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Christina: Saigon's Heart

Eric Von Gris

 FormatISBN Price  
This Book is Available Paperback (5x8)9781403300270 £ 7.25  
About the Book

The book is about a beautiful young woman and her American lover as they struggle through the chaos of the Vietnam War. She is an extraordinary person: both beautiful and genius level intelligent. He is a marine aviator, who is slow to catch on to anything but the war itself. Together, she leads him into the secret CIA-controlled level of the conflict that is not well known even today.

Her character grows and changes as their lives mature. He can only see what she allows him to see, but he understands more than enough to love her, even to the very end.

"THE GUNS ARE SILENT, HONOR PERSISTS"
About the Author

The author is a writer and teacher. He has intimate knowledge of the characters and story. He is not permitted to give out any further details regarding himself. His purpose is to honor an extraordinary female protagonist. He does this through the eyes of a soldier who knew her.
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To You, The Reader:

I am offering you this inquiry regarding my recent work; Christina: Saigon’s Heart. I am including a few summary pages (2 out of 150 total) with this letter. If you decide it is not to your likes then I have given you this ready apology, anticipating your response. Otherwise, I will make the rest of the work available to you as you turn these pages into adventure.

This story is a fictionalized (historical) account of an actual personality (Lu-Tang). It has been handled in this fashion to protect survivors.

Plot Summary:

1) An aging school teacher recovers three diaries from a homeless community’s campfire. As he shares the contents with a local bar-tender & waitress an intense story is revealed.

2) The diaries are written by a Marine aviator during the Vietnam War, much of which he describes during his encounter with a female CIA agent (Chinese – Vietnamese), who takes him on a series of surreal adventures.

a. She shoots down his plane & yet rescues him.

b. Through her he enters the fantastic world of CIA operations in Indochina, and participates in wartime adventure – "THE EYES OF THE DRAGON".

c. They develop a deep relationship as they move to Saigon. He assumes ground operations as a "Fac" (Forward Air Controller), and she moves into "Radio Saigon" – "THE TIGER".

d. A series of disasters strike the couple as Saigon begins its slide to defeat.

It ends with her death (crucifixion) and his (most unwilling) escape – "THE MARE".

    • Through all of this: Their love is contrasted against the horrors of everyday life in war.

    • Through all of this: The reader is witness to the change brought upon the personality of the woman as she matures through a form of Asian Christianity.

    • Through all of this: The Marine is the last to know what is actually going on (regarding most events and people).

The work includes graphic & profane elements regarding the various descriptions of war, sex, and diary narrative. However, the use of symbols as titles & entries is intended to reflect modest cultural metaphors (subtleties).
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