This is super cool, I can't believe it

Reviewed by Cheryl E. Rodriguez for Readers’ Favorite.com
Rating: 5 stars

F. Scott Service shares his story of love and war in Lines in the Sand. Scott is living the American dream. He is married to a beautiful and successful woman. They are living in the bliss of Montana, where the air is clean and nature nestles you in a blanket of comfort. He has a good job, one that he enjoys. All is well, until on November 23, 2003, his National Guard Unit is called to deploy to Iraq. Saddam’s regime has fallen, but the war continues. American troops are still being called upon to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. F. Scott Service's life turns inside out. He is doubtful, scared and confused about this war. Within his heart, he realizes that he is a conscientious objector. However, for generations his family fought in American wars. How could he turn his back on his fellow soldiers? Regardless, he puts his feelings aside, believing “there was honor in honoring them.” He willingly goes to war. In these pages, Scott chronicles his experiences of Iraq. He shares his thoughts, his daily routine, and his surroundings. Lines in the Sand is a personal journey of the soul of a soldier who desperately searches for hope and beauty in the midst of the ugliness of war.

Lines in the Sand is a combat veteran’s memories of war. F. Scott Service’s memoir is one that will not be easily forgotten. I have read many books on war and its effects on the soldier and his/her family. All have been written sharing the hardships and trauma of war. However, this account’s point of view stands out. After reading the opening quote by Hermann Goering in the Foreword, I knew I was in for something uniquely special. F. Scott Service is a gifted writer. His words are eloquent, with powerful expressions. In his chronicle he records daily events in a very intimate and honest manner. He taps into the sensory and explains in personal detail what he is observing, enduring and feeling. Whether you agree with his views on war and government or not, you cannot help but be captivated by this narrative.

This memoir is an emotional journey; full of action, setbacks, and mistakes, but moreover, the will to survive. The memoir contains an emotional beat, the very cadence of the author’s heart. Service captures his raw emotions, and shares them both delicately and harshly throughout the journal. In his closing remarks, F. Scott Service solidifies his relationship with his readers by asking them to consider where they would draw their own line in the sand. Lines in the Sand portrays the trauma of war, its haunting aftermath, yet inspires survivors to press forward toward hope. It is truly a remarkable story of tragedy to triumph.