Deep inside Iraqi territory, a U.S. Army helicopter on a medical rescue mission was shot down with eight Americans aboard. Five of them were killed instantly; the three survivors were captured by Saddam Hussein's elite Republican Guard. One of the survivors was Maj. Rhonda Cornum, whose diary of this experience forms the basis of this story.

Rhonda, a flight surgeon, leaves her teenage daughter, in order to fight in the Gulf War. When her helicopter is shot down during a rescue mission, she is taken prisoner. This is the story of her time as a POW, interspersed with how she came to be a doctor, and Army officer.

This was a well-written and engaging story. It was hard to put down at times, as I worried what would happen, and how Rhonda and her fellow POW's would survive. I do wish that the alternating story was also told in chronological order. Instead, it skipped from childhood to college, to childhood, to marriage, it was really all over the place. Despite this criticism, I would highly recommend this book. ( )