|
The Soul Of A Seal
by Anne Elizabeth has something for every type of reader.
It is part adventure, part military thriller, part political,
and has a steamy romance. If so inclined, people my want to
skip some of the hot and heavy physical intimacy and concentrate
on the extensive and detailed scenes of space, shuttle design,
and the training involved. The book references different military
settings, military issues, and historical events.
Being married to a Vietnam veteran, a retired SEAL, she wants
“to give insight into the SEAL community, respectful
of our courageous souls, and to illustrate how hard and complicated
dedication can be as well as how precious those peaceful moments
are. There are basic facts that are true to all military life:
struggles with marriage, family, relationships, money, health,
and returning home. My husband told me that in my writing
I should honor the community and country. I wanted to inform
people about the challenges and to show their personal courage.
The characters are based on real life former SEALs. I am very
careful to craft a plot that does not hijack the veteran’s
story so I only use elements of it.”
The plot
has a Navy SEAL, Captain Bennett Sheraton, sent to find out
who is sabotaging a top-secret program that will allow him
to captain a space shuttle. He becomes attracted to the lead
scientist, Dr. Kimberly Warren. They must untangle if the
culprit is a lone wolf or part of a major conspiracy involving
different US agencies or foreign powers.
The action and adventure comes from her personal experiences
that include her flying an airplane, parachuting, and mountain
biking. Anne is one of those authors who does not just do
the talk, but have actually done the walk.
She noted the fact versus fiction of the story. Fact: SEALs
are on call 24/7 if they are in operational mode. Many SEALs
desire to become astronauts after retiring and some have actually
achieved that goal. At the end of the book Anne details the
experiences of Chris Cassidy and William Shepherd. She also
wants people to understand how “Underwater Demolition
Team Frogmen, precursors to the Navy SEALs played a key role
during the Gemini and Apollo programs by leaping in the water
to recover the capsule and help the astronaut.” On the
other hand pure creative thought was the Lester Facility,
a covert place that will launch hardware into space via the
Warren shuttle.
A powerful quote describes these silent fighters, both in
real life and fiction. “The public would be unaware
of the men’s pain and sacrifices. The selfless warrior
did not require an accolade; rather, survival and success
were the greatest gifts of all.”
The author explained, “I hope readers are encouraged
to learn more about the real life personalities of these men
who contributed to the betterment of all humanity. They are
my words but it is based on the SEALs who I know. Part of
their motto is ‘never quit.’ They are not limelight
guys but rather are quiet, humble, bold, strong, and brave.”
This novel has elements of a thriller, science fiction, mystery,
and romance. It is a good read to understand a little of the
SEAL personality and missions, as well as the effect it has
on their persona.
|
