Some of the best stories out there are difficult to classify, and honestly, that’s a good thing. I’m not looking for the safe when I crack open an original piece of work. I don’t want predictability. I have no interest in the familiar. I crave originality. I seek to get sucked in and rip through chapters with reckless abandon. For Americans searching for a high-quality new read, Scout’s Honor, the new novel by acclaimed author John McNellis checks off all the necessary boxes. Within each page, the world created by McNellis feels just as turbulent and perpetually evolving as the one we live in today. The characters are rich. The tension is real.

For the novel’s protagonist Eddie Kawadsky, it’s the telling of a life interrupted. A heart-wrenching look at an 18-year-old kid wrecked by the unraveling of family amid the conflict in the jungles of Vietnam and the promise of quick money. One that finds him entrenched in the drug trade down in Mexico and on an inevitable collision course with the consequences of his actions.

It’s a growing man at the proverbial crossroads. A coming-of-age story in a time of crisis. As cinematic as anything you’ll find in a Hollywood writing room.

As Eddie lives with his decisions while on the run, he brings the reader along for the ride. You’re by his side at every betrayal, every close call, and every decision made. From beginning his long road to redemption at boot camp as he starts to navigate the straight and narrow, to forging ahead with a new identity and a new purpose as a member of the Marine Corps. The urgency is tangible. A pursuit of success and stability amid the paranoia and anxiety of past decisions.

This is Scout’s Honor. Available now on GOVX.

Stars: 5 out of 5

THE REVIEWS ARE ROLLING IN

“Fast-paced, engaging. A story of personal redemption; timeless, even mythical in the opportunity offered by the Marine Corps—an opportunity Eddie Kawadsky takes—with the lessons and bonds that form the foundation of a new, redeemed life.”

- Mel Spiese, Major General USMC (Ret)

"Scout’s Honor is an engrossing exploration of crime, identity, and redemption.”

- Literary Titan

“A gripping story that explores concepts of right and wrong, justice and consequence, and the intricate nature of redemption and forgiveness."

- Prairie Book Review

“With its measured pacing and tight plotting, the novel makes for a must-read for aficionados of literary fiction.”

- BookViewReview.com

CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR:

If you’d like to share your thoughts about Scout’s Honor with John, please reach out to him at [email protected].