From Publishers Weekly
Retired army colonel and reporter Hackworth's first novel, a fine-tuned military thriller, follows on the heels of his two acclaimed nonfiction critiques of the U.S. military, About Face and Hazardous Duty. While conducting a mission in Somalia, Special Forces Captain Sandy Caine (an eighth generation warrior) meets up with Sgt. Major Dan Perkins, a soldier who fought alongside his father, Lt. Alex Caine, in Vietnam. The elder Caine, in his final battle, was branded a coward by men who "witnessed" the fight from a chopper overhead. The only survivor, Medal of Honor winner and now Republican senator Jefferson Taylor, has confirmed the story. But Perkins tells Sandy that his father was a hero. Before he can explain further, he is killed in action. Haunted by Perkins's statement, Caine and his lover, Abigail Mancini, a Washington D.C.-based investigative reporter, embark on a search for the truth. The discovery of a conspiracy (involving weapons procurement for the military) and a cover-up (which tarnished Alex Caine's record) draws Sandy and Abbie into a tangled web of army generals and Beltway politicians. And Abbie's investigations turn up another survivor of Alex Caine's final battle. As they edge closer to the truth, Abbie, Sandy and anyone connected to them find their lives threatened by guns-for-hire. What's more, Sandy's grandfather, General Caine, seems to be up to his elbows in all of it. With the help of Sandy's A-Team army pals (an ethnic mix of Caldwell, Mayemura, Kruger and Santana), Sandy and Abbie declare war on the conspirators. Despite some improbable typecastingAall the Special Forces soldiers seem to be buff and brainy culinary mastersAHackworth has written a top-notch, action-packed thriller that also ruminates on the state of America's military establishment. Author tour. (Sept.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
From Library Journal
Hackworth (Hazardous Duty: America's Most Decorated Soldier Exposes the Real Truth About the U.S. Military), a distinguished and decorated former army colonel, presents his first novelAa story of deceit and corruption ranging from Vietnam to the present. The book's hero is Sandy Craine, a young army captain bent on clearing his father's name. But what begins as Craine's personal journey soon gets politicalAand treacherousAas he and his ally at the Washington Chronicle begin uncovering a decades-old conspiracy. Hackworth tells a story that is both exciting and raw, even brutal, with a high body count. And although his dialog is often painfully terse, in the end this is a strong story by an author whose reputation and expertise guarantee a wide readership among those who enjoy modern military fiction.
-ARobert Conroy, Warren, MI Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
