MWSA Review

John House’s Uncommon Bond is a unique and interesting story set in the jungles of Vietnam.

Captain Hanson is a flight surgeon who finds himself shot down shortly after arriving in Vietnam.  He is quickly captured, and finds himself in the care of a surgeon of the North Vietnamese Army in an underground hospital.  Both the captor and the prisoner, though patriotic and loyal to their respective countries, realize that they are more medical professionals than soldiers, and build a friendship based on mutual respect.  Soon, however, that will be tested when Hanson faces a poignant dilemma.  Does he follow the code of conduct that forbids giving comfort to the enemy, or does he honor his Hippocratic Oath to alleviate suffering wherever he finds it?

I especially enjoyed the character development in this book.  House calls upon his own experience in Vietnam to enhance Hanson’s character, and does an equally wonderful job with the NVA doctor.  Both jump from the pages as people deserving of good fortune, so much so that I found myself wanting a happy ending for both of them, which is difficult in a book that features two “enemies.”

Well-written, authentic, and entertaining, this is a fast-moving, enjoyable read about the more human side of war.  Those interested in the medical profession, military medicine, or the POW experience in Vietnam will find plenty to appreciate in this book.

MWSA Reviewer: Rob Ballister (Feb 2017)

Author's Synopsis

Solitude in an underground medical complex, tied to a pole embedded deep in the ground, did little to quell the cavorting demons in Captain David Hanson's mind. Less than a year ago he had worked twenty-hour days in his second year of surgery residency. Now, a POW in South Vietnam, he whiled away long empty hours watching insects burrow into the earthen walls. Two things prevented total insanity; friendship with his enemy, a surgeon, Major Duc Phan Thiet of the North Vietnamese Army, and the never-ending desire to escape. The first was improbable and the latter impossible.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN-10 1635540534      ISBN-13 978-1635540536
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Historical Fiction
Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 266