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Rigorous Honesty
Tom Clancy meets Joseph Heller in this story about mercenary “contractors” fighting outsourced wars, obscuring the links back to top government leaders who act above the law.
Sam Kirkpatrick just wants to serve his country. Haunted by secret guilt, burning for vengeance, Sam joins the army to fly attack helicopters in Vietnam. Recruited by CIA mentor/nemesis Rob Black, he falls in love with Black’s Vietnamese secretary, Thuy. When Saigon falls, Thuy disappears in the chaos and Sam reluctantly escapes.
Sam sinks into obscurity and alcohol until Black hires him again to fight Communism with the Nicaraguan Contras. Hoping to redeem lost honor and avenge lost love, Sam finds himself instead a gun-running drug smuggler for America.
The Contra enterprise spins out of control along with Sam’s drinking. When he awakens to the truth Sam resolves to tell congressional investigators what he knows, expecting to bring down the government and possibly land in prison unless Black kills him first.
This meticulously researched story weaves carefully around the subplot of actual historic events that formed the prologue for the dark side of today’s War on Terror.
Rigorous Honesty explores love and patriotism through the lives of ordinary people caught up in global machinations beyond their awareness. Sam learns the lessons of his own history, so he, at least, no longer repeats them.
A word of caution: some scenes would earn an "R-Rating".
Sam Kirkpatrick just wants to serve his country. Haunted by secret guilt, burning for vengeance, Sam joins the army to fly attack helicopters in Vietnam. Recruited by CIA mentor/nemesis Rob Black, he falls in love with Black’s Vietnamese secretary, Thuy. When Saigon falls, Thuy disappears in the chaos and Sam reluctantly escapes.
Sam sinks into obscurity and alcohol until Black hires him again to fight Communism with the Nicaraguan Contras. Hoping to redeem lost honor and avenge lost love, Sam finds himself instead a gun-running drug smuggler for America.
The Contra enterprise spins out of control along with Sam’s drinking. When he awakens to the truth Sam resolves to tell congressional investigators what he knows, expecting to bring down the government and possibly land in prison unless Black kills him first.
This meticulously researched story weaves carefully around the subplot of actual historic events that formed the prologue for the dark side of today’s War on Terror.
Rigorous Honesty explores love and patriotism through the lives of ordinary people caught up in global machinations beyond their awareness. Sam learns the lessons of his own history, so he, at least, no longer repeats them.
A word of caution: some scenes would earn an "R-Rating".
435 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 10, 2014
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
September 2, 2016
Great read. Characters are richly drawn and empathetic. Action scenes are exciting and vivid. The author knows his subject and seems to have inside information.
Excellent picture of the times.
Excellent picture of the times.
Displaying 1 of 1 review