Beowulf by Ronie Kendig
The third in A Breed Apart series brings Beowulf, an explosives detection dog, and his handler, Timbrel Hogan. Beowulf and Hogan are assigned to assist with sniffing out some potential WMDs with a team in Afghanistan. A member of the team, Candyman, took a liking to Timbrel when they met. Using Beo as a buffer, Timbrel does her best to avoid him and get the job done. When Beo hits on explosives and it turns out to be a false hit, Timbrel's confidence takes a hit and she returns stateside. However, she was on a collision course with Tony "Candyman" Van Allen and the proof she needed that Beo has a perfect track record without a false hit. Add in a Hollywood starlet mother and Timbrel must face her past to march on to her future.
Kendig kept the action rolling in Beowulf. She never fails to deliver a story which will increase your appreciation for our military men and women. I have to admit though Beowulf failed to keep my attention as her other books have when not focused on the action portion of the story.
I found Timbrel to be a tough-as-nails chic. The problem is that she never showed a vulnerable side which justified Candyman's attraction to her. Of course Candyman's internal monologue showed exactly what he was attracted to and it wasn't her personality. In order to account for Timbrel's lack of personality, Kendig increased her physical attraction. Honestly between Timbrel's attitude, Beowulf, and their bond; I don't know why Tony stuck around or pursued her as he did. She never cracked enough to give him hope.
When she did finally crack Tony was the one pushing her away. Tony's family history complicated his recovery from a potentially career-ending injury. His fears of a dim future created a distance that Timbrel had just attempted to close.
Beowulf seemed overwrought with romantic drama. I don't recall any of Kendig's previous stories being centered on the love story before. The epic love story or OTP as TV viewers would refer to it was the weak section of Beowulf. When moving through the military action or even the tracking of the WMDs, Beowulf was a story I couldn't be pulled away from. The drama from the romance bogged the book down.
I still have to rate this book high because I'm not sorry I read it. Compared to Kendig's other works it is probably her weakest in the A Breed Apart series. Kendig continues to deliver on the action though and it appears it will be Dean Watters turn in Raptor 6.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Lone Survivor (Movie)
Just returned home from seeing Lone Survivor the movie. I reviewed the book the other day. More than likely this is going to be a jumbled mess of thoughts. This is not a movie review as there is nothing on this Earth that could justify reviewing this movie..
I am in awe of the character of those who volunteer to become a member of our American military. They go in knowing they will sacrifice more than they'll reap. When you become an elite member of our military the sacrifices double and your life expectancy takes a hit. Still there are men and women who join these ranks and I can't thank them all nor express the depth of my gratitude.
A few years ago I had the pleasure of talking with my cousin who served in the Air Force. Amidst all my questions he made two things clear a) he is glad that most Americans live clueless as to what happens in areas our soldiers are deployed to and b) the news media is the biggest steaming pile of poo. Those are my words not his.
I'm sure there are many people who wish movies weren't filmed about the military. I've seen an overwhelming positive response to Lone Survivor. Something that struck me at the end of this movie is their deaths should not be in vain. The freedom I enjoy as an American came/comes at a price. A steep price. Men and women have been dying for centuries to preserve my way of life. The least I can do is repay them by living my life to the fullest. I may never find myself in a gunfight on the side of a mountain. However, I need to dig deep for the courage to do other things. While those who protect my freedom might not judge how I live my life, I am compelled to honor their sacrifice by living it to match the price paid for it. i started 2014 wanting to make this a year of change for myself. I'm going to steal from the SEALS and adopt an attitude of "never out of the fight." The only one who can take me out is me; I'm choosing now to not quit.
In an interview on CNN Marcus Luttrell corrected Jake Tapper when Tapper suggested there was a hopelessness to Operation Red Wing. Marcus corrected him. He reiterated it they never felt hopeless. The fight wasn't over until they were dead. Sadly three of them did die. "It was our job. We didn't complain about it."
When a movie like Lone Survivor, Black Hawk Down, Act of Valor, or Seal Team Six premieres it either affirms people's hate of war or justifies others war ideals. What I take out of these movies and from conversations with current and former military is they feel a calling. Some of them love their country to an extent they'll die defending it. Others have an intense desire to protect. Still others find a family within the military. Regardless their motive, their mindset is the same. They put themselves somewhere low on the totem pole of priority. They are an amazing group of individuals.They march to the beat of honor, integrity, focus, discipline, and humility.
I am in awe of the character of those who volunteer to become a member of our American military. They go in knowing they will sacrifice more than they'll reap. When you become an elite member of our military the sacrifices double and your life expectancy takes a hit. Still there are men and women who join these ranks and I can't thank them all nor express the depth of my gratitude.
A few years ago I had the pleasure of talking with my cousin who served in the Air Force. Amidst all my questions he made two things clear a) he is glad that most Americans live clueless as to what happens in areas our soldiers are deployed to and b) the news media is the biggest steaming pile of poo. Those are my words not his.
I'm sure there are many people who wish movies weren't filmed about the military. I've seen an overwhelming positive response to Lone Survivor. Something that struck me at the end of this movie is their deaths should not be in vain. The freedom I enjoy as an American came/comes at a price. A steep price. Men and women have been dying for centuries to preserve my way of life. The least I can do is repay them by living my life to the fullest. I may never find myself in a gunfight on the side of a mountain. However, I need to dig deep for the courage to do other things. While those who protect my freedom might not judge how I live my life, I am compelled to honor their sacrifice by living it to match the price paid for it. i started 2014 wanting to make this a year of change for myself. I'm going to steal from the SEALS and adopt an attitude of "never out of the fight." The only one who can take me out is me; I'm choosing now to not quit.
In an interview on CNN Marcus Luttrell corrected Jake Tapper when Tapper suggested there was a hopelessness to Operation Red Wing. Marcus corrected him. He reiterated it they never felt hopeless. The fight wasn't over until they were dead. Sadly three of them did die. "It was our job. We didn't complain about it."
When a movie like Lone Survivor, Black Hawk Down, Act of Valor, or Seal Team Six premieres it either affirms people's hate of war or justifies others war ideals. What I take out of these movies and from conversations with current and former military is they feel a calling. Some of them love their country to an extent they'll die defending it. Others have an intense desire to protect. Still others find a family within the military. Regardless their motive, their mindset is the same. They put themselves somewhere low on the totem pole of priority. They are an amazing group of individuals.They march to the beat of honor, integrity, focus, discipline, and humility.
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Lone Survivor
Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell
There are a few things that I need to preface this review by saying.
A) I am a firm supporter of our military men and women.
B) I set aside a bunch of quotes from the book but really you just need to read the entire book.
C) I read this in anticipation of the movie coming out. I knew the story but wanted the details.
D) I am not a fan of the media. Primarily the American media. a
E) I'm not a fan of politics. Any politics
Marcus Luttrell was 1/4 of the Seal team dispatched for Operation Redwing. An operation took them to the mountain of Afghanistan where a decision cost 3/4 of them their lives. Michael Murphy, Matthew Axelson, and James Suh gave their lives that day for the country they pledged to fight for.
There is something about a Navy SEAL that demands respect. Before they earn their tridents, they are a breed apart from most of the civilization. They are the .05% of the population. They approach life not with the decision to be warriors; they are warriors. It is sewn into their DNA like a calling.
The fabric of who they are in encapsulated in one of the lectures Luttrell received in BUDs.
"Accountability.... Respect.... Integrity.... Reputation...."
There were a whole bunch of words between those key words and the message was character-building and life-changing. The tangible difference between men of SEAL caliber and normal citizens is they possess a determination that won't allow them to quit. They are ingrained with a sense of justice and fight for what is right with unyielding perseverance.
In my opinion this very character trait is the sticking point which put Operation Redwing in dire straits. Faced with killing three unarmed goat herders or risking the consequences of letting them go, they made the decision their conscience could live with. It pinned them down in enemy territory outnumbered 30-1.
As the three other members of Operation Redwing were gunned down, Marcus Luttrell dug deep and fought to survive. Determined to not let his teammate's deaths be in vain, he crawled to survive. The kindness of an Afghanistan man and an ancient principle known as Lokhay kept him alive until he was reunited with American soldiers.
In an age of technological connection, it was a village on the side of a mountain disconnected from the rest of the world where two men from different cultures both risked their lives to save another. Four SEALS spared the lives of innocent farmers while an Afghan village protected an American warrior from the Taliban.
I have many opinions on the vultures who front as reliable news media personnel. I have opinions on the bureaucrats who effectively tie the hands of our military men, leaving them as targets to the enemy who don't fight the war with dignity.
Mostly though I know there are a select few in our Country who are stitched together with loyalty, courage, determination, perseverance, and a confidence to be the best that ever wore a uniform. Marcus Luttrell is one of these men and he told the inspiring story of his survival and the brave men of Operation Redwing.
In Memoriam
http://www.navy.mil/moh/mpmurphy/soa.html
There are a few things that I need to preface this review by saying.
A) I am a firm supporter of our military men and women.
B) I set aside a bunch of quotes from the book but really you just need to read the entire book.
C) I read this in anticipation of the movie coming out. I knew the story but wanted the details.
D) I am not a fan of the media. Primarily the American media. a
E) I'm not a fan of politics. Any politics
Marcus Luttrell was 1/4 of the Seal team dispatched for Operation Redwing. An operation took them to the mountain of Afghanistan where a decision cost 3/4 of them their lives. Michael Murphy, Matthew Axelson, and James Suh gave their lives that day for the country they pledged to fight for.
There is something about a Navy SEAL that demands respect. Before they earn their tridents, they are a breed apart from most of the civilization. They are the .05% of the population. They approach life not with the decision to be warriors; they are warriors. It is sewn into their DNA like a calling.
The fabric of who they are in encapsulated in one of the lectures Luttrell received in BUDs.
"Accountability.... Respect.... Integrity.... Reputation...."
There were a whole bunch of words between those key words and the message was character-building and life-changing. The tangible difference between men of SEAL caliber and normal citizens is they possess a determination that won't allow them to quit. They are ingrained with a sense of justice and fight for what is right with unyielding perseverance.
In my opinion this very character trait is the sticking point which put Operation Redwing in dire straits. Faced with killing three unarmed goat herders or risking the consequences of letting them go, they made the decision their conscience could live with. It pinned them down in enemy territory outnumbered 30-1.
As the three other members of Operation Redwing were gunned down, Marcus Luttrell dug deep and fought to survive. Determined to not let his teammate's deaths be in vain, he crawled to survive. The kindness of an Afghanistan man and an ancient principle known as Lokhay kept him alive until he was reunited with American soldiers.
In an age of technological connection, it was a village on the side of a mountain disconnected from the rest of the world where two men from different cultures both risked their lives to save another. Four SEALS spared the lives of innocent farmers while an Afghan village protected an American warrior from the Taliban.
I have many opinions on the vultures who front as reliable news media personnel. I have opinions on the bureaucrats who effectively tie the hands of our military men, leaving them as targets to the enemy who don't fight the war with dignity.
Mostly though I know there are a select few in our Country who are stitched together with loyalty, courage, determination, perseverance, and a confidence to be the best that ever wore a uniform. Marcus Luttrell is one of these men and he told the inspiring story of his survival and the brave men of Operation Redwing.
In Memoriam
http://www.navy.mil/moh/mpmurphy/soa.html
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