The Ericksen Connection

In The Erickson Connection the titular hero, early in the book, has an experience where his core values of loyalty to his team members and obedience to superiors come into direct conflict. Added to this is the death of his wife, from a car accident, and PTSD. So the book is about an emotional rebuilding and redemption of a warrior. A second major theme contrasts people who use their training and abilities for good and those who use them for evil. There is no value judgment of soldering or weapons; the author does not preach on the virtues or vices of serving one’s country. The book moves through Mark Erickson’s life as he moves back into the private sector and how much his training and discipline helps him move ahead. From salesman to manager to vice president to president of various companies, he is finally recruited to help deal with the other half of the original equation. Dawkins, who was superior in the initial conflict, takes the route of linking into and building an empire of evil using his military training and discipline.

The book has a lot of action and a worldwide setting that includes sleazy Swiss bankers, duplicitous agency heads, and corrupt Jihadists. These are countered by persistent, loyal, lucky, and clever counter-terrorists who lose some and win most. The author weaves an up and coming technology to put his protagonist at the center of the action, making the situations plausible. There is an unusual love interest, where the woman who may save Mark from a lifetime of loneliness, ends up needing saving herself; but the book is in no way a romance. The protagonist does not step out of character to fall in love. I found myself almost hissing at the villains and cheering the good guys as the third theme is developed; right will win in the end though not without sacrifice. It takes a while, but there is an inherent goodness at work in the novel. I enjoyed the book; it moves fast, paints scenes and pictures quickly, and seems believable. The book celebrates the nobility of the men and women who help protect and defend us, both during and after their tours of duty.