Melissa Koons

Orion's Honor Melissa Koons

Previously published as "John: A Tale of a Knight" by Melissa Koons, winner of the Editor's Choice Award in 2013 upon first publication.

Stationed on Wake Island in the fall of 1941, a wise-cracking soldier has to decide if saving his childhood friend from a path of self-destruction is worth exposing his greatest betrayal. Ben is irresponsible and immature; he only enlisted in the marines because his best friend asked him to, but he has no interest in saving the day. John has a hero-complex and a need to prove himself in order to overcome his abusive past, and joining the Marines during World War II seemed like the best opportunity to do so. John is trying to prove himself better than his past, but he is risking not only his future, but his life as well. John doesn't seem to see what all is at stake, but Ben knows that this is not the fantasy game of knights and King Arthur that they played as boys: it is a very real war. He can save John, but to do so would mean exposing his greatest act of betrayal which will destroy their friendship forever. Ben must make a choice fast: save his friend or preserve their friendship; time is running out as the war closes in on Wake Island.