From -- Bookmarks "Parker always presents a lively, closely plotted story.
Following a long series of exciting novels, Parker has turned his pen to a story set in current times. The story could have been more accurately titled "Dream Hitcher".
After years of fighting and killing as a Marine in Afghanistan, Dan Gallatin returns to Chicago a violent man quick to anger and strike out with his fists. He earns his living by brutal bare knuckle fighting in the iron cages on the Chicago waterfront, and as the bouncer at the tough Bank Vault Club in South Chicago. He is studying to be a Doctor of Neuroscience, wanting the knowledge to heal himself of his violence, and to help other veterans whose minds have been warped by combat.
Dan rescues Ethan, a crippled veteran, by pounding the hell out of two would-be muggers. Ethan asks Dan to come with him to a meeting with a man he calls Colonel Dream Maker. The colonel received a severe head wound during combat, and now by some strange twist of fate, has the ability to see human auras, and the power to lead scores of injured veterans into dream sessions. In the dreams, the crippled vet can run, the blind can see. During the dreams, the colonel works his own unique therapy to heal the damaged minds of the vets.
The colonel sees Dan's aura showing his violent nature, and his struggle to control it. He asks Dan to find and stop the man stalking him, the multiple killer Anubis. Dan accepts and is thrust into deadly danger between Colonel Dream Maker and Anubis.
As Dan searches for Anubis, he encounters Kristin Childs, a Marine veteran who is also seeking a cure for her hellish nightmares. She accidentally shot and killed a mother and her little daughter during a fire fight in Baghdad. Now she dreams of shooting the two over and over again. She becomes trapped in Dan's deadly battle with the killer Anubis and must fight for her life.
From The Hitcher
Visible to Dan was a young woman wearing a Marine fatigue jacket over black slacks. She was placing a strip of rug on the floor just inside the door of the veterans' hall in preparation to participate in the coming dream session with Colonel Dream Maker. She appeared weary, her face pale and holding a drawn, haunted expression with the skin tight over the bones beneath.
Dan turned away to focus on the colonel who was staring out at the crowd of veterans gather before him. The colonel called out in a gentle voice, "Young woman there in the back. Would you please leave?"
"No, sir, I won't leave," said the woman in a firm voice and straightened to stand stiffly erect. "I'm a vet and I've seen combat. I've heard about you and I could use some help to stop my headaches and bad dreams."
"I can see that you're a vet," replied the colonel, "but this session is for men and wouldn't be proper for you."
"Let me be the judge of that," the woman said, her tone even more unyielding.
"I would like to do that." The colonel's voice held a patient tone. "But the men will ask for dreams that I know wouldn't be acceptable to a woman."
A broad bodied vet in a worn uniform jumped up from his blanket near Kristin and grabbed her by the shoulder. "You're wasting our time," he said angrily. "Get out like the colonel said."
The man spun the woman around and shoved her toward the door. She jerked free and thrust the man away.
"I'm not leaving," she cried out angrily. "Now keep your damn hands off me."
"You sure as hell are," said the man, and moved to take hold of the woman again.
Dan exploded up from his pallet on the floor and stepped in between the man and woman. He stiff armed the man backward.
"Easy, fellow, no rough stuff with the girl."
The man swung a quick fist at Dan. Who blocked the blow and glared threateningly at the man.
"You try that again and I'll smash your face."
Following a long series of exciting novels, Parker has turned his pen to a story set in current times. The story could have been more accurately titled "Dream Hitcher".
After years of fighting and killing as a Marine in Afghanistan, Dan Gallatin returns to Chicago a violent man quick to anger and strike out with his fists. He earns his living by brutal bare knuckle fighting in the iron cages on the Chicago waterfront, and as the bouncer at the tough Bank Vault Club in South Chicago. He is studying to be a Doctor of Neuroscience, wanting the knowledge to heal himself of his violence, and to help other veterans whose minds have been warped by combat.
Dan rescues Ethan, a crippled veteran, by pounding the hell out of two would-be muggers. Ethan asks Dan to come with him to a meeting with a man he calls Colonel Dream Maker. The colonel received a severe head wound during combat, and now by some strange twist of fate, has the ability to see human auras, and the power to lead scores of injured veterans into dream sessions. In the dreams, the crippled vet can run, the blind can see. During the dreams, the colonel works his own unique therapy to heal the damaged minds of the vets.
The colonel sees Dan's aura showing his violent nature, and his struggle to control it. He asks Dan to find and stop the man stalking him, the multiple killer Anubis. Dan accepts and is thrust into deadly danger between Colonel Dream Maker and Anubis.
As Dan searches for Anubis, he encounters Kristin Childs, a Marine veteran who is also seeking a cure for her hellish nightmares. She accidentally shot and killed a mother and her little daughter during a fire fight in Baghdad. Now she dreams of shooting the two over and over again. She becomes trapped in Dan's deadly battle with the killer Anubis and must fight for her life.
From The Hitcher
Visible to Dan was a young woman wearing a Marine fatigue jacket over black slacks. She was placing a strip of rug on the floor just inside the door of the veterans' hall in preparation to participate in the coming dream session with Colonel Dream Maker. She appeared weary, her face pale and holding a drawn, haunted expression with the skin tight over the bones beneath.
Dan turned away to focus on the colonel who was staring out at the crowd of veterans gather before him. The colonel called out in a gentle voice, "Young woman there in the back. Would you please leave?"
"No, sir, I won't leave," said the woman in a firm voice and straightened to stand stiffly erect. "I'm a vet and I've seen combat. I've heard about you and I could use some help to stop my headaches and bad dreams."
"I can see that you're a vet," replied the colonel, "but this session is for men and wouldn't be proper for you."
"Let me be the judge of that," the woman said, her tone even more unyielding.
"I would like to do that." The colonel's voice held a patient tone. "But the men will ask for dreams that I know wouldn't be acceptable to a woman."
A broad bodied vet in a worn uniform jumped up from his blanket near Kristin and grabbed her by the shoulder. "You're wasting our time," he said angrily. "Get out like the colonel said."
The man spun the woman around and shoved her toward the door. She jerked free and thrust the man away.
"I'm not leaving," she cried out angrily. "Now keep your damn hands off me."
"You sure as hell are," said the man, and moved to take hold of the woman again.
Dan exploded up from his pallet on the floor and stepped in between the man and woman. He stiff armed the man backward.
"Easy, fellow, no rough stuff with the girl."
The man swung a quick fist at Dan. Who blocked the blow and glared threateningly at the man.
"You try that again and I'll smash your face."
Used availability for F M Parker's The Hitcher