Wynne's War

Starred review from December 2, 2013
Gwyn’s (Dog on the Cross) story is a gripping tale of men at war in the desolate snow-capped mountains of eastern Afghanistan, and captures the essence of close combat—the terror, excitement, chaos, tension, and cruelty, as well as the harsh decisions men make under stress. Corporal Elijah Russell, an Army Ranger, is assigned to a Special Forces team in Afghanistan to train Green Berets to ride horses for a clandestine mission. The team commander is Captain Wynne, a charismatic, fearless, and ruthless officer whose men worship him. Russell and his battle buddy, Wheels, are part of Wynne’s 13-man SF team, but Russell smells a rat, as the captain’s reputation, mission description, and secrecy spook him. The team’s journey on horseback into the mountains is grueling, and bloody encounters with Chechens and Taliban militants make Russell suspect the mission is bogus. And then things get worse, and Russell finally understands that Captain Wynne has his own strange agenda. This story is not for wimps—the scenes of battlefield wound treatment, and the torture and execution of prisoners, in particular, are grim and will upset some readers. But its gritty realism is part of the strength.

February 15, 2014

For his latest novel, Gwyn (Dog on the Cross) spoke with military personnel, including Green Berets and Army Rangers, and his efforts show: the book pulsates with a verisimilitude that places readers in the war-torn mountains of Afghanistan. When Cpl. Elijah Russell unwittingly reveals his expert horsemanship during a firefight in Iraq, he and his best friend are reassigned to an elite Special Forces unit. He soon realizes why he was summoned: the team, led by its beloved and enigmatic captain, needs Russell to get its stable of horses in riding shape for a covert mission. As the squad approaches the Afghan-Pakistani border, Russell begins questioning this stealth operation. Is it really, as the captain says, about rescuing prisoners of war? What about all this treasure they keep finding? And who exactly is this Captain Wynne, a former hedge fund manager, and what are his true motives? The battle scenes are unabashedly graphic, but readers will be too caught up in their vivid realism to mind. VERDICT Many folks have wondered when American authors would begin producing memorable fiction about the Iraq-Afghanistan wars; with this well-researched, heart-pounding novel, Gwyn stakes his claim. [See Prepub Alert, 11/3/13; author tour.]--Michael Pucci, South Orange P.L., NJ

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