The Price of Honor

Rating:
Summary: Pedestrian
Review: I am an avid Hackworth fan. His previous non-fiction works were on target. While this book is good, its a bit of a disappointment to me.

This is the story of Sandy Caine and his struggle to find the truth about his father who supposedly died a coward in Vietnam. It is set in the very near past and the characters and events are vaguely recognizable. There is plenty of action, the story reads well, and is technically accurate (for the most part).

Still, it feels wrong. First, the ending is completely implausible. Sandy and his Team members would probably be court-martialed for assaulting and killing American civilians on American soil as they do here. The good Colonel does have them sanitize their attacks, but I dont buy it. Also, he uses the names of people in his non-fiction books. SSG Mayemura was a soldier killed in Hackworth's Korean War era platoon. Tim Grattan was another good friend of his. He also mentions "the Nightstalker" and "the Gunslinger" who are Vietnam era associates of the Colonel. As they are sort of (but not exactly) based on the real people, it adds confusion.

While, I would recommend reading this book, I would caution everyone not to expect much.

Rating:
Summary: An honor to read "Price of Honor."
Review: For some excellent reviews you need only use your mouse to move downwards. What they say in many more words can be broken into two basic factors needed for a good novel. All too often a writer is master of one but lacks the other. Hack is a master of both. Hack knows his subject and tells a good story.

When you read HONOR take the time to revisit Hack's original work, ABOUT FACE.

Rating:
Summary: Battle Scene Writing Good, but...
Review: This book starts off OK but then gets into some really farfetched stuff. Seems like the author didn't know how to wrap things up so he performed the equivalent of "...and then they all got run over by a truck." The

Rating:
Summary: Excellent military fiction from someone who knows
Review: Colonel Hackworth has written an excellent novel that shows the way it is. As a retired special forces officer, I appreciate his honesty and no-holds barred approach. Much better than Marcinko's outrageous stories. I also recommend Bob Mayer's special forces book if you can find them-- another from someone who walked the walk.

Rating:
Summary: The Price of Honor
Review: This book is a great read for anyone who likes military adventure fiction. Like Richard Marcinko (the Rogue Warrior), Hackworth has really "been there and done that" and his story and characters reflect the real world. If you've ever wondered what life is like in today's Special Forces, "Price of Honor" tells you. Can't wait for the next one.

Rating:
Summary: Hackworth claims a place at the top.
Review: The Price of Honor is a hard hitting novel uniting the past (Vietnam) and the present (Bosnia) through the experiences of Special Forces Captain Sandy Caine. The plot is believable, focused and riveting and the character development is on a par with Clancy and Higgins. Hackworth adds depth to even "stock" characters such as crooked Senators and money hungry defense contractors. I read a lot of military fiction and I could not put this one down. The Price of Honor is destined to be a classic in the military fiction genre.

Rating:
Summary: A Romantic Adventurous Novel
Review: Col. Hackworth has penned a story which keeps the heart beating rapidly during the adventurous military settings while creating that special "tingling sensation" throughout the romantic scenes. Many authors have written excellent action stories and many authors have written wonderful romantic novels; Col. Hackworth displays the unique ability to brilliantly combine both elements. I enjoyed About Face; I loved the Price of Honor.

Rating:
Summary: A disappointment to a Hackworth fan
Review: I am an avid reader of David Hackworth's column and thought his, " About Face", was one of the best military diaries ever but this book is a strange one. In the beginning, it resembles, W.E.B. Griffin....in the middle, it turns into a palatable mystery......but the end! It ends like a James Bond movie, with implausible and wild situations. I gave it three stars because it was readable but still...a major disappointment

Rating:
Summary: Gripping story
Review: It's always interesting to read about places you've been. It's rare that authors/reporters "get it right" when they write about military operations. Without doubt, Hack got it right. As a veteran of Somalia, I was hooked after reading the battle scene that takes place in Mogadishu early in the book. The book gets better. Much of the book is deeply grounded in Hack's experiences and even pays tribute to friends and great combat leaders he admired. The frightening thing is the reality of the fiction. My only gripe is the poor job done by the publisher, beginning with "Hatchworth" on the inside, front cover.

Rating:
Summary: Price of Honor-A MUST READ
Review: Suspense in the manner of Ken Follett. A ficionalized expose of our politics and war based on, in my opinion, absolute facts. Hackworth deserves a Pulitzer!