Review: So-so
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 08 24, 2013
I felt that the book had an interesting premise and the potential to be a really good book.  Unfortunately, it was too simplistic, too long, too many cliches, and had many sections that could/should have been left out.  I am guessing that the author served in the Navy during the Vietnam conflict as much of what was described from the shipboard side was familiar to me from that same conflict.  Several things throughout the story would've been inaccurate in real life though.  Many times during the story, officers were saluted in the field.  This is just not done, and hasn't been in the U.S. military for a long time.  To do so would immediately make said officer a target for any observing enemy.  In at least one instance, an enlisted soldier had his stripes "sewed on".  Army uniforms now are equipped with Velcro fasteners and all rank insignia for combat uniforms (officer and enlisted) are fastened on using Velcro.  As I said in the beginning, I felt that the original premise was good and really had a lot of possibility.  The way the story progressed though, it quickly turned from an outstanding story to an average story.