The Legend (A Kate Tyler Novel) by Nancy Wakeley

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MWSA Review

Nancy Wakeley’s second book, The Legend, follows up on the everyday heroine Kate Tyler. Now that Kate has moved past the sudden death of her twin, she starts to feel that “travel bug” again. Coupled with some very vivid, repetitive dreams, she is strangely drawn to the small town of Rye, England. While working on her travel blog, she stumbles upon a mysterious book from hundreds of years ago that features a young woman named Arabella.

Kate is shocked when she sees that the picture of Arabella looks exactly like Kate. Though unnerved, she continues her studies of Rye and the surrounding countryside, only to be reminded by the locals at every turn how much she looks like the mysterious Arabella. Drawn into the web of a local legend, Kate is at first intrigued. Soon, however, she is in real danger, and only her new friend Miles has any chance to save her.

It is obvious that the author did extensive research on small town England, as the story she weaves is ripe with detail and an atmosphere that could only come from a small European town. The story features a host of interesting characters, from the villain Virginia to the manly but vulnerable Miles. It is well written and easy to read, ensuring that fans of literary fiction will enjoy this book.

Review by Rob Ballister (June 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

What does it mean to live the life you were meant to live?  Kate Tyler is asking herself this question as she travels to the ancient town of Rye, England on business.  But unsettling dreams of ships and storms, a stolen book of ancient legends, mistaken identity, and the mysterious Corvos Sisterhood all conspire to draw Kate into finding the truth behind the tragic legend of young Arabella Courbain who died in 1766 and who had vowed to return one day to live the life she was meant to live.  

As Kate reads Arabella’s story in the book of ancient legends, she feels a powerful connection to her as if the young woman is reaching out to her from the past, pleading to finally have the truth about her life and death revealed.  

Kate’s unexpected journey of discovery takes her from a peculiar man in a bookstore and the quaint shops and ghostly inns in Rye to the Calloway House and Gardens and its mistress, herbalist Virginia Calloway, whose fervent belief that the prophesy in the legend of Arabella Courbain will come true soon leads Kate down a dangerous path that could change her life forever.  

In spite of warnings from Rye Detective Sergeant Miles Pixley, Kate seeks out the answers to the mystery in the Calloway House.  Will she find the truth before it is too late?  And will she discover for herself if she is living the life she was meant to live?

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Literary Fiction

Number of Pages: 316

Q.Fulvius: A Pirate's Life by M. G. Haynes

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MWSA Review

Q. Fulvius: A Pirate’s Life, book two in the Fulvius Chronicles by M. G. Haynes, describes a few years in the life of an escaped Roman centurion and his mates. Fulvius joins a pirate colony on an island in the Adriatic Sea and improves the lives of the Illyrians with his military knowledge, making them safer and more prosperous. He experiences true family support for the first time in his life and is conflicted between his desire for independence and the pull of the community’s needs. After a year of settling in, outside events threaten the colony as it is caught between the Macedonians in the east who want to take over the Greek coast and part of Italy and the Romans who want to stop them. The Romans also want to capture the escaped centurion and punish him. Life is not easy in the third century, but the centurion and his friends have been trained to fight, and their skills save the lives of many in the village. You’ll find lots of plot twists in this very easy read.

Review by Nancy Kauffman (May 2022)

Author's Synopsis

Book two of The Fulvius Chronicles, this installment continues to follow Fulvius and his disreputable gang after their narrow escape from a legionary death sentence during the Second Punic War. Fleeing across the Adriatic Sea they find new allies and a new vocation, piracy. Taking naturally to littoral banditry, Fulvius and his new charges grow steadily in both power and wealth until the wider politics of the region intrude upon their piratical nirvana in a way none of them expected. Fulvius is forced to deal with the sudden return of an old, vengeful enemy, an opportunity for enrichment simply too good to pass up, and ultimately, betrayal within his own ranks just to survive, much less find any way to prosper. In the end, all his schemes come crashing down around him, and the members of the pirate community--to say nothing of Fulvius himself--must fight for their very lives in a massive and swirling battle royale along the Illyrian coast.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 313

Rare Bird: Hispanic Military Pilots of the USA by Rudolph C. Villarreal

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MWSA Review

As an Air Force veteran, I found this book to be a profound "joy of discovery," and it should be read by all Americans. Of these over 100 Hispanic military pilots, there are no less than eleven flag officers (generals or admirals), three astronauts, and eight aces. Also included is Colonel Cesar Rodriguez, a retired F-15 pilot who is one of three pilots, post-Vietnam, who achieved three aerial victories, where there have been no aces since that war. Because the book is written in a precise biographical style, it is possible to appreciate the great accomplishments of many of these pilots and realize the unspoken tragedy and sacrifice of many others who gave their lives in the defense of the United States. This is a great reference for military and aviation history applications.

Review by Terry Lloyd (June 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

They may have been Rare but they were There, serving in every Theater of Operations.  In a society that did not always welcome Hispanics, these men persevered.  Becoming a military pilot was not easy.  One had to be a cut above the average person.  College was a must although this requirement had been dropped during wartime.  And then, only those who were able to pass the stringent physical and mental tests were allowed to begin flight school and subsequently endure a year or more of a stressful training process that would eliminate some of the students.  Those who succeeded received their wings and joined a fraternity of aviators that served the country admirably in peacetime and war.

Tempe, Arizona based historian and author Rudy Villarreal has published his new book which features 101 stories of these pilots, from a list of over 300 who have served in the US military since the early days of aviation.  One of these featured is quite famous in the sports world: Ted Williams considered to be one of the greatest players in major league baseball history.

Format(s) for review: Paper Only

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

A Rock in the Clouds: A Life Revisited by Joseph R. Tedeschi

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MWSA Review

Wars may last for years—or even decades—but they often end in an instant for the individual soldiers who fight them. A Rock in the Clouds tells the story of one such instant, a plane crash in Vietnam that ended the author’s deployment a mere three weeks after it began. It also ended the lives of thirteen fellow service members, and the author never takes his survival for granted as he revisits the entirety of his life before, during, and after that near-death experience.

Any account of a plane crash would be harrowing, but this book’s finest feature is that the author goes beyond a first-person account and provides a painstakingly compiled record that sheds light in a way no single person could. The research also includes interesting nuggets about medical personnel he met during his recovery and, most strikingly, a picture of the airplane’s pilot with three of the sons he left behind after perishing in the crash.

The accident and its aftermath comprise the middle third of the book, with the first portion listing biographical details and the final third largely reprinting correspondence that happened during the book’s creation. Yet the central third reflects an interesting balance of personal narrative and research, with moments that provide welcome texture, sometimes in unexpected ways.

Perhaps the most resonant aspect of A Rock in the Clouds isn’t a particular section but that the book exists at all—that even a survivor whose injuries largely healed, whose military career continued successfully, and whose subsequent life has been nurtured by family, faith, and community still thinks back to a foggy Vietnam hillside in 1966, peering out of a broken fuselage, wondering what had just happened and why his right leg was stubbornly refusing to move.

Review by John McGlothlin (May 2022)

Author's Synopsis

“On 4 October 1966, a C7-A Caribou airplane flying through blinding cloud cover crashed into Hon Cong Mountain near the base camp of the 1st Air Cavalry Division at An Khe. There were thirty-one people aboard the aircraft, an air crew of four along with twenty-seven passengers. Thirteen people died in the crash. I was one of the survivors.”

Joe spends 45 years of his life uncertain of the true details of the crash. And he is always trying to make sense of his survival. In the many years searching for answers he discovers a very human story of faith, compassion, GI grit and humor, and patriotism.

As his journey reveals his faith-based purpose and destiny, he hopes to bring hope and inspiration to other Vietnam-era veterans, their families, and people of faith.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 278

Our Longest Year in Iraq by Douglas Satterfield

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Author's Synopsis

Army Engineers were among the first Soldiers on the Iraq battlefield; some of the last to leave. This book tells the story of those who stood alongside our warfighters in combat. For those who want a glimpse of modern warfare and read about Soldiers in combat, this book is written in an easy-to-read form for a general audience.
The 1st Cavalry Division entered the Iraq War in early 2004 to provide security for Iraqi citizens. What happened was a resurgence of violence and death. Army Engineers were thrown into the battle to build bases, roads, airfields, hunt IEDs, and install barriers to protect and house the warfighters. From Fallujah to Sadr City, the fight was on, and Engineers on the battlefield did their part honorably and courageously.
For those who have the spirit, read about the Soldiers who fought in Iraq. Brigadier General Satterfield, U.S. Army (retired), tells the story of the 353rd Engineer Group (1st Cav) as it led the greatest engineer effort in decades. He discusses how courage and honor overcame that fear. And, he shows us how Engineers played a vital role in winning over the hearts and minds of Iraqi citizens. This is a personal journey from Fort Sill, Oklahoma to Baghdad, Iraq and back.
The 1st Cav motto, "Be Courteous, Be Professional, Be Prepared to Kill," reflected their orders on the battlefield and how they overcame a profound evil perpetuated by enemy Iraqi insurgents and International terrorists. This is a true story from March 2004 through February 2005, one of the most dangerous times of the war.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

Formats: Softcover, Kindle

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-7379155-1-5, 978-1-7379155-0-8

Honor Through Sacrifice by Robert E Lofthouse

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MWSA Review

Honor Through Sacrifice: The Story of One of America’s Greatest Military Leaders is a memoir/biography chock full of history. From World War II through the undeclared war in Vietnam, author Robert Lofthouse gives a well-document account of his highly-decorated cousin, Gordon Lippman.

Lippman, a bonafide hero, came from a farming county in South Dakota with ingrained leadership skills. To have these attributes in a young man who never graduated from any of the service academies is an anomaly. Yet anyone who served with or under his command would say that Lippman was the one they’d follow into battle.

Gordon enlisted in the army to serve his country, carrying with him his faith and the traditional values of his South Dakota family. He served in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. He earned some of our country’s highest honors: Silver and Bronze Stars, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal, and three Combat Infantry Badges, to name a few. He was part of the second D-Day landing and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Years later, he served in Korea. In the 1960s, as a brigade executive officer, Lippman led men young enough to be his sons while fighting the Viet Cong in the Iron Triangle.

Much has been written about Gordon Lippman in Readers Digest and Newsweek Magazine. He was eulogized on Paul Harvey’s radio program, and Harry Reasoner told Lippman’s story for CBS news. Gordon was honored by his state in South Dakota Magazine. Robert Lofthouse has pulled articles and interviews together to create a historically accurate memoir in a tribute to his hero cousin.

Review by Nancy Panko (June 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

My debut book tells the story of Gordon Lippman, serving with the US Army from WWII as a paratrooper until his untimely death in Vietnam, where he was deployed as an executive officer with the 1st Infantry Division’s 3rd Brigade. 

We need heroes today. Gordon fits this description. His bravery in combat is emphasized along with his zeal to be a servant leader throughout a 22-year Army career.

At the core of the biography is a question that I wonder about: “Where does America get such gallant men?”

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 205

Cocktails With the Admiral by Vic Socotra

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MWSA Review

Cocktails with the Admiral is an informal memoir of the service life of the late Rear Admiral Donald M. "Mac" Showers, USN(Ret), whose thirty-year career spanned the momentous period from the earliest days of World War II to the height of the Vietnam War.

RADM Showers's initial Navy assignment happened to place him at the center of the war in the Pacific with the codebreakers of Station HYPO who enabled the pivotal US victory at the Battle of Midway. His post-war career traces his evolution as a member of the developing US Naval Intelligence community. After retiring from the Navy, he spent more than a decade with the CIA and was later inducted into the NSA Hall of Honor.

The narrative is written by another retired US Naval Intelligence officer, Vic Socotra, as a series of interviews conducted with the Admiral during regular happy hour sessions at a popular Arlington restaurant/bar. First-hand accounts of his role add new footnotes to the well-established history of the conflict. The result is an entertaining and occasionally revelatory viewpoint of key strategic decisions that led to the hard-won US victory over Japan.

The admiral’s personal story also follows the post-war development and maturation of the US Navy intelligence capability and its influence on national security doctrine. Unfortunately, RADM Showers passed away in 2012 at the age of 93, before he could talk about his second career with the CIA.

The book could have benefited from another round of critical editing. Extensive descriptions of the Willow bar and its denizens detracted from the Admiral’s story, as did many of the photographs scattered throughout the text. Nonetheless, in recounting his interviews with the admiral, the author has preserved the legacy of a unique Navy career.

Review by Peter A. Young (June 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

Admiral Mac Showers was the last of the Station HYPO Codebreakers at Pearl Harbor who set the stage for victory at the Battle of Midway. His life in that tumultuous conflict and later in those of the Cold War, Vietnam and Watergate make his recollections amid a 21st Century landscape a roller coaster of a vivid time. Join our 90-year old buddy who chatted with all the f-Star officers and the Queen for a unique perspective on life in the middle of the American Century.

Format(s) for review: Paper Only

Review Genre: Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 337

Warfighter by Colonel Jesse L. Johnson and Alex Holstein

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MWSA Review

Warfighter: The Story of an American Fighting Man by Colonel Jesse L Johnson and Alex Holstein is almost unbelievable. Johnson’s service awards include a Distinguished Service Cross, the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, three Silver Stars, at least two Bronze Stars (he didn’t keep count in the book), and three Purple Hearts. He completed two combat tours in Vietnam, joined Delta Force at its inception, was on the ground during Operation Eagle Claw (1980 Iranian hostage rescue mission), and served as special forces commander during Desert Storm (SOCCENT).

Johnson had participated in so many battles, won so many awards, and rubbed elbows with so many famous military leaders that he often seemed to be a character in a work of fiction. But Warfighter is decidedly not fictional.

After racing through the book’s 264 action-packed pages, the reader will get to know an extraordinary American warfighter. Johnson’s memoir covers his four-decade-long service to his country and makes for a compelling and well-told story. I highly recommend this book written by the ultimate combat insider–one of the most-decorated US soldiers of all time.

Review by John Cathcart (June 2022)

Author's Synopsis

In WARFIGHTER, Colonel Jesse L. Johnson, one of the most decorated living American veterans, recounts the action-packed true-life tale of a man who stood and fought at the crossroads of history. Spanning forty years of conflict, from the jungles of Vietnam to the deserts of Iran and Iraq, never has a modern military memoir covered such a vast landscape of all-out warfare. Never has one man fought on the frontlines of so many of America’s most heroic battles. Johnson led the most elite forces on operations that defined eras past and present, mentoring young soldiers who would rise to become some of America’s greatest generals. He held the ear of princes, kings, presidents, and even Hollywood movie stars. With an all-star cast worthy of an epic war film, this extraordinary hero’s journey sheds new light on some of the most transformative events of our time—crises, conflicts and covert operations that have shaped the world as we know it today. More important, WARFIGHTER offers us a deeper understanding of the personal sacrifice and human toll of a lifetime at war, and the honor-bound code of a man whose instinct in battle was to always charge ahead of those under his command—into the fight.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 264

How to Deal with Damn Near Anything by John McGlothlin

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MWSA Review

A former paratrooper, author John McGlothlin, uses the military as his backdrop for presenting inner traits that, if adopted, will help anyone—whether in the military or not—create a life where challenges can be met. The author identifies five essential inner traits: self-awareness, initiative, efficiency, adaptability, and insistence. Backed by studies from multiple sources, the author employs real-life and often first-hand examples from both military and civilian life to demonstrate the traits, why they are necessary, and how they relate to each other. And he does it with just the right amount of humor to make the reader laugh from time to time.

The book is well designed, with a consistent format for defining each trait, identifying the mindset, and explaining the action steps to develop and practice that trait. This approach makes it visually appealing and easy to follow. This book can serve as a life guide for anyone who wants to be purpose-driven, effective, and respected in the workplace and in their personal life.

Review by Patricia Walkow (May 2022)

Author's Synopsis

There is a hidden side to the military—behind the stories of leadership and valor is a distinct culture that promotes personal growth and development. In How to Deal with Damn Near Anything: The Paratrooper’s Guide to Life, John McGlothlin shows how this culture can benefit anyone.

Using a mix of research and first-hand experience, McGlothlin distills this culture into five “inner traits” essential to facing any challenge. Each trait is examined in detail: what they mean, how they fit together, how to build them, and why being a paratrooper offers a unique perspective on doing so.

No place fuses personal and professional like the “airborne.” The result is a series of lessons no classroom or regular workplace can teach. You don’t have to enlist to learn them–you just have to embrace the right mix of practical thinking, honesty, and a desire to improve. How to Deal with Damn Near Anything will guide you through that process and put you on the right path for stability and success.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—How to/Business

Number of Pages: 222

Pearl Harbor's Final Warning by Valarie J Anderson

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MWSA Review

Pearl Harbor’s Final Warning by Valarie J. Anderson is a historical account of the message that arrived too late. The book details events leading up to, during, and after the December 7, 1941, Japanese attack on the beautiful tropical paradise of Oahu. Anderson weaves a horrific tale of loss and tragedy into the everyday lives of the people on the island who were most directly affected. It was, indeed, a day that lives in infamy.

Anderson provides an account from the archives of her grandfather, George Street, who was the District Manager of RCA-Honolulu. In addition, the author had access to many documents, decoded messages, and family memories from her uncle George Street, Jr. and her mother, Barbara Street. These documents demonstrate the many errors in communication that resulted in the awful consequences of the Japanese airstrike.

On that fateful day, Washington sent a message about a potential Japanese attack to its Pacific outposts—all except Pearl Harbor. All who received the message had time to prepare for an assault. Pearl Harbor’s Final Warning, subtitled A Man, A Message, and Paradise Lost, documents in detail the flaws of governmental bureaucracy that resulted in the carnage that day. The Street family was immediately embroiled in this historical boondoggle.

This book is an example of the importance of communications and good intelligence. The story illustrates weaknesses of politicians and leaders at every level of government, including the military. The flawed decisions they made affected not only the service members but all civilians living in the islands of Hawaii.

Pearl Harbor’s Final Warning is a well-researched book about America's military preparations and/or lack of preparation, communications, and coordination between the U.S. Armed Forces leading up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Review by Nancy Panko (May 2022)

Author's Synopsis

On 7 December 1941, Washington sent a message to its Pacific outposts about a potential Japanese attack. All but Pearl Harbor received it in time to prepare. 

New information from the archives of George Street, District Manager of RCA-Honolulu, exposes the fatal flaws that resulted in the surprise attack. Operational snafus, collusion, and spies weave a web of misdirection that entangles George Street and his children in one of history's biggest mistakes. Pearl Harbor's Final Warning amends the historical record by presenting unpublished material, including the original copy of Marshall's coded message.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 354

Tard by Del Staecker

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Author's Synopsis

A multi-genre, multi-format fantasy/crime story that will lead you through and beyond cognitive dissonance and confirmation bias into a place where dreams come true.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Literary Fiction

Number of Pages: 355

Maritime Unmanned by Ernest Snowden & Robert F. Wood Jr.

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MWSA Review

For those of us outside the government and defense industry, Maritime Unmanned is a golden nugget of information. Authors Ernest Snowden and Robert F. Wood do a superb job of giving a historical perspective on 100 years of Naval aircraft deployment, and pointing to the next new challenge, all on the first page. It’s an intriguing outline for what is to come in this book.

Maritime Unmanned is a fascinating story for anyone interested in Naval aircraft or the US Naval service and is a historical account of the growth in UAV development, both from an amalgamation of program convergence, innovation, and development and the politics of people coming together to forge a new military program.

Due to the 100-year scope of the story, detail can get a bit overwhelming. But this work provides a comprehensive investigation of the details surrounding Naval aviation history, which is a compound undertaking. The intrigue of politics, inner-workings of the military/industrial complex, technology advances through the years, and continual paradigm shifts present a deep subject in a brief retail format. The authors succeeded in telling their story with adequate protagonist and antagonist depth of character while not losing sight of the storyline—definitely a good read for someone interested in Naval aviation and/or military drone development.

Review by Robert Lofthouse (May 2022)
 

Author's Synopsis

Maritime Unmanned recounts the promising beginning, demoralizing setbacks and ultimate success experienced by teams of Navy and Industry visionaries who committed themselves to bringing revolutionary UAS technology to a legacy Navy mission – the very first time in the history of naval aviation that an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle was adopted into frontline squadron inventories, in this instance as an enabling component of the maritime patrol and reconnaissance mission. What should have been a fairly uncomplicated cross-service transition of a DARPA and Air Force-developed UAS (Global Hawk) took twenty years to nurture and mature through introduction of the concept to realization of its initial operational capability. 

The authors take the reader deep inside the machinations of aerospace & defense industry leadership, strategy development and execution; alongside industry representatives and Navy counterparts socializing an unfamiliar and unconventional concept of operations in their effort to cultivate new adherents; and into the dialogues of senior government acquisition officials, who either advocated for the concept or purposely road-blocked its advancement, revealing the motivations for those actions.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 262

A Hoot in Hell's Island by Col. Kirk Gibson Warner (USA, Ret.) and Robert D. Gibson

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MWSA Review
A Hoot in Hell's Island is more than one man's experiences as a Navy dive bomber pilot. It is an emotionally moving account of history as it was being made in the South Pacific theater of World War II. The credibility of the book is extremely high due to the author's excellent blending of one man's account with newspaper and public
media accounts and official war records.

I learned new things from this book about the growth of a weak American military presence to a world leading presence. That growth occurred in an incredibly short time, notably due to the civilian war effort and the gallantry of the American fighting personnel. I appreciate my own father, a WWII U.S. Navy veteran, more now than ever.

This book will be enlightening to any reader, whether a "war buff" or not. It would be particularly relative to prospective members of the military. Not only was this book informative and credible, it was enjoyable.

Review by Jerry Burton (April 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

In the dark days of 1942, the battle for the Solomon Islands was very much in doubt. When carrier dive bomber Robert D. "Hoot" Gibson sighted the Japanese fleet heading for "Hell's Island," he attacked the vanguard ships, sinking the heavy cruiser Kinugasa and two loaded Japanese troop transports in a battle royal that earned him the Navy Cross.  He was also credited with the sinking of an I-Class submarine and shooting down two Zeroes, after going toe-to-toe with Japan's premier ace pilot, and he alone accounted for the deaths of thousands of Japanese soldiers and sailors.

Hoot was a hero when America needed heroes and when America needed to turn the tide of the war from defense to offense. He was on the Yorktown at Midway and the Enterprise at Guadalcanal.  Hoot was in three of the five carrier battles of the war, the first and last amphibious invasions of WWII, and thirteen major battles. A Hoot in Hell's Island tells Hoot's dramatic story and that of the American navy in the crucial battles of the Pacific War.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 240

Edge Of Armageddon by Brad Graft

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MWSA Review

Book Three of the Brotherhood of the Mamluks trilogy, Edge of Armageddon, leads up to and then describes the actual battle of Armageddon on September 3, 1260. Military historians will appreciate the strategy, tactics, and preparation for battle as well as the advancement in weapons – the Mamluks have figured out how to shoot an arrow every second and a half by holding up to four arrows in each hand. The book shows how hard it is to field, arm, feed, and communicate with thousands of soldiers. While modern armies must provide fuel for their vehicles, the 13th century army had to find fodder and grass for their horses, mules, and camels—not easy on the mountain and desert terrains they crossed. Along the way, they captured and raided for both food and additional fighters. At one point, the Mongols had 80,000 troops heading toward Cairo, their ultimate goal. Throughout the book, the value of intelligence gathering is seen for both sides. This battle, according to Eric H. Cline in “The Battles of Armageddon: Mediddo and the Jezreel Valley from the Bronze Age to the Nuclear Age” halted the westward advance of the Mongols and shattered the myth of Mongol invincibility (page 151) and is a battle that cannot be overestimated.

The story moves smoothly back and forth in time with the dates, places, and main characters clearly listed as chapter headings and includes detail after detail of life in the 13th century. The book begins with maps of the battle area as well as list of characters grouped by loyalty. The major players (Cenk, Leaner, and Baybars for the men and Else and Jacinta for the women) each have chapters detailing their struggles, past and present. The excellent cover photo is replicated in silhouette on each page beside the page number—reversed on the left-hand page so that the warriors are charging toward each other, bow and arrow at the ready.

In the acknowledgements, the author thanks the scholars worldwide who spent whole careers studying this period and this sect of warriors as well as those who translated works from Arabic.

Review by Nancy Kauffman (May 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

Set during the 13th century, Edge of Armageddon is the stirring climax in the Brotherhood of the Mamluks trilogy. The story brings together characters from Books I and II: Duyal, the enslaved nomad boy who rose to command a reconnaissance unit; Leander, the French soldier who abandoned the Crusades to join the devout Islamic warriors he admired, and Baybars, a Kipchak from the Eurasian steppe who is now the charismatic leader of the elite Bahri Mamluks of Egypt.

The novel introduces us to Esel, a respected bowmaker in her nomadic tribe who is seized, enslaved, and sold to a wealthy arms merchant in Syria. Overhearing her master plotting against Baybars, a nephew she has not seen since his adolescence, Esel risks her life to flee Damascus and warn Baybars of the coming betrayal.

Embraced in Baybars’ camp, Esel plunges into the hazard and intrigue surrounding her ambitious nephew. Soon, she is aiding Baybars in his quest to win the sultanate and countering the efforts of a female spy who stalks the roving Bahri.

Tension builds as the Mongol army slashes a bloody path through Mesopotamia and northern Syria, eyeing Cairo as its prize. In a fateful battle on the wide plain just east of the biblical site of Armageddon, Egypt’s Mamluks come face-to-face with the seemingly unconquerable Mongols, who sacked their Kipchak tribes twenty-four years prior. At stake for Esel and the Mamluks is the survival of their people, preservation of their fledgling empire, and the continuance of Islam itself.

A gripping tale of betrayal and love, retribution and mercy, and abandonment and redemption, Edge of Armageddon is also a compelling account of the historical Battle of Ayn Julut—an unheralded clash whose outcome leaves crucial repercussions still felt today.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 529

When the Beaches Trembled by Zach S. Morris

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MWSA Review

When the Beaches Trembled is a riveting story about the men who served on small landing craft infantry (LCI) ships during World War II. The author, Zach S. Morris, demonstrated his strengths as both a tremendous historian and a gifted writer. This book is particularly interesting as Morris personalized the story from the eyes of his grandfather, Steven Ganzenberger, who served on LCIs in the grueling Pacific campaign in constant combat conditions for two years.

Morris tells the tale of not only the island-hopping campaign but also the toll life on the LCIs took on the individuals assigned to these flat-bottomed floating corks. LCI missions included amphibious assault landing craft, gunboats, and rocket ships to name a few. The author shares details including lack of fresh water or laundry facilities, appalling bathroom and hygiene conditions, minimal food rations, no liberty, and frequent seasickness caused by the ship's shallow draft and small size. Top this with kamikaze attacks, perpetual general quarters, and non-stop operations, and this did not make for an easy life. Despite all this, the Greatest Generation pulled through to victory, and many remembered those days of camaraderie and brotherhood as “the best days of their lives.”

This story is meticulously documented, and it shows in both the author's heartfelt introduction and in his final research notes. The many citations portrayed in the men's own words gathered from personal interviews and extensive research made this story read more like a movie. The reader got to know and empathize with those courageous men and wonder how they kept going day after day, battle after battle. This book is highly recommended for anyone who has an interest in learning about World War II in the Pacific and a group of its sailors who received little notoriety.

The author sums it up perfectly in his final words:

“For when the beaches trembled, it meant that the mere mortal men of the LCIs like my grandfather were taking their stand against tyranny and oppression that will forever echo through the corridors of immortality.”

Review by Valerie Ormond (June 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

When Stephen Ganzberger enlisted in the U.S. Navy at the outset of World War II, he never imagined what would await him and his shipmates in the Pacific Islands, as they journeyed aboard a newly-designed ship called a Landing Craft Infantry (LCI). American sailors like Ganzberger—who answered their nation’s call and fought on the tiny LCIs—had the perilous job of delivering troops directly onto enemy-held beaches, in some of the fiercest combat of the war. As part of General Douglas MacArthur’s South Pacific campaign, Ganzberger faced death from Japanese bombers, torpedoes, and kamikaze attacks. All during the largest naval conflict in history.

In this long-awaited, richly-illustrated new book, Zach S. Morris weaves a vivid narrative of the World War II Pacific Theater, drawn from declassified military documents, maps, photos, and over a decade of interviews and research. Through his grandfather Stephen’s journey and the deeply personal accounts of other veterans, When the Beaches Trembled brings to life the incredible true story of the LCIs in the Second World War: a story rarely told, until now.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 368

The Jackson MacKenzie Chronicles: Enter the Shadow

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MWSA Review

The Jackson MacKenzie Chronicles: Enter the Shadow by Angel Giacomo is a mystery/thriller that takes place after 9 / 11, utilizing worldwide terrorism of that period as its plot line. Jackson MacKenzie is a “super warrior” – a medal of honor winner who has served in the Army and the Marine Corps. He is now a retired Lieutenant General (Marines) living on a ranch in Montana. He and his wife become victims of terrorists taking over a cruise ship. MacKenzie almost single handedly and heroically foils the plans of the bad guys and saves the ship’s passengers and crew.

Later, the terrorists try to even the score with Jackson by poisoning his cattle and kidnapping his wife and friend. Once again Jackson comes to the rescue. The terrorists in both scenes—on the cruise ship and at the ranch—turn out to be humorously incompetent villains.

Other scenes take place at the United States Military Academy at West Point as Jackson is honored for his cruise ship heroism and then returns as his twin sons begin their plebe year as members of The Long Gray Line. The author recounts the traditions, the rituals, and legacies of the academy and cadet life.

Review by James Elsener (May 2022)

Author's Synopsis

Jackson MacKenzie’s life is about to change. After retiring a second time, the Marine Corps general takes his wife on an ocean adventure as a homecoming to renew their marriage vows. But he never expected what would happen next. He finds himself hip-deep in international intrigue. Who is after him? The Russian GRU, the FSB, maybe even someone closer to home. Will he be able to save his family, his friends, and himself? Or will the villains defeat him in the end? And he joins the fallen at Arlington.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 149

The Jackson MacKenzie Chronicles: Broken Valor by Angel Giacomo

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MWSA Review

This installment of the Jackson MacKenzie series focuses on the ordeals of one of its principal characters, Army Major Harry Russell after he suffers a debilitating combat injury in Vietnam. While struggling to recover from the loss of his left foot, Harry also takes on the challenge of helping his best friend – Lieutenant Colonel Jackson MacKenzie, falsely charged with treason.

The book is a flashback that fills in the backstory for one of the MacKenzie series supporting characters, Major Harry Russell. The period setting is the waning days of US engagement in the Vietnam War. Russell's opening challenge is the aftermath of a crippling combat injury. He is initially overwhelmed by the physical and mental trials of the loss of his left foot. The pain and setbacks of his long recovery are complicated by bouts of self-doubt and the abrupt end of his promising Army career.

Russell's personal trials are soon eclipsed when he finds out that LTC Jackson MacKenzie has been imprisoned with the members of his Special Ops team on trumped-up charges of treason. His efforts to contact MacKenzie are met with covert deterrents by government officials trying to sustain their cover-up.

A happy ending for all of the characters—except, of course, the bad actors—sets the stage for follow-on books in the series.

The Kindle version is well laid out and readable, but lack of a Table of Contents makes it difficult to navigate the text. Chapters are identified by dates and locations, assisting the reader in keeping track of the setting in time and space. Listings of previous works by this author would also help the reader know where this book fits into the series.

Review by Peter Young (May 2022)

Author's Synopsis

Duty. Honor. Country. The motto by which Major Harry Russell lived as a United States Army Special Forces officer. How does he move forward when his entire life has been turned on its head? Everything Harry worked toward all his life is gone. Gone like his foot in a nighttime mortar attack. Gone like his career since the Army kicked him out as worthless dead weight. Gone like his friends, missing on a secret mission. All he has now is himself. And as a Vietnam veteran, that may not be enough.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 153

LUPTON: Last Man Standing by William A Lupton

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Author's Synopsis

To outfox his draft board, Lupton enlists to get his duty station in Hawaii. He joins 2nd platoon A/1/27 Wolfhounds where fatigue of jungle in Kahuku Mountains sucks life-blood out of you. The 25th Division sails from Hawaii; a month hence arrives at Cu Chi, Vietnam. Endless patrols, ambushes, always tired. Red ants and lifers. Ho Bo Woods, Boi Loi Woods, the Iron Tri-angle, tunnels galore! VC lizards mock green troops, “ruck roo, ruck roo, ruck roo…” steps in the night; a mad-minute at dawn. Calamity strikes 3rd squad ambush, all wiped, 12 hootch mates gone. No victory this day, A-Company finds Viet Cong in a big way, survival a fluke. General Weyand’s contrition, “you are men of steel.” Eagle Flights, air assaults, bivouacs, FNGs. An Early Out! Survival! Déjà vu, Schofield Barracks again, B/20/11th Brigade, same room, different day. Garrison life, Kahukus, red mud, thirst, fatigue. Kitchen Police, guard duty, much boredom. Go on the wagon. Big Island, live fire, rainy, windy, cold. Amphibious landing on Molokai, descending ropes, assaulting island, reboarding ship, return to Pearl. D-Company, clerking, vain XO, insolent, “That is MUTINY, LUPTON!” USS Gordon, same ship, different cruise, better chow, same-same to Vietnam. Duc Pho, Bronco, LZ Charlie Brown. The TET Offensive. Transfer to Chu Lai, Aero Scout Infantry, Warlords, Scorpions, Skeeters, Animals. 300-kills, 300-captures, and jaunts to Chu Lai, “you, GI, boom boom me?” Lieutenant Calley, Captain Medina, Mr. Thompson, Colburn, My Lai Hill 85, been there, saw that. Commander crashes, almost burns, we have a real hero when needed. Easy war LZ Dottie, horseshoe games, ennui, beers on the beach, grab-ass hootch maids, and toking Marjee Wanna. Special Forces camps, Minh Long, Hà Thanh, Tiên Phước. O6-LOACH, Slicks, Cobras, miniguns, rockets, friendly fire. Spooky ops in mountains, anxiety big time, capture three 4-duce mortars, maverick pilots fly our asses out, the thrill of night flight. Warlord’s worst day, NVA kill two Animals, a Skeeter gunner, five gunships down, plus a Marine jet. At last, out of infantry into the rear, with the beer! REMF-dom! I have arrived! R&R Bangkok, getting short, mortars walk bunker line. I am out! I survived! Finally, a cure for the nightmare of Vietnam.

Format(s) for review: Paper

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 531

Into the Stars by James Rosone

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MWSA Review

Into the Stars is an excellent combination of the trajectory of humankind on Earth with familiar players, their conflicts, and resolution—forecast into futurism and the surprising unknown.

Written with a believable plot that has relatability to the current world, the book takes us to a future geopolitical landscape here on Earth. It places the reader in a world with exciting and challenging but very plausible events. What happens to mere earthlings when introduced to a broader universe that includes a technically advanced race that is not open to peaceful coexistence? This page-turner introduces the characters, threads, and settings that make the reader want to turn the page straight into the next volume.

Review by August Uhl (May 2022)

Author's Synopsis

The stars are within mankind’s reach…but what awaits in the void may end humanity…

Mars and the Moon have been colonized, piracy runs rampant in the asteroid belts, and a thriving society grows in the depths of space. Humanity prepares to embark upon its greatest journey—the colonization of Alpha Centauri.

Then everything changes…

A deep space reconnaissance probe discovers a new Earth-like planet twelve light-years from Earth’s sun. The probe also finds something unusual, something…unnerving. A new mission is created, a space fleet is formed, and humanity embarks on unraveling the greatest mystery of all—the origins of life itself.

Can the factions of Earth remain united, or will old rivalries and animosities destroy the fragile peace in the face of this terrifying existential threat?

Will exploration prove to be a fatal mistake?

If you love new technologies, fast-paced action and gut-wrenching turns of fate, you’ll love this first book in James Rosone’s military sci-fi series, The Rise of the Republic.

Author Note -- This is not a standalone book. This is book one of what will become a 12-book series once it's completed.

Format(s) for review: Kindle and paper

Review Genre: Science Fiction

Number of Pages:  528

Cardinal Virtues by R.G. Roberts

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MWSA Review
R.G. Roberts is a veteran of the U.S. Navy. She served on three ships, taught at the Surface Warfare Officers School, and graduated from the U.S. Naval War College with a master’s degree in Strategic Studies & National Security, with a concentration in leadership.

In her book, Cardinal Virtues, Roberts writes about the U.S. Navy in 2037. The main character, Alex Coleman, has had the unfortunate assignment to work as XO under the command of power-seeking Admiral Kennedy. After becoming embroiled in controversy, Alex is assigned to an underwater mega-station to carry out concierge tasks while marking time until his retirement.

Alex Coleman’s wife Nancy is the commander of a naval destroyer tasked with leading a strike group through the Strait of Malacca. When a lapse of judgment causes a trigger-happy admiral to fire upon an Indian submarine, all hell breaks loose and World War III seems to be underway.
Forces of evil nations conspire to trap the Americans and destroy every one of the ships in the area.

In this technical mystery/thriller, a reader experiences vicariously what it’s like to be under relentless attack. The main characters struggle to outwit a cunning collaboration of enemies both on and under the sea. The ending will leave you wanting to pick up the next book in the series.

Review by Nancy Panko (April 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

Every nation wants territory without war. Until the shooting starts...   

Alex Coleman is on the way out.   

The year is 2037, and Commander Alex Coleman’s career is on the rocks. He’s been exiled to Armistice Station, an underwater megastation where you can buy everything... except success in the U.S. Navy. Here, he awaits retirement, doling out supplies and keeping an eye on unruly sailors. All his career aspirations have sunk lower than the ocean floor that surrounds him.  

Nancy Coleman is on the way up.   

Commander Nancy Coleman, on the other hand, is in command of a brand-new destroyer and leading a strike group through the Strait of Malacca. China’s getting frisky, and the U.S. Navy has long-standing ties with Taiwan. China might start the war, but Nancy knows her navy will finish it.   

Neither Nancy nor Alex know of the dark forces at work around them. French marines allied with the Indian Navy in a plot to remove US influence in the Indian Ocean. A trigger-happy admiral lands Nancy’s strike group in the middle of a shootout with the wrong enemy. World War III threatens with every misstep.  

Nancy battles to keep her ship in one piece and her sailors alive. Alex fights to get his band of misfits off the station before they end up prisoners of war. Neither Coleman set out to be a hero. Yet, the bullets are flying... and they both have a job to do.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 386