The Big War

Rating:
Summary: Yes It is A Disappointment
Review: I have to agree with the previous reviewer and agree with their assessment of the book as a disappointment. It started out with some promise, but quickly went down hill. One of the biggest problems I had with the book was that it was situated on a fictional island. I am at a loss as to why the author would want to write a novel about World War II and not place it in one of the many Pacific island battles. The second problem was the portrayal of battle by the author. There was no sense or purpose to what the characters were doing other than surviving under horrible conditions, which the author discussed on every page. There was a sense of moral equivalency in that the U.S. soldiers were not fighting for any purpose whatsoever other than sheer survival, and that events were driven by the powers-that-be. Never mind that the U.S. was attacked by Japan, along with the fact that the Japanese were trying to forceably install their rule throught Asia and the Pacific islands. Because of this book, I have steered clear of any other works by this author, as I was barely able to finish this one and gutted it out through sheer willpower!

Rating:
Summary: A disappointment
Review: I loved his other books. This one was very difficult to read. No logical flow, wordy , pretentious--just difficult. I almost walked away from it many times. I finally made it through, skipping whole pages--and felt nothing but relief. Read one of his other books.

Rating:
Summary: The Big War
Review: Like all Myrer's books, an excellent literary adventure. But, be sure to have a dictionary near by, as nearly every page a new, unfamiliar word pops up! If you like war stories and interesting characters, as well as good writing, you'll like this book.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely perfect, real, sad and true.
Review: Myrer's "Big War" is a true-color picture of the cruelty and sorrow which can be brought only by war. Perfectly written, very impressive and worth reading.