Author: T.J. Hendricks
Book Review – New author T.R. Hendricks – "my brother from another mother" – delivers a pulse-pounding action thriller in his debut novel, “The Instructor.” All seriousness though, Hendricks - no true relation to me - penned an exhilarating thriller that delighted and enlightened me about the basics of wilderness survival initiatives through its entirety.
While reading this suspenseful work of fiction, one would never believe that this is Hendricks’ first novel. The main protagonist, Derek Harrington, a retired Marine Force Recon and Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) ‘instructor,’ was an appealing and formidable character. When one of his survival students presents him with $20,000 to instruct a private group on SEREs for 30 days in upstate New York – Harrington reluctantly takes the job, despite his reservations about the strange group that ends up being a terrorist organization. It doesn’t take long before the training takes an unexpected turn and Harrington – with the help of the FBI – goes undercover and is charged with stopping the terrorists from committing some evil doings.
Hendricks’ research of SERE Training (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) as well as his references to firearms, tactical gear, and survival techniques was outstanding! The plot, storyline and characters were all well developed and remarkable! T.R. Hendricks executes a phenomenal action thriller! He interjects just the right amount of realism, tension, drama, and intensity and was incredibly consistent with how he told this rousing tale. His writing style was clear and precise, and again, he obviously took the time to research the very specific terms of the bushcraft and wilderness survival industry.
This was a wonderfully told story! I was extremely impressed with Hendricks' debut novel and highly recommend it to all thriller readers!
