Red Dirt


Fiction - Military
244 Pages
Reviewed on 05/07/2023
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite

Red Dirt is a pulsating military thriller novel by Joel Cochran. When he was a young boy in the early 60s, Jimmy's family trip to Sylacauga, Alabama, showed him the first glimpse of racism in the deep South. But he also found a best friend in Cecil. Jimmy and Cecil become part of a special forces team as the two boys grow up to join the US Navy during the Vietnam War. But tragedy strikes when a covert mission goes wrong, and Jimmy is the lone survivor of a deadly ambush that takes Cecil's life. After losing another friend, he returns home, only to be recruited by Naval Intelligence and assigned to spy on a woman he falls deeply in love with. With death circling him wherever he goes, will Jimmy lose another person he loves?

Red Dirt is a gripping military spy thriller doused in action, romance, and heartbreak. Setting a brisk pace, Joel Cochran weaves a captivating plot that is unpredictable and keeps you on your toes until the last page. The characters have realistic personalities and discernable motives and agency to their actions, making you sympathize with their plight. Cochran pulls no punches in showcasing the horrors of war that put soldiers' lives in danger, with death looming around every corner. Jimmy is a person who suffers setback after setback and yet keeps trying to do his best under adverse circumstances. If you love military fiction with layered characters, Red Dirt is a book you should look into.

Jdo

This will break your heart

Maxine B

Great read! Read in 2 days. Definitely kept my interest.

Wyndi Thompson

This book was fantastic! A real page-turner and a novel that will keep you guessing until the last page. Hats off to all of our military and their sacrifices for this country. This novel depicts the horrors of war and the nightmares that our veterans have to live with for the rest of their lives! Thank you for MY FREEDOM!

Lynn Payton

Absolutely one of the best novels I’ve read! Thank you to all our military for the sacrifices you make for our country! You are appreciated and respected!!

Denise Benefield

This was an incredible and heartfelt novel full of captivating storylines of personal sacrifice and loss set in a suspenseful time of war. I love how the author revealed the bonds of brotherhood forged by soldiers who found strength and courage in their support of each other. It is also a story with romance and close friendships set at home and on the battlefields. Looking forward to another excellent novel from Joel Cochran.

Pat Bush

Very realistic and powerful descriptions of war and the way it affects people. Very readable!!

Dana Vick

Captivating! Should be on the #1 Best Seller List. Reading this book has given me even more respect for our armed forces and the sacrifices they make each and every day. These characters make you realize that everyone has their own set of problems in life but the men and women in uniform must forge on regardless of their circumstances. This book should be made into a movie!