First book in the Dragonslayer Saga. USAF LTC. Eagle Tryggvesson got more than she bargained for when tangling with Navy Admiral Richard Westland over a proposal for an elite Special Forces unit. Eventually losing the battle, Westland swore she'd fail- he'd make certain of that. Eagle must fight discrimination and corruption to put together her team. They prove sabotage would not keep them down.
US Air Force Lt. Col. Eagle Tryggvesson got more than she bargained for when she tangled with Navy Rear Admiral Richard Westland over a proposal for an elite Special Forces unit. Eventually losing the battle, Westland swore that she would fail- he would make certain of that. Eagle must fight against discrimination and corruption to put her highly unorthodox team together. She arrives at China Lake Naval Weapons Station to find the beginnings of Westland's sabotage. It would be up to her and the members of her team to beat the deck that had been stacked against them.
Her second in command is the handsome and brilliant Maj. D.M. Elliott who falls in love with her despite their difference in rank and the prohibitive chain of command. They must work together to keep their team and their love alive. The team battles terrorists, violent gang members, and their own personal demons along with the frightening bouts of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that haunt many warriors.
Professional Reviews
Midwest Book Review
The hardest challenges don't come from being a woman, but from those who would sabotage you along the way. "Project: Dragonslayers" tells the story of a determined Air Force woman in the form of Eagle Tryggvesson who tries to make her unit the most successful it can become. But success is not wished on her by Navy man Richard Westland, who seems to be out to prevent her successes every step of the way. "Project: Dragonslayers" is a riveting read of battling terrorism and discrimination in one fell swoop.
D. Williamsen
Project: Dragonslayers is set in a military environment, which was not a difficult adjustment for the author, Kathy Rowe, who comes from a military family and has spent 22 years in the Air Force herself.
Lieutenant Colonel Eagle Tryggvesson is a gritty woman determined to bring her dream of developing a Joint Service Special Forces Team, tagged the "dragonslayers," into existence despite the opposition of the self-serving and as she discovers, disreputable Admiral Westland.
Despite what you might expect, the story is not really about the military as much as it is about rites of passage. The behavior of each man has separated him from his group or his rank. In facing the legal consequences of his actions, he is in transition from the military life he has known to one that is unknown. Becoming part of the Dragonslayers' team is the beginning of the third phase of the rite of passage for each of these men. The process of becoming a team--learning to trust each other and to stretch themselves beyond their own expectations--creates a sacred bond between them. At the end of this rite of passage, each team member achieves a new status for themselves.
Lieutenant Colonel Tryggvesson is not exempt from this rite of passage. As the leader of Project: Dragonslayers, she has separated herself from the good graces of her superior, who is now Admiral Westland, the man who wants the base for his own project as a "safe location" for high ranking officers to keep an eye on things--complete with all the amenities! As Westland continues to sabotage her efforts, she finds herself in transition, having to lay aside her controlled approach for one that is more fluid, more responsive to the moment. Then she, too, experiences the transformation from being part of a team struggling to become whole and discovers a new side of herself in the process.
The length of this novel (577 pages) may be daunting to some, especially if you read it as an ebook; however, the story is entertaining and the characters are flawed as they should be and will surprise you with their resilience. It is worth the read.
Reviewed by Dannye Williamsen Breakthrough Bookstore
Military Writer's Society of America
Terrorism and discrimination rolled into one interesting and very tangled story. Ms. Rowe weaves the two seemingly unrelated subjects into an excellent story, filled with suspense that leaves the reader anxiously looking forward to turning the page.
The premise is an Air Force (female) Lt. Colonel who runs into problems with a Navy Rear Admiral in her efforts to start an elite Special Forces Unit. Between events with the Admiral, terrorists, gang members, ptsd and one's own personal demons the action and interaction will keep you in your seat.
That issues of discrimination exist one should have no doubts, thankfully they are not prevalent in the armed forces, but that does not imply they do not exist as Tryggvessons story unfolds within this story.
This book will interest males and females and all branches of the military as it will be easy to see the story as something that may have or could have in some way existed for each of them. Lots of toys (weapons) involved to grab the interest of action fans and an equal amount of human interest and interaction.
It is a long book, 578 pages, but one the reader will not put down until finished. For first time author Rowe this is an excellent effort, the first of a trilogy I know I will read.
Review by jim greenwald, MWSA Lead Reviewer (August 2010)
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