What do you think?
Rate this book
Ahab
Ahab tells the story of Corporal Will Foley, a young U.S. Army paratrooper, who is stationed at Grafenwoehr, Germany. After he loses a foot in an ill-fated jump he struggles to come to terms with his slacker roommate, his sexy girlfriend, and his hard-boiled Boston P.D. father. Throughout hockey keeps him afloat and a prosthetic foot allows him to skate again. The story’s Bavarian settings—including Munich’s legendary Oktoberfest, Grafenwöhr’s iconic water tower, and Weiden’s raucous hockey arena—are vivid and unforgettable.
376 pages, ebook
First published July 1, 2021
8 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
Brad Huestis
2 books61 followersBrad Huestis is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel who writes the kind of military fiction only someone who has truly lived it can deliver.
Over a twenty-year career, he served as an artilleryman, paratrooper, and judge advocate, Airborne and Ranger qualified, deployed to Iraq, and awarded the Bronze Star. In 2006, as V Corps Chief of Justice in Baghdad, he prosecuted soldiers for wartime atrocities, experiences that now fuel his fiction.
His debut, Ahab: A Hockey Story (2021), won a Bronze Medal from the Military Writers Society of America and carries an endorsement from Bobby Orr. His second novel, The Big Bad (Koehler Books, 2025), is a gripping legal thriller set in the chaos of the Iraq War, longlisted for the 2025 Hemingway Award for Contemporary Wartime Fiction by Chanticleer Book Reviews.
Over a twenty-year career, he served as an artilleryman, paratrooper, and judge advocate, Airborne and Ranger qualified, deployed to Iraq, and awarded the Bronze Star. In 2006, as V Corps Chief of Justice in Baghdad, he prosecuted soldiers for wartime atrocities, experiences that now fuel his fiction.
His debut, Ahab: A Hockey Story (2021), won a Bronze Medal from the Military Writers Society of America and carries an endorsement from Bobby Orr. His second novel, The Big Bad (Koehler Books, 2025), is a gripping legal thriller set in the chaos of the Iraq War, longlisted for the 2025 Hemingway Award for Contemporary Wartime Fiction by Chanticleer Book Reviews.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
June 20, 2022
Very well written book. And great story. I really enjoyed the Military story and the romance involved in this book. A lot of hockey details. If you are a fan of hockey this is the book for you! Also a lot of cultural details about the food and festivities in Bavaria.
September 30, 2021
Brad was the right man to write this novel. His details are always on-point, and he really poured his heart into both the adrenaline-racing hockey match scenes as well as the interpersonal drama.
Read
April 12, 2022MWSA Review
Ahab: A Hockey Story is very good exposition of what the average person knows nothing about: service in "the rear." We often hear vaguely about the bureaucratic nature of the services and the VA, but few of us have to deal with the ossified regulations which frustrate the average citizen—especially twenty-year-olds. The unfairness of Foley’s injury and the tragedy of his amputation was vivid and real. The narrative following his amputation and his communication with his father was disappointing; I would expect more from his father.
The book is a fast read, and I learned a lot about hockey tactics. Foley’s teammates' quirks and personalities could have been expounded more fully, as competition brings out the good and lacking in most people. The ending at the Boston Garden with Foley's hero, Bobby Orr, was a surprise—as was the tragedy of his father's amputation: an interesting touch.
Review by Patrick Ritchen (April 2022)
Ahab: A Hockey Story is very good exposition of what the average person knows nothing about: service in "the rear." We often hear vaguely about the bureaucratic nature of the services and the VA, but few of us have to deal with the ossified regulations which frustrate the average citizen—especially twenty-year-olds. The unfairness of Foley’s injury and the tragedy of his amputation was vivid and real. The narrative following his amputation and his communication with his father was disappointing; I would expect more from his father.
The book is a fast read, and I learned a lot about hockey tactics. Foley’s teammates' quirks and personalities could have been expounded more fully, as competition brings out the good and lacking in most people. The ending at the Boston Garden with Foley's hero, Bobby Orr, was a surprise—as was the tragedy of his father's amputation: an interesting touch.
Review by Patrick Ritchen (April 2022)
February 23, 2022
Full disclosure: I don't dislike hockey, but I don't know anything about it other than what I learned from watching Mighty Ducks and Goon. That said, an understanding of the game wasn't required to enjoy this story.
Unlike some modern veteran literature, this story is less about the geopolitics of GWOT and all about the life of a young paratrooper in the era of war without end. At its heart is a story about a father and son, and both finding acceptance after suffering tragedy in an unexpected manner.
I highly recommend this work for its insight and portrayal of the American warrior mentality and coming to terms with the impossible standards we sometimes hold ourselves to.
Unlike some modern veteran literature, this story is less about the geopolitics of GWOT and all about the life of a young paratrooper in the era of war without end. At its heart is a story about a father and son, and both finding acceptance after suffering tragedy in an unexpected manner.
I highly recommend this work for its insight and portrayal of the American warrior mentality and coming to terms with the impossible standards we sometimes hold ourselves to.
April 15, 2022
I bought this book since it’s the first novel my cousin wrote. I figured it would be nice to support him although I’m not as much of a hockey enthusiast as he is. I found the storyline very compelling right from the first few pages! I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy the book from cover to cover! I’m definitely looking forward to reading his next novel!
March 28, 2022
Sports, the Army, Loss and What Matters
A fast-moving read, engaging from the start. I enjoyed the story and it’s twists—and loved the heroism of choices made daily. Especially liked the descriptions of a fast moving game that the characters love—and communities that support it. Well done—
A fast-moving read, engaging from the start. I enjoyed the story and it’s twists—and loved the heroism of choices made daily. Especially liked the descriptions of a fast moving game that the characters love—and communities that support it. Well done—
January 4, 2022
i really got a deeper understanding of hockey and the love of the game.
June 2, 2021
Really enjoyed reading this book! Looking forward to his next one.
September 14, 2022
Outstanding story brought to life by an incomparable author.
As a Soldier who went through the medical separation board process (and was also stationed in Germany), this book really hit home. The depth and intricacies of the writing made me feel seen in my mourning of the capabilities of my old body and the grief surround the end of my military career. It was equally balanced with the fun and exciting details of life as an American in Germany.
Highly recommend!
As a Soldier who went through the medical separation board process (and was also stationed in Germany), this book really hit home. The depth and intricacies of the writing made me feel seen in my mourning of the capabilities of my old body and the grief surround the end of my military career. It was equally balanced with the fun and exciting details of life as an American in Germany.
Highly recommend!
November 2, 2021
A fantastic book about an Army paratrooper who overcomes obstacles and finds himself with the help of ice hockey and his teammates after sustaining a career-threatening injury during a training jump. If anyone knows about the Army, ice hockey, jumping out of airplanes and living as an American Soldier in Germany, it’s LTC (Ret.) Brad Huestis. Well done!
January 22, 2026
I picked this up on Kindle Unlimited after reading the description, and Ahab ended up being one of those quiet surprises that sticks with you longer than expected.
This is a character-driven story about Corporal Will Foley, young, stubborn, hurting, and trying to rebuild his sense of self after losing a foot in a disastrous jump. What really worked for me was how grounded everything felt. Will’s strained relationship with his tough Boston cop father, the tension with his slacker roommate, and the pull of his girlfriend all felt messy and real. Hockey becomes more than a pastime here, it’s survival, identity, and therapy rolled into one. Watching Will fight his way back onto the ice with a prosthetic foot was genuinely moving without ever feeling sentimental.
The Bavarian setting is a huge highlight. From Oktoberfest in Munich to the Grafenwöhr water tower and the loud, gritty hockey arena in Weiden, the locations feel lived in and vivid. You can almost smell the beer halls and hear the skates cutting the ice. This is a thoughtful, emotional story about loss, masculinity, resilience, and finding balance after everything changes. If you enjoy military fiction with heart and strong sense of place, this one is well worth your time.
This is a character-driven story about Corporal Will Foley, young, stubborn, hurting, and trying to rebuild his sense of self after losing a foot in a disastrous jump. What really worked for me was how grounded everything felt. Will’s strained relationship with his tough Boston cop father, the tension with his slacker roommate, and the pull of his girlfriend all felt messy and real. Hockey becomes more than a pastime here, it’s survival, identity, and therapy rolled into one. Watching Will fight his way back onto the ice with a prosthetic foot was genuinely moving without ever feeling sentimental.
The Bavarian setting is a huge highlight. From Oktoberfest in Munich to the Grafenwöhr water tower and the loud, gritty hockey arena in Weiden, the locations feel lived in and vivid. You can almost smell the beer halls and hear the skates cutting the ice. This is a thoughtful, emotional story about loss, masculinity, resilience, and finding balance after everything changes. If you enjoy military fiction with heart and strong sense of place, this one is well worth your time.
December 19, 2025
Ahab: A Hockey Story is a raw, moving, and unexpectedly uplifting novel that blends sports, military life, and personal struggle into a deeply human story. Brad Huestis delivers a compelling portrait of Corporal Will Foley, a young paratrooper forced to redefine himself after a devastating injury changes the course of his life.
Will’s journey is honest and unflinching, capturing the frustration, anger, and grief that come with sudden loss. Yet what makes this story truly resonate is how hockey becomes both his anchor and his salvation. The return to the ice, made possible by a prosthetic foot, is handled with grit and authenticity, symbolizing resilience, identity, and the will to keep moving forward.
Will’s journey is honest and unflinching, capturing the frustration, anger, and grief that come with sudden loss. Yet what makes this story truly resonate is how hockey becomes both his anchor and his salvation. The return to the ice, made possible by a prosthetic foot, is handled with grit and authenticity, symbolizing resilience, identity, and the will to keep moving forward.
January 10, 2026
Ahab is a thoughtful and emotionally grounded story about identity, recovery, and resilience. Corporal Will Foley, a young Army paratrooper, faces life-altering loss after a disastrous jump, and the novel captures his struggle to adapt with honesty, humor, and heart. His relationships with his girlfriend, his slacker roommate, and his tough Boston P.D. father add depth and realism to his journey.
Hockey serves as both refuge and redemption, and the return to the ice through a prosthetic foot is portrayed with strength rather than sentimentality. The Bavarian settings, from Oktoberfest in Munich to the hockey arenas of Grafenwöhr and Weiden, are vivid and memorable. A compelling, character-driven story that earns a solid five stars.
Hockey serves as both refuge and redemption, and the return to the ice through a prosthetic foot is portrayed with strength rather than sentimentality. The Bavarian settings, from Oktoberfest in Munich to the hockey arenas of Grafenwöhr and Weiden, are vivid and memorable. A compelling, character-driven story that earns a solid five stars.
December 18, 2025
This isn’t just a hockey novel, and it isn’t just a military story, it’s a deeply human journey about loss, resilience, and finding your footing again when life knocks you off balance. Will Foley’s voice feels honest and lived-in, and the way hockey becomes both refuge and purpose is incredibly moving without ever feeling forced.
What stayed with me most was the atmosphere: Bavaria comes alive on the page, the rink feels like sanctuary, and the emotional weight of family, recovery, and love is handled with real care. The story is tough when it needs to be, hopeful when it matters, and unexpectedly warm throughout.
I came for the hockey. I stayed for the heart.
This is a book that lingers long after the final page, especially if you care about second chances, healing, and the quiet strength it takes to move forward.
What stayed with me most was the atmosphere: Bavaria comes alive on the page, the rink feels like sanctuary, and the emotional weight of family, recovery, and love is handled with real care. The story is tough when it needs to be, hopeful when it matters, and unexpectedly warm throughout.
I came for the hockey. I stayed for the heart.
This is a book that lingers long after the final page, especially if you care about second chances, healing, and the quiet strength it takes to move forward.
March 26, 2026
A stunning debut that blends military life and hockey culture seamlessly. Huestis writes with the precision of a sniper and the heart of a champion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2026
Will Foley is the most compelling protagonist I've encountered in years. His journey from broken soldier to hockey player is both heartbreaking and triumphant.
March 26, 2026
I'm not even a hockey fan, but this book had me cheering out loud. The humanity at its core transcends sport entirely.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
March 26, 2026 Huestis captures Bavaria like a native. The Oktoberfest scenes alone are worth the price of admission.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2026
Part war story, part sports drama, part emotional gut-punch. I finished it in two sittings and immediately wanted to read it again.
March 26, 2026
Bobby Orr called it wonderful and he wasn't wrong. This book is everything right about storytelling.
March 28, 2026
The father-son dynamic between Foley and his Boston P.D. dad is quietly devastating. Some of the best writing in the book.
March 28, 2026
A love letter to wounded warriors everywhere. Huestis honors their sacrifice without ever being preachy or sentimental.
March 28, 2026
The prose is razor sharp. Every sentence earns its place on the page.
March 28, 2026
I gave this to my veteran brother and he called me crying. That says everything.
March 28, 2026
Reminded me why I fell in love with reading. Raw, real, and completely unforgettable.
March 28, 2026
The prosthetic foot scene on the ice made me tear up. Beautifully written moment.
March 28, 2026
Reads like a film. I kept picturing this as a major motion picture throughout.
March 28, 2026
A perfect blend of Full Metal Jacket grit and Slap Shot energy. Huestis pulls it off brilliantly.
March 29, 2026
Will Foley's resilience will stay with me for a very long time. A character for the ages.
March 29, 2026
The descriptions of Germany are so vivid I booked a trip to Bavaria after finishing this.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews