Book Review: Honor, Courage, Commitment by K.E. Bartlet
...the unambiguous, black-and-white values of the Marine Corps run headlong into the moral gray of reality.
When the unambiguous, black-and-white values of the Marine Corps run headlong into the moral gray of reality, what emerges is a voice—young, cynical, and looking for answers in a rapidly changing world.
Honor, Courage, Commitment is a 113-page prequel to Bartlet’s Fall of the CRINK Alliance series. Releases June 2, 2026.
Seven friends—all US Marines or Marine-adjacent—are on vacation in the US Virgin Islands for a week of sun and fun. When a desperate teenager approaches one of them in a restaurant, something feels off. That feeling only deepens when the much older adults accompanying the group of teenage girls depart the restaurant in a hurry, leaving their paid-for food order behind.
Yeah, they’re on vacation, but the seven friends can’t let it go. In short order, this pack of digital native millennials figures out they’ve stumbled onto a sex trafficking ring run by the very rich, very connected Leo Goldstein, who owns a nearby private island.
They all agree that something should be done to stop these monsters.
They all agree getting involved is a TERRIBLE idea.
They all agree that if they don’t take action, who will?
K.E. Bartlet offers a non-traditional perspective on the military thriller genre. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps, the US intelligence community, and Silicon Valley tech culture, Bartlet brings a fresh take on the complicated times we are living through.
When the unambiguous, black-and-white values of the Marine Corps run headlong into the moral gray of reality, what emerges is a voice—young, cynical, and looking for answers in a rapidly changing world.
Would you like to have your next book reviewed on the Directory?
Of course. We’d all love to have someone promote our new book on launch day.
As much as I love to read, there’s no possible way K.E. or I could review everyone’s new book.
But everyone could have a launch day review IF WE ALL WORK TOGETHER.
What if YOU—yes, I am looking at YOU—volunteered to review the upcoming release of a Directory author. I’m not talking about a 1:1 review swap, I’m talking about paying it forward. I’m talking about karma, baby.
You write the review. We’ll publish it.
Carry on -
David