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Forward of the Line — A Desert Storm Novel by Mike Bennett

A Desert Storm Novel

Forward of the Line is a military fiction novel inspired by the experience, brotherhood, danger and uncertainty surrounding Operation Desert Storm.

Author: Mike Bennett

In the desert, maps only tell part of the story. Orders point the way, but the men on the ground carry the weight of every mile.

Forward of the Line follows soldiers pushed beyond comfort, beyond certainty, and beyond the clean lines drawn in briefing rooms.

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About Forward of the Line

Forward of the Line by Mike Bennett is a military fiction novel set during Operation Desert Storm. The story follows a U.S. Army reconnaissance platoon operating ahead of the main force as the Gulf War moves toward its ground campaign.

Their mission places them beyond the relative safety of the main American lines, where maps, radio reports and carefully prepared battle plans can only tell part of the story. Once soldiers move forward, decisions have to be made with the information available, and those decisions can determine whether everyone makes it home.

Forward of the Line explores the brotherhood created between soldiers serving together under pressure, the responsibility carried by military leaders and the uncertainty experienced by soldiers preparing to enter combat.

A Military Novel Set During Operation Desert Storm

Set against the deserts of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq during the 1990–1991 Gulf War, Forward of the Line places readers alongside soldiers preparing for and participating in Operation Desert Storm.

The novel focuses not only on combat, but also on reconnaissance missions, radio traffic, vehicle movement, long periods of waiting, uncertainty and the split-second decisions surrounding military operations.

Written by U.S. Army Veteran Mike Bennett

Mike Bennett is a U.S. Army veteran and the author of the Desert Storm novel series. His military fiction draws on firsthand familiarity with Army life, military culture, deployment and the relationships formed between soldiers serving together.

Forward of the Line is presented as fiction. Names, characters and some events have been adapted for storytelling, while its military atmosphere and many of the experiences that inspired the novel are rooted in the world Bennett knew.

Learn more about author Mike Bennett and the story behind his Desert Storm novels.

Forward of the Line Book Details

  • Title: Forward of the Line
  • Author: Mike Bennett
  • Series: Desert Storm Novel
  • Genre: Military Fiction / War Fiction
  • Setting: Operation Desert Storm / Gulf War
  • Language: English
  • Publication Date: June 6, 2026
  • Paperback ISBN-13: 979-8180425355

Short Excerpt

The desert was quiet in a way that made every sound feel like a warning. Engines idled low. Radios cracked. Men checked gear they had already checked twice. Somewhere beyond the line, the unknown waited.

Mike Bennett's Desert Storm Novels

Forward of the Line, No One Left in the Sand, and Dust and Steel.