REVIEW: Proof of Our Resolve

Title: Proof of Our Resolve

Author: Chris Hernandez

Genre: military fiction

Price: $5.99 (ebook) / $10.86 (paperback

Publisher: Tactical 16

ISBN 978-0985558291

Point of Sale: Amazon

Reviewed by: Chris Gerrib

Some time back, I stumbled on the blog of Chris Hernandez while searching for something else.  From his author’s bio: Chris Hernandez is a 20 year police officer, former Marine and currently serving National Guard soldier with over 25 years of military service. He is a combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan and also served 18 months as a United Nations police officer in Kosovo.  In short, Chris is a guy who has a lot to say about police and military matters.  So, having seen he wrote two novels, I took a chance and bought one. 

Proof of Our Resolve is informed by Chris’s experience in Afghanistan.  It’s a fictionalized account of a Texas Army National Guard platoon sent there to handle mostly convoy escorts, and their activities in a fictionalized couple of Taliban-infested Afghan valleys.  Chris makes it a point to note that he was not any sort of Special Forces “operator,” but nor was he a FOBbit (somebody who hangs out at a Forward Operating Base and never goes outside the wire).  No, Chris was a grunt, and this is the story of grunts doing regular grunt work.

Proof of Our Resolve is a short novel – 185 pages – but packed with action.  The author has an eye for characters and an ear for dialog, which show throughout the book.  Chris also spent some time with French forces in Afghanistan, and he found them tough and competent, which reflects their characterization in this book.  There’s soldier language and soldier violence to spare, but damn this is a good book.

9/10