In the ancient Silk Road city of Aleppo, a young American woman is sucked into the Syrian civil war engulfing the city. Relentlessly pursued by a Javert-like secret police officer, her only refuge is the rebel hospital run by a renowned surgeon.“A must-read for more than action, but wisdom and compassion.” -David L. Robbins, New York Times bestselling author of War of the Rats“A thriller that … of War of the Rats
“A thriller that breaks your heart as it rockets toward its stunning conclusion.”
-Gwen Florio, author of Silent Hearts
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I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book. I was afraid that it would be focused on the war in Syria and full of military jargon. I was greatly surprised when I started to read it and found out that it was about the human side of war, about the destruction of the cities and the needless loss of the innocent lives of people who were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was most importantly about what people do for others in a life threatening situation when they could just protect themselves and their families and run to another country. Many of the people in this novel went out of their way to help other people even if it endangered their own lives.
This is a well-researched and well written novel that is fast paced and gives the reader insight into a war that very few Americans are aware of. It has two strong main characters who are brave and resilient and won’t soon be forgotten by most readers.
If one can say you loved a book this stark, filled with the horrors of war in Syria, I loved it.
I enjoyed the book much more than I thought I would. Was looking for something different than my usual reads.
Great story and well developed characters. Gives you a lot to think about.
Wonderfully written and realistic depiction of Serbia. Really brings their struggles to life.
Opened my eyes to a human tragedy.
We’ve seen the pictures. We’ve read the news. We’ve welcomed the refugees.
None of that brings home the horror as vividly or effectively as Mayland’s book. Personalizing life under such a seige, highlighting the day to day struggles, exposing the fear and horror of individuall experiences in Syria brings a level of understanding that transports us to that world and makes us realize how incredibly fortunate we are to live in peace. This is a book everyone should read.
BLURB
In the ancient Silk Road city of Aleppo, a young American woman is sucked into the Syrian civil war engulfing the city. Relentlessly pursued by a Javert-like secret police officer, her only refuge is the rebel hospital run by a renowned surgeon.
http://www.darlenejonesauthor.com
Painted with blood, the images within this story show us moments of mankind’s most brutal actions upon itself. Realistic, horrific, but impossible to stop reading, this had me in almost constant anger an tears. Definitely not light reading, but at times we see people at their heroic and tragic best.
Great read about the Syrian Civil War and its impact on several characters. Hard to put down.
This was an enthralling and outstanding historical fiction war novel read from Dan Mayland, a spy author and a geopolitical forecaster. His research through Azerbaijan, Central Asia, Iran, Bahrain and the Syrian Turkey border came to life in this book and through an ensemble of characters whose lives we are immersed in this story.
The setting is in the 21st century war torn Aleppo, Syria and the writing is truly a stand-out. The intricate research with the vivid and rich detail of the storytelling makes this novel one for the ages. The story itself was an enlightening experience for me especially learning about that area of the world, but it was the characters that really drew me into this story.
The characters with their struggles and hardships, quest for survival to protect their loved ones, were brought to life through this page-turner and heartbreaking novel.
I highly recommend this amazing novel.
Expect the unexpected with this one. What I thought was going to be a considerably weighty read turned out to be so much more. Prepare yourself for an evening of captivating reading that will consume the rest of your day, and night, because you are about to get hooked.
THE DOCTOR OF ALEPPO is my first read by author Dan Mayland, and though I hear he writes a pretty good spy novel, I was not expecting a historical war fiction saga quite as brilliant as this. Based on the true events that occurred in Aleppo between 2012 and 2016 THE DOCTOR OF ALEPPO is a fictional story that follows characters Dr. Sami Hassan, a Syrian surgeon and Hannah, an American aid worker and activist. They meet at the beginning of the novel and continue to come across each other though a gut wrenching journey to save victims of the war.
This fictional story is based on real life interviews that Mayland conducted in Aleppo, and gives a true inside look at what went on in Aleppo and what the residents endured. Although the characters and story line are completely fictional, the historical background is extremely educational and gives the reader a better understanding of the war in Aleppo. The book itself is an excellent drama that pulls you in immediately and moves at such a fast pace it reads like a thriller, giving you that ‘edge of your seat- gripping’ feel. This is exactly what I was NOT expecting, and although it is a 450 page emotional read, you will not want to put it down until you reach the end. This is a very powerful book that makes your heart heavy and will resonate with you long after you finish. A brilliant piece of work that everyone needs to read.
I highly recommend this novel. I feel it will become a fast favorite amongst critics and a necessary read in the literary world.
I just would like to thank Dan Mayland, TLC Book Tours and Blackstone Publishing for the gifted copy of this book for my unbiased and honest opinion for review.