Storm in the Shadow: The Novel They All Rejected

Based on real events — still denied a chance to be published

The photo shows my green Nahal Brigade beret, sleeve chevron, a warrior’s badge, a combatant’s insignia, and a death medallion. All rights reserved. © Michael Livschitz

I’m about to take an unprecedented step. As far as I know, no one has tried anything quite like this before. But I’m doing it because I was left with no other choice. Over the past nine months, I’ve received 146 rejections from literary agencies in the U.S. and 63 more from the UK. That’s what has pushed me toward this decision.

I’m inviting my followers to become beta readers of my novel, “Storm in the Shadow” — an upmarket historical military fiction, approximately 130,000 words in length. Your feedback will help me determine its future. The first beta readers have already had the chance to read the opening chapters and share their impressions.

For those who haven’t yet followed how it all began — and why I’m doing this — you can read the full background: The Book No One Would Touch. It may help you better understand the issue and form your own opinion.

Some literary agents and publishers acknowledged the potential and strength of this story, but felt that current trends aren’t favorable for a book like this. I appreciate their honesty and don’t take it personally. It’s just unfortunate that a narrative based on real events and rooted in strong values ends up being unwanted.

I also spoke with several well-known and respected individuals who expressed interest in both the subject and the story itself. In the end, they weren’t able to help — and I fully understand how demanding their schedules are. I have no complaints and am truly grateful they took the time to listen. Still, at the end of the day, this is a path I have to walk on my own.

I don’t want to dwell on the suspicion of antisemitic bias — I’d like to believe that most agents who rejected the book did so for other reasons. So in short, here’s what most of the rejections boil down to: they claim that a military historical novel (focused on the IDF) is commercially unappealing, that readers prefer escapist content and aren’t ready to engage with unsettling realities. In other words, my novel doesn’t fit the current market trends.

Allow me a bit of irony here: if “All Quiet on the Western Front” by Erich Maria Remarque or “The Thin Red Line” by James Jones were submitted in today’s literary climate, they would likely never see the light of day. I’m not comparing myself to those great writers — only drawing a parallel.

It’s incredibly difficult to get noticed today, especially if you’re not a public figure or don’t have connections with celebrities. I find myself in a position where I have to shout into the silence — and only the echo answers back. Still, I’m not looking for pity. That’s the last thing I need. Self-publishing remains an absolute last resort — I’m not pursuing that path unless all other options are truly exhausted.

The idea for “Storm in the Shadow” was carried in me for over 10 years — and in September 2024, after two years of work, I finally completed it. My goal was to immerse the reader in the harsh training of Israeli combat units. To the best of my knowledge, such a detailed depiction of the inner workings of the IDF in the late ’90s hasn’t been seen in literature. But that’s not where the uniqueness ends — this is a drama based on real events, in which the protagonist must go through every stage of transformation: from denial to acceptance, through personal growth, in search of meaning. Along the way he discovers what brotherhood, love, and sacrifice really mean — all set against historical explorations of Israel’s story and a deep commitment to human values.

I’ve reconstructed the events down to the smallest detail and aimed to recreate the atmosphere of that era with near-documentary realism, while also portraying the emotional journey of the recruits with unflinching honesty.

From 1997 to 1999, I served in the combat units of the Nahal Brigade’s 932nd “Granite” Battalion — one of the most capable formations of the Israel Defense Forces. My personal experience has allowed me to create a realistic and authentic narrative that conveys all the nuances of service in the Israeli army.

Before you request the two trial chapters, I’d like to mention one thing. Even manuscripts by famous authors are edited before publication — and mine would be too. So while I’ve revised the book many times, please keep in mind that this is still a draft that would be polished further with professional input. For context: “Storm in the Shadow” is the fifth novel I’ve written, but the first in this genre and the first I’m determined to publish. I share this so you have a sense of my writing background.

Now, for the sample request conditions. They’re simple: you need to follow me on 𝕏, subscribe to my Substack, repost this post, add it to your bookmarks, and leave a comment saying you’d like to be a beta reader. Send your email via DM only. Please don’t request a sample if you don’t have time or don’t intend to read it. After reading, I ask that you leave your honest feedback under the original post. If you’d like to discuss any details further, feel free to do so in DMs. And I ask for one thing only: honesty. If I deserve criticism, that’s your right. I understand that two chapters may not be enough for full immersion into a novel of 30 chapters, but it’s still more than what literary agents typically request for consideration.

And finally — please don’t volunteer if you hold a deep bias against Israel. In that case, this path is not for us to walk together.

P.S. How can this initiative help?

If your interest turns out to be strong — stronger than anyone expected — and is paired with the first impressions of the novel, this could become a serious case for publishers who are reluctant to take risks (understandably so) to consider publishing the book.

If they see how many people are ready to place a pre-order, their doubts may disappear. Pre-orders would allow them to avoid financial risk — because they’d be getting the money upfront to publish the book.

In the end, it comes down to this: agents and publishers don’t see commercial potential in the novel. Your support could prove them wrong.

If this post resonates with you, I’d be grateful if you shared it as widely as possible. Only broad exposure can help break the deadlock and draw the attention of those in a position to make a difference. And if any of my readers happen to have a direct line to influential accounts, I’d deeply appreciate your help in reaching out — even a simple repost or a brief comment from them could go a long way. Visibility and resonance are the only things that can breach the wall that stands in the way of Israeli authors being heard.

Even though I’m fortunate to have many well-known followers, I don’t have the direct influence this initiative needs to truly take off — which is why your help matters.

Thank you!

The chapters will be shared privately for personal reading only. Please do not redistribute.