Give me a good story with characters I care about and I’m a happy man. I want a book to provide an escape from the routines of daily life and allow me to make an emotional connection with the characters. And if I’m very lucky, the book will also make me think and/or teach me something new. Veterans Day by Jack Stewart achieved all of this and more. It’s a theological and mystical Jack Reacher-like novel with an absorbing plot, mysterious characters, plenty of action, and several gasp-inducing twists to keep the reader on their toes.
Veterans Day combines military operations, vigilante justice and the spiritual world into one story about losing yourself before finding redemption via faith, action, and forgiveness. Ronan Doyle is a compelling protagonist who hits rock bottom before facing various trials he doesn’t understand but are ultimately the path to salvation. Following his journey is inspiring and you can’t help but root for him while he fights the forces of evil to not only to save the day, but to save himself in the process. Thankfully Ronan has a guardian angel – and an unanticipated kick-ass female partner – on his side to help him find the way.
Honestly, Veterans Day book was not at all what I was expecting and a bit out of my spiritual comfort zone. However, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It felt intimately personal, with the author reflecting on a long, distinguished military career and the people he’s encountered along the way, which came out in the writing and made it easy to connect with the plot and characters. As such, I flew through the book in less than 24 hours. It’s a good story that will resonate with all thriller fans, but I suspect those with deep faith and spirituality will find a higher plane of gratification from this book.
Count me in as a Jack Stewart fan and I will be rooting for him to land a publishing deal. Thriller fans deserve to read his well-written work.
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