Vengeance: Hatred and Honor

by Brett Ashton

Jacob Scott Williams was the assistant gun boss on the Oklahoma when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Consumed by thoughts of revenge his deepest desire is to kill as many Japanese as he can before the war is over. But his one-on-one confrontation with the deadliest of his enemies proves more shocking and life-changing than all his experienced tragedies combined. This man's account of sheer hatred and honor is one that would strike directly at the heart of any human being.

Genres: Nonfiction

203 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

I am that kid who grew up watching Star Trek and yet somehow I think, because I was raised on a farm, I ended up with my mind in the real world. From the time in high school, when I read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, people started telling me that I have a natural way with words. After high school I was trained in Aviation Electronics in the Navy which sent me on a journey most of the way around the world. During that time I became interested in the different ways that people think, not only with the people who I was on the ship with but the people in the various cultures around the world. Also at that time I became interested in the history of World War Two and several other major conflicts. Since then I have been in the electronics industry in one form or another but still continued my philosophical study and trying to figure people out.

It's the combination of all the above which forms the personalities and actions of the characters in my books.

Reviews

[Calla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating Look at Pearl Harbor and WWII From a Naval Perspective

This takes the reader into the minds owe commanding the ships in the Pacific, from Pearl Harbor through the end of the war. The summary at the end was especially enlightening, considering the backdrop of our current political situation and collective worldview:

“occasionally, you have to fight. You do have to put a stop to it, to preserve as much life as possible. Sometimes that does involve lopping off a few heads to save the greater number of people from the insanities of a country that has obviously gone mad. But you don’t have to hate them. The minute you succumb to the urge to take revenge, to kill just to get even or to hate them, you have given in to the one thing that, left to run unchecked, will keep mankind locked in a state of war, to a greater or lesser degree, for all of time. It’s the most dangerous enemy mankind will ever face. It isn’t the Japanese or the Germans or anybody else. And it isn’t the bombs or ships or planes. The real enemy is vengeance.”

This one will be on my heart for some time, I’m certain.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good novel about Pearl Harbor and the War in the Pacific. A bit predictable and simple at times, but very engaging and exciting at other times. Jumped around a bit and seemed to skip to the en of the war at one time, but still a worthwhile read. An enjoyable, quick read.