I picked this book up by mistake; I thought it was a mystery and it’s not. It could be described as a thriller, but given the life experience of the author, it could also be described as an education. And by the way, though I expected one thing and soon realized my mistake; after just a single paragraph, I was pulled into this novel and couldn’t stop until finished.

Air Force Major Parson and Army interpreter Gold are part of a crew transporting an Afghan radical mullah to a base where he can be interrogated. The plane takes off during a snow storm and before getting very far, is shot down by the Taliban followers of the mullah. Parson and Gold, with the mullah as prisoner, leave the wreckage before the Taliban who shot them down can converge on their position. They immediately find themselves in extreme circumstances; the blizzard is only getting worse and rescue isn’t possible until the weather clears a little. They are not dressed in appropriate cold weather gear and are also low on food and ammo. Oh, and the mullah’s followers are determined to not only rescue their leader but also punish those responsible for his humiliation.

This is an exciting and compelling read. Gold and Parson are both believable characters, and though I enjoyed the ’thrilling’ aspects of the storyline, my favorite part was the subtle change the author conveys in Parson’s attitude toward the Afghani people.

So why was this novel an education? Thomas Young served in both Iraq and Afghanistan with the Air National Guard as a flight engineer — he knows of what he writes and he writes about the intricacies of modern warfare with terrifying clarity. I came away with a much better understanding of what we are expecting from the men and women serving in our armed forces. A terrific read. ~Patti