“Doc” Hardesty–G.I. turned solider of fortune, turned photographer–tries to lead a peaceful life, but they keep coming back and not letting him.
This time, “they” want him to rescue a hostage from some Cuban terrorists, and the hostage is the woman he’s most loved in his life, the journalist that helped him turn from a killer into an artist.
The rescue, run by U.S. government agencies, also makes use of an old comrade of Doc’s, “Jim Dandy” Earl, colorful rock’n’roll warrior currently about to be betrayed by the army he’s training in Africa.
This is a short novel at 40.000 words, a conversion from the screenplay. That’s why it’s free or cheap (depending on how sharp you are at acquiring budget ebooks). It provides an introduction to Doc, an unusual action hero who doesn’t like action, doesn’t want to be a hero, and isn’t even the main character in his own novels.
Doc is an interesting guy, but almost serves to merely introduce more spectacular characters. Like the flamboyant, gorgeous, deadly Dancy Russell in “For Your Damned Love” and rocker/shooter wildman Jim Dandy–ex football star, ex grunt, currently a rollicking mercenary and lover boy–in “Afro-Cuban Boogie Woogie”.
