ¨I´m twelve weeks pregnant!¨

This is a fact-based story, a combination of history, politics, military, action-adventure, social context of the time, and about all those people and their loved ones, sucked into the maelstrom.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 441



Ahab: A Hockey Story by Brad Huestis

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MWSA Review
Ahab: A Hockey Story is very good exposition of what the average person knows nothing about: service in "the rear." We often hear vaguely about the bureaucratic nature of the services and the VA, but few of us have to deal with the ossified regulations which frustrate the average citizen—especially twenty-year-olds. The unfairness of Foley’s injury and the tragedy of his amputation was vivid and real. The narrative following his amputation—and his communication with his father—was disappointing; I would expect more from his father.

The book is a fast read, and I learned a lot about hockey tactics. Foley’s teammates' quirks and personalities could have been expounded more fully, as competition brings out the good and lacking in most people. The ending at the Boston Garden with Foley's hero, Bobby Orr, was a surprise—as was the tragedy of his father's amputation: an interesting touch.

Review by Patrick Ritchen (April 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

Ahab tells the gripping story of Corporal Will Foley, a young paratrooper stationed in Bavaria. Injured in a training jump in early 2013, he rehabs in Landstuhl and later with the 173rd Airborne Brigade’s rear detachment in Grafenwöhr. He manages to reconnect with his hard-boiled father through their shared love of Boston Bruins hockey. Then, with the help of a high-tech prosthetic, Will skates with the post hockey team and finds safe harbor at the local ice rink.

Will tells his story firsthand and in the present tense. This puts readers in the middle of the fast-paced action on and off the ice. The pacing is as quick as a slap shot and as intense as a bench clearing brawl, but the story manages to go far beyond being an exciting hockey adventure by confronting the tough issues of loss, exclusion, and suicide head-on.

The Bavarian settings are vivid, the hockey scenes are thrilling, and Corporal Foley and his friends are unforgettable, making this novel a must read for anyone who cares deeply about the physical, mental, and emotional healing of our wounded warriors.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Literary Fiction

Number of Pages: 376

War During Peace: A Strategy for Defeat by William Hamilton, Ph.D.

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MWSA Review
War During Peace tackles a controversial and heavily documented period in recent history but manages to provide new perspectives and insights. The author takes the time to carefully research and organize a framework for his approach before laying out his conclusions. Decisions made by both political and military leaders are presented against the structure of established definitions of sound strategy, both global and military.

Dr. Hamilton offers the fresh perspective of a scholar who was also intimately involved in the conflict at the senior command level. Although the historic facts that he presents are well known, he uses the first-person accounts of an impressive number of participants in tracking the unsteady march to US failure in Vietnam.

Although Dr. Hamilton is a career Army officer, he does not avoid examining the cultural factors that made the US military vulnerable to the political processes that drove the US to defeat. He highlights critical points where stronger positions by military leaders (especially Army senior leaders) might have persuaded civilian authorities to adopt more successful policies and tactics.

No disaster is the result of a single blunder or mistake. A thoughtful reader of War During Peace should discover a clearer picture of what actually went wrong—and what did not—in Vietnam during the decades between 1955 and 1975. Despite a few formatting problems, the reader will find many explanations for the decisions that led to American forces fighting a war in Vietnam while the rest of the nation remained at peace.

Review by Peter Young (March 2020)
 

Author's Synopsis

War During Peace: A Strategy for Defeat offers a probing examination of civil-military relationship gone wrong is a major contribution to military science and to the field of civil-military relations. Detailing the flaws in the Johnson Administration's Strategy of Attrition and the folly of thinking the gradual application of airpower could "modify" the behavior of the North Vietnamese leadership. War During Peace: A Strategy for Defeat exposes the thinking of those who made the Vietnam War impossible for our military to win and how our political leadership continues to make many of the same mistakes in Afghanistan and Iraq. Researched and written by award-winning author, Dr. William Hamilton, this book reveals insights into the conflict through personal interviews with many of the then retired generals and admirals who served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the McNamara Era.

Praise for War During Peace: A Strategy for Defeat: “This is the best book yet on the origins of the Vietnam War and how politicians continue to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory”—Lt. General Thomas G. McInerney, USAF (Ret.), a former fighter pilot who served four combat tours in Vietnam. “Why was the American public so poorly informed about the War in Vietnam? For some of the answers read: War During Peace: A Strategy for Defeat, in particular, read Chapter VI ‘Troops, Time, TET, and Truth.’”—Joseph L. Galloway co-author of We Were Soldiers Once…and Young: Ia Drang—The Battle That Changed the War in Vietnam (1991), and co-author of We Are Soldiers Still: A Journey Back to the Battlefields of Vietnam (2009). “Right on target! War During Peace exposes the thinking of those who made the Vietnam War impossible to win and how our political leadership keeps making many of the same mistakes in Afghanistan and Iraq.”—Rear Admiral H. Denny Wisely, USN (Ret.), former commander of the Navy’s Blue Angels, former commander of the USS John F. Kennedy, and recently the author of Green Ink;

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 416

Uprooted: A Modern Odyssey by Allen Wittenborn

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MWSA Review
Kemal and Shirin are two Turkish intelligence agents fleeing their country during one of its interminable military coups during the 1980s. Shirin is the somewhat estranged and missing sister of Kemal’s girlfriend Nadiye. They join forces out of need and embark on a 5,000-mile journey via boat, car, truck, camel, and foot across some of the world’s harshest terrain and most unforgiving cultures: Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and western China. Each border crossing is an adventure unto itself. Friends and foes alike contribute to a rousing and believable tale.

Shirin proves to be a courageous woman who must adapt her appearance to the changing strict cultures and expectations for women in each country. Being a highly trained agent, she successfully gets herself out of dangerous situations with unforgiving and evil men who lack respect for women. She is not hesitant to meet violence with violence. Kemal always has her back.

A pictorial depiction at the beginning of the book provides a reference for readers unfamiliar with the clothes Shirin must wear in these mostly Muslim countries: hijib, burqa, niqab and chador. Maps of each country with their route highlighted clarifies the geography of the journey.

Wittenborn’s descriptions of the land, the people, the cultures and harsh living conditions are spot on. All of it leads to an incredible exploration which leads to a deeper understanding of each other between Kemal and Shirin and an eventual coming to grips with their relationship formed by overcoming shared challenges. Their return to Istanbul provides an unexpected and rewarding conclusion.

Review by James Elsener (March 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

It’s 1980 and the Middle East is engulfed in chaos and war. Turkey’s coup finds two seasoned operatives, Kemal Yilmaz and Shirin Demirel, forced to cooperate to survive. They’re complete strangers but in the world of spy craft they know about each other. Although political opposites, their common denominator is Nadiye, Kemal’s fiancée and Shirin’s estranged sister who has disappeared. But there’s no time to deal with her. Kemal and Shirin are fugitive agents uprooted from their former lives, and on the run. They agree to a mad, improvised plan to flee Turkey and head east for China’s Sinjiang province where he has relations. Together they persevere by car, bus, truck, and foot on a five-thousand-mile odyssey beset with agonizing life-or-death encounters. Their desperate flight through four war-torn countries—Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan—and into the desert vastness of western China forces them to confront their own tenuous relationship as well as to uncover the mystery about Nadiye.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 429

The Defiance of Reiko Murata by Allen Wittenborn

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MWSA Review
The Defiance of Reiko Murata is a fascinating book about a strong-willed and intelligent woman trapped in the male-dominated society in post-World War II Japan. Reiko Murata is the widow of a respected Vice Admiral war hero who commits seppuku, taking his life following the downfall of the Japanese empire. He leaves her a cryptic suicide note including a haiku that she comes back to throughout the story. She can’t decipher its meaning and whether he was encouraging her to take her life or not.

Reiko’s independent spirit drives her in unusual directions including eventual association with the infamous yakuza. Although her husband left her with comfort and wealth, she is bored with her life as a high-society widow. She yearns for more and follows her mother’s words to follow her heart and believe in herself. Reiko makes decisions and takes risks to live a life with meaning. The story puts Reiko in deep, dark, and dangerous situations, but she remains composed and defiant on the outside while struggling on the inside emotionally and intellectually.

Allen Wittenborn created a masterful plot that keeps the pages turning. The twists and turns keep the reader on edge with never a dull moment. He describes Japanese culture and traditions interestingly and intersperses Japanese language and expressions to immerse the reader in Reiko’s world. An engaging writer, his word choices are excellent and dialogue strong and believable.

The author develops Reiko’s character in such a way that a reader can’t help but feel empathy for her, particularly as her life becomes further and further complicated. He allows readers to see inside her thoughts and follow her difficult role of trying to find her way in a world that does not think the same way she does about a woman’s potential contributions to society. Wittenborn also creates memorable characters including the enigmatic Akira, the powerful Kazuo, and the mysterious princess Kyoko.

I highly recommended this book for its intriguing plot, well-defined characters, and descriptive Japanese settings in a fresh story told from an independent Japanese woman’s perspective.

Review by Valerie Ormond (February 2022)
 

Author's Synopsis

Reiko Murata is shocked and dismayed when she receives a haiku poem from her late husband, an admiral in the Japanese Imperial Navy, suggesting she follow his example in committing seppuku, ritual suicide, an appeal she strongly resists. It’s 1947, and Reiko lives a solitary and uneventful life. As she grieves his death, and struggles to deal with her loneliness, she feels torn between her desire for autonomy and the rigid customs that define Japanese society. In her search, she encounters a younger man, Akira Kusano. They begin an affair, but she is wary of a deeper relationship, especially when she discovers he is connected to the yakuza. She’s drawn into the crime syndicate’s orbit when Akira introduces her to Kazuo Fujita, the yakuza godfather. Despite her misgivings and warnings from Akira, she begins working with Fujita, and finds herself at the center of a mystery involving secret maps to a hidden fortune called Golden Lily, an authentic historical episode.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 250

Strike Hard and Expect No Mercy by Galen D. Peterson

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MWSA Review
I had trouble putting this book down. It was an easy read—and I'm not even a ground-war guy. The writing style of the author was informative and exciting. His use of metaphors was excellent and often humorous. The book not only brings the support operations onto center-stage with the combatants, it places the reader in the boots of the author. I felt that I was living it as I was reading it.

Teamwork is a central theme. Battles are won and lost by the good or bad combination of logistics, maintenance, life support, valor, planning, command, communications, weather, mental and physical preparedness, and so on. This book embodies all of the elements. The author is straightforward and vulnerable enough to discuss his own mistakes.

In the end, lives are lost, lives are saved, and lives are broken. Warriors have their moments of "glory" but after the fighting, they are rarely the same. This book forces us to face the reality that after the guns are silent, another battle goes on—one which the broken warrior must sometimes fight alone.

Review by Jerry Burton (March 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

Strike Hard and Expect No Mercy is the story of boots on the ground in Iraq, as seen through the eyes of a tank platoon leader. Baqubah on the eve of the Surge and Sadr City during the spring uprising of 2008 saw some of the darkest hours of the war. A tough dragon, the M1A2 Abrams tank and its crews were often called to crack the toughest nuts on the battlefield and victory, even survival, was not guaranteed. It is a gritty and visceral dive into the combat experience, flavored with the anguish of loss, the exhilaration of victories, the frustrations of defeats, and the humor required to survive. Along the way, the story shares rarely told insights into the duties and expectations of an Army junior officer.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 241

LZ Sitting Duck, The Fight For FSB Argonne by John Arsenault, LtCol USMC (ret)

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MWSA Review
LZ Sitting Duck is a collection of personal stories, one per chapter. It's different from most books in that all of these stories revolve around the same incident, the Battle of LZ Argonne in the spring of 1969. In such a circumstance there's a danger that repetition will push readers away; this book does not do that. The story is raw and the descriptions are hard to read at times, but it's a straight from the heart snapshot in time of what life was like for combat Marines in Vietnam. The next time most of those who read this tell a Vietnam Veteran, "Thank you for your service," it will not be perfunctory; they will say it with feeling.

There were countless battles large and small in the Vietnam War. Most remain unknown to all but those who fought there. The Battle of LZ Argonne is one of these, albeit a larger and lengthier one than most. LZ Sitting Duck describes this battle from the perspectives of twenty-two Marines who were there, some as riflemen, some as artillerymen, some as forward observers, some as line officers, some as helicopter pilots, etc. It provides a unique, comprehensive, immersive view of a brutal battle than ended with survivors, not victors—survivors who shared the most terrifying and likely the most formative experience of their lives on a forgotten mountain top in a remote Southeast Asian jungle, men who did their duty.

LZ Sitting Duck is a valuable resource for those interested in the history of the Vietnam War, and particularly for those who have served in combat or who care about someone who did. No one can ever truly understand combat and the effects it has on those involved except those who lived it. However, LZ Sitting Duck comes very close. Each chapter is written by a different Marine from his personal perspective, using his vocabulary in his own way. When combined in the reader's mind this forms a more complete picture of the battle and those who fought it than that of any single participant. Of course, most of the visceral aspects of the battle, the sights, sounds, smells, etc., remain solely in the minds of the participants, but that is as it should be.

MWSA Review by Jamie Thompson (March 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

"LZ Sitting Duck, The Fight For FSB Argonne" is a collection of personal recollections from twenty two Marines and one family member, related to a battle that took place in Vietnam, during March, 1969. FSB Argonne, Hill 1308, was located on the border with Laos and just south of the DMZ. This story is told by the Marines that fought this fight, in their own words. There are 22 stories of the same fight, all from individual perspectives and experiences. "LZ Sitting Duck" is a down in the dirt, grunt view of the Vietnam war.

This was a fierce battle for the Marines of Delta Company (+ HQ), 1st Bn, 4th Marines, 3rd Marine Division. The "LZ Sitting Duck" moniker came from the first moments of this battle, as Marines landed on the abandoned Fire Support Base Argonne, which had become a fortified North Vietnamese Army base. When these Marines landed, they were inside the NVA fortified position, and were immediately met with intense enemy rifle, machine-gun fire coming at them from every direction. Additionally the NVA fired volley after volley of very accurate 82mm mortar fire. These Marines were “the sitting ducks” and had to fight their way out from the LZ, on open ground with little or no cover, clearing NVA bunkers one at a time.

Bing West describes this story best "What shines through from this bare-knuckled, furious battle is the core ethos. It comes through loud and clear when you read chapter after chapter in different voices. These Marines had no battlefield prep, no intelligence, no cohesive leadership. What held them together was the Marine spirit. There was nothing else. Wow! What an epic fight" As a testimonial to the ferocity of this battle, three Navy Cross citations were awarded for the actions of Marines during first 24 hours of this fight, plus numerous Silver Star, Bronze Star and Purple Heart awards where given. The navy Cross recipients were, Lt Col. Sargent (posthumous), 2nd Lt. McCormick (posthumous) and Major Pierpan, (survived) and authored the forward for this book.

Format(s) for review: Paper AND Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 309

The Pilate Scroll by M.B. Lewis

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MWSA Review
In the style of Raiders of the Lost Ark, M.B. Lewis's Pilate Scroll is the story of the fast-moving quest in search of a religious artifact. Kadie Jenkins is part of a team of scientists and academics on a noble mission to help find a cure for a virus with the capability of biological weaponry. She learns that the real mission is quite nefarious, but does she catch on in time? She unwittingly embarks on a dangerous and deadly adventure with her younger brother Brian in tow. Duke Ellsworth, a savvy pilot, finally earns Kadie's trust and reintroduces her to God while saving all of their lives over and over.

Lewis's exquisite descriptions as we traipse around the Middle East with Kadie, Brian, and Duke paint a beautiful picture of ancient icons. The twists and turns will make your head spin and you won't be able to put the book down.

Review by Sue Rushford (February 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

A quest to save the world...a secret that could change it. Forever. Kadie Jenkins is a survivor. Now part of an elite group of scholars and scientists, their mission is to stop an impending global terrorist threat. But when a colleague is murdered in Egypt, Kadie finds herself pitted against a foe more evil than the one they were trying to stop. Teaming with a renegade pilot and her younger brother, they find themselves in a race against time, greed, and certain death, can she uncover the 2000-year-old secret to save themselves and possibly the rest of the world?

The Pilate Scroll is a pulse-pounding Christian thriller. If you like complicated heroines, stunning twists, and divine light shining through the darkness, then you’ll love M.B. Lewis’s breakneck page-turner.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 346

The Chameleon by Ron McManus

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MWSA Review
Ron McManus's, The Chameleon, is so feasible you won't know if you're reading a news report or a novel. The brave hero Jake Palmer has us on edge from cover to cover. Former Navy SEAL Palmer and his colleague, Alona Green, have a string of dangerous escapades in Pakistan. Under cover of secrecy, they're in search of the elusive Chameleon, who may not even be real! Events take a terrifying turn as nuclear warheads go missing.

When the Pakistani-Indian conflict spills over into London, every minute counts. Will Palmer and Green, along with MI6's Fiona Collins (who is Palmer's girlfriend), and EOD expert Nick Cole prevent a nuclear disaster?

The non-stop espionage is perfectly portrayed (if you overlook punctuation issues) and will keep you on your toes. The characters are well developed with colorful pasts and intertwining personal and professional relationships.

Review by Sue Rushford (February 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

Jake Palmer, investigative consultant and former US Navy SEAL, has signed on as a contractor with a top-secret US Joint Special Operations Command team in Islamabad, Pakistan. Palmer and his JSOC partner work to uncover a suspected mole and gather intelligence regarding the security of Pakistan’s nuclear weapon arsenal as the country prepares for war with India over control of the disputed region of Kashmir. Fears regarding security of the weapons escalate when Pakistan decides to deploy its arsenal and rumors surface that a shadowy figure, the Chameleon, will attempt to divert a nuclear warhead during the deployment. With a nuclear war countdown clock at a minute ‘til midnight, Palmer and his partner risk everything to prevent the Chameleon from carrying out his plan for the world’s first act of nuclear terrorism.

Format(s) for review: Paper AND Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 358