Decision of Fate: A Novel of Armoured Combat in the Great War by Steven B. Howery is the story of Private John “Jack” Mallory as he navigates the harsh environment of war and tries to live a life that he can be proud of. Jack dropped out of college and joined the army, thinking that this was the best path for him. However, thinking about the war and being a part of it is very different. After he barely survives an attack in France, he is brought back to England to heal and recover. While recovering, he gets in touch with an officer in charge of a new corps specializing in using tanks in the Great War. Drawn into new technology that can help their cause, Jack embarks a journey in which he learns his full potential and realizes that there is a lot more to becoming a soldier than meets the eye. Jack now has a bigger responsibility on his shoulders; can he make it while trying his best to survive this wretched war?

This was a very different novel. I have read a lot of literature on World War I, but not many talk about this aspect of the war. I had no idea that tanks had this kind of impact on the war. It was fascinating to read the history behind it, the development and how it changed the world as we know it. Jack’s character is very strong yet very humble. His emotions, his determination, and his tenacity to rise above what happened to him and make a difference were very commendable. Even more commendable was the author’s ability to dig deeper, research and put all that hard work into this novel. I was blown away with how vivid and intricate it was. It is an action-packed, fast-paced, educational and very emotional story. Anyone who loves history and wants to add to their knowledge should definitely read it.

Decision of Fate: A Novel of Armoured Combat in the Great War is written by Steven B. Howery. World War I was the first war that industrialized combat. The old way of two sides lining up and charging would vanish and give way to trenches. Follow the progress of tank warfare through the eyes of a young soldier injured in 1915 at the Battle of Loos as he suffers from what we now call PTSD and works to break the stalemate that gripped the Western Front. Yet it is not all blood and mud; there are very human elements to be found among war. Friendship, bonds, and even love.

World War I seems to be a war that many people are starting to forget about. More importantly, they forget that it was the first war that really used vehicles as weapons, and many other forms of weaponry we are familiar with today. I personally had no idea of just how interesting was the way the tank progressed during this war. While we see it through the eyes of a fictional character, it is very evident that a great deal of research has gone into this book and author Steven Howery knows what he is talking about.

The human side of this story is no less fascinating. Jack, the young man who we follow events with, is amazingly brave but he does also suffer. However, within that suffering from PTSD, we find moments of human decency among it all. It is easy to think that in war people forget to be decent, but we must remember that no matter what side we are on, we are still human. This is a very emotional and touching story that has history blended with fiction and humanity. It is a book I would highly recommend.