This is book II in the Duty, Honor, Country Triliogy. "A treat for military fiction readers." Publishers Weekly. They swore oaths, both personal and professional. They were fighting for country, for a way of life and for family. Classmates carried more than rifles and sabers into battle. They had friendships, memories, children and wives. They had innocence lost, promises broken and glory found. Duty, Honor, Country is history told both epic and personal so we can understand what happened, but more importantly feel the heart-wrenching clash of duty, honor, country and loyalty. And realize that sometimes, the people who changed history, weren't recorded by it. In the vein of HBO's Rome miniseries, two fictional characters, Rumble and Cord are standing at many of the major crossroads of our history. We start with the battle at Palo Alto at the beginning of the Mexican War, percentage-wise, the bloodiest in U.S. History. While Grant and Rumble battle across Mexico, Cord is with Fremont and Kit Carson in the far west, fighting to bring California into the Union. We end on the eve of the Civil War, with each man taking his place on one side or the other, as West Point classmates prepare to face each other in battle. "Mayer has established himself as one of today's better military writers. A background in the Infantry, West Point and Special Operations gives him credibility and understanding from having been there and done that." Airpower Journal