Military Books

The story has just gotten better through the second in the series. The combination of individual personal turmoil, battle action, and political intrigue makes for some compelling reading.

Mr. Stephen has proven himself adept at weaving an engaging and exciting story that is difficult to put down for fans of any genre.

Unfortunately, now I have to wait for the next book, but some things are worth the wait.

This novel picks up where the original in the series leaves off. It's just as fast-paced, moreso even, and offers serious twists to the story line that the most experienced of readers won't expect.

Mr Stephen's ability to force your own emotions out into the open WHILE reading is noteworthy. The book challenges your own beliefs, imagination and decision-making process. You're forced to empathize witht he protagonist, and you learn that the antagonist is more than you initially imagined. The depth of the characters is exposed, and it's impressive.

From the military terminology, the chain of command, the strategery to the specifics of each culture personified - this book hits on all cylindars.

Incredible read. You'll be salivating with each page and left feeling lonely at the end - waiting for book 3.

Very well done, Mr. Stephen!

Outlaw Trigger is a dark glimpse into the psychology of loss and the resulting crisis of faith.

Lee Stephen has outdone himself with this excellent work. The hero of Dawn of Destiny, Scott Remington, continues his journey as a soldier of EDEN defending the Earth against alien aggression. Written in a straightforward, comprehensible style, Stephen uses his the Epic Universe as a sandbox to explore the dark side in all of us. I'm loath to say much about the plot of the book, lest I give away an ending that is as rewarding as it is surprising, but trust me when I say that it is worth every page turned.

Remington is still stationed in Siberia; the EDEN base there is still firmly in the grip of General Thoor and the Nightmen. Although their ferocity in battle and their ability to repulse alien attackers is unmatched, all is not well. The leaders of EDEN come together to try unconver a conspiracy surrounding the disposition of troops and material in Siberia (adding a nice, political element to the story that was somewhat missing in Dawn of Destiny), leaving Remington in the center of future action there.

Once again Stephen is unapologetic in his use of Providence in determining the course of an individual's life. The themes of faith, redemption, and righteousness run deeply throughout both novels in the Epic Universe, but never in such a way as to be misplaced within the worldview of the characters. In fact, Stephen's touch with these themes is surprisingly deft given the readable style. The questions he raises are both deep and visceral, leaving me questioning my own reactions if I were in a situation similar to the characters. Real strength is shown by doing what is right; refusing to listen to the dictates of conscience has its own rewards...or punishments. It is exceedingly rare that military science fiction is this thought provoking, but Stephen has delivered in spades.

The only problem that I have now is that I have to wait for Book 3.

Outlaw trigger picks up shortly after dawn of destiny left off. The assault on Novosibirsk is over, and things seem as normal as can possibly be for Scott and the others. However, things are about to abruptly change. "They say every man has a breaking point." Those are the first words written on the back of outlaw trigger. How aptly they describe the whole of the book.
Scotts life is badly damaged in the early stages of the book, when something traumatic happens at a time and place no one would expect. From then on out, his faith in God weakens, and he plunges into a depression that ultimately leads to a shocking end. Many of the old characters are involved as well, and more than one may not make it to the end of the novel alive. Bonds and enemies are made, and destroyed, and the bleaker and more uncertain side of all of Unit 14 begins to show. Will they comeback from this low, or will Scott and all of Unit 14 break up and fall into chaos? The overall storyline of Epic is beginning to move now, and I for one eagerly await to find out where it's going.
Many of the old characters are back, and some new ones as well. Everyone is still fun to read about, and there is even some new info about a few of the characters. Outlaw Trigger is as enjoyable as Dawn of Destiny, and I can't wait to see where the story goes from here.

Outlaw Trigger - By Lee Stephen

Great job Lee! This series just keeps getting better! Fast paced, good character building and thought provoking at the least. This series for those who haven't yet experienced it follows the career of young Scott Remington who leaves his normal life behind to defend his world from alien invaders in Dawn of Destiny. Instead of being a clichéd rehash of so many sci-fi novels, this work explores the basic good versus evil battle that is ever present in life. Our young hero experiences everything from the thrill of achievements that most could only dream of, to a devastating fall to the blackest depths of despair. The second book in the series Outlaw Trigger continues the exploration of Scotts character development and the subsequent testing of his faith. I won't give away critical information on the paths the story takes, I will instead encourage each of you to buy the book and be enthralled as I was with the story. I look forward to the continuing unfolding of Scott's saga in future books. I think I know where the story is going, but I thought that before and was mistaken. Buy it! Read it! Enjoy it. Jim Seals - Tuttle OK

There are not enough stars for the award this book deserves. If you pay attention, this will be a life altering read. God Bless the Col. & all he represents.....

Yesterday I attended a sales conference hosted by Ameriprise Financial and Col Ed Hubbard was the key-note speaker. As I listened to his testimontial I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. The stories of defeat and triumph, discovering the potential within the (his) human spirit to get him through a long and arduous stint as a POW. What a story . . . needless to say I'm in the middle of his book and can't put it down. I would recommend this for anyone who has ever had a bad day and would like to know what that really is - and how you are responsible for the outcome - when you put it in it's proper perspective all that is happening in the world. FANTASTIC BOOK!

I heard Col. Hubbard tell his story a few years ago. At the luncheon I received one of his Escape From The Box books. I could not put it down until I finished it. It is a powerful presentation and will change your life. After almost four years the impact remains. "Everything we do, or have done, we can do better" is the powerful message transmitted by Col. Hubbard and his book.

A recommended read!

What a wonderfully inspiring and uplifting story...


Can you imagine existing on a cup of rice and two bowls of boiled weeds each day? After being held as a POW in North Vietnam for six and a half years Colonel Ed. Hubbard brings a unique perspective to life that most of us can benefit from. This isn't a story about the horrible atrocities that he and his fellow prisoners endured, Instead it's a story about the amazing potential that exists inside each and everyone of us, if only we realized it...

A very thought provoking book. In many cases, Col. Hubbard reinforces lessons which my parents taught me, however, his experiences as a POW in North Vietnam lend an unparalled level of credibility. A must read for anyone in leadership roles, from industry to parenthood.

Etienne Gerrard is a delight, cocky, self important, vain as a peacock, he is also brave to a fault, resourceful, energetic and the best swordsman in all of Napoleon's cavalry. He is also a bit thick in the head. He struts through the most hair raising adventures, and almost always comes out in one piece. You will be convinced in each story that he could not possible carry out his mission successfully, but he almost always does. At a time in Great Britain when the human costs of the Napoleanic Wars were still felt and France and England had only recently mended fences, Conan Doyles "typical" Frenchman was a delight to the British reader. This is not Sherlock's cold intellect. It is the passion of a very decent, courageous man who is devoted to his sovreign, and who will take on any task from wooing a beautiful woman to a Russian Regiment of cavalry. If you enjoy the Flashman books you will love this one just as much.

These gems of action storytelling will make you laugh out loud-- they have the best of Doyle's plotting and some very witty characterization. Etienne Gerard is first-cousin to GM Fraser's Flashman: he finds himself in the thick of every battle, often playing a pivotal role that only now can be told...

Of course, Flashy is cowardly where Gerard is brave, but they both think themselves irresistable to women and are master horsemen. Bright, fast, and funny, these short stories belong on the shelf next to all the Flashman novels. Fraser himself calls Doyle a "genius" in the introduction, and they belong in the same league of inspired storytelling. Too bad Gerard and Flashy never met-- Flash would have called him a bloody crapaud and Gerard would have said Flashy was a British beef....

I knew Arthur Conan Doyle from his Sherlock Holmes series although I have not read any title from that. The "Exploits and Adventures of Birgadier Gerard" is surely one of the finest novels about the Napoleonic era and I highly recommend it to any fan of the Grand Armee and its battle hardened soldiers. The story begins with the long retired Brigadier starting to recall his war memories for the shake of his audience, over a glass of wine. And what a fascinating carreer did he have! He was a romantic lover, a proud Frenchman, an honest man, a terrific swordsman, a dashing cavalryman, and a soldier absolutely faithful to his duty: the real epitome of the French hussar who according to Colonel Lassale "should not live beyond the age of 30"! The old Brigadier explains with graphic detail and an amusing dose of egotism and pride how he lost his ear for the love of a girl in Venice, how he helped French troops to storm the spanish fortress of Saragossa, how he saved a whole army in the Peninsula, how he extricated himself from a grevious tactical mistake in Russia, how he beat the Englishmen in their national sport of fox-hunting and how Destiny prevented him from taking part in the climactic battle of Waterloo, a fact that Gerard honestly believes that doomed Napoleon! To build his story Doyle took many interesting facts and legends from real biographies of the period, like that of Baron de Marbot, but he made his story so enjoyable and colourful that is incomperable in terms of advenures and amusement.

Brigadier Gerard is everything that a Briton of Conan Doyle's time thought was an exemplar of the Napoleonic officer - and to a certain extent a caricature of the French themselves. Hopelessly and ridiculously brave, completely lacking in appreciation of the fine British virtues of sportsmanship, a devotion to L'Empereur, rather dim, obsessed with his honor and the honor of La France, and yet rather admirable too in his prickly way.

In this fine book the Brigadier regales us with stories of his youth, when most of Europe was part of the French Empire and opportunities abounded for young men who looked good in cavalry uniform. Gerard tells the story with no irony, but the reader laughs a good deal at the absurdities of the hero. When attempting to shoot the ash off a cigar he destroys the whole cigar instead, to the dismay of its smoker who is smoking it at the time. Clearly, Gerard maintains, the pistol is at fault. On a few occasions he succeeds when all expect him to fail and as a result his success is actually a failure. The stories encompass many of the great events of the Napoleonic wars: the horrors of partisan fighting in Spain, the invasion of Russia, war in the German states and Prussia, even capture by the British. Always the stories are superbly told with a very fine eye for realistic detail and they are often quite gripping. Again this is one of those books I am amazed has never been made into a film or a TV series.

George MacDonald Fraser has taken a good deal of the Gerard style for his Flashman series, although of course the two characters are poles apart in morality.

I recommend this book to all lovers of history novels and also to anyone who just likes to read superb stories in the grand old manner, where manly men are engaged in "honest" combat, and where evil enemies, treacherous peasants, and duplicitous politicos usually meet their doom under Gerard's cavalry saber.

The success of the Sherlock Holmes stories has overshadowed the fact that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote many other stories of entirely different character. The New York Review of Books Classics has brought the `Exploits and Adventures of Brigadier Gerard' back to life. The Gerard character is said to be Conan Doyle's second best fictional invention.

The eight `Exploits' stories were published between 1894 and 1895 while the ten `Adventures' were published after a five year hiatus between 1900 and 1903. Like the Holmes tales, these pieces were published as serials in The Strand Magazine. Once again we owe a debt of happy gratitude to the NYRB for reviving this quirky, funny, heroic series of adventure tales.

The eponymous Gerard is one Etienne Gerard, a Hussar (a light cavalryman) in the French Army during the Napoleonic Wars. In other words, a character about as far removed from the dyspeptic intellectual detective of Baker Street as one can imagine. In the excellent introduction (one of the hallmarks of the NYRB Classics series), George Macdonald Fraser remarks on the courage Conan Doyle showed in showcasing a French hero fighting against the British less than 80 years after Napoleon was finally defeated (As Fraser notes "even today [the French ] are not notably popular north of the Channel"). Quite a feat of imagination.

Like Harry Flashman (Flashman: A Novel (Flashman)) and the lesser known Otto Prohaska (A Sailor of Austria: In Which, Without Really Intending to, Otto Prohaska Becomes Official War Hero No. 27 of the Habsburg Empire (The Otto Prohaska Novels)), Gerard is in his old age when he spins his stories to the reader. Gerard boasts that he is the greatest swordsman, horseman, and lover as well as the most loyal servant of Napoleon in the entire French army. And Conan Doyle permits Gerard to excel in all these measures and yet his excessive pride makes him obtuse. As Fraser put it Gerard is "vain, touchy, obstinate, reckless, boastful, and none too bright." He is entirely ingenuous, which repeatedly leads him to trouble and then he must slash his sword and dash away on his horse to escape. Gerard is charmingly unaware that he is a strutting French peacock; he assumes that others should and do recognize his exceptional qualities. Coming from a more self-aware man such cocksureness would be intolerable conceit.

I titled this review "What Would Harry Flashman Make of Etienne Gerard?" That's a fun question to speculate about. It would take a new Sir Arthur Conan Doyle or Sir George MacDonald Fraser to do it justice. My guess is Harry would laugh up his sleeve at Gerard until he saw Etienne's sword swinging dangerously toward his head. For his part, I expect Gerard would be blissfully unaware of Flashman's disdain, but might he also detect Harry's certain 'shyness'?

The `Exploits and Adventures of Brigadier Gerard' are wonderful entertainments. Like the Sherlock Holmes stories, the pity is there are so few of them. Highest recommendation.

When we were at Ft Ord with the 7th Infantry Division and
D Company, 7th Combat Aviation Battalion, from 1981 through 1984.

Colonel Casper was a consumate leader in all regards, and if I had a chance to serve with him again, I would not hesitate one moment.

Finally! A great book written about 2 events of military history that I was a part of. Col. Casper tells my tale from a commanders perspective in a straight, to the point fashion. This book is 100% proof of the great care that the military commanders have for their soldiers. There wasn't a decision made that didn't involve or address the issues of soldier safety. Although, I never understood the military decision making process then (I was a buck private), I certainly have to give my respects to people such as Col. Casper, who always thought of the troops. The book is well written, at a nice pace(It doesn't stagnate or wander off), and is a MUST read for any and all people who lead soldiers in the military. From the young NCO to the brass, this book is an invaluable training tool.

Outstanding! Well written insights from the man who lived it. The leadership knowledge shared is valuable for military and civilian alike. Colonel Caspers military training was tested to the core as he takes command of the Falcon Brigade already deployed in Somalia. The Colonel and his soldiers quickly find themselves in the thick of it. He shares many leadership lessons learned over 25+ years of service and how he uses those lessons in critical situations. He shows us the good, the bad and the ugly without holding back. Personal stories and thoughts intwined with the facts make this a great read that accurately records historic events and grabs your attention. I couldn't wait to get to the next page. Well done!

This is an outstanding book to have in one's library if you have an interest on American military involvements. COL Casper book is well written and you get to see the picture of what happened not only from a soldiers perspective but from a BRIGADE COMMANDERS view. A must for any soldier or military historian.

I have six years experience in the U.S. Army, in light infantry, special forces and as a linguist (translating Haitian Creole, amongst other languages). I have worked with and flown in most of the helicopters mentioned in Falcon Brigade. Col. (ret) Casper did an excellent job discussing attack helicopter fire support to MOUT and staff operations for a joint/multinational task force. I especially liked his discussion of using hand-drawn sketches of the cityscape for controlling close air support and the use of snipers in helicopters for counter battery fire against mortars and his account of flag- and cabinet-level politics.

However, although quite a bit could have changed between 1992, when the events in Falcon Brigade occurred, and 1995, when I joined, it seemed obvious that Col. Casper was "not read in" (one of Col. Casper's favorite turns of phrase in this book) to special operations: his familiarity extended only as far as necessary for him to provide helicopter support. For example, his few references to SOF in Haiti usually evolve around his use of his helicopters for their re-supply. The further you get from the helicopter, the more sketchy his knowledge becomes: on pg 35 he claims soldiers are "attached" to the rope when fast roping. As someone who has fast roped, I can tell you that there was nothing attaching me to the rope except my steely grip. (although fast roping is done from a helicopter, these were SOAR helicopters and not under Col. Casper's control)

I enjoyed Col. Casper's discussion of clan geopolitics in Somalia. On the U.S. side, he does show insight (but does not elaborate) into U.S. foreign policy as far as it relates to the role of the U.S. military at the flag officer and cabinet level. The description of garrison life was also interesting. It seemed that Col. Casper had a few axes to grind with some of the generals who (mis)managed the campaign in Somalia. Unlike SOF and ground combat, Col. Casper seemed well acquainted with problems at the flag level. I just wish that he hadn't pulled his punches the way I have a feeling that he did.

I was put off, though, by Col. Casper's annoying use of the word 'crony.' According to Col. Casper, the "Crony" clan must be the largest and most prestigious clan in Somalia: every important Somali in the book is surrounded by Cronies. Why is it that Americans have assistants, aides, XO's, etc., but Somalis only have cronies? And, why is it wrong for Somalis to get through battle chewing khat, but not wrong for Rangers to get through battle chewing Skoal? Why the double standard?

Unfortunately, Col. Casper's description of Haiti and the Haitian people was rather ignorant. The Crony clan seems to be equally widespread and well placed in Haiti: every Haitian leader has the perequisite entourage of cronies. I'd really like to get 'read in' to this Crony clan! Then, on pg 201 he claims Port-au-Prince is a city of 1 million, but on pg 208 the population suddenly grows to 2 million. Either Port-au-Prince experienced some pretty intense activity nine months previously, or there is a mistake here.

His description of Voodoo on page 209 shows the typical American condescension for this religion. Why is Catholicism capitalized but "voodoo" is in lower case? Why is Catholicism acknowledged as a religion but Voodoo is just "magic"? Why do Catholics pray and Voodoo adherents 'cast spells'? Contrary to his claim that Voodoo lacks theology or clergy, Voodoo has a very well developed pantheon (the Loas) and clergy (the Hougans). Then, on page 221, Col. Casper claims that clairin, an alcoholic beverage, is the national drink and the 'sole pleasure' of the Haitian peasant's life. This is a rather skewed and unwarranted representation of the Haitian peasant. Why the double standard? I believe American per capita consumption of beer is far greated that Haitian per capita consumption of clairin, but I would certainly object to America being characterized as a nation of beer-swillers. If we are to believe Col. Casper, then it may have been a hiccup in the clairin supply that led to the sudden increase in population noted above.

On a more serious note, I believe that, regardless of military might, any U.S. peace keeping operation is doomed to failure unless Americans acquire a knowledge of the local people beyond the bare minimum necessary for combat operations. If we knew the people better we probably wouldn't have to fight them. As Col. Casper noted, U.A.E. had good rapport with locals and were able to accomplish the same tasks that severely tasked American military ability peacefully. Col. Casper's stereotypes of Somalis and Haitians as of khat-chewing, clairin-drinking, spell-casting, cronies will not help to establish that rapport.

Seeing as this book is entitled 'Falcon Brigade: Combat and Command in Somalia and Haiti,' I expected a balanced account of the U.S. involvement in Haiti (and Somalia) tempered by Col. Casper's personal experiences. Unfortunately, the account was largely about helicopters and I didn't find a lot of detail on Somalia or Haiti beyond what was visible from the door of Col. Casper's hooch or through NVGs from Col. Casper's cockpit at night. If you can't get enough 'Black Hawk Down' and are already 'read in' to the special forces portion, this may be the book for you. Stylistically, this is an enjoyable page turner with little complexity to slow you down. However, if you want true grit on the situation in Haiti or Somalia, this book may be somewhat of a pricey disappointment.

I have been a professor at Hiroshima Shudo University for more than 17 years teaching American law and politics, primarily to Japanese students but also to foreigners in Japan. Over the years, I have read and discussed much of the history written about WWII and Japan. I do not know Hadley personally but I wish I did. His book is one of the most well-balanced and well-researched books I have ever read about the war in Japan. If I had a Japanese translation of Hadley's book, I would teach the book in my seminar course.

I agree with much of what has been said by other reviewers, except to add I think this book will appeal more broadly than the author has anticipated. It is in essence a very enjoyable and well paced read. And what a great movie it would make!

I had the privilege of sitting in a coffee shop with Dr. Hadley and receiving a signed copy... He is a fantastic individual and an inspiration.

The story of the Jordan crew, the fate of the men and the feelings and reactions from the villagers themselves is portrayed just as it was, no war heroes, no glories of war, but instead, the horror of what it was like on both sides. In the book, one of the crew specifically tells Hadley 'don't portray us as heroes'. There are no heroes in this book, only casualties of human experience in times of intense fear and suffering. Those who follow orders and those who suffer from following out those orders - on both sides, are caught afterwards with the confusion of the people they became or were capable of becoming. Grandmothers with spears, given the chance to take revenge on their enemy... an account of what war really is for both sides.
All should read this book. To reflect, to take a stand against war and the people it creates.

Prof. Greg Hadley has thoroughly researched the story of one particular B-29 crew; "the Jordan crew", whose lives were irretrievably changed when they were shot down by anti-aircraft fire over Japan on the night of 19/20 July 1945.

The story of these men runs as a single thread through the complex tapestry of the USAAF bombing campaign against Japan. This book includes an informative historical treatment of this campaign and the lives of the people it affected.

After setting the historical scene, the book describes how the Jordan crew, hailing from diverse backgrounds, were welded together into a fighting unit. They flew their first combat mission in early February 1945, participating in the campaign of high-level B-29 precision raids against industrial targets. These raids were frequently impeded by strong winds and obscured targets, and desperate Japanese defence. The Jordan crew later helped enact the dramatic US change of tactics to low-level fire raids on urban areas by night. They watched from above as the largest Japanese cities blazed, one after another.

As the Jordan crew's battle-experience increased, the reader gets an alarming impression of the toll that this relentless campaigning imposed on their individual performances and cohesion as a crew. The danger of flying the Air Force's most technically ambitious aircraft in the hostile skies above Japan is brought home very well.

The Jordan crew were finally shot down during a mission to lay mines in the waters off the Japanese west coast. (The book has many interesting details about USAAF mining campaign, which made an enormous but largely unsung contribution to crippling the Japanese war economy.)

The loss of their B-29 probably hinged on one seemingly trivial decision, made as they climbed away from their minelaying run that night. After deviating from the official mission flight plan (possibly to steer a faster "direct" route towards home) they were hit over the city of Niigata by a crack Japanese anti-aircraft unit, recently transferred there from Tokyo after that city had been virtually destroyed.

The Jordan crew were the only B-29 crew to be shot down over Niigata during the war. (Ironically, Niigata had been "quarantined" to remain in a pristine condition as one of the US's potential A-bomb targets! However, the A-Bombs were dropped elsewhere, and Niigata became one of the few large Japanese cities to survive the war without being razed.)

Hadley's persistent detective work has uncovered the true story behind the murder of two of the parachuted crew-members by Japanese local-defence militias (the "Field of Spears" of the book's title). These crimes were covered-up at the end of the war, when an impressive grave was hurriedly constructed for the "crash victims". US grave-recovery personnel never had reason to believe that there had been an atrocity. (Tragically, at least one of the Jordan crew also decided to go down with their ship, rather then bale out and take their chances as prisoners of the Japanese.)

The photographic coverage of events on the ground is one of the strengths of this book. One poignant time-lapse photo really brings home the tragedy of war. It shows the blazing bomber descending rapidly across the night sky while Japanese children wearing "anti-fire" hoods look on in fascination. Hadley has even located photos of the actual capture of the surviving crewmembers. Other startling photos illustrate the high degree of regimentation and propaganda-incitement of the civilians; very reminiscent of modern-day North Korea. These civilian militias were waiting on the ground in a state of fear and anger as the "parachutists" drifted down from above. (Paradoxically, some of the Jordan crew had their lives saved through the intervention of regular Japanese Army soldiers calming down the frenzied civilians.)

Thereafter, in the hands of the feared Japanese military police, the men suffered continuously harsh treatment - intended as retribution for the enormous damage which was being inflicted by the B-29s all over Japan. The captured bomber crews were classified by the vengeful Japanese essentially as war criminals. They received even worse treatment than the pitiful conditions applying to other POWs of the Japanese Empire. The reader can only be appalled at their plight, as described many years later by the still-affected surviving crewmembers.

The atomic "secret" provides another fascinating aspect of this book. The crewmen had been briefed that in the event of capture, they should not attempt to "hold back" information from the Japanese. - It was well understood that silence could easily prove fatal, so alarming the enemy with true tales of overwhelming American technical superiority was probably the best course anyway.

However, the Jordan crew knew something special. At their island base on Tinian, their B-29 had been parked beside the 509th Composite Group - the Atomic bombers! The men in the Jordan crew had heard members of this elite unit talking about "winning the war with one plane"...

As Hadley explains, the Japanese were keen for information on the atomic threat...

It is unlikely that the Jordan crew could have "honestly" related any more than a few general details about the Bomb to their interrogators, but Hadley brings the story to a climax by presenting several intriguing facts about Japanese fore-knowledge of these epochal weapons.

Then suddenly, the war was over, and the B-29s began dropping Prisoner-of-War relief supplies instead of bombs. The liberation of the POWs ended the nightmare of their captivity, but it is clear that nothing could calm their memories in the decades that followed.

However, Hadley's thorough exposition of the tale does offer later generations the chance to understand the fierce emotions, stresses and terrors of those times, and to gain a new appreciation of those who survived.

"Field of Spears" refers to the field in which rural Japanese lynched US fliers of a downed B-29 bomber during World War II. That airmen who bailed out over Japan were likely to meet such a fate was understood by US commanders, who advised air crew to surrender to the Japanese military as their safest option. As the possibility of an Allied invasion of Japan loomed in 1945, Japanese civilians -- including housewives working in weapons factories -- armed themselves with bamboo spears and farmers also had at their disposal a range of sharp tilling instruments.

The Jordan crew, whose B-29 was hit by anti-aircraft fire over Niigata in July 1945 after dropping mines into Niigata Port, was made up of twelve people, of whom four didn't survive the crash or its aftermath. Professor Gregory Hadley, in "Field of Spears - The Last Mission of the Jordan Crew," diligently and faithfully describes and analyzes the events surrounding the crash.

Hadley also provides valuable accounts of conditions in Japan that led to the prosecution of a disastrous war, of US Gen. Curtis LeMay's planning of the B-29 firebombing of major Japanese cities, and of the Allied POW experience, including torture. He brings matters to life and to the present by relaying the mood of those of his students who would fight North Korea in the name of the emperor. There are also several fascinating historical asides, such as on the misinformation that Tokyo was a nuclear-bomb target.

I gained the feeling of what it would actually have been like to fly in a perilously complex and overworked B-29 and felt I was glimpsing the personal and professional lives of the crew, before and after their last run.

Those who seek balanced perspective and reasoned probability in history can look to "Field of Spears" with confidence and be rewarded. They will gain cultural insights lamentably absent in earlier monographic works. Hadley raises the research bar in his field and others will have to try that much harder to clear it. He literally dug up some of his facts. This is ever important as many still muddy the historical waters of the Pacific War, deliberately -- old soldiers online; some of those on the political left and some on the right -- or through secondhand scholarship.

Japanese should admit to the lynching. They should say, "This is how we felt, and this is what we did." More than a half century after the event, there's no need for them to prevaricate or obfuscate. Hadley's book brought to mind Yoshihiro Hattori, the Japanese high school student who was fatally shot on Oct. 17, 1992 by the owner of a house he had mistaken for the address of a Halloween party in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Hattori wasn't even on a bombing run. Jurors sympathized with the shooter. But moral relativism, as tempting as it is to ponder, isn't helpful. War is a human condition which, like extreme hunger, dehumanizes. We can't do better than to say what we did, in the hope that our children will learn from both positive and negative example.

Several photos richly illustrate the book and the cover photo of a captured, blindfolded flier held by what appear to be farmers and police is brilliantly atmospheric.

[...].

Beautiful contemporary photographs balanced by just the right amount of historical photos and insightful quotes from the men who flew and fought in them. The best photographic study I have seen.

All shots were superb, specially the dual aircraft, great dynamics, brillant colors, contrast and claraty. Can't ask for better!

Bernardo

This great book is loaded with brilliant and breathtaking photographs of some of the most famous Allied and Axis aircraft of World War II. There are twenty chapters in the book, each being devoted to a different aircraft. From heavy bombers such as the B-17 Flying Fortress to nimble fighters such as the P-51 Mustang, photographer John M. Dibbs brings each one of these warbirds back to life. Accompanying each series of photographs is an informative textual background describing each aircraft and some of the great missions for which it was used.

I found this book in a bargain bin, and what a terrific find it has turned out to be. The photos are simply dazzling, while the text does an excellent job of describing each aircraft in expert detail. My six-year-old son loves to flip through the pages of the book with me, and he's very eager to know about each of the aircraft in the book.

I give this book my highest recommendation. This fine book brings the images of some of the most popular Allied and Axis aircraft to life, and the text is very informative. Open up this book and watch as some "old ghosts" leap off the pages.

As a rabid hobbiyst avaition photog myself I am always interested in seeing what everyone else is doing. And this book makes my best efforts look amatuerish. His sense of composition and editing is nothing short of amazing, his ability to capture the spirit of the aircraft is stunning. Something that I thought was interesting is that most of these images where shot on film originaly.. If you are looking to see what realy skilled aviation photog can do with his camera. This is the book to buy!

...this book has glorious mainly color photographs and interesting text too...watch out though, if you order both this and "Warbird Legends", you will have the same book twice! not that it is such a bad thing!

I used this book as a textbokk in a summer school class called American Military History. The book gave great info, and will be used as a nice reference companion in the future.

This fascinating study examines Ameircan military history from the Pilgrims of the 17th century to the Gulf War. Although published in 1994 and thus not covering the war in Afghanistan or the second invasion of Iraq, this book presents a fascinating analysis of American military history. It examines the size of the army and the role of militias and the national guard. A brilliant history that tells the tale of the American military and the nature of common defense, the older system of defending America when it was still a simple agrarian country.

Seth J. Frantzman

I only have one thing to say: If you are wanting to have any serious understanding of American history, then you need this book in your library.

I read David Hackett Fischer's "Washington's Crossing" (2004) and it was excellent. If you read reviews of it on Amazon.com -- everything everyone says there is JUST what I felt in reading it. Wished it would never end and that he'd write all the early history of America.

"For the Common Defense" struck me the same way. A friend of my son's liked it and got it for him. I picked it up by accident and thought, "dull, dull, dull!" and started reading (only because I'm an habitual read-a-holic). As I read, prejudiced by my first thoughts, I still thought, "dull, dull, dull..." Then my eyes started opening and I realized, "This is VERY interesting!" Finally I started reading it aloud to my husband, and now we are soooo excited to realize, "The kids are in bed! We can read THE BOOK!" We relish it -- truly the highlight of our day! We have learned so much. We really didn't know our country before. The authors' lists of books (and their enthusiastic descriptions of their especial favorites) after each section is a most excellent reference for more detailed reading into one's particular area of interest.

"For the Common Defense" is an overview, but of ALL America's military history, with an eye for the telling detail. This is from p. 238: Joshua Chamberlain, commander of the 20th Maine Volunteers, describes the night of December 13-14 at Frederickburg. It's incredible writing, so I called my best friend long distance to read it to her:

"But out of that silence from the battle's crash and roar rose new sounds more appalling still; rose or fell, you knew not which, or whether from the earth or air; a strange ventriloquism, of which you could not locate the source, a smothered moan that seemed to come from distances beyond the reach of the natural sense, a wail so far and deep and wide, as if a thousand discords were flowing together into a key-note weird, unearthly, terrible to hear and bear, yet startling with its nearness; the writhing concord broken by cries for help, pierced by shrieks of paroxysm; some begging for a drop of water; some calling on God for pity; and some on friendly hands to finish what the enemy had so horribly begun; some with delirious, dreamy voices murmuring loved names, as if the dearest were bending over them; some gathering their last strength to fire a musket to call attention to them where they lay helpless and deserted; and underneath, all the time, that deep bass note from closed lips too hopeless or too heroic to articulate their agony."

I read David Hackett Fischer's "Washington's Crossing" (2004) and it was excellent. If you read reviews of it on Amazon.com -- everything everyone says there is JUST what I felt in reading it. Wished it would never end and that he'd write all the early history of America.

"For the Common Defense" struck me the same way. A friend of my son's liked it and got it for him. I picked it up by accident and thought, "dull, dull, dull!" and started reading (only because I'm an habitual read-a-holic). As I read, prejudiced by my first thoughts, I still thought, "dull, dull, dull..." Then my eyes started opening and I realized, "This is VERY interesting!" Finally I started reading it aloud to my husband, and now we are soooo excited to realize, "The kids are in bed! We can read THE BOOK!" We relish it -- truly the highlight of our day! We have learned so much. We really didn't know our country before. The authors' lists of books (and their enthusiastic descriptions of their especial favorites) after each section is a most excellent reference for more detailed reading into one's particular area of interest.

"For the Common Defense" is an overview, but of ALL America's military history, with an eye for the telling detail. This is from p. 238: Joshua Chamberlain, commander of the 20th Maine Volunteers, describes the night of December 13-14 at Frederickburg. It's incredible writing, so I called my best friend long distance to read it to her:

"But out of that silence from the battle's crash and roar rose new sounds more appalling still; rose or fell, you knew not which, or whether from the earth or air; a strange ventriloquism, of which you could not locate the source, a smothered moan that seemed to come from distances beyond the reach of the natural sense, a wail so far and deep and wide, as if a thousand discords were flowing together into a key-note weird, unearthly, terrible to hear and bear, yet startling with its nearness; the writhing concord broken by cries for help, pierced by shrieks of paroxysm; some begging for a drop of water; some calling on God for pity; and some on friendly hands to finish what the enemy had so horribly begun; some with delirious, dreamy voices murmuring loved names, as if the dearest were bending over them; some gathering their last strength to fire a musket to call attention to them where they lay helpless and deserted; and underneath, all the time, that deep bass note from closed lips too hopeless or too heroic to articulate their agony."

After stumbling across the Wingman series I found myself hooked on all of Mack Maloneys series...especially Starhawk. I found that I couldnt put it down. I look forward to the spring/summer of 2003 for Starhawk #4. I recommend the Starhawk series to everyone.

I have read all the books by mack maloney, the wingman series specifically. The chopper ops were good, too. I just new there had to be a continuation with the Wingman books. The Starhawk series is an awesome continuation of these. The Fourth Empire was awesome..... I was literally on the edge of my seat throughout the book. I am just waiting because I have a feeling that the villain Victor from the Wingman series might surface.. I could be wrong, but that is my theory.... as it seems as Major Hawk Hunter is coming closer to discovering his roots.. I hope that Mack Maloney releases a new book really soon.. I will definitely be on the list for ordering it'
Good job Mack.

I must say that if I were to review this series I would have to give it 10
thunbs up and 10 thumbs down.

Why?

For the same reason.. :)

10 Thumbs Up -
I bought all three books at the same time. I could not put them down!

10 Thumbs Down -
Now I have nothing to read for the next 6 months, and have to go see if
there are any good books OTHER than Mack Maloney's at the book store! :) :) :)

The best of this series, the development of the plot is well drawn and set into motion. Found the same play and modeling of the earlier WINGMAN series coming thru with the full power of the science fiction genre. The exploration of the Fourth Empire sets a vehicle to explore all manor of the human experience. I have been fortunate to read some of the ancient classics and actually even more fortunate to have some smart folks explain a lot of what was written. This author explores the human experience in much the same way in his well crafted style in this book. War, struggle for life, deep dives into the face of evil that man will rain down on his fellow man, tie ins with classic literature set to fast paced science fiction. Well conceived scientific developments abound. Tie ins to religous mystery and faith. I can not but help project some of the recent events the United States and the world has faced against the fabric of this book - it is just that good. The action was solid, well paced and placed. As a military aviator not enough flying scenes from the cockpit, but you can not have everything. The battle scenes and the relentless drive through future history excellent. The probing of the mysteries excellent. The connections and lacing to the authors other works continues and is a great part of these books. Again I credit the well developed writing style and intelligence to allow the reader to start with this book and read any other book in the various series without being frustrated or lost. Enjoy, this is a great read and primes the reader for the next one. When will these books and the rest of the series come out on audio tape and CDs? One can only hope soon.

Two words to describe Star Hawk: The Fourth Empire: gripping and thrilling. It was difficult to put down once I started it. Star Hawk begins to explain how Hawk Hunter was transported into the future. In the book, we learn what has happened to previous empires. It has twists that keep the reader hooked. Hawk Hunter is a true patriot and he shows his love for America. This is refreshing to read due to 9/11 and the revitalization of our country's patriotism in all walks of life. This book is a must read for Hawk Hunter/Wingman fans!

A great deal has been written about the United States Army during the Civil War. But tales of the postwar army can be just as thrilling as stories from the war, though this portion of military history is, sadly, often overlooked. Robert Utley attempts to correct this oversight in this excellent book, which deals with the nature, structure, and activity of the portion of the army engaged on the frontier from immediately after the Civil War until Wounded Knee. Arranged in an order that is easy to follow and is logical if not always strictly chronological, each major military operation against the Native Americans is handled with skill and sufficient detail. The result is a fascinating look at the army as a whole.

The main value of this book lies in the fact that it provides an outstanding overview of military operations as a whole (as opposed to books that treat just one battle or campaign). The work fills in many holes that will undoubtedly exist for anyone who has studied a part of the Indian Wars, and who would like to have a more general overview available to them. Anyone who has studied the Little Bighorn, for example, will find in this book a wealth of information that will explain in great detail many of the factors that led up to that action and also many of its ramifications. This book is essential to any study of Western history, especially military history.

Robert M. Utley offers the sequel to his _Frontiersmen in Blue: The United States Army and the Indian 1848-1865_. In this second installment, Utley attempts to eradicate the myth of the frontier Army as blazing a path of glory westward that has been portrayed in Hollywood movies. Rather, he argues the frontier regular Army was only one of several contributing factors to the subjugation of the Native Americans. Other determinants such as westward expansion by waves of immigrants, and professional buffalo hunters attributed as much, if not more, to the Indian demise as did the soldiers. In a sense, Utley offers the antithesis to Dee Brown's _Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee_. The author highlights the Army's role as a frontier police force carrying out civilian policy that lacked cohesive strategy against the Native Americans. Utley begins with a general survey of the United States Army in the post-Civil War years. The author outlines the relationship between the War Department, its near autonomous bureaus, Congress, and the Executive Branch, with brief discussions into the tenures of Generals Ulysses S. Grant, William T. Sherman, command-staff functions, and logistics. Chapters on weapons & equipment, and outpost life round out the first half of the book. Utley remains objective and unsympathetic at times to Blue Coat and Indian alike. For example, in his discussion of General George Armstrong Custer's defeat at the Little Big Horn, Utley, a noted Custer scholar, blames the boy general for the debacle. The author cites several reasons for the defeat of the 7th Cavalry. On the surrender of Geronimo in 1886, Utley credits both Generals George Crook and General Nelson Miles equally for their improvisations in overcoming logistical hardships in the harsh Sierra Madre Mountains. Acknowledging that the elimination of the Chiricahua Apache from Arizona was the prerequisite for re-establishing peace to the area, Utley does not sympathize with Geronimo's plight. It was only after the removal of the Chiricahuas, hostile and neutral alike, argues Utley, that peace was finally brought to the Southwest. In the final episode of the Indian wars: Wounded Knee, Utley engages in mere semantics. The author depicts Wounded Knee as a "tragedy" not a "massacre," the term generally preferred by the Indians. Utley feels the idiom inappropriate because "massacre," points to "deliberate and indiscriminate slaughter" which, he feels this occurrence was not. Utley believes, the soldiers tried to restrain from firing on women and children, however, in the melee, hitting innocent non-combatants was unavoidable. In the chapter titled "The Problem of Doctrine," Utley sees the Indian wars of the late nineteenth century through lensesmirroring the war in Vietnam (this book was first published in 1973). Utley observes the U.S. Army applied conventional tactics in an unconventional war. He illustrates how hostile Indians were oftentimes indistinguishable from peaceful reservation Indians. The hostiles utilized guerrilla tactics-hit and run raids and disappeared into the night. By day, the warrior factions would easily blend back into the general Indian population. If this be the case, it can be argued that the United States military had learned nothing from its own history. Robert M.Utley, often seen on the History Channel, and preeminent military historian of the period, has once again consulted a vast array of archival material. His evidence is equally balanced between primary and secondary sources, with endnotes after every chapter. The author consults an impressive collection of Government documents including a detailed list of Congressional and Senate papers in an impressive bibliography. Generous, easy to read maps, and a peppering of period photographs make this an essential addition to any library.

If you are not a Robert Utley fan you soon will be. This second in a two volume series, Utley shows once again why he is the king of frontier US history. This is an excellent piece of scholarship and writing.

Recounting the final, massive push by the Regular Army to subdue the American Indians, this volume covers the 25 years after the Civil War when control of the Plaines was wrested from the Indians, from the first skirmishes with the Sioux over the Bozeman Trail to the final defeat and subjugation in 1880.

Proud of the Unites States Army and is accomplishments while simultaneously sympathetic toward the Indians, Utley traces the campaign directed by Major General William Tecumseh Sherman. The result is a very evenhanded account resting comfortably between the "the barbaric band of butchers depicted in the humanitarian literature of the nineteenth century and the atonement literature of the twentieth." The people we meet are simply a group of ordinary men doing the very best they could under remarkably trying circumstances that were often under equipped and ill supplied.

Utley does an excellent job of showing what post-Civil War Indian fighters faced. First was the transition from the Union Army fighting Confederates to the U.S. Army fighting Indians.

Utley documents how that work was made much harder by the cheapness of the War Department and Congress. Downsizing the Army drastically to save money wasn't enough. Congress stuck most the infantry with leftover muzzleloaders rather than repeaters, meaning that their Indian foes usually (Winchester-armed themselves) could bring superior firepower to bear.

Meanwhile, the frontier Army had to go through the twists and turns of War Department, or Interior Department, twists and turns on Indian dealings, and in different high-level officers having different approaches not just to Indian fighting but to Indian truce and treaty negotiations.

Meanwhile, the grunt work, as typical, was to be done by the infantryman, not the cavalryman.

Read the whole story of his struggle to do his job in this book.

This is a good book about the US Army, Indians and the early west after the civil war. It follows events and gives points of view that are not clouded by the normal politics or attitudes. It is a clear account with facts, the probable intentions based on facts, and the actions. It allows the reader to get a good sense of the period and actions. The book gives enough detail to back up the facts but does not go overboard. This is a good start at studying the time period and the US Army at the time. Being into history, it was highly informative. It is a great book for those who want to read about the period but not get heavily into research. It goes deeper than just a brief summary but I think it gives just enough to allow understanding. It is easy to read and flows from chapter to chapter.

Gaunt's Ghosts is the tale of the Imperial Guard from the viewpoint of the Imperial Guard. Dan Abnett throws the reader into the fray immediately, with no remorse or apologies, just the way war really is.

To get the experience of 40K in the thick of front line combat, look no further!

This is the first in the series but I read it second. It was backwards, but it was a great read. You learn were the Ghosts come from, how Gaunt got them, etc. It is a great set of books about people you will care about. Hell, I had a lump in my throat more than once after an especially emotional turn of events.

A collection of the first books in the Gaunt's Ghost's series, it is great book for any Warhammer 40K fan. It is also a great book for anyone who has an interest in the series but hasn't picked the right book out yet.

FIRST AND ONLY
--------------
The first book in the Ghost's series, it tells the story of the Ghost's fight against an army of heretical troops. But along with the enemy facing them across the trenches, the Ghost's face an even greater threat: an ignorant military leader who is more than willing to throw troops to the meat grinder that is this war.

GHOSTMAKER
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A sequel-prequel-connector story, Ghostmaker works to tie the reader in to the story of the Ghost's current position. Fighting on a forest world against a dug in enemy, some Ghosts remember life before this fight. A collection of short fights and battles, along with some non combat situations, really flesh out who the Ghosts are. Whether they're fighting in city streets, dropping into Normandy-like beach fights, or just gambling with a group of rowdy soldiers, the Ghost's really start to grow on you.

NECROPOLIS
----------
Necropolis is the first of what I call "epic" fights in the Ghost's series. The Ghosts have been sent to stop a civil war between two giant industrial cities. The city is easy to defend, but treachery and back stabbing among bring down its shields and walls. The Ghost's fight enemies on all sides, and when the hour is dark, heroes will rise, and the fate of the city will be decided.

I started this book before being a fan of Warhammer 40K or the Black Library and it was still interesting and fun to read. You don't have to be a 40K expert to enjoy the story and the interesting characters. Dan Abnett is also great at keeping a series interesting and different by keeping the same characters and ideas, but writing with very different plots and styles. One thing I hate in a series is when it seems like the author follows a specific plot outline with every book and just adds new places and storys. The Dan Abnett books do not do this, and this keeps the books very interesting.
The characters are the best part of the books, they are not archetype characters that are either purely good or completely evil. The characters have depths and shades of gray.
Overall I would say this book is a great read, and I highly reccomend the other works by Dan Abnett.

This is was my first of the much larger Gaunt's Ghosts series -- I'm ready for the rest!