Review: Silent Heroes by Patricia Furstenberg

Not every hero on the front line is human. Some serve on four legs-with courage, loyalty, and a devotion that never wavers.

Some books entertain us, while others deepen our understanding of lives and experiences far removed from our own. Silent Heroes by Patricia Furstenberg does both.

Set against the harsh realities of war in Afghanistan, this moving novel explores the courage, sacrifice, and unbreakable bonds shared by soldiers, military working dogs, and the people caught in the conflict around them. Patricia brings humanity to every side of the story while paying heartfelt tribute to the remarkable dogs whose service is too often overlooked.

I was deeply affected by Silent Heroes when I first read it, and its themes of loyalty, compassion, and quiet heroism have stayed with me.

Refresh Note: This review and author interview were originally published in 2020. I have refreshed the post with updated book and author information, new graphics, improved formatting, and additional reader guidance. My original review and Patricia Furstenberg's thoughtful interview responses remain substantially unchanged.

Book Details

Silent Heroes: When Love and Values Are Worth Fighting For
By Patricia Furstenberg
Published by Independent on July 10, 2019
Genres: Fiction, Military, Thriller
Formats: Audiobook, eBook, Hardcover, Paperback
Pages: 370

How far would you go to save strangers in need? A group of Marines and their MWD, Military Working Dogs, are about to find out. Will they succeed? And at what cost.

Silent Heroes is a highly emotional read, action-packed, a vivid story of enormous sacrifice and bravery. When the Taliban descends in the village of Nauzad and discover girls can read, a woman accepts the blame and is killed on the spot for breaking Islam law. Her teenage daughter witnesses the sacrifice and swears revenge. Her life and that of her brother become intertwined with those of the US Marines serving at FOB Day nearby. But the Taliban is infiltrated everywhere, and friends or foes are hard to differentiate.

The U.S. Marines fight bravely to protect the civilians of Nauzad and to fend off the Taliban at Qala-e-Bost, thus protecting Bost Airport, a vital strategic point for the allies. Faced with questions about the necessity of the war, with the trauma of losing their platoon-mates and the emotional scars of battle, the US Marines race against time in one last conflict to eradicate the Taliban before it is too late.

The War in Afghanistan is a contemporary, vitally important conflict whose meaning needs to be understood by the public worldwide. ‘Silent Heroes’ is a narrative about the value of life and the necessity of combat; the terror of dying; the ordeal of seeing your loved ones and your platoon-mates killed in front of your eyes; the trauma of taking a human life.

From the storyteller of the bestseller, “Joyful Trouble” comes a riveting, fictional account inspired by the War in Afghanistan, a battle that spanned centuries and has affected the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review. All opinions and thoughts shared here are entirely my own.

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Reader Resources

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Reader Info at a Glance

Best For	Readers of emotional military fiction, war dramas, and powerful human-animal bonds
Pacing	Intense and action-driven, with well-placed reflective pauses
Overall Feel	Harrowing, compassionate, thought-provoking, and ultimately hopeful
Setting	Wartime Afghanistan
Themes	Courage, sacrifice, loyalty, trauma, humanity, and survival
Military Dogs	Essential characters whose work, personalities, and bonds with their handlers shape the story
Rating	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Here's how the book worked for me as a reader.

My Thoughts

Silent Heroes is a thought-provoking story about a Marine K-9 unit serving in Afghanistan. The storyline is graphic and intense, yet it is also filled with glimpses of the country's underlying beauty.

Patricia Furstenberg sets the tone in the opening pages with the brutal murder of a woman for teaching girls to read. The Taliban's hatred and disregard for human life broke my heart. Sitting in the comfort of my own home, I found it difficult to imagine the realities faced by people living in this war-torn country.

The bravery of the characters captivated me. Through Patricia's carefully researched story, I also learned a great deal about Afghanistan's history and its people.

The K-9 members of the unit are every bit as important as the humans in this story. Their work is dangerous, deadly, and essential to everyone's survival. Each dog's distinct personality shines through Patricia's words. She portrays the unwavering devotion between the dogs and their handlers with such feeling that you know they would-and do-risk their lives for one another.

I cannot imagine the hours of research Patricia invested in writing such an in-depth novel. She crafted every word to convey the struggles the characters endure, and the pacing is excellent. Just when the intensity leaves you breathless and you think you cannot read more, she offers a brief respite through interactions with the elderly, women, children, and animals.

This story truly captured my heart. I believe it should be required reading, and I highly recommend it to readers who appreciate powerful fiction, military dramas, war stories, and history.

Meet Patricia Furstenberg

The compassion and careful research woven throughout Silent Heroes made me curious about the author behind the story. Patricia Furstenberg joined me to discuss the experiences and ideas that shaped the novel, her connection to stories about dogs and war, and a few of the habits and inspirations behind her writing.

Author Interview

Gina, thank you for inviting me to your lovely blog for a book chat. I am thrilled to be here and to share some interesting insights into my latest novel, Silent Heroes, with you and your readers.

How do you choose your character names?

For Silent Heroes, a contemporary fiction novel, I knew I didn't have to worry about choosing names that fit a particular era, so I went with my gut feeling. As I created my characters, specific moral values and personality traits stood out. I have always been fascinated by the secret meanings names carry and how they suit the twelve signs of the horoscope.

For example, without giving away too many twists in the plot, one of the leading characters in Silent Heroes is a Marine captain described as "a slender man of medium height" and "a confident West Pointer" who "knew his way around any official obstructions," yet he never smiled.

He is a silent man with a huge heart, but also an introvert, so I thought the name Marcos would suit him well. The root of the name Marcos is Mars, the Greek god of war, but it also means soft and tender.

Two other U.S. Marines are known by their nicknames, Tweedledee and Tweedledum. These two are the salt and pepper of the story-always contradicting each other, yet always having each other's backs. They are a fierce duo when it comes to fighting the enemy.

What inspired you to write in this genre?

I believe history does not belong only in history books or in the past. I was in my late teens when the Eastern Bloc fell, so I grew up with news coming not from Communist-controlled television but whispered in the night through pirate radio stations such as Radio Free Europe. During the Romanian Revolution, I stayed indoors while shooting took place in our neighborhood.

Fast-forward more than a decade: I was pregnant with my first child when the Twin Towers collapsed. I still remember a female reporter with dark hair and a white blouse, her image superimposed over the skyscrapers collapsing beneath a sky saturated with black smoke. The memory plays over and over again, the way things happen in a nightmare. My heart still goes out to the thousands of Americans who were tragically affected by those events.

"Politics is not a board game, although politicians certainly make it look that way."

Today, we face too many political hot spots around the world, Afghanistan included. The War in Afghanistan sparked my interest in learning more about the history of military dogs.

Silent Heroes is my second book about dogs caught in wars. This time, I wanted to write a book that would blend deep emotion with extensive knowledge-a book that would explain while also raising questions.

I suppose my medical studies prepared me for this moment. Not only did I come into contact with a wide range of international students and learn about different cultures and beliefs, but I also learned about the human body, alive or dead, and about human psychology.

We read through the prism of our life experiences, and some books succeed in shining a spotlight on our own lives and the world around us. I hope Silent Heroes is such a book.

If an author fictionalized your life, in which genre would the story belong?

Oh, I love this question, Gina. Can I weigh the pros and cons of different genres?

I love my family, so I'll give psychological thrillers a pass. Women's rights are important to me-something readers can pick up on in Silent Heroes-so I might have difficulty with historical fiction set during the medieval era, when women had few rights, especially access to education.

I love to travel and learn, so perhaps it would be a contemporary adventure with some historical facts and witty remarks thrown in for the love of it!

Do you have a set writing schedule?

I am lucky to have a family, and they always come first. With this in mind, I write best when I know they don't need me, so I prefer to wake before the crack of dawn and write before school starts.

If I'm up before 4 a.m., I have two solid hours to write. The words flow because I know I am not needed elsewhere. Then I write some more during midmorning. It works for me.

Do you need silence to write, or can you work in any environment?

I prefer silence and to be left on my own. Don't sit next to me, don't step behind me, or even blink while glancing over my shoulder-and don't address me unless the house is flooded.

What is your most unusual writing quirk?

I can write in my car just as well-as long as I have coffee with me. The enclosed space is like a cocoon that helps me focus. When I can't get a scene rolling, I write longhand in my car. It works like a charm.

I also read some of my scenes aloud, although to an outsider, it might look as though I am muttering to myself.

Do you usually arrive early, on time, or late?

I usually arrive early. I don't mind waiting; there is always something-or someone-to observe and a cup of coffee to enjoy. Time is precious, and I don't like to make people wait.

If you could form the ultimate writers' group, which authors, past or present, would you invite?

Gina, I love this question! I'd invite Agatha Christie, my absolute favorite author. There is so much to say about her. I admire her on many levels, both as a strong woman and as a determined, prolific writer.

One of my favorite contemporary writers is Kathy Reichs, the author behind the Temperance Brennan books and the television series Bones. I greatly admire how Kathy balances her academic life, family, and writing career. I'd be thrilled if she could join my writers' group, too.

Which three words best describe you?

Creative. Determined. Positive.

Is there anything you would like my readers to know about you and your book?

Silent Heroes is more than a novel about war. It is a story about hope and humanity, strong women, and the legacies they leave behind.

It looks at conflict from a different point of view, revealing little-known and troubling realities that soldiers-human or canine-must face. Silent Heroes is also a lyrical story in which nature and human thought sing hymns to life.

It may prompt you to pause and reread a passage because it swept you away-or because it made you ask questions.

Learn more:
Website |Amazon | Goodreads | Author Hub

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