Review: Excellent War Novel
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 27, 2012
It's been a few years since I read a war novel and I wasn't quite sure I'd get into it. But Thomas Drinkard's masterful storytelling drew me in right away. What turned me off to war novels in the past was what I call the "Rambo Syndrome." That's where unbelievable numbers of enemy troops get killed every few pages by a larger than life character who either skates through unscathed, or is critically injured in one chapter and back to full speed in the next. Drinkard's protagonist, Mack Brinson, is heroic, but in a very credible manner.What the author brings to this war novel is a natural sense of balance. He taps into the psyche of a soldier in a way that leaves no doubt that he speaks from experience. Rather than bombarding the senses with one action scene after another, Drinkard gives us context by fleshing Brinson out as a fully three dimensional character. We see him interact with his peers, his superior officers, and we see him fall in love. I'm looking forward to reading more of the Mack Brinson Series.RJ McDonnell