More Than Courage

Nathan Dixon #3

by Harold Coyle

Courage is often enough to drive a soldier forward, to cause him to climb out of his foxhole and face enemy fire. But it takes something else, something more than courage to keep HIM going when every instinct, every shred of reason dictates that he do otherwise.This hard truth becomes self-evident when the men belonging to Recon Team Kilo, a Special Forces A team operating deep in hostile territory, is overwhelmed by indigenous forces. Stripped of their leadership and unit cohesion, the survivors struggle to stay faithful to a code of conduct in the face of brutal imprisonment and an uncertain future. Isolated from their brethren, each man is forced to rely upon his own skills and strengths.Some rise to the occasion with a defiance that is unnerving to their captors and some draw upon an inner grace that sees them through their darkest hours. Others, alone and suffering, find themselves wavering as they are hammered by an unending drumbeat of depraved cruelty.The challenges faced by those selected to rescue the men of Recon Team Kilo are no less daunting, the catalysts that propel them and see them through any diverse. For Robert Delmont, Special Ops Plans Officer, a compelling need for atonement colors his recommendations. He steers the Army's senior leadership toward a course of action that allows him to become an active participant.Courage is not a factor for the commander of the unit selected to execute Delmont's plan. A dedicated professional, Lieutenant Colonel Harry Shaddock has no doubt that the men under his command will follow him anywhere--even into an operation designed to save fellow soldiers while putting his own in harm's way.While Dermont, Shaddock, and other members of the armed forces bend their collective efforts to save the survivors of Recon Team Kilo, the families of those men must endure a trial no less daunting. They must find a way to deal with their fears and their emotions as they stand on the sidelines watching their loved ones killed off, one by one, by a ruthless foe in a contest that demands more of them than any had imagined. In order to triumph, all must reach out and draw upon something within, something more than courage.

Genres: Fiction, Military Fiction, Thriller, War, Action

416 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2003

About the author

Harold Coyle is an American author of historical, speculative fiction and war novels including Team Yankee, a New York Times best-seller.He graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1974 and spent seventeen years on active duty with the U.S. Army.He lives in Leavenworth, Kansas.

Reviews

[Morgan Hutchinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, there is no Nathan Dixon in "Nathan Dixon, #3". I expected to follow Nathan Dixon.
Second, the book was disjointed and characters never really developed.

Not one of Coyle's better efforts.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nobody does small unit dynamics & the field , desk officer & grunt experience like Coyle...in this one a SF recon unit is captured in Syria & the fallout, POW experience, as well as contingency planning is realistically portrayed...though labeled as a Nathan Dixon, there is little to nothing of his continuing tale here...in spite of that its a good read!!!

[DavidElls · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Author With up-to-date topic

One of the reasons I love H. Coyle is his talent of giving the reader no more information than they need to appreciate the events they are about to read. Any more information than necessary just clutters the landscape and bogs down the reader.

[Spenser · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/4 stars~ Decent read, but it has absolutely nothing to do with Nathan Dixon (or Scott Dixon) and shouldnt be listed as a Dixon related book.

[Dennis P Moore · Rating 2 out of 5]

5.

Larry Messier's book

[D. Griffith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why in that Series?

I didn't like that it was the third book in the Nathan Dixon series, but Nathan Dixon wasn't in the book.

[Walkernot · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not an action packed book. It is detailed story of the thoughts and the works of a mid level officer in the pentagon. It works through the emotions, feelings and a few actions of the men in the recon team as well as a ranger battalion.

It does give a horrific insight into the captivity of POWs.

There is a lot of detailed explanation that slows down the pace of the book, even in the combat section of the book it is bogged down by functional details of equipment.

It's a well written book. It tells a good realistic story, but it was not a page turner for me. " Not an action packed book": After the initial combat in the book, there is no boots on the ground action till page 318.

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the way that Coyle describes the action in his books. It's like being there. I also enjoy reading about new tools in warfare which help to keep our soldiers safer in battle. I do not like the political innuedos and swipes that Coyle interjects into his stories. If he wants to write about politics then he needs to change genres.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

#3 in the Nathan Dixon series.

Nathan Dixon series - In the aftermath of the Iraqi War, Recon Team Kilo is searching for relocated WMD in the Syrian desert. They are accidentally discovered by the Syrian army and after a pitched battle some are captured. A study of the team members and their reaction to events as well as a tale of rescue efforts.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prisoners in the hand of an enemy are in danger of being slaughtered. A Special Forces A-Team led by Lieutenant Colonel Harry Shaddock is tasked with their rescue. The ante goes up as the hostiles start executing the captives.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is great to read a book that is supportive of the military. I appreciated his insight and positive knowledge of the Army.

It was a great fun read.

[James Preston · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very good. It seems to bring to life the action and the adventure. Quite good...quite good.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was expecting more story and less education.