Simply the greatest escape story ever told.

Rowe, Miller, and Hubbard, are prisoners from an ancient war. As far as their government is concerned, they are missing in action. As far as their families are concerned, they are dead. Since the end of the war, they have been used as slave labour by their captors, but now their deteriorating physical condition and political changes threaten their continued existence. Indeed, unbeknownst to them, their death warrants have already been signed.

But then a rare chance of escape presents itself.

Yet, the obstacles to their regaining their freedom are almost insurmountable.

More than a year before, and far, far away, an old man had put the muzzle of a shotgun to his throat and gone to push the trigger..

This novel tells the amazing story that ensued.

(Author's Note:

Even though some years have passed since these events took place, I have had, in the interests of international relations, public face, personal feelings and, indeed, diplomacy, to leave some elements of this story deliberately vague. I have also had to include small amounts of disinformation. However, intelligent readers will have no difficulty in filling in the gaps, as it were, and picturing, indeed, the whole story. My main hope is that this book will prove a fitting epitaph to the man I have called Al Eckman. I also hope that, sometime in the future, Hollywood will do its duty and produce a fitting tribute to this incredible man.)

Simply the greatest escape story ever told.

Rowe, Miller, and Hubbard, are prisoners from an ancient war. As far as their government is concerned, they are missing in action. As far as their families are concerned, they are dead. Since the end of the war, they have been used as slave labour by their captors, but now their deteriorating physical condition and political changes threaten their continued existence. Indeed, unbeknownst to them, their death warrants have already been signed.

But then a rare chance of escape presents itself.

Yet, the obstacles to their regaining their freedom are almost insurmountable.

More than a year before, and far, far away, an old man had put the muzzle of a shotgun to his throat and gone to push the trigger...

This novel tells the amazing story that ensued.

(Author's Note:

Even though some years have passed since these events took place, I have had, in the interests of international relations, public face, personal feelings and, indeed, diplomacy, to leave some elements of this story deliberately vague. I have also had to include small amounts of disinformation. However, intelligent readers will have no difficulty in filling in the gaps, as it were, and picturing, indeed, the whole story. My main hope is that this book will prove a fitting epitaph to the man I have called Al Eckman. I also hope that, sometime in the future, Hollywood will do its duty and produce a fitting tribute to this incredible man.)