New Novel Set in Afghanistan Is Full of Action and Internal Conflict

A. E. Coussens' new publication Failed State provides an inside look at what the soldiers that fight in Afghanistan, and really across the world, face on a daily basis.

To begin with, we're introduced into Damien Collins, a contract employee who serves the United States army in Afghanistan. Damien is coming home from his support abroad and excited about visiting his wife and little woman. He and his wife have been experiencing some issues, such as his spouse drinking a lot of, but Damien does not have any idea of the complete scope of these problems before he arrives home to a shocking spectacle.

We're then taken back to Damien's recent adventures in Afghanistan. Coussens writes with fantastic wisdom and deftness in his depiction of those Americans that serve in Afghanistan and attempt to keep order in the nation. Between natives who side with the Taliban and a few terrorists, these guys seldom have a simple moment. Coussens takes us directly to a gunfire scene from town roads and the excruciating pain which follows when Damien and his comrades recognize that Loki, among the guys, has been detained by the Afghanis and has been treated as a criminal because of his activities during the battle.
What follows for Damien is a few red tape and a few appearing disgrace in being advised by his boss he can no more function in Afghanistan. Damien and his comrade Cam have been delivered to Dubai to rest and recuperate from their experiences until they come back to the usa. Back in Dubai, more battle arises, although it's more inner as we see just how Damien struggles with the pressures in his life from his job and his house life-or his inability to really have a home life.
The scene changes to show the hottest plottings by other terrorists.
To say more is to give a lot of the storyline away. I felt as though I had been patrolling down the streets of Kabul with all the figures, seeing every construction and waiting each second for the unexpected to occur.
"The Kabul-Jalalabad highway east of town seemed apocalyptic. The group's late model Land Cruiser started to quicken on the street since they left Kabul them behind, the extended VHF antennae mounted on the trunk, wagging from the head end. Leo nodded his headpleased with all the regular and his group. They'd driven through the majority of Kabul within the past several weeks, but not this way from where ancient urban sprawl gave way to industrial chemicals, deep sand, and stone mining pits. Somewhere from the defilade has been Faisal Rahman, a crucial asset who'd gone dim on them at the previous sixteen days.
Ever since that time, the gaming networks, dog trainers, and combating cabals had increased on a huge scale. Fights were held yearly on the town outskirts where crowds could gather unencumbered by external influences such as the Afghan National Police or Taliban decrees about the sin of gaming. Although women were not allowed unless they functioned to take care of the guys or loose kids, the presence and struggle amounts swelled like a bloated carcass. The group followed a procession of personal vehicles and many Jingha trucks packed with guys down the street beyond crumbling compound walls half-buried in changing deserts. Beyond, since the street climbed to crest the initial tide of foothills, the scene became more barren and the wind swirled reddish sand columns throughout the asphalt"
Discuss feeling like you are really there! The endorsements on the book's back cover, most by people in the army, testify to the way true Coussens' descriptions are equally to the setting as well as the procedures the army uses. In reality, it would not be going too far to state Coussens writes such as Tom Clancy, given his attention to detail in addition to his own ability to create suspense.
Personally, as powerful as the scenes from Afghanistan are, what I most appreciated was that the inner battle Damien feels. This is a guy who deeply loves his daughter and wants what's ideal for her, but he feels torn between his passion for his loved ones and his work-the have to secure his nation and individuals who cannot protect themselves. Coussens strikes a power-punch into the reader's gut when it comes to portraying the pain and angst felt by people who serve.
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