KEN EADE, MASTER OF SUSPENSE THAT THRILLS AND AWAKENS
To many, the signature reality behind Ken Eade’s new novel, “Beyond All Recognition” may be a lot too handle. I say “signature reality” because Ken Eade’s fictional creations always embody a intrinsic connection to social and political realities that Ken Eade is committed to expose- not just intellectually, but emotionally, through the power of a supercharged suspense thriller.
Perhaps this novel could be, for some, even more shocking than his others- because the subject of death squads is so inimical to the normal American conscience, however tarnished or challenged through recent obstructions to our citizen and human rights. In “Beyond All Recognition,” attorney/protagonist Brent Marks, star of the continuing Brent Marks Legal Thriller Series, takes on a case defending Captain Ryan Bennington, whose company had killed various suspected Al-Qaeda terrorists years before and is now accused of recklessly killing harmless civilians. The reality that brought these accusations is the basis of a cover-up going to some of the darkest, most opaque secrets of the military-industrial alliance that fomented the Iraq war in the first place.
THE DIRTY BUSINESS OF WAR
To understand why Ken Eade undertook this challenging topic,
you can click here to read his article “The Dirty Business of War.”
EXCERPT FROM THE NOVEL, “BEYOND ALL RECOGNITION “
Trying to find out what Captain Bennington did that would warrant his placement before a military tribunal with the severest possible charges and consequences if convicted, Brent Marks and the Brody, the JAG assigned to Bennington’s case, strongly questioned their client about the incident.
Ruan replied. “I did what every other combat officer in the field does. I studied the intel that came in, they confirmed hostiles that were targeted, and gave the order. “They gave us Level B LOAC training, but we’re not lawyers, man.”
Brody chimed in, “Law of Armed Conflict training.”
“Everything looked legit and they’re the fucking brass. This order came from all the way up, and now they’ve been caught with their pants down and they’re looking at the bottom for a goat.”
“What happened, Ryan?”
Ryan put his face in his hands, sighed, and looked up with heavy eyes.
“Man, we were set up! I’m telling you, civilians get hit all the time! If they turn out to be unarmed, Command tells us to put drop weapons on their bodies.”
“What did your Command tell you about the ROE?”
Ryan looked at Brody curiously. “What?”
“Did your Command authorize deadly force?”
“Of course, man! We were supposed to kill everybody and recover their weapons. Intelligence and combat support marked each house. We were ordered to go in at night under cover of darkness, knock down the doors and shoot any military age male who didn’t obey orders to surrender. You’ve heard of ‘one false move and you’re dead?’ That was it.”
Ryan’s head fell back down in his hands.
Brent prodded him. “Go on, Ryan.” “
Man, I went through years of therapy to get these images out of my head. Now you want me to bring them all back?”
“We can’t help you unless you tell us.”
“You can’t help me, man. This shit is bigger than all of us. There were no Al-Qaeda terrorists in that village and no weapons just like there were no WMDs in the whole fucking country. So I guess that makes everyone in boots on the ground a murderer, huh?”
Eade, Kenneth (2016-07-15). Beyond All Recognition: A Military and Legal Thriller (Brent Marks Legal Thrillers Series Book 9) (Kindle Locations 322-347). Unknown. Kindle Edition.
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KEN EADE, AUTHOR
ITS NOT JUST THE FACTS, IT’S ALSO THE FEELINGS,
REAL WISDOM HAS AN EMOTIONAL BASIS…
WAKING UP IS NOT ALWAYS EASY!
