This is a good military thriller by a US Army officer who knows what he’s talking. It suffers from having been “overtaken by events” - the scenario of the US vs. an allied Iran and Iraq was always unlikely, now it’s hopelessly dated. Despite its “alternate world” qualities, anyone interested in modern armored combat will enjoy the book.
James R. McDonough
This is an account of one unit’s experiences at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, circa 1985. It’s a series of parables designed to teach tactics and leadership. While the people and units are fictional, the lessons, in the tradition of “The Defence of Duffer’s Drift” are real.
Harold Coyle
This is a somewhat thin story about a National Guard unit deployed to Israel to serve as a buffer between Israel and the Palestinians. Its strong points are the portrayal of the dynamics of a guard unit and the problems that arise when regular army officers take command of the guard unit. Coyle is one of the best current military fiction writers, but despite the strong characterization in this novel the action isn’t compelling.
Vince Flynn
Flynn’s hero Mitch Rapp once again saves the nation. Somehow Flynn can crank these things out without them ever becoming dull. A tip for Tom Clancy, Dale Brown, etc.: read Flynn, take notes.
Jenny Thompson
This is an objective but sympathetic look at the people who reenact modern wars. Unlike Civil War reeneactors, the modern reenactors have to confront political issues such as the ethics of pretending to be a Nazi. Also unlike their Civil War counterparts, the modern reenactor often enjoys his hobby out of sight of the public, and Thompson explores the activity as a sort of improvisational theater where the actors are also the audience, who strive for brief moments where the present melts away.
Thompson is a sociologist, and uses a sociologist’s tools, but the book isn’t dry; the sociological analysis adds depth to a personal, detailed, and sensitive portrayal of her subjects.
