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The Commander
Patrick A. Davis Book Review

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Plot Summary of The Commander
"

Putnam, July 2002, 24.95, 384 pp.
ISBN 0399148825

He is now a salesman in his wife's jewelry store located in the red light district of Song-lan, South Korea, but once he was career military at the Osan Air Base. His three star general destroyed his chances for promotion from Major to Colonel because Burton Webber married a Korean woman. Instead Burt, a career military man, immediately resigned.

Now the very man who forced him out of the military wants to hire him as a civilian to serve as liaison with the Republic of Korea provincial detectives in the investigation of the death of a Korean bar girl. There is circumstantial evidence that an American stationed at Osan committed the crime and if that turns out to be true, it could turn out to be a political disaster. Burt and his Korean counterpart want to see justice done but the FBI, the CIA, the military and the Korean mob at every turn stifle them.

THE COMMANDER is an excellent military thriller starring a truly heroic protagonist who is honorable, trustworthy and loyal to his principles. Burt's willingness to give up his career for the woman he loves rings true and the scenes with his wife are beautiful to behold though this reviewer thought EO would ruin the officer destroying the hero's career. Patrick A. Davis' insight into the culture of Korea is very believable enabling Americans to see themselves as another country views them. Reader's who like a novel set in an exotic locale are going to love this book.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of The Commander
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 50%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%




Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain? - Difficult, but some clues given
Time/era of story: - present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 70%
Special suspect? - best friend
Kind of investigator - police procedural, American
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot? - food/cooking
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - pirate
Age: - 40's-50's
How much violence does he/she use? - just the right amount
Ethnicity/Race - White/American
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status: - mastermind
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist - power
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - very athletic

Setting
Asia/Pacific Yes
Asian country: - Korea(s)

Style
Person - mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths? - 3-4
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
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