Kandahar Moon
GENRE
ACTION
Core Theme
AFTER EXHAUSTING 20 YEARS OF WAR, TWO AMERICANS ARE STILL WILLING TO RISK THEIR LIVES AGAINST AGAINST ISIS AND THE TALEBAN IN ORDER TO FIND ANOTHER AMERICAN CITIZEN LEFT IN AFGHANISTAN.
TIME PERIOD
Contemporary
COMPARABLE TITLES
12 STRONG
CHARACTER LIST
• MATT BARRETT, 40’S.
• SAMANTHA CRISP, 30’S, 30’S., CEO TO BE RESCUED FROM AFGHANISTAN;
• FARID SHER, 20’S, VILLAIN AND LEADER OF AFGHAN FIGHTERS;
• STAVROS ARITI, 39, MISSION PARTNER; DOC, MISSION PARTER;
• CARA FLANAGAN, 30’S, MATT’S LOVE INTEREST;
• JAX, RETIRED FBI AGENT, MATT’S BOSS.
Logline
Ex-Navy SEAL Matthew Barrett is tired. He’s lived a hard life of pain, suffering, and sacrifice without end. When he’s sent on a minimal risk job to find and bring back a corporate executive, Matt is tested yet again. His skill, stamina, and intellect will be challenged like never before!
Target Audiences
Age: 35-54
Target Gender: Male Leaning
Setting
Miami, UAE, Afghanistan
Based on a True Story
No
Publishing Details
Status: Yes: self-published
Publisher: Amazon
Year Published: 2022
Starting Description
The United States has had enough of war. With the evacuation clock winding down, a small elite team of former special operators is inserted into Kabul to find one special American. What should have been a simple in and out job, turns into the fight of their lives!
Ending Description
Shot up and weary after enduring a three-day running gunfight, the elite team of former special operators struggle to reach the Kandahar airport, their last chance to get out of Afghanistan alive. However, ISIS, the Taliban, and a Chechen gun for hire, will do whatever it takes to stop them!
Group Specific
Information not completed
Hard Copy Available
Yes
ISBN
978-1735050188
Mature Audience Themes
Extreme Violence
Plot - Other Elements
Philosophical Questions
Plot - Premise
Quest
Main Character Details
Name: Matt Barrett
Age: 40 years old
Gender: Male
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Badass,Confident,Decisive,Heroic,Honorable,Leader,Strong Moral Code,Skillful,Selfless,Patriotic,Masculine,Complex
Additional Character Details
Name: Samantha Crisp
Age: mid thirties
Gender: Female
Role: Skeptic
Key Traits: Confident,Complex,Educated,Naive,Lone Wolf,Unapologetic,Sarcastic,Outspoken,Blunt,Sexy
Additional Character Details
Name: Farid Sher
Age: late twenties
Gender: Male
Role: antagonist
Key Traits: Complex,Confident,Decisive,Engaging,Faithful,Leader,Religious,Selfless,Skillful,Visionary,Secretive,Unapologetic,Lone Wolf
Additional Character Details
Name: Stavros Ariti
Age: 39
Gender: Male
Role: sidekick
Key Traits: Adventurous,Aggressive,Charming,Confident,Decisive,Empathetic,Engaging,Faithful,Heroic,Educated,Honorable,Leader,Masculine,Patriotic,Selfless,Skillful,Strong Moral Code
Development Pitch
Kandahar Moon is a story that played out in reality as multiple private European and American organizations struggled to recover the citizens who were left behind by America's hasty retreat in August 2021. It is a human tale of a noble cause thwarted by men dedicated to a new world order and the demise of the West. A group of former warriors, each physically and psychologically worn out from nearly twenty years of continuous war, are still willing to risk their lives one more time to find an American they've never met. Set primarily in Kabul and the open terrain between Kabul and Kandahar Afghanistan, this story incorporates all the elements of successful action-adventure films, but its premise and fast paced plot isn't contrived. While fictional, Kandahar Moon is a tale that tracks closely with the real events that unfolded as the last American planes departed Afghanistan and the heroic efforts of nameless men and women committed to bringing everybody home. Kandahar Moon is written as a standalone story, but the author's SEAL Strike series of five books also lends itself to a longer content project such as a TV series.
Genre
ACTION, SUSPENSE, POLITICS, WAR
Brief
Even after serving during exhausting 20 years of war, Matt and two other American veterans are still willing to risk their lives against ISIS and the Taleban in order to rescue an American citizen left in Afghanistan after US withdrawal from the country.
Overall Rating
EXCELLENT
Narrative Elements
Authors Writing Style: EXCELLENT
Characterization: GOOD
Commerciality: GOOD
Franchise Potential: GOOD
Pace: EXCELLENT
Premise: GOOD
Structure: GOOD
Theme: GOOD
Accuracy of Book Profile
It is fair.
Draw of Story
What drew me into the story at first was the ability of the author to create a warzone plotline that is both engaging and eventful.
Possible Drawbacks
There are a few points to be highlighted regarding the development of the protagonist, Matt, and his story arch. As the character Sam has pointed out during the narrative, and by this we can assume the author is aware, Matt may be regarded as a cliche outdated macho hero protagonist. As Sam, depicted initially as a smart and strong woman, takes a very passive position during action scenes, it seems that her views and (valid) points are eclipsed by Matt’s actions.
Use of Special Effects
THE STORY RELIES A LITTLE BIT ON SPECIAL EFFECTS
Primary Hook of Story
I would watch this movie because it brings an interesting point of view regarding US’ withdrawal from Afghanistan for people who are not familiar with the subject to understand how it happened. Also, it creates a broader understanding of what happens inside the country, which is a massive matter in contemporaneous society – all combined with great action scenes and a satisfying resolution.
Fanbase Potential
It could have a large fanbase if adapted, especially more depth is provided to Sam, a key character in this narrative.
Awards Potential
This adaptation would enable many awards as the author manages to create beautiful and poetic scenarios even if action happens in a place chastised by destruction and war. There is an interesting dichotomy between Kandahar moon and the horrors of the place that can be explored by art direction.
Envisioned Budget
MEDIUM BUDGET
Similar Films/TV Series
12 STRONG
What’s New About the Story
More depth to Samantha’s character is key in order to make this story more interesting and engaging for general audience. Also, protagonist’s arch requires a clearer challenge, one that is not physical – perhaps this could be related to his relationship with Sam.
Lead Characters
Lead characters are strong, driven and are courageous.
Uniqueness of Story
Narrator has a very engaging style, however one thing that could be noticed about the narrative is that, especially in the beginning, third person narrator embodies the point of view of characters he is narrating. Limits between characters impressions and third person observation should be clearer.
Possible Formats
Film: Studio, Indie, Streaming TV Series: Network, Cable, Limited Run / Mini-Series, Streaming
Analyst Recommendation
CONSIDER
Justification
The premise is interesting and sure to attract its target audience; however there lacks a bit of character development in terms of depth, challenge/motivation and personality layers; in order to better structure protagonist’s arch and the main female character. With proper changes, this story would enable relatable plotlines for a broader audience.
Brief
Even after serving during exhausting 20 years of war, Matt and two other American veterans are still willing to risk their lives against ISIS and the Taleban in order to rescue an American citizen left in Afghanistan after US withdrawal from the country.
What We Liked
Apart from this book being an undeniably pleasant page turner, it brings an interesting point of view regarding US’ withdrawal from Afghanistan for people who are not familiar with the subject to understand how it happened. Also, it creates a broader understanding of what happens inside the country, which is a massive matter in contemporaneous society – all combined with great action scenes and a satisfying resolution.
Film: This would be a great adaptation for film because the author is a master in creating exhilarating action scenes that are not disconnected from the story and with surprising outcomes.
TV: It would be a great adaptation for TV because all the detours and frustrated plans involved in the mission could be set up for several episodes, all with varying turns and surprising outcomes.
Key points: Masterful action scenes; Relevant historical background; Contemporaneous subject; Charismatic side characters; Driven masculine protagonist.
Synopsis
The story begins with Matt in Miami exercising and trying to come to terms with his new regular life as a retired SEAL. He is in good shape, recovering from a low point in his life and working in small missions with Jax, a retired FBI agent. Watching the news, Matt remembers his two times serving in Afghanistan – where soon Jax would assign him to the very dangerous mission of retrieving a promising Fortune 50 executive, Samantha.
Samantha got stuck in Afghanistan during the sudden withdrawal of American forces. At first, she was helped by Arzo, a mid-age woman who worked in the Hotel she stayed.
Samantha stayed in her house in Kabul, which was an even more dangerous mess than usual at the moment, while Taliban is conducting house-to-house searches.
Matt, Stavros and Doc set up to Afghanistan in their mission is to sneak into a country in turmoil, save Samantha and get out alive. Plan A is quite simple, and it begins with the help of Halim, an Afghan that joins the team in hopes he also gets to escape. The team finds Samantha and Matt is impressed with her strong figure. From the beginning and due to different points of view, they hate each other.
During the escape, the team is hit by a suicide bomber, Matt is injured and they have to get to plan B. Many adventures and detours follow, and many of this brings Matt’s traumatic memories back to surface. As the protagonist faces his own demons, the team has to escape ISIS, Taliban and Quds Forces, led by Farid and jihadist Amir. Things seem to be coming to a happy ending when they head to Kandahar, even with three of them wounded, where another plane would pick them up at midnight, set up by Jax. At the same time in Kabul, tension due to USA withdrawal reaches its peak.
Clock ticks and the plane supposed to rescue them is arriving but they have a hard time getting to the airport. Sam gets caught, as well as Stavros. They are later retrieved, but they fail to get to the plane. Pessimism and exhaustion sets in, but the team goes on, with no help from US government. Jax gets Seamus (an old friend of Matt and brother of his love interest, Cara) to fly a plane into Afghanistan and rescue the team, with or without airport. When they get close to the plane, Stravos gets shot, but they manage to get on the plane with the help of Seamus and are out of Afghanistan. After the whole team: Matt, Doc, Stravos, Sam and Halim are safe and sound, they realize that Seamus is the one who is not going to make it out alive.