Book Description
The Siegfried Line campaign was one of the most frustrating and bloody series of battles fought by the US Army in Northwest Europe.
In order to break through the German-Belgian border north of the Ardennes and eventually reach the Rhine, the First and Ninth divisions of the US Army dispersed themselves along the German Siegfried Line.
The campaign kicked off in earnest in late September with the encirclement and eventual capture of Aachen, the first major German city to fall to the Allies. The paths to the Roer included not only the heavily urbanized area northeast of this city, but also the Hurtgen Forest along its southeastern flank. While a costly battle to seize the city continued throughout October, fighting also began in the forested area with initial attacks towards Schmidt.
The German offensive to the south in the Ardennes derailed the Siegfried campaign for nearly two months and proved to be extremely costly. However, with Operation Grenade in February 1945, Ninth Army were finally propelled over the Roer River and were able to seize the vital Roer dams.
Providing extensive coverage of the battle for Aachen and the fighting that ensued in the Hurtgen Forest, this title brings to life the Siegfried Line campaign which witnessed the US Army's most bitter fighting and set the stage for the final assault on the Rhine, leading the way into the heart of Germany.
Customer Reviews:
Typical good quality from Osprey.......2007-07-24
This book is up to the typical high quality expected from Osprey books. It was concise and read well.
My only negative comment would be that the layout of the maps could have been better. I would rather have the maps corresponding to each section BEFORE the words or referenced in them.
Great Quick Notes for the U.S. Army Campaign.......2007-07-14
As the U.S. Army defines the Siegfried Line, Zaloga and Osprey have done an excellent job of boiling down the essence into less than 100 pages. I consider it a good addition to the Osprey Library and to my own.
Certainly the 600+ page official Army history of this campaign, "United States Army in World War II: The European Theater of Operations - The Siegfried Line Campaign" by Charles B. MacDonald, is a more in-depth and definitive study (available used and new from the U.S. Government Printing Office). However, that said, Zaloga has produced an excellent Cliff Notes version of the official history. In typical Osprey Fashion, the book has excellent illustrations, maps, and photographs. There is even a photo of Kesternich that others and I have tried to pry from the hands of NARA and have failed ...so, once again, many kudos on the photos!
I take exception to the comment that the book is all about Aachen. It is not. I covers the "official" designation of the campaign quite well. Perhaps others will be disappointed that it does not spend more time of the German Westwall fortifications. (See Osprey's "Germany's West Wall - The Siegfried Line for details on the construction of the fortifications themselves.) Or, perhaps it is felt by some that all the combat along the Siegfried Line, which stretched from Nijmegen in the Netherlands to Basil in Switzerland, was not portrayed. However, Zaloga has stayed within the bounds of the "official" U.S. Army History and has written a very creditable account.
Perhaps Osprey's "The Rhineland" by Ken Ford would satisfy those with a desire for a greater scope of the fighting along the German Western Frontier. Or, Osprey's "Arnhem 1944" by Badsey in the north or "Lorrraine 1944" by Zaloga in the south would fulfill those wishing a broader scope. Maybe I'm sounding like an Osprey salesman, I'm not, but I do have to admit that what they have done with military history is one of the great publishing feats of our time.
My one wish is that this book would have one of those Great Osprey illustrated aerial perspective maps of the Huertgen like the one in "The Rhineland."
Where's the Siegfried Line in here?.......2007-06-18
I picked up this book because I have a great interest in the battles that took place in the Hurtgenwald and along the Siegfried Line. This time though I was a little disappointed in the work. Why you ask. Well, Mr. Zaloga did a little deception on us. Rather than telling us about the battles for the Siegfried Line (I was hoping for the battles all along the front honestly), Mr. Zaloga focused on the battles for Aachen and the towns surrounding Aachen. The chapters follow the traditional Osprey Campaign format. What I should have looked at though was the section titled The Campaign. In there, Mr. Zaloga tells us what his focus was; The First Battle of Aachen, North of Aachen, Encircling Aachen, the Second Battle of Aachen, Prelude to Operation Queen (really this was the 28th ID's battle for Schmidt, covered very nicely in Follow Me And Die), Operation Queen, Operation Clipper, and Operation Queen: the December Cleanup. Incase you couldn't tell, focus was on the taking of Aachen rather than on the Siegfried Line.
Ok, I've complained enough about how this book should have been labeled the Aachen Campaign. As always, Osprey has great photographs and drawings. I've questioned several of the labels on the pictures (I've seen then labeled differently in other books), specifically the tank destroyers on page 68, but who knows, I can't make out the markings and I wasn't there. For the different sections, Mr. Zagola's strongest were dealing with Operations Queen and Clipper. I was highly disappointed in his section on the 28th ID. He failed to mention Lt. Fleig, the conditions labored under, or how 5th Corp directed the attack to occur. I also found his description on the battles for Aachen to be weak. Sorry.
Rating wise, this book is a 3 star book. My reasons for this includes; limited mentioning of how units breached the Siegfried Line (I wanted to read about the change in tactics), not identifying that the book focused on operations around Aachen, and minor inaccuracies.
Siegrried Line.......2007-06-09
After being part of this campaign, I found this book, very interesting and accurate, a must for History Buffs or someone that was there, its like a Diary of those dark days.
Another Excellent Campaign Summary.......2007-05-05
Steven J Zaloga's The Siegfried Line Campaign 1944-45, number 181 in Osprey's Campaign series, provides another interesting chapter in his coverage of Western Front battles in the Second World War. This volume primarily covers the U.S. 1st Army's initial efforts to crack the German Westwall defenses in the fall of 1944, resulting in the Battles of Aachen and the Hurtgen Forrest, two actions that were painful attritional slugfests for both sides. Zaloga's narrative is crisp, clean and informative as usual, resulting in another solid campaign summary. This volume nicely complements earlier Osprey volumes on the Lorraine Campaign and the Rhineland, and should be very useful for readers seeking an explanation of events in this area prior to the Battle of the Bulge.
The introductory sections are a bit briefer than usual, probably because this is fairly well covered ground. The exception is the section on Opposing Armies - always a strong point in Zaloga's volumes - and he spells out why U.S. advantages in artillery and air support were reduced by logistic shortages, terrain and weather in the fall of 1944. Field Marshal Model's ability to cobble together a coherent defense of the German border from units shattered in the fighting in France is also nicely presented. For example, there is a photo of a former German S-Boat sailor pressed into infantry service and some discussion of the extreme methods used to cull replacements for the front-line from every nook and cranny of the Third Reich. Also pertinent is General Eisenhower's decision to keep the pressure on the weakened Wehrmacht by a series of limited offensives. The first major narrative piece deals with the U.S. 1st Army efforts to encircle and capture the city of Aachen. Although the U.S. Army succeeded in capturing this first major city in Germany, it should probably be viewed as a German tactical victory of sorts. Model conducted an economy of force defense with a handful of divisions and tied up the bulk of the U.S. 1st Army for nearly six weeks reducing a single fortified city, which gave the bulk of the German 7th Army a period to recuperate.
The next major narrative piece covers the U.S. efforts to clear the Hurtgen Forrest. Although the author does criticize the 1st Army's inability to fully understand the terrain difficulties of fighting in the forest and he regards the diversion of so much effort as wasteful, he avoids outright condemnation. However, the loss of over 20,000 U.S. casualties to clear a non-strategic chunk of forest such as the Hurtgenwald should be viewed as a significant operation-level blunder by the U.S. Army in the Second World War and a clear indication of the poor leadership by senior officers such as General Hodges (1st Army Commander). American senior commanders in the war were virtually all hand-picked by the Chief of Staff (Marshall) and he valued training ability over tactical judgment, which resulted in commanders such as Hodges who were content to fight meat-grinder battles instead of understanding that they needed to apply their army's strengths against the enemy's weaknesses. In retrospect, the U.S. 1st Army was able to penetrate the Siegfried Line and gain some terrain, but Hodges and Bradley lost sight of the fact that their mission was primarily counterforce - to keep the pressure on the German army so it couldn't regroup - not just to seize terrain. The fact that the 1st Army failed to seize the Roer River dams prior to the German Wacht Am Rhine counteroffensive only emphasizes the expenditure of 48,000 U.S. casualties had not captured key objectives or prevented the Germans from re-grouping.
This volume includes five 2-D maps (the strategic situation August 25 - September 11, 1944; the Westwall Defenses in the Aachen Sector; the First Battle of Aachen, September 12-29, 1944; Operation Queen, 16 November - 9 December 1944; the Final Push by VII Corps, 10-16 December 1944) and three 3-D BEV maps (the Second Battle of Aachen; the Hurtgenwald, 2-7 November 1944; Operation Queen). Although the 2-D maps are very good, there are significant chunks of the narrative that are difficult to follow on the maps providing. Furthermore, the 3-D maps are not as good as in other recent Osprey Campaign titles and they have the appearance of a swirled chocolate-colored mush. Compared to the beautiful 3-D maps in Zaloga's Remagen volume, these are not up to par. On the other hand, the three battle scenes by Steve Noon (Aachen street fighting; the Hurtgenwald Defenses; the tank battle at Puffendorf, 17 November 1944) are superb and outclass some of the artwork in other recent Osprey volumes. The author also includes an excellent bibliography.
Book Description
Strange--no, make that bizarre things are happening to your favorite Odyssey characters. Jason in Alaska and Whit in Odyssey both encounter miraculous healings and unexplainable violence. Before you know it, this strange phenomenon has affected nearly everyone in Odyssey, while a trail of shady characters appears, then disappears only to turn up again someplace else. Whit's starting to put things together all right, but will it be too litlle too late? Shocking developments are coming to light . . . even Whit himself is being used as part of this sinister plan. Is Whit all out of options? Find out as the Novacom saga races to a startling conclusion!
Volume 38 contains the following stories (and themes):
- Under the Influence, 1 & 2 (salvation)
- The Black Veil, 1 & 2 (spiritual warfare)
- Twisting Pathway (choosing the right path)
- Clothing (recognizing deception)
- Box of Miracles (putting our fatih in God, not science)
- The Unraveling (fighting for what's right)
- Exceptional Circumstances (exposing the truth)
- Expect the Worst (prayer in times of trouble)
- Exactly as Planned (hope in troubled times)
- Exit (the ultimate victory of truth)
Customer Reviews:
As always, this series is fantastic for kids!.......2007-01-09
Another great series from Adventures in Odyssey. These cd's are a great way to teach your kids values. Wonderful story lines and sound effects are superb! A must for kids 10- older.
SO COOL!!!!!!!!! SO AWSOME!!!!!!!!! SO GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!.......2006-03-07
This is a album every Odyssey fan should have my fav episode off the album is Black Veil 1&2. Great album one of the best albums 5 stars.
Awesome!.......2002-12-18
Well, other than the fact that I would wake up early every saturday mornings to listen on the internet, it teaches a very important lesson. I'll start at the begining:
1. The main idea is to put your faith in religion, rather than science, but it doens't just teach in one episode, but takes it to the extreme and shows that when all hope seems lost, pray, and trust everything in god.
2. The storyline is terrific! I won't spoil any surprises, but I will tell you this:
-Novacom releases this "Novabox" thats supposed to heal you.
-Someone is trying to steal the Imagination Station!
-Oh no! Murders?
-Some students figure out the secret of the Novabox & go to the utter extreme to try to destroy it.
-Bill Riely's wife is back because of the Novabox?!?!
-Did Bill Riely really blow up the tower!?
-Many EXTREME surprises
Well, if you are a fan of Adventures in Odyssey, and radio dramas, then I suggest that you go out and buy it!
Hang on for the Climax.......2002-12-05
Novacom is growing stronger. In spite of all Whit and the gang have done, they seem to be gaining support. And it's not exactly like they're doing anything wrong. Or is it? Slowly, the kids begin to uncover some things that just aren't right. But will Whit, Jason, Connie, Tom, and the others figure things out in time?
Every one of these 12 episodes contributes to the Novacom story is some form or other. The writers have done a good job of building this story. But, if you think you know where this story is going, don't bet on it. There are several surprises in the story line here and everything ties together perfectly for the ending. I was glued to my seat waiting to reach that climax, too. They also do a good job here of tying in elements from their many years on the air. I loved some of the references to episodes from their first couple of seasons.
Fans waiting to see how the Novacom storyline resolves itself will be thrilled with the outcome. If you've missed the last couple of collections, you'll want to go back and hear them before you listen to this one so everything makes sense.
Customer Reviews:
A sweeping Cold War memoir.......2006-01-20
William J. Crowe, Jr. was a U.S. Navy submariner who rose to the rank of four-star admiral and served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest position in the U.S. military. With coauthor David Chanoff, Crowe tells his story in the memoir "The Line of Fire: From Washington to the Gulf, the Politics and Battles of the New Military." The book begins with his 1989 visit to the Soviet cruiser _Kirov_, then moves back in time to retrace his entire career. Crowe recounts his education at Annapolis, his service on diesel submarines, his command of the U.S.S. _Trout_, his PhD studies at Princeton, his service in Vietnam as a senior adviser to the Vietnamese riverine force, his tours of duty as NATO Commander-in-Chief for Southern Europe and as Pacific Forces Commander-in-Chief, and his chairmanship with the Joint Chiefs.
As he reviews his long career, Crowe also illuminates the many historic developments to which he was connected: North Korea's capture of the U.S. ship _Pueblo_, the _Achille Lauro_ hijacking, the Reagan-era military conflict with Libyan ruler Muammar Qaddafi, the background and passage of the Goldwater-Nichols Defense Reorganization Act, the conflict over the Strategic Defense Initiative, and more. I was especially interested by his substantial coverage of Operation Earnest Will, the mission to protect Kuwaiti shipping from attacks during the Iran-Iraq War. Also gripping is his account of a high intensity Pentagon war game known as Scylla II.
Crowe offers vivid portraits of the many interesting individuals he encountered over the course of his career: Admiral Hyman Rickover, Caspar Weinberger, Dick Cheney, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, and more. But the most extraordinary portrait in the book is that of Marshal Sergei Akhromeyev, Chief of Staff of the Soviet Union's armed forces. Crowe tells the ironic story of a professional relationship that grew into a friendship that crossed Cold War lines.
Crowe gives readers glimpses into the highest levels of the administrations of Reagan and the first Bush, and in an epilogue he discusses his retirement from military service and his involvement in the 1992 presidential campaign. Crowe's career spanned the Cold War era--he was a participant in and witness to some of the most important developments in 20th century military history. He tells his story in a straightforward, engaging voice. His ideas and experiences are both interesting and, in my opinion, still relevant for our post-9/11 world. Although I especially recommend this book to military professionals, I believe it would be valuable for any person with an interest in 20th century U.S. history. Recommended companion text: "America's Splendid Little Wars: A Short History of U.S. Engagements from the Fall of Saigon to Baghdad," by Peter Huchthausen.
I Think They Created a Monster.......2004-08-31
As autobiographies go, this is one of my least favorite. I prefer ones that put put their subjects' life into context. This one is merely a chronological recount of the 11th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs' life from birth to the early years of his retirement. This opens the way for folks like me to summarize for him. As you read below, youll see thats not necessarily a good thing.
ADM Crowe had a very spectacular career in many respects. Most Navy officers further themselves through command, engineering education and patronage by senior naval officers. Crowe followed none of these. Early in his career, he chose to chart his own course. While he completed the usual command tours expected of a submarine officer, he did so on diesel subs after refusing to enter the nuclear navy (and thus turning the famous and powerful Admiral Rickover into an enemy). Instead of pursuing graduate studies in engineering, he chose to seek a PhD in politics at Princeton. While his book doesnt specifically state it, it appears he shot through the higher ranks because of his association with civilian politicians and diplomats. One gets the sense he was not entirely popular in the naval community.
Despite this, he made it to the top. Some of this can be attributed to blind luck. But certainly his amazing track record in politico/military affairs made him deserving of accolades. He was probably the perfect JCS Chairman for the mid to late eighties. Instances of direct combat were rare and isolated so the need for a warrior type was just not there. And it seems his negotiating skills and political knowledge went a long way to help bring about a quiet end to the Cold War.
Then there is the weirdness. Its hard to devine from this tome why Admiral Crowe developed a poorly thought out liberal mindset. I think it came from his contact with leftists at Princeton. Perhaps there are other things that happened he didnt discuss but it seems he veered left in the early 60s while working on his PhD. Examples of this are rampant. In the early 70s he was ordered by a superior to write a paper recounting North Vietnamese violations of the Geneva Accords that brought an end to the French occupation. Instead he wrote a document revealing Communist and US violations.......even though he freely admits the US never signed the accord! How does one violate an agreement it never entered into?? Then there were the unseemly backdoor maneuverings of Crowe to get out to the media his opposition to SDI. For those that dont know, military officers arent supposed to do this. Lets not forget his bizarre decision to appear on the sitcom "Cheers". Dont know about everyone else but I like my flag rank officers to act professionally. And of course there is the crown jewel of weirdness. His decision to break precedent and endorse Clinton for President shortly after he retired.
Here is where things get funny. The good Admiral gives two main reasons for this endorsement. First he was appalled that the US government didnt have a good industrial plan. Ummmmmm, last I checked the US had a free market economy and the government wasnt supposed to have "industrial plans"! He was also critical of what he saw as Republican tendencies to divide Americans against each other. He gives no examples of this. Just as well, as hed be hard pressed to come up with examples. That said, he chose to throw his lot in with the political party that purveys Marxist class envy! Go figure. I might chalk this up to bad judgment, but Admiral Crowe went on to endorse Clinton in 96 and now Kerry in 2004.
So what do we have? Id say Crowe shows himself to be a gifted person who chose his own way and succeeded despite the odds against him. Unfortunately, he seems to have suffered from brain damage and now roams the political landscape like the proverbial Frankenstein's Monster!
Book Description
The bloody monthlong battle for the Citadel in Hue pitted U.S. Marines against an entrenched North Vietnamese Army force. By official accounts it was a tactical and moral victory for the Marines and the United States. But here survivor Nicholas Warr describes with urgency and outrage the Marines' savage house-to-house fighting--ordered without air, naval, or artillery support by officers with no experience in that type of combat.
Sparing few in the telling, Warr's firsthand narrative tells of desperate Marine suicide charges and of the Marines' selfless devotion to their comrades. His riveting account of the most vicious urban combat since World War II offers an unparalleled view of how a small-unit commander copes with the conflicting demands and responsibilities thrust upon him by the enemy, his men, and the chain of command.
From the Paperback edition.
Customer Reviews:
great read.......2007-08-11
Absolutely unbelievable story of what these guys went through, makes yo uproud to be an American.
Phase Line Green.......2007-02-05
This is one of those books that is difficult to put down and it makes great reading all the way through.. Having fought in Vietnam as an infantryman in the Australian Army and now that I live much of the time in Vietnam I have found that books like "Phase Line Green" have given me a great deal of understanding as to what went on in other parts of the country, far removed from our own AO's.
These days, as I travel through places such as Hue, Lang Co and the Hai Van Pass I cannot help but reflect on what went on in those places not so long ago, thanks to this fine book which give a down to earth "Grunt's" account of one of the most notable and savage battles of the Vietnam War. Well done.
Semper Fidelis.......2006-03-22
As a Marine myself. This book is an outstanding story about the retaking of the Citadel in Hue City following the TET Offensive. This book shows the reality of war. I am not a big reader, but I throughly enjoyed this book. You feel as if you are there with them. It also shows the determination of the Marines and their undying devotion to each other. That is something that will never change.
one of the best vietnam war books.......2000-08-29
I have read many Vietnam war books, i find them very interesting and educational to read. this was the first vietnam war book i ever read, and i must say i have not read one as good yet. i've probably read about 25 vietnam war books. this is no doubt about it this was the best. it's informative, interesting, exciting, and it truly captures everything the vietnam war was known for. to me the vietnam war is not the forgotten war, atleast not to me anyways. read this book, it holds nothing back
"I lived it. I read it. I relived it".......2000-06-20
The heartfelt message of this book not only conveys the historical narrative of the Battle of Hue but also allows the reader to visualize for himself the challenging emotional trauma endured by both Marine and Corpsman in the heat of fierce battle! I looked into the eyes of many a Marine as he breathed his last breath. All were heros! I looked into the newborn's eyes as she opened them for the first time! These are some of the feelings I relived as I read this book. I think the reader, whether a combat veteran or not, will be moved and enlightened by reading this narrative of "A Few Good Men". "Doc"
Book Description
The year is 1793, and England is once again at war. For Richard Bolitho, the renewal of hostilities with France means a fresh command and the chance for action after months of inactivity.
Customer Reviews:
Captain Bolitho.......2007-10-11
I purchased many of these novels by Kent in Australia in 1986 but didn't have them all, so I ordered this one to help complete my set. As usual with Alexander Kent and this series it was a delight. Will want to order other novels to complete my set.
Unbelievable action and intrigue.......2006-07-20
The French Revolution is tearing France apart, the British are trying to influence the battle and therefore Bolitho gets command of a new ship and is asked to go fight for his country again. By now, Bolitho is a full Captain and he has been promoted to the command of a Ship of the Line - a 74 gun double decked behemoth. Unfortunately for him, this advanced status also means that he must serve under much closer scrutiny of higher ups in the ranks rather than enjoying his relative independence as a Frigate Captain.
Early in the book he gets to almost meet another captain by the name of Nelson. He is also sent to act as the flag ship of a small flotilla that is supposed to take over a Spanish island in adjacent to France in concert with a couple of Spanish ships. The interesting kicker is that an Admiral is appointed to command the whole mission and that Admiral happens to be a career officer with precious little real command experience. When it turns out that the French already occupy the island and lay a trap for the British flotilla things turn ugly and the Admiral is killed.
Bolitho, of course, manages to take over and heroically conquers the island with the help of a few handfuls of his own shipmates. Then, he hunkers down to wait for reinforcements. When they fail to come and he is in desperate need of water, he arranges a local truce with the French ... only to be usurped by another Admiral who arrives then to take command.
If this is not fantastic enough, we are now treated to an even more bizarre turn of events: it turns out that this new admiral was actually the commander from which Boliho took over command of the Pharalope and its ensuing mutiny was due to this particualr officer. Since Bolitho rectified the situation, the now-Admiral resents him immensely and treats him as a servant and sends him to pick up his bride. In the course of the passage - punctuated by a naval battle against superior odds, Bolitho falls in love with the Admiral's bride even though he only speaks to her for one evening ... and she, of course, fall in love with him.
One thing leads to another and after many bloody battles fought by cartoon characters, Bolitho ends up winning the girl, the Admiral is killed, Bolithos uses his ship like a frigate, and actually takes over command of the whole battle fleet even though he is not the most senior officer, and he even unknowingly escorts his brother (thought dead) to a prison ship.
The descriptions of shipboard life and battles are the heart and soul of these types of novels and Alexander Kent does an excellent job of generating all kinds of excitement around them. In this novel he goes a little deeper into the ways that Richard Bolitho commands his men and wins their loyalty and support although it is very very sketchy. We also get a better taste of what naval medicine was like with Bolitho's first visit to the surgeon's station.
Unfortunately, the rest of the book is not as well executed. The romance between Bolitho and the Admiral's betrothed is absolutely unbelievable. The dialog is stilted and it is very hard to believe that she fell in love with a ship Captain and decides to marry him over her familial obligations after only spending one evening speaking with the man.
Of equal preposterousness is Bolitho's actions. He obeys the first Admiral who is killed at his side - then he saves the day by taking action on his own initiative which the French do not anticipate and the Spanish gladly join in. Then he manages to convince a whole French town to express their monarchist loyalties and help him out. Then, he fights a battle against vastly superior odds and wins it by pulling a Frigate manuever in a ship of the line that has been in the water so long that its barnacles and "beard" can be seen from above. If this was not enough, he then attacks a French town and destroys its French revolutionary force, and finally, he saves the lives of many soldiers by taking decisive action and command over a force that was essentially abandond by his own Admiral and whic had more senior officers who readily acquiesce to serve under Bolitho.
The final absurdities involve the reunion of Bolitho with his old time friend and underling Herrick who is somehow miraculously promoted to full Captain from Lieutenant at the end of the book while Bolitho himself is left in simple command of the Hyperion. Huh?
So, while the story is patently ridiculous, the passages detailing the ship's life and battles and the completely secondary characters and their fates are of enough interest to keep me reading this book and the series.
What I've Come to Expect from Kent..........2004-08-20
I started reading Alexander Kent's Bolitho novels because I had exhausted Forester's and O'Brian's respective series, and in doing so I had developed a strong appetite for age of sail fiction. Kent's series, by comparison to the former two, is sadly lacking.
The Bolitho series is a serial in the literal sense. This is the ninth novel I have read, and so far they have all followed the same general boilerplate plot. In some of these novels, even the sub-plots repeat themselves: the romance in this novel is a straight carbon copy from "Passage to Mutiny." In this respect, the Bolitho series is very similar to Cornwell's Sharpe series.
This would be acceptible, for a good story can be repeated dozens of times if you develop the characters and keep it fresh with new twists. New twists he does offer on occassion, but Kent fails miserably in character development. There are few continuing characters in the series, and none of them are better than two dimensional. This is a sin he shares with Forester: the only continuing character in the Hornblower novels is William Bush, who is not much more than Hornblower's shadow throughout the series. Stockdale, Herrick and Allday are all mere ciphers. After nine novels, even the tertiary characters in O'Brian's series have received more attention.
Kent also stretches credulity at times, and makes a number of historical errors. This book shows Bolitho in command of a 74 gun ship of the line, supposedly armed with 18 and 24 lbs cannon. The two deckers of the late 18th Century, however, usually carried 18 and 32 pounders as their primary armament, a fact that Kent is well aware of because he says so in his own newsletters. It is reminicent of a similar blunder in "Sloop of War," where Kent mounts 32lbs cannon as chasers on an 18 gun sloop, HMS Sparrow. I doubt very much that any sloop ever commissioned ever carried armament even remotely as heavy as the Sparrow. In this novel, the connectionless Herrick is promoted from lieutenant to full captain, skipping commander entirely. While not outright impossible, given that Herrick is utterly lacking in political influence such a promotion streches credulity to the breaking point. Kent's clumsy historical blunders wound the well-informed and alert among his readers.
Where Kent is strong is in his depiction of battle aboard an age of sail warship. The cannons roar, the timbers shudder, the splinters fly, and a fierce boarding action is never far in the offing. However, after several novels, his strongest point loses its luster because of his repetative style and lack of invention.
Overall, I am deeply disappointed in what I now perceive as Kent's systemic problems. I have read nine of these novels, and I feel like I have wasted enough time on them. I'll now be looking for another author to satisfy my age of sail appetite.
War With France.......2004-01-16
Bolitho is ordered to take his command, the 74-gun ship-of-the-line Hyperion to join Admiral Hood in his attempt to take Toulon. He is seconded, however, to another admiral who has orders to take a small island in the Mediterranean. Unfortunately, it is already occupied by the French. In the ensuing battle, the admiral is killed and eventually he is placed under the command of yet another, in Gibraltar; an old acquaintance--one whom he had once replaced as commander of a frigate--and, unfortunately for his present situation, outshone.
This is an intricate story, but easy to follow, with lots of action and excellent character development. After reading a few of these Bolitho books the characters seem to live and breathe.
Alexander Kent is surely, as they say on the cover, "One of our foremost writers of naval fiction."
I hope you enjoy his stroies as much as I do.
Joseph (Joe) Pierre, USN (Ret)
author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books
Haul Open Gun Ports! Avast! Loosen T'gallants! Huzzah!.......2001-12-25
Another slendidly written masterpiece from Mr. Kent. Bolitho again sets his sails into thundering actions, a bit of romance, some nefarious villains, crisply-written battle scenes that almost deafen the reader. The age of sail is clearly defined in this ninth Bolitho adventure that is one of the best in the series. Plenty of historical flavor, the workings of a British warship (HMS Hyperion) at sea are marvelous to read. Wonderful character development and splintering decks and freezing sea spray for the nautical buffs. An outstanding addition to the series.
Book Description
This heavily illustrated book examines the twenty-year period that saw the U.S. fleet shrink under the pressure of arms limitation treaties and government economy and then grow again to a world-class force. The authors trace the Navy's evolution from a fleet centered around slow battleships to one that deployed most of the warship types that proved so essential in World War II, including aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, battleships, and submarines. Both the older battleships and these newer ships are captured in stunning period photographs that have never before been published. An authoritative yet lively text explains how and why the newer ships and aircraft came to be.
Thomas Hone and Trent Hone describe how a Navy desperately short of funds and men nevertheless pioneered carrier aviation, shipboard electronics, code-breaking, and (with the Marines) amphibious warfare-elements that made America's later victory in the Pacific possible. Based on years of study of official Navy department records, their book presents a comprehensive view of the foundations of a navy that would become the world's largest and most formidable. At the same time, the heart of the book draws on memoirs, novels, and oral histories to reveal the work and the skills of sailors and officers that contributed to successes in World War II. From their service on such battleships as West Virginia to their efforts ashore to develop and procure the most effective aircraft, electronics, and ships, from their adventures on Yangtze River gunboats to carrier landings on the converted battle cruisers Saratoga and Lexington, the men are profiled along with their ships. This combination of popular history with archival history will appeal to a general audience of naval enthusiasts.
Customer Reviews:
A solid and worthy read.......2006-11-04
Thomas and Trent Hone, the father and son authors of Battle Line: The United States Navy 1919-1939 tackled a very crucial period in USN history and did it very concisely and well. The between wars period is often overlooked or misunderstood. Literally there was a revolution taking place within the Navy that was driven by technology (the aircraft, carrier & submarine) as well as new missions (amphibious assualt). As with any change forced upon an institution, there is always reluctance and nay-sayers. The innovators that brought about reliable submarines, carrier task forces and aviation development in this pre-war period are the un-sung heroes that deserve recognition and our gratitude. Battle Line examines these trends and the people that took the lead in developing these capabilities that still serve us today in our modern Navy. I would recommend this book to all who are interested in 20th century history as well the arm chair military history buffs. My hat is off to these authors - BZ!
Splendid Book on a Little Known Era.......2006-06-23
Note that this book covers the years between the end of World War I and beginning the buildup to World War II. Just to use aircraft as an example, the Navy ended WW I with fabric covered biplanes. And in 1938 the Navy issued a requirement to Vought for the F4U Corsair. In ships the changes were no less dramatic. The Plunger class submarines of World War I (Would you want to go to see in a boat with that name?) gave way to the Gato class which was first laid down in 1940.
Another phase during these years was the result of the Naval treaties that specified the number and tonnage of ships that could be built. This incidentally caused two battlecruisers under construction to be finished as the aircraft carriers Lexington and Saratoga which were not limited by the treaty.
This is a fascinating book about a time when budgets were minimal, technology was rapidly changing, and although they didn't know it, the Navy was getting ready for World War II.
Book Description
Although purpose built fighting ships had existed earlier, the principal characteristics of the classic sailing warship were defined in the mid-seventeenth century, and the line of battle ship became ever more distinct. Alongside came the greater specialisation of the fleets and the evolution of the frigate and the adaptation of myriad types of craft for naval use. The story of these developments is clearly elucidated in this paperback volume.
Customer Reviews:
A bit from the eyes of the british.......2007-01-18
Interesting book about ships from the age of sail, every type gets a turn with some historical stories/battles. Also a nice start of you want to know how ships of sail are working and learning the terms of the sail era. Only one side point most information is dated and should be taken in mind that research brought the historians of today on a higher level of understanding of the ships of sails era (the use and building technic)
Square rigger info par excellence........2006-08-01
Excellent book on the construction, arming and sailing of the square-rigged sailing warship.
Superb brief account of sailing war ships.......2001-12-13
I was delighted by this book. Each chapter is an artcile on a aspect of the sailing warship. The book restricts itself to the years 1650-1840, this being the time period where sail, not oars nor steam, was the predominant motive force for ships. It is also limited in scope to ships used in war. This ranges from the large 100+ gun ships down to ship tenders and hulks.
The first several chapters focus on the size, rigging, and use of different classes of ships. Later chapters give a pleasantly simple account of how sailing works, the tactics used in a battle where the guns are slow to load and the wind and tide have a pronounced effect on the combatants, the decoration on the ships, details of the fittings, and more.
This was a more scholarly work than the cover would imply. There is a wealth of good figures, with numerous photographs of period models. Aside from a few typrographic errors, the text is well written and clear.
Customer Reviews:
Good as far as it goes.......2007-05-21
While this is a very good and exhaustive compendium of the British ships involved, this book, like so many other written in English, gives quite short shrift to the fleets of France and Spain. 162 pages are given to the British fleet, and a total of 72 pages to include BOTH the Spanish and French fleets! Further, the detail given about the Spanish and French ships themselves is quite sketchy, and includes few drawings or diagrams, and in most cases these are from British sources.
Granted, most of the French and Spanish ships simply did not have the kind of lengthy and varied careers that most of the British ships had, but all the more reason to have a better look at their design particulars. What a pity the authors did not stir themselves and collaborate with the inestimable Mr. Boudriot of France for a proper view of 'the other side!'
All that said, this is an excellent volume, especially if your main interest is the British ships involved (they DID win the battle after all!).
Abundant written detail, visually a little disappointing.......2006-03-11
While this book did indeed contain a wealth of written detail of the ships, I was surprised and disappointed to find that aside from some center color plates, there was no information provided on ship color schemes and none on flags and pennants displayed. Most particularly, the French ship Redoubtable, described in the book as "the most acclaimed French ship to fight at the battle of Trafalgar" had no drawings, model photographs or paintings of her appearance at the battle. Also, a map showing the development of the positions of these ships during the course of the battle would have been useful although this is available elsewhere.
On the positive side, HMS Victory and many others were well represented by line drawings and despite a concentration on technical rather than visual information this is a useful book to those interested in the battle.
A fine naval reference book.......2005-12-07
Peter Goodwin's "The Ships of Trafalgar: The British, French and Spanish Fleets, October, 1805" is a fine new naval reference book. Goodwin is Keeper & Curator of HMS Victory and the author of "The Construction and Fitting of the English Man-of-War, 1650-1850" and "Nelson's Ships: A History of the Vessels in Which He Served, 1771-1805". Like Goodwin's previous books, the present volume is large and clearly printed on heavy, glossy stock. Each vessel present at Trafalgar, whether British, French, or Spanish, from the largest First Rate down to the smallest cutter is described in careful detail, with technical specifications, service history prior to Trafalgar, a description of its activity during that battle, its service afterwards, and its ultimate fate. Many of the ships, especially those of the Royal Navy, are accompanied by plans of some sort, even if only a profile. An insert of colorful paintings and model photographs are a welcome addition to illustrate how these ships look two centuries ago. Appendices discuss comparative armament and sources of timber and fittings.
There have been many "Trafalgar" books published in this bicentennial year, but few can match this book's sumptuous look and level of detail.
Tremendous Detail.......2005-10-11
There were 73 ships from the British, French and Spanish navies in the ocean off Cape Trafalgar. This exhaustively researched book tells the story of each ship that was there from the 136 gun 'Nuestra Senora de Santisima Trinidad' to to the 30 (maybe 35) men on board the Armed Schooner 'Pickle.' (The 'Pickle' was smart enough to stay out of the way of the big boys and watch the battle. Afterward she went in to rescue sailors from sinking ships.)
Each ship is described in detail, many with drawings made by the author for this publication. The history of each ship is given along with a description of what she did at Travalgar. Along with the history of each ship, there is a good bit of summary information about the three fleets. Carrying some 47,000 men these ships were the visible evidence of the most complex things yet devised by man.
This is a beautiful book, and includes several pages of full color illustrations from paintings of the period, modern photographs of models of some of the ships, and current photographs of the preserved flagship 'Victory.'
Book Description
Twelve-year-old Edward had always thought he and Simon were friends, had never imagined life without his young companion and servant. But in the confusion of the Union army's arrival at the plantation, Simon runs off to freedom, and Edward's family flees to relatives in nearby Petersburg.
Within weeks, Petersburg comes under siege. Edward is unnerved by the constant shelling and worries about the safety of Father and Uncle Gilbert, who are fighting to defend the city. He misses Simon, and he chafes under the scorn of his aunt's servant. But when desperate courage and resourcefulness enable him to save his brother's life, Edward begins to recognize his inner strength.
Meanwhile, Simon has attached himself to the Union army, working at a variety of jobs to earn his keep. He hadn't known that freedom would be so lonely or so hard. As he faces loss, danger, and hostility, Simon begins to wonder if he'll ever find a place he can truly belong.
Told alternately from Edward's and Simon's points of view, Carolyn Reeder's powerful new novel explores the depth of friendship and the importance of choice as the two boys struggle to understand the meaning of courage and freedom.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting.......2005-08-13
My school required me to read this book as I went from sixth to seventh grade. I must admit, at first, I was very confused. The story line moved so quickly, and books about wars tend to be confusing. But as a sank deeper into the story, it became more rapid and expressive with each page I turned. It got to the point where I couldn't put it down. If you plan to read this by your own will, you ought to be careful. You should be an experienced reader, and maybe have a thesaurus nearby. Other than that, an exeptional book.
Acrosss the Lines reveiw.......2004-04-22
Inside the chimney parlor Simon concentrated on bracing himself against the sooty bricks " He won't find me." " He won't find me."
Carolyn Reeder's book Across the Lines is about a 12 year old boy named Edward. His parents have a slave named Simon who is a little older than Edward but Simon is more of a friend than a slave to Edward. All thoughts change when the Yankees take over and Simon runs away. Across the Lines will teach you that friendship is stronger than anything, even a cold blood war.
People might think this book is only for boys but it will interest all. This book is historical fiction and has interesting fact like the Yankees had more food and were richer than the Confederates. If you like to read a lot and you like adventure books you will like this book.
If you have to...........2004-02-04
In my English class I am supposed to read an historical fiction novel each trimester. I have hated every single one of them, and even though this one is no exception, it is still one of the best, if you really want to read a good book, go under the fantasy section and get a book from David Eddings or Terry Brooks, leave the boring historical fiction to those people that just have to read it. Anyway, so if you have to...read it, but one thing is for sure, get it at the library, don't buy it.
It was a bad book.......2001-02-16
Hi we are the Fenn School. and we read this in class to learn about the Civil War. we didn't like the Book it was really boring we realy wanted to give the book 0 stars. We want to wise are theacher Ms. Mott a hppy baby (she's hav a bab in case you couldn't get that)
Exposing children to the realities of war........1999-06-15
Across the Lines provides children with a realistic view of what two young boys went through during the time period of the Civil War.
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