I’ve now read one book SHADOW OPS: CONTROL POINT by an Iraq veteran, Myke Cole and I am in the processing of reading a terrific novel in my crit group by an Afghanistan veteran, M.T. REITEN, (not sold yet, but that’s going to happen soon), and I’ve discovered something fascinating.    

Neither of these men have their heroes resort to redemptive violence.  Or use torture or even condone it.  They’ll fight when attacked, but they don’t glory in fighting and killing.  They look for another way, and they are thoughtful in their analysis of the use of violence to achieve ends.

Which sets an interesting contrast to the numbers of armchair warriors who frequent science fiction.  They seem to glory in the battle, they often use violence as a palliative.  These armchair warriors also get the night before the battle, or the aftermath wrong based on my reading of Myke and Matt’s books.  

Having read these two books by actual warriors there is a deep difference in how men who have actually seen combat deal with the emotions, acknowledge the fear, present the quiet preparation.  In both Myke and Matt’s books their preparation scenes were so powerful even though nothing was technically “happening”.  Of course their action sequences were great, and they both handled hand to hand combat really well, but what got to me were those quiet moments.

I don’t care how many military history books you read I just don’t think you can bring to the writing that sense of verisimilitude that these men managed without experiencing being a soldier.  Since I’ve never been in combat (and hopefully never will be) the most I can aspire to is to do my poor best to learn from their example, and hope my writing manages to be a pale approximation of the true emotions they have engendered.