by Ward Just
First published 2009
A young American man receives orders that will take him far from home. His destination is South America, where he will work for an American organization whose true purposes remain unclear. The assignment promises adventure but delivers complications he never anticipated. As he navigates unfamiliar terrain and foreign politics, he must decide what he owes his country and what he owes himself. The work changes him in ways he cannot predict. Ward Just draws on his experience as a Washington Post journalist to craft a story about duty, loyalty, and the price of serving causes larger than oneself. The young man's mission becomes a test of character in a world where nothing is as simple as it first appears.
Genres: american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, adventure
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-driven, fish-out-of-water
Setting: South America, United States
Period: 20th Century
208 pages · Kindle Edition · PublicAffairs