This author is pleased to share the following reader review for my novel, Tarnished Valor:
By Diana Wilder, an author, on May 12, 2016- 5 star review on Amazon.
Tarnished Valor– a story of persistence, justice and friendship after the Vietnam War
It is March 10, 1990, a day that is of crucial importance in the fight for fair treatment of disabled Americans. Thousands of supporters of the Americans with Disabilities Act have descended upon the Capitol to support the passage of the Act. And in a dramatic climax of the day’s events, many of them abandoned their wheelchairs and crutches and participated in the famous ‘Crawl’ up the steps of the Capitol. Sam Davis, who lost a leg in the Vietnam war during the Tet Offensive, is there to show his support and then, once the Crawl is over, to visit the Vietnam Memorial to find the name of his buddy, Paul Morse, who was killed in the same fighting that cost Sam his leg.
But Paul’s name is not there, and Sam, whose life he saved, and who watched him fall to Vietcong bullets, is determined to learn the true story.
This is the start of a tale of courage, persistence, justice and friendship. It touches upon times that many of us can recall, when the veterans of the Vietnam conflict who returned home to scorn, hatred and abuse, were finally given the recognition they deserved by a country that had turned its back on them. Reading it and remembering my feelings, as a child of a military family during that time, brought back memories. I might suggest that it be read in history classes as an illustration of its moment in time.
The author conducted a goodly amount of research for the background of TARNISHED VALOR. Any official character – congressman, senator, associate – that is named in the story actually existed, and their part in the ADA movement is well-documented. I found myself remembering the time before wheelchair ramps and curbs adjusted to accommodate the disabled. Wilson expresses the difficulties and frustrations through Sam’s eyes, and somehow sheds a feeling of hope for those of us who know that their struggle will meet with success.
I would recommend TARNISHED VALOR to anyone interested in the aftermath of the Vietnam conflict, aware of the struggle to accommodate Americans with Disabilities, and interested in a little bit of detective work by an attractive, determined hero. And if you like to have a very nice love story added to the mix, you are in for a treat.
Disclosure: I assisted with proofreading this manuscript. I also gave some feedback on the book. I purchased this book because I enjoyed it and the bittersweet memories it brought along with its good, compelling story. I recommend it highly.
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