[BOOK REVIEW] Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes

Badger73

Badger73

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This is a @Luke Huges ("Burden of Command") recommended book.
http://www.thefewgoodmen.com/thefgmforum/threads/luke-hughes-recommended-reading-list.26202/

It is novel of war about a company of US Marines in Vietnam based on Karl Marlantes' own personal combat experiences as a USMC lieutenant in that conflict. It took him 30 years to complete this work. I couldn't put it down. It is exceptional and intense. Every student of military history should read it.

Matterhorn_%28Karl_Marlantes_novel%29_cover_art.jpg
 
Hmm. Finished it. Lots of things to like about it, but...
Author loses focus frequently and we get several pages of a character's random thoughts that do nothing for the story or character development. I found myself frequently flipping forward pages until I found some dialogue.
Then he will often get preachy about something for unnecessary lengths. If I wanted a book on society's ills, circa 1969, there are better books out there. Again...more flipping.
Their are gratuitous deaths for no other reason I can tell other than to just shock the reader because nothing of note has happened lately. Particularly near the end.
The end? Uh, there wasn't one as far as I can tell. If the author spent 30 years writing this he should have spent another 10 and added an ending. Really. It just stops. I went to turn the page and got a glossary for terms. WTF!? It was like after 30 years he got tired and just quit writing. If true he should have mentioned it.
Anyway, I really wanted to recommend it, but just can't. Not bad by any means. Just can't help but think there are better Vietnam books to be had.
 
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