Under Fire
Having wrapped up World War II with 1999'sIn Danger's Path, bestselling  military author W.E.B. Griffin now deploys his Marines in Korea withUnder  Fire, the ninth volume in hisCorps series. Back are  familiar characters from Griffin's previous Corps books--daredevil pilot Pick  Pickering, his Scotch-sipping father, Brigadier General Fleming Pickering, Capt.  Ken "Killer" McCoy, and Master Gunner Ernie Zimmerman--with historical figures  including President Harry Truman and General Douglas MacArthur making  appearances as well. It's now 1950, and with Communist forces making their  presence felt below the 38th Parallel, Griffin's plot centers on Gen. Pickering,  now high up in the newly created CIA, and Ken McCoy as they work behind  MacArthur's back to covertly pave the way for an invasion of North Korea.Readers who crave nonstop battle action and excitement may find it hard to stick  withUnder Fire, as Griffin takes the time to detail the background  leading up to one of America's least-remembered modern wars. Griffin writes for  the true armed forces aficionado, filling his prose with realistic descriptions  of procedure, gear, and materials, an alphabet's worth of acronyms, and an ex- soldier's ear for military dialogue. Look for more sharp, authentic writing in  this series' next installment.--Benjamin Reese