BoonieRats

 

The story introduces Jake “Hunter” Olson as he transforms from cynical cold-hearted attorney into a caring individual when seeing a fellow Vietnam veteran about to take his own life. It seems Jake is more admirable when focusing on others instead of pondering his own defective soul. Makes a guy think. Then there are hints of a motorcycle club; as in bikers. They’re military veterans recruiting their final member and the troubled vet fits the bill. And he’s not the only one in the group with problems; they all have issues. Who doesn’t? Then the story takes you back in time to explain the horrors of Nam and how Jake became known as the Hunter.

 

The BoonieRats Motorcycle Club starts as a small group of friends and becomes an elite unit of brothers; each with special abilities. I thought we had esprit de corps in the Marines but the thought of choosing your brothers, and having them choose you, must have been uplifting. If I sound like I’m talking about real people I guess I am because their personalities are so vivid. At times I wonder if it all really happened somewhere. But the story is a fast and engaging read; definitely a novel.

 

This isn’t the first story of likeable criminals. I’m no outlaw but pulled for them before they got involved in their scheme and never quit on them. Why? In many ways they’re a lot like me as a human being. In the right circumstances many “normal” people would do the same as these guys; they just wouldn’t be as good at it. Believe me; I know what motivated men trained as soldiers are capable of. But the BoonieRats still struggle in their personal lives like everybody else. That’s really what this book is all about. Excellent!

 

                                                               Jim Thorsen – Marine Vietnam vet boonierat