Dark and Depressing

I quite enjoy Ralph Peters. This story is well thought out (at least until the end), plausible and down right frightening. Unfortunately, this is not a story with a happy ending. In fact, the ending is quite abrupt and leaves the reader in a bit of shock. Listen at your own peril.

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Thought Provoking

This "novel" describes a world future that pits radical Islam v Christianity. It reads like a war game. Themes include contemporary issues dealing with religious fanaticism, nuclear proliferation, and dependence on advancements in technology for warfare. The characters range from very tactical Marines to the Army Corps commanders. I found them intriguing and the twists of plot involving them were exciting--right through the epilogue. The book was very thought provoking; those who say it couldn't happen have their head in the sand or somewhere else where it's dark.

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Good book - if a bit dark

Narrator was good and I found the story compelling..if not a bit creepy. The story itself is a bit unsettling probably because one could imagine our current strife in the Middle East unfolding in such a manner. I also found the United States' internal division quite interesting (if not a bit paranoid) in light of our response to the attacks on September 11. I could imagine a similarly amplified response to the tragedies unleashed in this story.

Worth a credit in my humble opinion.

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6 people found this helpful

"Hey, we are just like them"

I have seen Peters on Fox a number of times and find him credible but the premise for this book is not. The idea that evangelicals in the military would usurp the armed services and the government is so nutty I can't suspend belief. Perhaps if the crusades had happened 100 years ago rather than 800 years ago, it would be different. As it stands, Peters spends an inordinate amount of time developing a premise that is laughable. A 3 for decent war description.

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4 people found this helpful

Harry Turtledove, this is not.

This book is written as a memoir of a war. As you've probably read in the the publication summary you've seen that this seems to be a "hot button" type of book. What I found instead is a story of a future war that due to jamming technology is fought very much like the Korean War or Vietnam. The style of writing is similar to authors like John Ringo or David Weber. What I most enjoyed was that while this story uses some uses a very "delicate" setting, after listening you come away with that it was only a story. You don't feel like you just read a political manifesto or preachy sermon in disguise as a book. The battle scenes are quite action packed without being over the top. The narration was fine and the narrator does a good job of changes voices when changes characters as the war is described from the vantage point of multiple characters. I think after this book, I will put in content request for more of Ralph Peters works. If you like John Ringo, David Weber, Travis S. Taylor, Jack Campbell, John Scalazi military fiction then you will probably enjoy this book. Harry Turtledove this is not.

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12 people found this helpful

Forget Freddy Krueger

If you like nightmares don't bother with Freddy Krueger ("A Nightmare on Elm Street "). Instead listen this tale of religious fanatics doing their best to drag the world back to the dark ages. The first couple of minutes left me wondering if I had bought a story that was going to extoll the virtues of religion. But as the story unfolds you realize that the devoutly religious are not the heroes. If this book doesn't make you actively work to marginalize the likes of John Hagee, Michelle Bachmann and Rick Santorum then you had better be comfortable with the idea of being killed because you were declared a witch by others in your community.

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2 people found this helpful

Not as good as expected.

It’s story was going well open till the last chapter and then it just ended. Seem to leave too many loose ends. Ending seems
contrived.

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Not an easy listen, but well worth it

I had originally expected this book to be something like a Stephen King book - some war and a lot of back story about the people involved, their relationship to each other and some idea how the war began. Sort of a short version of "The Stand" with combat. But this book was quite different. In fact, to me, this book seemed like a 3 part Greek tragedy.

The first part of the book, aside from some short disjointed back-story, was all war action and I seriously thought of titling this review "All War - All The Time". Generals ordering movements, mid-level officers trying to comply and soldiers fighting and dying. I almost gave up on it because I am not a fan of this kind of war book, but I hung on and found, by the second part, that I had become interested enough in the fate of some of the soldiers (and the conclusion to the war) to want to finish it. And, by the third part, the book had me completely in its grip and I had a hard time both listening and putting it down.

As I have suggested, this is not an easy book to read. There are characters heading toward them doom and knowing that they are doing so. There are some stunning surprises and some heart-breaking events. And an ending that is both expected and surprising. Unlike most of the books I read this one will stay with me for some time. The true horror is that it is easy to see something like this really happening and that is truly frightening.

The author clearly knows both how to write and what combat must be like. If I can screw up the courage I will probably read another of his books. I recommend this book for those who can survive reading a Greek tragedy.

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14 people found this helpful

OUTSTANDING !

I can't overstate this the book was awesome the only part that sucked is the ending is a bit sad.

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2 people found this helpful

The War After Armageddon

What is strange this could could be our further extremes ours or their's will destroy us all. The book seems like it is right of todays headlines. Ambition in the military allied with politics or religion is a great premiss in fiction and check history how manta times have it brought down empires. Read and enjoy a great book I done so three times already

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2 people found this helpful