Mission Octagon Hardcover – December 1, 2004

A great book, I was hooked from the beginning. Mission Octagon spans a lifetime of Kevin from his childhood as a military brat to his rough teenage years to his stint in Vietnam to adulthood. You watch him grow,evolve and change from a child to man with many side trips in between. The part during the Vietnam War was so realistic, maybe a too realistic for some. The theme of "doing the right thing" vs "doing what is right" is woven all throughout the book. Just when you think you have things figured out, Ken Smith throws in another piece of the puzzle you weren't counting on. Looking forward to the next book!

What makes a hero? In this espionage thriller by first-time novelist Ken Smith family, war and social upheaval force a young man to discover that for him, honor can't be compromised and a violent, virulent truth can't be evaded. The writing is very, very good: a highly personal style that tempts the reader to savor the word-craft despite a captivating plot that drives through multiple misdirections to a highly satisfying conclusion.Mission Octagon is to-the-minute current in its blurring of the boundaries between mystery and military espionage, character study and historic thriller. While the novel is sweeping in concept from World War II to gangs in Miami to Viet Nam to racial unrest in Savannah, the intimate perspective of the highly likeable hero keeps the reader personally involved. Buy it. You'll like it. Let's all hope Mr. Smith writes another.

Smith has written a real fast ride: you keep reading and reading trying to figure out where he's going. Having protested my way through the Viet Nam war as a young teen, and then served in the Navy myself as a young adult, I found the history and perspective wonderful reading.

The author writes as if you are there, right in the middle of the action, and there is plenty of action. Kept me on the edge of my seat (figure of speech). It brought back memories good and bad of the Vietnam war.Highly recommended for those that like action and intrigue.

A must read for thriller fans. You can't put it down for trying to figure out what is happening next. As a child of the 60's it brought back a lot of memories of the tumultuous times. It's amazing that Kevin makes it through some of his situations. I thought it would be over in Vietnam when he was down below. There are more twists and turns in this book that on a roller coaster. Wonder if there will be a sequel?????

I bought Mission Octagon as a birthday present for my son. I started reading and he recieved his present a little late. Mission Octagon is a book you simply can't put down. You start to hear the voices of the characters as you read. They become so real you feel as if you know them. Ken's research into the Vietnam War and his childhood experiences with his father and his fathers military experience has made this a very personal and interesting read. It keeps you wanting to turn the page. Hope there is another soon!

Have you ever considered the difference between doing the right thing and doing what is right? Well, Ken takes you on a journey that makes you rethink the moral absolutes that have been ingrained.I became so involved with the characters that I had to know what was going to happen next. I could not put the book down and devoured it in a couple of days.Mission Octagon makes fantastic escapist reading and yet delivers some depth to distinguish it from other thrillers.Highly Recommended.

On the surface, a stunning military espionage novel that will keep the reader on the edge of the seat. But underneath, a stirring tribute to the credo of `do the right thing rather than do what's right', with a central character that is a paragon of incorruptible personnel integrity, and uncompromising moral conviction. A living statement on American ideology and social commentary not seen in a novel since Ayn Rand's the Fountainhead ... welcome back Howard Roark!!