Review: The Living Legend by Dan E. Hendrickson

Author Dan E. Hendrickson weaves a complex story of history, honor, and righteous justice in his new novel The Living Legend, a harrowing journey of vengeance.

Following the horrific death of his father, Tommy Williams redirects his life for the long game of revenge, joining the Navy SEALs to acquire the skills he’ll need for retribution. Determined to punish the assassin responsible for his father’s murder, but hiding that true intent from his superiors, he overcomes years of grueling training that molds him into a relentless and deadly weapon.

Makena Aalee is fighting a very different battle, determined to inspire change in her government’s response to the continuous slave trade running through the Kenyan coast. However, holding the torch for monumental change is a dangerous business, and her cause quickly places a bullseye on her back. As a grassroots movement begins to form around the issue of human trafficking, her ancestral warrior spirit is put to the ultimate test. Rescuing dozens of victims is one thing, but when hundreds are liberated, and then thousands, the powers-that-be decide that her flame must be snuffed out, along with her family.

Breathing new life into an old legend, both Makena and Tommy are seeking vengeance for great evils done to those they care for, and both must go through more pain to find lasting peace. Their lives have been upended by the same Russian agent, known only as The Chameleon, and this common enemy unites their missions in a dramatic collision.

Not only does the plot delve into the personal demons of violence, anger, and the repercussions of justice, but it also shines a light on the mindset of the American military – meticulous, methodical, brutal, and effective. Balancing backstory and history with whizzing bullets and daring rescues, this story flips gender roles and military expectations in a noble and surprising tale of redemption.

There is a naked honesty in the storytelling that transcends the often simple language of the prose, but at times the author is guilty of telling more often than showing. The descriptions of secondary characters are frequently bland and nondescript, as is the depth of their personalities, with the exception of Eloi and Tumba. While Hendrickson brings his two main protagonists to three-dimensional light, other players seem more like foils solely meant to progress the plot.

Some of the events of the story are also murky, or strain credulity, such as Tommy’s confidence that he almost hit his father’s assassin with a one-in-a-million shot from three blocks away. Asking readers to occasionally suspend their disbelief is one thing, but there are some elements of the novel that stretch it too far. The dialogue can be too leading or explicit as well, seemingly out of place in the heat of a gunfight or a daring escape. Certain aspects of the plot also drag on unnecessarily, such as Tommy’s long road of Seal training, in addition to some of the procedural details of politics and law enforcement in Kenya.

That said, these stumbles could be easily adjusted with a final edit to tighten up meandering narration, and keep the conversations authentic. The Living Legend is an inspiring and pulse-pounding novel overall that crosses oceans and generations to remind readers about the true nature of heroism.