<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: OUTSTANDING!
Review: As a veteran of the Mechanized Infantry, Antal's treatment of US GIs took me for a trip down Memory Lane. It was a very realistic look at the life of a modern GI. Also he showed insight to the brutality of the North Korean Army and to the brutality of the North Korean system itself. The war Antal describes is a frightening possibility.
Rating:
Summary: PROUD LEGIONS: A WAR WARNING!
Review: Current headlines focus national attention on the grubby political messiness of Peace Operations in places U.S. troops have little to no history of being involved in. Because of this, many defense analysts observe that the future of the Armed Forces is executing "non-state" warfare. John Antal's entertaining PROUD LEGIONS is a strong antidote to that kind of view. His Harold Coyle/Tom Clancy style cannot completely divert attention from the terrifyingly plausible strategic background explaining how he sees another Korean War could possibly develop. It provides a powerful argument for the continued existence of conventional U.S. ground forces and combat training. As with most military techno-thriller fiction, ground combat grognards will find many nits to pick; yet the book does not suffer from these in the least. Like his brother Army tank officer author, Harold Coyle, Antal is admittedly selective in his depiction of armored combat with the lastest U.S. hardware and technology. But this is combat fiction at its best; engrossing, fun to read, and useful in showing civilian readers some of the non-stereotypical challenges modern military professionals would be called upon to handle. The narrative moves along briskly, building a degree of suspense towards the ultimate climax-and the ending contains an unexpected discovery. A great light read (especially for long trips and summer beach reading)--well done.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome
Review: Fans of Harold Coyle's military novels will immediately like John Antal's first foray into "traditional" combat novels. Antal has long been known for his "interactive" fiction wherein the reader must make tactical and leadership decisions as an Army platoon or company commander [Armor Attacks; Infantry Combat; and Combat Team are his three earlier works]. Proud Legions is a story of the 2d Battalion, 72d Armor at the beginning of a new Korean War. Proud Legions does two things beside provide very entertaining reading. First, it provides ideas having immediate, practical value to the serious student of war. Second, it conveys general lessons regarding warfare that transcend a specific place and time. In short, Proud Legions is recommended as a fun read and very informative combat novel--what more can one ask for from military fiction?
Rating:
Summary: A great read
Review: I finished PL this weekend and thoroughly enjoyed the book. It is written in the style of Red Storm Rising, giving the reader the view from both foes as well up and down the chain of command. The technical descriptions of both sides weapons systems was especially interesting. I enjoyed the character development it was crisp, clean and believable. The pace is fast and the plot is easy to follow. I think I would have enjoyed it even more if Antal took it a step further and included what was happening in Washington, Moscow and other capitals. Of course the book works very well as is. Antal has the potential to be the next Tom Clancy.
Rating:
Summary: Exciting military action novel
Review: Proud Legions is an exciting story about a new war in Korea, as seen from the turret of an M1 Tank. Unlike the other Korean War epic "Red Phoenix," this new novel, Proud Legions, is focused mainly on the ground war. The characters are very real. During the battle scenes you can almost feel the tanks shake, hear the boom of the 120mm cannon, and smell the acrid stench of cordite and blood as the US/ROK forces attempt to prevent the encirclement of Seoul by the North Korean People's Army. A GREAT read.
Rating: 
Summary: A Tank Commander's Fantasy
Review: The basic scenario is a real one to be concerned about, and LTC Antal certainly understands the workings of an armor battalion. But for those wondering how a North Korean invasion might actually progress, I might suggest that this is not the book for you. The North Koreans are keystone cops in this narrative. Their formations totally lack any intel about where the Americans are; their commando strikes early in the book have no visible effect on the war effort. The result is that North Korean tanks blindly stumble into prepared American positions with predictable results. It's pretty much a dream scenario for a tank battalion commander. Believe it or not, there's actually *another* turkey shoot later in the book. Add in an improbable romantic sideshow, and you have pretty much a battalion commander's fantasy of the best that a war in Korea could possibly go. The result is a remarkably complacent story by an author who is usually lucid and authorative.
Rating:
Summary: A Tank Commander's Fantasy
Review: The basic scenario is a real one to be concerned about, and LTC Antal certainly understands the workings of an armor battalion. But for those wondering how a North Korean invasion might actually progress, I might suggest that this is not the book for you. The North Koreans are keystone cops in this narrative. Their formations totally lack any intel about where the Americans are; their commando strikes early in the book have no visible effect on the war effort. The result is that North Korean tanks blindly stumble into prepared American positions with predictable results. It's pretty much a dream scenario for a tank battalion commander. Believe it or not, there's actually *another* turkey shoot later in the book. Add in an improbable romantic sideshow, and you have pretty much a battalion commander's fantasy of the best that a war in Korea could possibly go. The result is a remarkably complacent story by an author who is usually lucid and authorative.
<< 1 >>
| 
