This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite
D.O.L.: Light Running in Afghanistan by Jason Logan Maxwell melds military thriller, speculative fiction, and coming-of-age drama to deliver entertainment for fans of action-packed narratives. The story follows Lilly, a young woman with enhanced powers. She is one of those who are called the “Light Runners.” After a harrowing escape from a terrorist stronghold and the loss of her friend Maui, Lilly is assigned to a team of enhanced operatives from the secretive ARMOR organization to stop an illicit exchange of dangerous “AM weapons.” What lies ahead is worse than anything she has experienced before: she faces many powerful enemies after her parachute drops in enemy territory. Captured and tortured by the Taliban, she escapes and finds refuge in a remote Afghan village. There, while her wounds heal and her tech is repaired, she bonds with local women and faces a hard choice between her safety and her impact on innocent lives. What will guide her next step?
Jason Logan Maxwell’s novel is well-crafted, and I enjoyed the way the plot is constructed, a tangled web that shifts between high-tech espionage, intense fighting, and Lilly’s growing sense of human connection. Characterization is one of the strengths of this novel, and I enjoyed how Lilly is written; she is witty and determined, and while she is broken by trauma, she manages to communicate the kind of humor that I found snarky. Other characters, such as Aurora and the sarcastic Nightwatch, are also well-developed. D.O.L. features banter-laden dialogue, shifting perspectives, and the use of advanced technology (Vektor suits, slip portals), keeping the pace brisk and the stakes high. I enjoyed the tension that accompanies the military operations, the genuinely flawed characters, and the excellent storytelling. While this is not my typical genre, I found myself rooting for the heroine—especially for her human side.
