The Jackson MacKenzie Chronicles: Brothers In Arms

by Angel Giacomo

Duty – Service – Love of country – Honor – Dreams – Family. Those words mean everything to young Michael “Mikey” Roberts. From a small Kansas town, Mikey wants to find his path in life. To accomplish that he joins the United States Army. During his first tour of duty in Vietnam, he found his path…medicine. He became a Special Forces medic. However, in war that path can fork many times. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worst. Mikey finds more horror than he expected and learns more about life than he ever wanted to know.

156 pages, Paperback

Published September 24, 2021

About the author

After a successful career in law enforcement as a field officer, explosives detection K-9 handler, and fatality traffic investigator, Angel Giacomo gravitated toward writing. She holds a degree in Political Science and History. A strong believer in helping veterans, Angel supports several veteran organizations. Her first book, a military thriller titled The Jackson MacKenzie Chronicles: In the Eye of the Storm, was published in 2020.

Angel has had many different careers. Her life has been a learning experience spanning more than 50 years. Examples of her experience include handling a bomb-sniffing dog, loading cargo planes, entering data at a computer, playing the trombone, washing dishes at a restaurant, and sacking groceries.

She has attended FEMA classes on Terrorism, Suicide Bombers, and Nuclear/Biological, handled explosives, and shot various weapons, from the M1 Garand to the AR-15, as well as many different pistols.

A jack of many trades and a master of none. Or maybe a few.

Reviews

[Eli Verrastro · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Saving Lives"
John 15:9-17 "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends".
"The Jackson Mackenzie Chronicles", (we are talking about the fourth book in the series, The author is an excellent narrator) experiencing the story through the eyes of a fellow soldier, a friend, a brother ... "Saving Lives" this is the dream of a young man who has decided to serve in the Special Forces as a Combat Medic. How ready are we to accept our fate? A book of dynamite, which is grim and will make you think about wars, injustices and trauma for a long time.
The book is seriously gory and very detailed, overwhelming from start to finish.
Few books like this make us understand the horror of the war, especially that of Vietnam, where hundreds of thousands of young people lost their lives. Strong ties are formed between the Soldiers, far from home, under the Army, the Squad becomes a Family, the Friends become Brothers. Being brothers means never being alone again. An in-depth reading of the human reality that faces war, in all its nuances, from the battlefields the wounded to the losses of comrades, to come face to face with the enemy... and touch the pain... No book, will never make you really feel what it feels like in war... but this, perhaps, comes very close, written in an engaging, exciting and very fluent way.I just wish the book was a must-read for all high school students, they could learn a lot from this.
I read it in almost one session and will reread it, can't wait to pre-order this author's new work whenever possible. It's Hooks you up.

[Military Writers Society of America (MWSA)]

MWSA Review

Angel Giacomo’s Brothers in Arms is a nail-biting installment in the Jackson MacKenzie Chronicles. Lieutenant Colonel Jackson MacKenzie is a legend. Starting his military career as a scared 17-year-old grunt in Korea, he has risen through the ranks to be a Special Forces field grade officer. Never one to sit behind a desk, he leads from the front, moving through the jungle with his team of silent, lethal predators.
Staff Sergeant “Mikey” Roberts is new to Special Forces. After his first tour in Vietnam working at a field hospital, he has now returned wearing a Green Beret and is ready to serve as his team’s combat medic. He is in awe of his commanding officer, as is everyone else.

These two warriors, along with colorful characters like Chief and Major Russell, embark on a routine Special Forces mission, only to be detoured to rescue some downed Navy pilots. Their helicopter is shot down, and the team is captured. Together, they must endure deprivation, uncertainty, and torture as they dig deep within themselves to find a way to survive.

This book is fast-paced and details will seem familiar to anyone who served in Vietnam, Special Forces, or otherwise. Not only is it an enjoyable read, but you probably will look forward to more of the Jackson MacKenzie Chronicles.

Review by Rob Ballister (March 2022)

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing from a boy to a man is hard in a war zone. Death gives you an entirely different perspective. This book is a page turner with young "Mikey" Roberts learning how his dream can change his life in ways he never expected. As a medic, he wants to save lives. The lives of his friends and teammates. He idolizes his commanding officer, Jackson MacKenzie. Having to watch his idol brutalized by their North Vietnamese captors in a POW camp eats at his soul with his ability to do nothing except watch. This is a serious and sometimes funny book that will capture your heartstrings as you live alongside Mikey and his friends as they fight to survive a POW camp. Excellently written and the descriptions put you there. Excellent book.

[Delores Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing from a boy to a man is hard in a war zone. Death gives you an entirely different perspective. This book is a page turner with young "Mikey" Roberts learning how his dream can change his life in ways he never expected. As a medic, he wants to save lives. The lives of his friends and teammates. He idolizes his commanding officer, Jackson MacKenzie. Having to watch his idol brutalized by their North Vietnamese captors in a POW camp eats at his soul with his ability to do nothing except watch. This is a serious and sometimes funny book that will capture your heartstrings as you live alongside Mikey and his friends as they fight to survive a POW camp. Excellently written and the descriptions put you there. Excellent book.

[Sally Berneathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is unflinching in its depiction of combat, trauma, and camaraderie among soldiers. Mikey’s evolution from a field hospital worker to a Green Beret medic is both inspiring and heartbreaking as he learns that war can change a person in ways they never imagined. Mikey is in awe of his commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Jackson MacKenzie who leads from the front and embodies the spirit of Special Forces. The bond between Mikey, MacKenzie, and their fellow soldiers, such as Chief and Major Russell, is both touching and powerful. When their mission takes a tragic turn and the team is captured, the narrative explores themes of deprivation, uncertainty, and torture, forcing each character to confront their deepest fears and resilience.

[Rob Ballister]

Read and scored as part of the Military Writers' of America 2022 Awards Season.