The Mercenary: A Story of Brotherhood and Terror in the Afghanistan War

In this ambitious yet flawed dual memoir, journalist Stern (The 15:17 to Paris) chronicles his and his driver’s experiences during and after the U.S. occupation of Afghanistan. Portraying himself as a wannabe reporter who “kept failing and advancing to the next level anyway,” Stern recounts how he paid his own way to Afghanistan in 2007 and fortuitously hired Aimal, who “somehow knew before everyone else when a bomb had gone off and where.” The first third of narrative is told from Stern’s perspective, detailing the scrapes he got into and out of with Aimal’s help between 2007 and 2011. The vantage point then shifts, documenting Aimal’s childhood in Kabul, his arms dealing during the U.S. occupation, and his escape to Canada in 2011. The final section, which seesaws back-and-forth between Stern and Aimal’s perspectives, culminates in their separate efforts to help people escape Kabul during the U.S. withdrawal and Stern’s assistance in Aimal’s reconciliation with his wife. Though Stern candidly admits to “self-absorption” and “misperceptions,” he still casts Aimal mainly in a sidekick role, and the differences between their versions of events are subtle, giving the narrative a somewhat repetitive feel. This aims high but falls short. Agent: David Larabell, Creative Artists Agency. (Mar.)