Review by Jennifer Aldo -- The Commander
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Jennifer Aldo
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Review by Jennifer Aldo -- The Commander
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Commander" by Dan E. Hendrickson.]
What if I told you about a father with a nine-year-old daughter and a wife named Mary? Or a man dealing with the trauma of losing a thirteen-year-old on an assignment with his best friend Chuck? No, that wouldn't cut it. It's beside the point. Our protagonist Jacob is all that... and more.
Lt. Commander Jacob Edwards of the United States Coast Guard is a brilliant, hardworking, and success-driven lieutenant dedicated to the service. His outstanding performance bringing in the drug cartels at the Mexican Gulf and his work generally, earned him an unusual promotion and a recommendation for a very important top-secret assignment by his mentor and trainer, the legendary Captain Tommy Williams. He took a special liking to Jacob ever since Jacob began training under him. His assignment included commandeering an operation to prevent a terrorist attack on the United States oil production in the Gulf of Mexico. In addition to this secret mission, he was to assume his new promotion as the commander of a Hamilton-class cutter; the First Responder, and was to be very discreet when he received orders directly from the President of the United States.
Vice Commandant Admiral James Harrington's son, Captain Will Harrington, is set up, blackmailed and manipulated by Boris Rasmov, his daughter Natasha and his nephew Peter to divulge details of the Coast Guard ship navigation. Boris is a Russian rogue working for Prince Abuella Hasheen, one of the sons of the Saudi Royal Family responsible for the sabotage of the United States oil production. Jacob is set to get to the root of the operations at the Gulf, but he has no idea of the caliber of people behind these operations…or that the decay had eaten deep into his very own organization.
The Commander by Dan E. Hendrickson is an investigative adventure-seeking novel. It is an action-packed thriller suitable for all readers. The author's descriptive writing style drew a clear image of the modus operandi of the Coast Guard and would be appreciated by other readers like me who have no idea about the force. It was very easy for me to understand the novel and flow at its pace. Not to mention, the pace of the book was fluid and the ideas and events coordinated.
Jacob's character in the book is a well-balanced one. Life, love, friendship, family, work and others not mentioned are all part of him and defines him. He places his priorities and gives the necessary attention to each. Despite being a soldier, he doesn't lose out on other areas of life and socialization like other officers and men in the force. He always makes out time for his family especially his daughter Danielle. I loved this the most. They're both seen on recreational activities having fun and occasionally practicing some father-daughter combat and training.
Noteworthy also is:
His friendship with Chuck and the encouragement they are to each other. They'd been friends for over 16 years and Chuck was Jacob's best man at his wedding and his daughter's God-father. He and Chuck have been inseparable since they graduated from The United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point.
His relationship with the people around him. He is a man able to cultivate good relationships with his co-officers and subordinates. Because of his excellent leadership skills, he was able to win over even the hearts of his crew members that questioned his promotion.
The Commander was amazing. No doubt I enjoyed the book, but I did wish that the author wasn't so forthcoming with all the details and intentions of the characters in the novel. I would prefer a book such as this with a bit more intrigue and obscurity in actions and intentions. I also didn't like the fact that Captain Will had to be dragged into the dirty puddle. It's really sad when good guys are forced or pressurized to go against their moral code.
I loved that the book was well edited. Throughout the entire book, I only came across two grammatical errors, characteristic of a well-edited book. There were a few swear words, but not what you wouldn't hear in everyday speech. Also, it lacked sexual content and is suitable for all types of readers. I would rate this book a 3 out of 4 stars. This is because the lack of mystique dipped my enjoyment of the book. But regardless of all I disliked in the novel, it remains a good book and I wouldn't rate it any lower. I would recommend this book to action-loving readers who appreciate a bit of thrill and adventure.
******
The Commander
View: on Bookshelves
What if I told you about a father with a nine-year-old daughter and a wife named Mary? Or a man dealing with the trauma of losing a thirteen-year-old on an assignment with his best friend Chuck? No, that wouldn't cut it. It's beside the point. Our protagonist Jacob is all that... and more.
Lt. Commander Jacob Edwards of the United States Coast Guard is a brilliant, hardworking, and success-driven lieutenant dedicated to the service. His outstanding performance bringing in the drug cartels at the Mexican Gulf and his work generally, earned him an unusual promotion and a recommendation for a very important top-secret assignment by his mentor and trainer, the legendary Captain Tommy Williams. He took a special liking to Jacob ever since Jacob began training under him. His assignment included commandeering an operation to prevent a terrorist attack on the United States oil production in the Gulf of Mexico. In addition to this secret mission, he was to assume his new promotion as the commander of a Hamilton-class cutter; the First Responder, and was to be very discreet when he received orders directly from the President of the United States.
Vice Commandant Admiral James Harrington's son, Captain Will Harrington, is set up, blackmailed and manipulated by Boris Rasmov, his daughter Natasha and his nephew Peter to divulge details of the Coast Guard ship navigation. Boris is a Russian rogue working for Prince Abuella Hasheen, one of the sons of the Saudi Royal Family responsible for the sabotage of the United States oil production. Jacob is set to get to the root of the operations at the Gulf, but he has no idea of the caliber of people behind these operations…or that the decay had eaten deep into his very own organization.
The Commander by Dan E. Hendrickson is an investigative adventure-seeking novel. It is an action-packed thriller suitable for all readers. The author's descriptive writing style drew a clear image of the modus operandi of the Coast Guard and would be appreciated by other readers like me who have no idea about the force. It was very easy for me to understand the novel and flow at its pace. Not to mention, the pace of the book was fluid and the ideas and events coordinated.
Jacob's character in the book is a well-balanced one. Life, love, friendship, family, work and others not mentioned are all part of him and defines him. He places his priorities and gives the necessary attention to each. Despite being a soldier, he doesn't lose out on other areas of life and socialization like other officers and men in the force. He always makes out time for his family especially his daughter Danielle. I loved this the most. They're both seen on recreational activities having fun and occasionally practicing some father-daughter combat and training.
Noteworthy also is:
His friendship with Chuck and the encouragement they are to each other. They'd been friends for over 16 years and Chuck was Jacob's best man at his wedding and his daughter's God-father. He and Chuck have been inseparable since they graduated from The United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point.
His relationship with the people around him. He is a man able to cultivate good relationships with his co-officers and subordinates. Because of his excellent leadership skills, he was able to win over even the hearts of his crew members that questioned his promotion.
The Commander was amazing. No doubt I enjoyed the book, but I did wish that the author wasn't so forthcoming with all the details and intentions of the characters in the novel. I would prefer a book such as this with a bit more intrigue and obscurity in actions and intentions. I also didn't like the fact that Captain Will had to be dragged into the dirty puddle. It's really sad when good guys are forced or pressurized to go against their moral code.
I loved that the book was well edited. Throughout the entire book, I only came across two grammatical errors, characteristic of a well-edited book. There were a few swear words, but not what you wouldn't hear in everyday speech. Also, it lacked sexual content and is suitable for all types of readers. I would rate this book a 3 out of 4 stars. This is because the lack of mystique dipped my enjoyment of the book. But regardless of all I disliked in the novel, it remains a good book and I wouldn't rate it any lower. I would recommend this book to action-loving readers who appreciate a bit of thrill and adventure.
******
The Commander
View: on Bookshelves
Latest Review: War Tower by Joseph Leo DeCelle
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Diana Lowery
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I do like this genre in movies, so I might enjoy reading this book. You described the characters well.
Latest Review: Bless Your Heart by Susann Camus
