AW Schade - If I Fail, What Doom Awaits the Children

BOOK REVIEW

Reviewed by Shobana Gomes, Poet/Writer, Published Author, Book Reviewer

https://reviewservicebyshobana.blogspot.com

Date of Review: 28^th January 2019

Title of Book: If I Fail, What Doom Awaits the Children 

Author: AW Schade

ISBN-13: 978-097885651 9

Publisher: Another View Publishing

Publication Date: January 1, 2018

Edition: Paperback

Pages: 76

Price: USD4.98 (sold on Amazon)

Review

“Where are the girls?” He asked himself. He expected to at least see their heads animated as they clowned with each other in the back seat. But, no fooling around was going on and he wondered why.

 (Excerpt from A.W. SCHADE’s book “If I fail, what doom awaits the children)

A story skillfully woven to ignite suspense in the reader from the start. The story of Jacob A. Hinsen, a 65-year-old war veteran on a redemptive mission to impart therapy and support to PTSD veterans through volunteer work at the V.A.

However, a turn of events one morning, saw him rescuing three young girls from the hands of dangerous child traffickers!

Jacob’s expertise and training in war-related missions in Vietnam stood out throughout his quest to track and kill the kidnappers one by one. An account of his role while in combat, in the form of flashbacks that he recounts during the life-saving operation, reveals his hidden remorse and regret at the atrocities he faced during combat.

The story ends with a tinge of regret, perhaps even with some guilt. Jacob also attributes divine intervention in certain instances in this life-saving operation, always wondering at the back of his mind, if the events that took place were circumstantial.

I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to have a taste and feel of rescue, combat style which instilled in me recognition to the adage that when time is of the essence, no matter what it takes, instincts and rescue attempts warrant split-second decisions that are sometimes hard to accept on a personal level.

About the Author

A.W. Schade is a Marine Veteran turned prolific writer. With an impressive track record of 30 years in the corporate sector, first as a Bank Manager and thereafter in corporate executive marketing, business development, operations and sales, positions that he held right after his early retirement from the Marines. (He opted for early retirement as a result of recurring flashes of his darkest memories of combat in Vietnam).  As fate would have it, Schade was diagnosed with PTSD, something that in the early stages, he was not inclined to accept and denied. After eventually seeking assistance in therapy and recognizing the need to raise awareness to PTSD, in order to help other veterans who were experiencing the same disorder, he began to write stories to “open minds” as he so aptly writes in his biography.

AW Schade has skillfully demonstrated in his books that the effects of war on veterans and families are very real, damaging and one that needs lifelong healing and support.

His energy directed at writing and thus seeking remedial recovery is credible. What is more commendable and admirable is that he shares his experience to help other veterans and families affected by PTSD by raising awareness of the disorder through therapy sessions and support groups.

Schade is married, a father of three and a four-time grandfather. He holds a degree in Business Management from Syracuse University.

His Written Accreditation to-date

His first story was the award-winning novel, "Looking for God within the Kingdom of Religious Confusion," An enlightening 'creative non-fiction' story of one man's journey to find the truth about God and religion.

To help veterans recognize and accept PTSD, he wrote a story titled “The Demons of War are Persistent – his personal account of denial and living with PTSD and an essay titled “Not Alone” about the trepidation of entering group therapy. Both books are free to read and download on his website https://www.awschade.com

His keen eye and experience in combat techniques saw him publish his first suspense-filled short story.  In “If I fail, what doom awaits the children”, Schade shows his humane and compassionate side as he writes fiction about three kidnapped children who are saved by an elderly veteran, Jacob A.Hinsen.

 In August 2017, Schade went one step further and consolidated all his stories into a single volume “anthology PERCEPTION.' Thus making his stories easier for readers to acquire individually or all in one compelling storybook.*

In conclusion, AW Schade writes with clarity and honesty and comes across as a war veteran who shares his stories through the many personal tragedies that he has faced during combat in Vietnam.