A Year In The Sun

About the Book

Perhaps no endeavor brings out the entire range of intense human emotions more than young love and war. Since both deal with the survival and the success of the human race, it is apparent why this is so. A young soldier experiencing his first true great love, love at first sight, tries desperately to save the one relationship that means more to him than anything in the world in the far-off country of South Korea. At the same time, his skills as a soldier and his deep love of his country make him the ideal candidate to prevent a catastrophe. However, he neither fully understands nor completely realizes the severity of its consequences. He rapidly meets the senior operatives who test him and place on his shoulders a great responsibility—that only his unique intellect and skill can prevent a disaster. The outcome is uncertain, but the stakes are great! Many years ago I was a young soldier stationed in South Korea. In my late teens at the time, I quickly learned to appreciate the beauty of this ancient land and the villagers who live in the countryside. Theirs was a way of life that has changed little over the centuries. They grew many years ago to accept the circumstances of the times with stoicism and resolve to endure that which they cannot change. Happy people, quick to smile, and easy to befriend made me want to help them. A village girl taught me a lot about life and ultimately how to deal with tragedy. Since North Koreans are the same people who endure a terrible, repressive regime separated from growth and prosperity by fanatical leaders who would rather see the few elite live well while the masses suffer and starve on their own farms, I felt compelled to write this fictional story that, as the song goes, may be “partly truth and partly fiction”!

About the Author

Brian Dodd Pardo was born on October 1, 1942. Brian’s mother was on a train on her way to California (when she left the train in Pittsburg, PA to give birth) after his father was transferred to the Pacific Fleet. After the war Brian’s family moved to Phoenix, Arizona where Brian and his brother along with a younger sister were raised. Brian attended Arizona State University where he studied Political Science, Philosophy and Business Administration. Prior to graduation Brian left Arizona State to join the US Army after the Cuban missile crisis caused him to believe the United States was about to go to war with Russia. Brian spent almost seven years in the military when he was honorably discharged as a combat pilot and veteran of the Vietnam War. He married his high school sweetheart and has two daughters and three grandchildren. Brian lives in Waco, Texas where he has resided since 1976.