New Zealand author Peter D Campbell has always believed that the truth makes the best fiction. In his latest novella, Stepping into the Unknown, the Christchurch based journalist delves into the little known world of private security contracting in the Indonesian archipelago.
“The novella is based on the experiences of Brad Shaw, a former Royal Marine Commando, who spent a number of years working as a security contractor in Indonesia. His life has all the components of a great thriller. This guy was working independently in some of the most isolated and dangerous places on Earth – he had no backup and was living by his wits,” Campbell says. “When I met him, I just knew I had to write his story.”
While names, dates and places have been changed to protect confidentiality, the story narrated in the book is essentially what happened to Shaw. The novella, published by Herodotus Press on Wednesday and available on Amazon Kindle, retells Shaw’s first contract where he is employed to prevent the theft of pearl lines at an isolated pearl farm in Sumbawa. Alone, Shaw soon finds himself surrounded by potential mafia informants and killers, while he tries to work out who is behind the theft of the pearl lines.
“The book was written in close collaboration with Shaw so that it is a realistic and accurate as possible. In most thrillers, the plot or the actions of the hero can be implausible. In Stepping into the Unknown readers are thrilled by a daring, actual adventure.”
While many might think of Indonesia as simply being the tourist island of Bali, the nation consists of over 18000 islands and has a population of 262 million people with over 250 different dialects of the Indonesian Language. It is the world’s most populous Muslim country. Commanding a strategic position at the gateway of the Pacific Ocean and Asia, Indonesia nonetheless suffers from extreme poverty and a high crime rate feeding global problems as people smuggling, drug trafficking, organized crime and terrorism.
“Readers will see a side of Indonesia few ever imagined,” Campbell says.
Shaw, who served several years with the UK Royal Marines began working as a security consultant after a terrorist campaign by Jemaah Islamiyah led him to lose his tourism business.
“I had never planned to go into security consulting but there was such a need in Indonesia that it seemed like the best way to use the skills which I had learnt with the Royal Marines,” Shaw says.
The book is also unique in its use of military vernacular which enhances the authenticity of the authors’ voice.
“This isn’t some fantasy of some wannabe Rambo. This is written using Brad’s words and Brad’s language, making it one of the most authentic accounts you’ll come across.”
Stepping into the Unknown mixes Brad Shaw’s real life experience with Peter D Campbell’s ability to tell a compelling story, the result of working as a journalist and novelist.
The collaboration between the Shaw and Campbell has been highly successful.
“For a long time people have been saying I should write a book about my experiences but where do you start? I was lucky to meet Peter. He has a great sense for what makes a good story and knows how to tell it,” says Shaw.
“In writing this book I couldn’t have asked for a better partner,” says Shaw. “Peter’s feel for the subject matter, the sense of place, the fear, adrenalin and the sheer kicks of the experience really capture what it was like to be there on the ground.”