Hold Strong

A Novel

By: Robert Dugoni, Jeff Langholz, Chris Crabtree

Narrated by: Will Damron

From Robert Dugoni, Jeff Langholz, and Chris Crabtree comes an epic and inspiring novel—based on true events—about love, heroism, and resilience during the darkest chapters of World War II.

Sam Carlson is a projectionist in small-town Minnesota, where fantasies unspool in glorious black and white—for him and for his sweetheart, college-bound math whiz Sarah Haber. When the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, Sam is sent to the Philippines and captured as a POW. Brutalized but unbroken by the Bataan Death March and POW camps, Sam is one of eighteen hundred starved and weakened prisoners herded into the cargo hold of a barbaric hell ship called the Arisan Maru, his survival doubtful.

Determined to use her math skills on the home front, Sarah is recruited to Washington, DC, into the covert field of code breaking. When Sarah intercepts a message about a Japanese convoy, the US Navy’s mission is clear: sink the Arisan Maru and send it to the bottom of the South China Sea. Now, the lives of the two young lovers are about to inadvertently collide in one of the most shocking acts of World War II.

Anchored in an extraordinary true story and breathlessly re-created, Hold Strong is a one-of-a-kind novel that explores faith, courage, survival, and coming home against insurmountable odds.

©2025 La Mesa Fiction, LLC, Jeff A. Langholz, and Chris Adam Crabtree. (P)2024 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“This book is hard to put down.”—Historical Novels Review

“Though these gruesome aspects of war aren’t often easy to portray in novels and historical fiction, Hold Strong, by the trio of researchers and writers Robert Dugoni, Jeff Langholz, and Chris Crabtree, has achieved the unachievable. It does so with their cast of strong characters backed by their meticulous research.”—The Epoch Times

“Something straight out of a Tom Clancy novel, with submarines and secret codes and war-altering decisions made at heavy cost. It’s thrilling stuff, made all the more so by its grounding in history.”—Rob Merrill, Associated Press

Amazing and heartbreaking storytelling

I’ve never read a Robert Dugoni book that I didn’t love, and Hold Strong is no exception. Dugoni masterfully brings history to life, transforming its characters into real, relatable people who feel as though they could be any one of us. This novel was not only compelling but also deeply informative—I had no idea that while Jews suffered in German concentration camps, equally brutal POW camps were being run by the Japanese. Learning about the harrowing experiences of these soldiers and the role the U.S. played is crucial, ensuring that history is remembered and never repeated.

5 Stars? Can I Buy MORE??

This saga nearly broke me. I simply could not put it down, staying up late into the night because I had to find some peace in this story!! Please understand- this is storytelling at its finest. The fact that it's based on actual events makes it even more mind-blowing. But the authors are taking us into a very dark alley, and escape is not assured. This story is tough to read or listen to. At times it's horrific, even inhuman.

Sam Carlson goes from his life in a town much like the old movie "Pleasantville" into a journey that descends the rings of hell. Every time he's sure things couldn't get any worse, they did. So while there are sweet, tender, romantic, and funny moments, ultimately that's going to be offset by a lot of suffering and death. Yet for all the time I spent with Sam Carlson making that descent into hell, it was all worth it. I highly recommend this read if you can handle the high-pressure abuse. This isn't for everyone, and sensitive readers or those with PTSD should give careful consideration before diving in. But as for me, I'm so glad I took this journey. Amazing.

A great story, told by the master storyteller

I’m a great fan of Robert Dugoni, but I wasn’t too sure about the book. After just a few chapters, I was totally engrossed with the story.
I now classify the book as one of the ‘greats’ in my collection. Wonderfully researched and brilliantly told.
For me it’s a 10 out of 10!

Wow, just wow

First, I have read several Robert Dugoni books and am definitely impressed with his storytelling.
Secondly, the account of WWII United States soldiers who were captured by the Japanese in the Philippians is horrific. It is also a vastly untold story. I highly recommend reading this account of The Greatest Generation as a reminder of the tremendous cost of the freedom we enjoy today.

Amazing

Great read from start to finish. The author does a great job telling the story from multiple sources