The Sakhalin Collection
POLITICAL SUSPENSE/THRILLER HISTORICAL FICTION WAR OTHER
1960s & '70s
Robert W Smith
TaleFlick Pick!
Logline
With the help of a beautiful, Korean outcast, a U.S. Air force OSI investigator on a routine security mission stumbles upon evidence of a brutal and ongoing crime against humanity. His crusade to expose the injustice will be a sruggle between conscience and country that will define him forever.
Genre
Political,Suspense/Thriller,Historical Fiction,War,Other
Short Summary
Dan Matthews is assigned to investigate the stabbing of an airman at Wakkanai Air Station, a remote NSA installation only a few miles from the Soviet Union. The investigation leads to Si Li Young and a mysterious Russian sea captain who slowly reveal the heartwrenging story of the Sakhalin Koreans..
Thirty years after Dan and Su Li have exposed the plight of the Koreans to international scrutiny, Su Li, now Dan's widow, travels from her home in Hawaii to be honored by the repatriated refugees and their descendants. She is humbly overwhelmed and thankful for a life filled with love and service.
Setting
Wakkanai, Hokkaido, Japan in 1970
Based on a True Story
Yes
Plot - Premise
Quest,Internal Journey/Rebirth
Plot - Other Elements
Philosophical Questions
Mature Audience Themes
Language/Profanity,Nudity
Main Character Details
Name: Dan Matthews
Age: thirty
Gender: Male
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Empathetic,Honorable,Complex
Additional Character Details
Name: Su Li Young
Age: twenty-five
Gender: Female
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Confident,Sexy,Selfless,Heroic
Additional Character Details
Name: Captain Subarov
Age: 60
Gender: Male
Role: mentor
Key Traits: Adventurous,Masculine,Modest,Charming,Decisive,Selfless,Faithful,Honorable
Additional Character Details
The author has not yet written this
Development Pitch
A daring conspiracy to expose one of history’s most tragic and little-known crimes against humanity... The Empire of Japan ruthlessly abducted over a million Korean citizens from their homeland during WWII. More than sixty thousand of these virtual slaves were forced to toil for Japanese masters in the mines and factories of Karafuto, a frozen and desolate island in the North Pacific. Even after the vanquished Japanese fled Karafuto to escape the victorious Red Army, the Koreans’ suffering endured for decades on what their new masters renamed Sakhalin. An aging and lost tribe of survivors, abandoned and forgotten because it served the agendas of the world’s great powers-until now... Air Force OSI Investigator Dan Matthews is looking forward to the end of his military service, but his CO has one last, routine assignment: Investigate a possible security leak at Wakkanai Air Station, some twenty-six miles from the Soviet Union. Anything but routine, his quest soon leads to a beautiful and stateless Korean outcast, Su Li Young, who is determined to rescue her native people from captivity on Sakhalin Island. The plot ensnares Dan into a dangerous and noble conspiracy that could rock the free world and defy the very government he serves. It will be a struggle between conscience and country—a journey of self-discovery—and will blur the lines between truth and lie, love and loyalty, even right and wrong, and carry Dan to a choice that will define him forever.
Genre
WAR, ROMANCE, SUSPENSE
Brief
An American military man ends up finding evidence of a terrible crime against humanity, which he tries to unravel with the help of a South Korean colleague. They end up falling in love, and their efforts help reveal the truth to the world, whatever the cost.
Overall Rating
GOOD
Narrative Elements
Authors Writing Style: GOOD
Characterization: GOOD
Commerciality: FAIR
Franchise Potential: FAIR
Pace: GOOD
Premise: GOOD
Structure: GOOD
Theme: GOOD
Accuracy of Book Profile
Yes, it does.
Draw of Story
The real story of brutal tragedy behind the narrative sparked my desire to read the book.
Possible Drawbacks
Nothing made me want to put the book down, but the story's pace could be a little faster at the beginning, giving more clues about the story's main theme.
Use of Special Effects
THE STORY DOES NOT RELY ON SPECIAL EFFECTS
Primary Hook of Story
The main hooks are the little-known true story that serves as the backdrop for the narrative and the love story between Dan and Su Li.
Fanbase Potential
Hardly a large fanbase, but it would certainly attract people interested in historical narratives and war stories.
Awards Potential
The strong central theme could be a big draw for Awards with some adaptations and refinements to the narrative.
Envisioned Budget
MEDIUM BUDGET
Similar Films/TV Series
A FEW GOOD MEN - IN THIS CLASSIC FILM, A YOUNG LAWYER TRIES TO REVEAL THE TERRIBLE TRUTH BEHIND DEATH OF A SOLDIER INSIDE A MILITARY BASE. HOMELAND - A TV SERIES ABOUT A CIA ANALYST WHO TRIES TO DISCOVER THE TRUE INTENTIONS OF AN AMERICAN SOLDIER WHO RETURNS HOME AFTER SPENDING EIGHTY YEARS IN CAPTIVITY IN IRAQ.
What’s New About the Story
The story is original in recounting a brutal and little-known event in Asian history in World War II. However, the narrative structure is absolutely classic and even somewhat predictable in its development, which doesn't quite affect the reader's involvement with the characters and everything that happens to them.
Lead Characters
They are two honest characters interested in the truth. Dan, the main character, has a fascinating personal journey: from a mere follower of orders to a person capable of challenging even his own country for what he believes.
Uniqueness of Story
It's not quite a rare gem, because the characters and their actions and motivations could be better worked and deepened. Still, it's a very compelling and engaging story.
Possible Formats
Film: Studio, Streaming
Analyst Recommendation
CONSIDER
Justification
The book should be considered for an adaptation first because the story behind its pages is incredible and still very little known in the West. It has the potential to shock and thrill audiences and present historical facts for those who are unfamiliar with them. In addition, the writing is very well done and engaging, and the structure takes us into the story little by little. When we see it, it's hard to stop reading. Despite being somewhat predictable both in the result of investigations made by the protagonist and in his love story, the plot is well constructed enough for the reader to remain interested in the characters, their actions, and what should happen to them in the end. In addition to its didactic potential, the story has a chance to create a tremendous emotional impact, especially in its hopeful conclusion. A few revisions that further deepened and differentiated the characters' personalities would do very well to the story and make their paths even more fascinating to the public, yielding an adaptation that could take higher flights and even aim for some Awards.