RUNNING WITH CANNIBALS by Robert W. Smith – Philippine-American War, Historical Fiction, Military History

Robert W. Smith tells the story of a forgotten war and the fractured peace that follows in his powerful historical fiction novel, Running with Cannibals.

It has been said that “War is hell.” It has also been opined that “It is well that war is so terrible, or we should grow too fond of it.” Running with Cannibals is a no-holds-barred, candid portrayal of a war that is glossed over in U.S. history, the Philippine-American War of 1899-1902. It was the first war fought overseas by the U.S.

Running with Cannibals begins with an unnamed man on the run from an unjust accusation bought with blood and money.

At first, the reader may wonder how this man ends up halfway around the world to the Philippines, a soldier hiding among other soldiers.

Through the eyes of Sergeant Ethan Cooper, the reader has an intimate view of the self-fulfilling shibboleths that empower and provoke the U.S. Army into stupidity, atrocity, and self-aggrandizement. They squander the genuine possibility of cooperation and partnership with the Filipinos who were colonized by Spain.

Running with Cannibals is a story where the truth sets one man, Ethan Cooper, free of the past that dogs his every step. He keeps his head down, desperately trying not to draw attention to himself. So afraid of being seen, Cooper participates in committing monstrous acts against the Filipino people with his fellow soldiers – even against his better judgment.

When Cooper and his unit leave the capital for the remote villages on a mission that is doomed to fail because of the ignorance and racism of its commanding officer, Cooper’s eyes and the reader’s are fully opened to the U.S. true intent to subdue and subjugate the Filipinos into starvation and death. The more brutality Cooper sees, the more he questions what he’s been told. Not just about the supposed enemy, but about his own side.

Running with Cannibals is both an adventure and a philosophical and sometimes even angst-ridden journey told through a very close third-person point of view.

Smith crafts his story with exceptional skill, enabling readers an up-close look at Cooper’s ultimate metamorphosis. Ethan Cooper’s desperate desire to not see what is going on all around him does change over the course of his adventures into a soul-searching journey of purpose and fulfillment.

Running with Cannibals is an epic tale of war, hell, and redemption that will stick with readers long after reading the last page. Highly recommended.