Once a Soldier

By: Benjamin Blackmore

Narrated by: Bon Shaw

Harper Knox has ripped up his family's cherry orchard in eastern Washington State and planted grape vines, hoping that a contemplative life making wine might help him conquer his debilitating battle with PTSD. But on the other side of the state in Seattle, the Singularity Summit, a conference celebrating and encouraging the growth of artificial intelligence, is about to get underway. The controversial nature of the Summit has many reeling in fury, and protesters are taking over the city. A man Harper has been fighting alongside since Fort Bragg shows up at the vineyard offering a generous payday if Harper will join a team charged with protecting Dr. Wilhelm Sebastian, the keynote speaker at the Summit. Hungry for the cash and the danger, Harper agrees to join the team. But has he signed onto something much bigger and deadlier than just another bodyguard gig?

As much a love story as it is a gripping thriller, Once a Soldier, driven by the wonderfully cynical Harper Knox, will keep you up late into the night.

©2014 Boo Walker (P)2014 Boo Walker

Enjoyable listen.

The narrator did an excellent job, loved his voice. I will read more by Walker.

Try it you’ll like it

I was almost ready to turn it in from the first page to the second but it trapped me with its vineyard and dog and ptsd soldier. Excellent romance aggravating scary thriller with a hole here and there. I really dislike religious fruitcakes but I liked the characters and the detailed ptsd descriptions seemed more real than vague references in other books. I liked it a lot.

RC Bray is the best...

I've been playing around with Audible's Romance Package, and while trying it out, I lucked into this fantastic mystery thriller. I'd have to say that this is a plot driven story, and the romance takes a back seat to an honest to gosh, Plot!!!  It's really about the only way I like "romance" stories: light on the romance! 😁
Right away, I fell in love with Harper Knox, our protagonist for this tale!  Harper's a true local in a very rural, small Eastern Washington valley community... He's also a man dealing with inner demons. PTSD, a leftover from his time in the military, and following that, his days as a mercenary!
Back on his family's farm, he and his dog, Roman are struggling to make a go of it, and because Money talks, against his better judgement, Harper does an about face and takes a short weedend security gig. One with the promise of a big payoff! The job however, goes drastically sideways when the bullets start flying!
RC Bray, one of my top favorite narrators, absolutely crushed it, on this one, with a simply Great performance!!!

So witty. A pretty good read.

This book was funny! The main character's sarcasm made this book!
The narrator was amazing as well.

Where has this been hiding?! EXCELLENT!

Great flamin' donut holes Bon Shaw fans this book is a hidden gem of a find. Fantastic story by 'Boo'jamin Blackmore who I'd not heard of before and brought to life like only RC Bray can. No clue of the reason for the 'Nom de narrateur' of Bon Shaw and the authors odd pair of pseudonyms, but I'm sure there are reasons and in the end I don't care as this was a great listen both story and performance. You won't be disappointed.

I would rather eat broken glass ..................

What disappointed you about Turn or Burn?

The story happens 90% in the main protagonists’ mind. He goes on and on and on.....

Has Turn or Burn turned you off from other books in this genre?

Certainly off this author.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of R.C. Bray?

Narrator adds to the agony of the story.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment

Any additional comments?

The main character needs to be smacked against the head and drowned.