Tarnished Brass

by

Max L. Knight

  Genre: Historical Fiction / Novella / War

Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.

Date of Publication: September 20, 2019

Number of Pages: 114

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The war in El Salvador as seen through the eyes of a U.S. Army officer, a guerrilla leader, and a refugee turned gang member

Patrick Michael Moynihan finds himself returning to the small Central American country where, as a young impressionistic junior officer, he was thrust into the middle of a brutal civil war.

Miguel Alejandro Xenias, once a member of the ruling elite in El Salvador, recalls his change of heart, advancement within the guerrilla movement, and his new-found hope for the country now that the FMLN is in power.

Antonio Cruz, seeking a new life in America, finds only a different kind of hatred and conflict, joins the street gang MS-13, and returns home bringing with him a new kind of warfare.

These perspectives spotlight an ongoing struggle in El Salvador that continues to impact the immigration crisis on our southern border and the spread of gang violence throughout the United States.

More than just a history of the war in El Salvador, a conflict that ended almost thirty years ago, Tarnished Brass gives voice to those who fought and those who only wanted to escape the violence.

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This novella packs a punch when it comes to covering the war in El Salvador.

While the story is fiction it is based on real events in the 80s into the early 90s.  From the guerrilla warfare, the corrupt governments, and even some human interest when it comes to refugees, this book shines a light on an event most of us probably weren’t even aware of – assuming you are old enough to remember that time period!

I was enthralled with this story as events unfolded and gave us a picture of what this country looked like in the 80s.  I felt like the author did an outstanding job of sharing facts of this war along with military terminology so that I felt like I might have been there as an observer.  But at the same time, some of these stories were heartbreaking when it came to those escaping to the USA for a chance at a better life, yet not finding one.  Or the young boy that turned to gangs to fill a void that he felt needed to be filled.  Or the priests in the Catholic Church that lose their life because they dare to stand up to the factions.  Patrick, who is in the US military, gets too close to the situation and luckily escapes before his luck runs out.

War is brutal and I cannot imagine living in a country that is torn apart by mercenaries or guerrillas on a daily basis.  When reading a book like this it makes me appreciate what I have and where I live even more.  Thank you to Max for sharing his knowledge and experiences with us in this book.

We give this 5 paws up.

Max Knight was born in Panama and grew up in the Canal Zone and in San Antonio, Texas. He graduated from Texas A&M University in 1973 with a bachelor’s degree in English. A Distinguished Military Graduate, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army and served twenty-four years in the Air Defense Artillery retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

In addition to assignments within his basic branch, Max also specialized as a Foreign Area Officer in both the European Theatre of Operations (Germany and Greece) and within USSOUTHCOM (Panama, Honduras, and El Salvador). He received the Defense Superior Service Medal for his service in El Salvador during that country’s civil war. Max earned his master’s degree in government from Campbell University and retired from the Army in 1997.

Upon retirement, Max was hired by RCI Technologies in San Antonio and became its Director of Internal Operations. He also was the first volunteer docent at the Alamo working within its Education Department. However, following the tragic events of 9/11, he became an Independent Contractor and spent the next ten years as a Counterintelligence Specialist in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Central America before cancer forced him to quit.

Max has since published a memoir, Silver Taps, and a novel of westward expansion, Palo Duro. He resides in San Antonio with his wife, Janet “Gray.” They have three surviving children; Lisa, Brian, and Sean, and three grandchildren; Tony, Nicholas, and Cecilia Marie.

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GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

One Winner: Signed copy of Tarnished Brass + $25 Amazon Gift Card

OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 8, 2019

(U.S. Only)

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