It’s probably true that a writer is the person least likely to understand the preferences of his or her readers. That is certainly the case with my three novels, “Cape Decision,” “The Kabul Conscript,” and “Fjord Land.”

Of the three, “Cape Decision” continues to be the best seller, which somewhat mystifies me. This in spite of the fact that Afghanistan, the setting of “The Kabul Conscript” is much more in the news and public consciousness than Alaska.

I conceived the idea of Cape Decision and The Kabul Conscript at the same time, with the goal of writing about the main characters (Conrad, David, & Karen) in their youth and in middle age. The Kabul Conscript is a sort of prequel to Cape Decision, since it is set nearly thirty years earlier, although the books may be read in any order.

Those I know of who have read the series seem about even in preferring one book over the other, and I can find no pattern, aside from whether they have visited either region. Certainly most Alaskan readers, or those who have visited that state have a preference for Cape Decision, and the few who have traveled in Central Asia like the Afghan story best. But not in every case. Several readers who live in Alaska, or used to live there have told me they preferred The Kabul Conscript.

While I was writing the books I always thought the Afghan novel would be the most popular, not just because of the setting, but because it is in most ways an easier read, with a more straight forward plot. Although all the novels portray strong emotions and violent acts, in many ways The Kabul Conscript is a lighter read—intentional on my part, as one of my goals was to illustrate the differences in the way youth and middle age live in the world, and how people can change over time. Life gets more complicated as we age, so Cape Decision is a more complex and challenging read—or perhaps I just think of it that way, as it was harder to write!

This of course is all speculation on my part. Generally it seems artists can seldom predict which of their works will resonate best with the public. I guess such evaluation is best left to the readers and critics.