Gina Rae Mitchell

Silent Heroes by Patricia Furstenberg is a poignant story of war, casualties, camaraderie, and life. Read on to discover more about this book and the author who cared enough to write such a heartfelt story. It’s currently available through Amazon and enrolled in Kindle Unlimited.

SILENT HEROES by Patricia Furstenberg
Published by Independent on July 10, 2019
Genres: Fiction, Military, Thriller
Format: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 368

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.

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My review:

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

Patricia sets the tone in the opening pages while describing the brutal murder of a woman for teaching girls to read. The hatred the Taliban feels and the disregard they have for life broke my heart. It’s hard to imagine the life people lead in this war-torn country while sitting in the comfort of my home. The bravery of the characters captivated me. I also learned quite a bit about the history of Afghanistan, and it’s people through the author’s well-crafted story.

The K-9 members of the unit are equally as important as humans in this story. Their job is dangerous, deadly, and essential to the survival of all. Each dog’s personality shines through the author’s words. She highlights the unfaltering devotion between dog and handler with such feeling; you know they would and do die for each other.

I can not imagine the hours of research Ms, Furstenberg invested in writing such an in-depth book. She crafted every word to evoke the struggles the characters endure. The pacing is excellent. When you lose your breath due to the intensity and think you can’t read more, you are offered a respite through interactions with the elderly, women, children, and animals. The story will truly capture your heart.

This story should be required reading for everyone. I highly recommend this book to fans of fiction, drama, war stories, and history.

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Review: Silent Heroes by Patricia Furstenberg

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Author Interview:

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

How do you choose your character names?

For Silent Heroes, as a contemporary fiction novel, I knew I didn’t have to worry about choosing names that fitted the era, so I went with my gut-feeling. As I created my characters, specific moral values stood
out, as well as personality traits. I have always been fascinated with the secret meaning that names carry and how they suit the 12 signs of the horoscope.

For example, and without giving out too many twists of the plot, one of the leading characters in Silent Heroes is Marine Captain described as “a slender man of medium height,” “a confident West Pointer,”
who “knew his way around any official obstructions,” yet he never smiled. A silent man with a huge heart, but an introvert, so I thought the name Marcos would suit him just fine. You see, 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 the pepper of the story. Always contradicting each other, yet having each other’s back, a
fierce duo when it comes to fighting the enemy.

What inspired you to write in this genre?

I believe that 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 the news coming not from a Communist-controlled TV program but whispered in the night by a pirate radio station such as Radio Free Europe. During the Romanian Revolution, I stayed indoors while the shooting took place in our neighborhood.

Fast-forward over 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 superposed over that of the
skyscrapers collapsing underneath 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 deal with too many political hot spots around the world, Afghanistan included. The War in Afghanistan spiked my interest through gaining knowledge in the history of military dogs.

Silent Heroes is my second book on the theme of dogs caught in wars. This time I wanted to write a book that will blend deep emotions with incredible knowledge, a book that will explain as well as raise
questions.

I guess my medical studies prepared me for this moment. Not only did I came in contact with a wide range of international students, learning about foreign cultures and beliefs, but I learned about the human
body, alive or dead, about human psychology too.

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

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 the psychological thrillers a pass. Women’s rights are important to me, something readers can pick up in Silent Heroes, so I might have a problem with a historical fiction set during the Medieval era when women had few benefits, especially that of educating themselves. I love to travel and learn, so perhaps contemporary adventure, but throw in some historical facts and some witty remarks for the love of it!

Do you have a set writing schedule?

I am lucky to have a family, and they always come first, always. 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 time. If
I’m up before 4 am I have two solid hours of writing. And it flows because I know I am not needed. Then I write some more during mid-morning. 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 in longhand in my car. It works like a charm.
I also read myself out loud some of the scenes, although to an outsider will look like 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, a cup of coffee to enjoy  Time is precious. I don’t like to make people wait.

If you could form the ultimate writer’s group, which authors past or present would you invite to join you?

Gina, I love this question! I’d invite Agatha Christie, my absolute favorite authoress. There is so much to say about her… I admire her on so many levels, as a strong woman and a determined, prodigious writer. One of my favorite contemporary writers is Kathy Reichs, the author behind the Temperance Brennan books and the Bones TV series. I admire Kathy greatly for how she balances her academic life, her family and her writing career. I’d be thrilled if she, too, could join my writers’ group.

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, about strong women and the legacy they leave behind. It is a book that looks at conflict from a different point of view, revealing little known facts that irk, yet soldiers – humans or dogs -have to deal with. Silent Heroes is also a lyrical story, where nature and human thought sing hymns to life. It will prompt you to pause, re-read a passage because it swept you away or to ask questions.

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Review: Silent Heroes by Patricia Furstenberg

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