Rating: 
Summary: A nice read
Review: Griffin rarely disappoints, and this most recent offering is the reason why. Once again, the author tells a well-told story about the officer corps of the U.S. armed forces in wartime. He illustrates the unfortunate fact that politicians aren't the only people that practice the arcane, dark art of politics, but that our military leaders did it (and still do it) every bit as much. Reading about Ken McCoy and the others is a comfort, to be sure. It is sort of like a visit from old friends, but I would like to see some of the supporting characters fleshed out a bit more. Having made the criticism above, I will end by saying that despite a few very minor things, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone.
Rating: 
Summary: Good, but not Griffin at his best
Review: Griffin's latest entry in his WWII/Korean War series is a good read, but it's by no means his best book in that series. The earlier books, the USMC war novels, are better. The later books have an OSS/CIA slant, which Griffin doesn't handle as well.
From the title, one would expect a sweeping war novel, but it's really about field intelligence operations in the early days of the CIA. McCoy is back in action, behind the lines, and as competent as ever. Pick Pickering gets himself into trouble, and this time it's serious. Really, though, by now all the major characters are too senior to be doing what they're doing. A previous book in this series, "Behind the Lines" is being made into a movie, "They Fought Alone", starring Brad Pitt. "Behind the Lines" is a better book than "Retreat, Hell". Read it first if you haven't read Griffin before.
Rating: 
Summary: Just not the same
Review: I became a fan of W. E. B. Griffin in 1994 when I read the first book in the Corps series. I was hooked and subsequently read all of his offerings that were in print, and eagerly awaited his new releases that generally came out once a year. I have noticed a substantial change in Mr. Griffin's books in recent years. They still have the detailed description of characters, equipment and military policy of his past works, but there is little plot and the recent releases certainly are not "page turners". If you expect this edition to rival his earlier efforts you will be disappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: Where's the story?
Review: I have read all of his books and couldn't wait for this one. What a dissapointment. I have about 50 pages left and haven't seen any fighting action at all or even a plot or story. Most of it is people making introductions. You'll read about thier uniforms, boats and planes - descriptions only. In the beginning they capture a prisoner, but they don't play any role in the book. May give up on Griffin after this. It's time for Pick, Killer and the gang to retire and sell timeshares.
Rating:
Summary: Terrible war story!
Review: I have read hundreds of books on warfare, both fiction and nonfiction, and this one is definately the worst. Hundreds of pages long, many unnecessary digressions and almost no action. Also, some parts are in questionable taste, particularly where a "hero" while actually viewing the casket of his fiancee who had been killed in Korea, falls in love (lust?) with a woman who had, the day before, attended the funeral of her Marine flyer husband. This subject actually closed the book.
Rating:
Summary: Where's the story?
Review: I read the first 7 or 8 of Griffin's books on the Corps, but this one leaves me flat. Griffin's goes into great detail on his characters but there is no real plot. In many parts of the book there is page after page of meaningless descriptions and dialogue. I get the feeling that Mr. Griffin is only filling pages. After skipping some of his later books, I wanted to try him again. "Retreat Hell!" just doesn't do it for me.
Rating:
Summary: W.E.B. Griffin is slipping
Review: I read the first 7 or 8 of Griffin's books on the Corps, but this one leaves me flat. Griffin's goes into great detail on his characters but there is no real plot. In many parts of the book there is page after page of meaningless descriptions and dialogue. I get the feeling that Mr. Griffin is only filling pages. After skipping some of his later books, I wanted to try him again. "Retreat Hell!" just doesn't do it for me.
Rating: 
Summary: Brilliant Historical Fiction!
Review: There have arguably never been more substantial real-life characters than Harry S. Truman and Douglas MacArthur. To bring their personalities and significantly different styles to a work of fiction, and do so in a manner that makes the reader feel " in the room" with these men, is nothing short of masterful. To bring the historical significant year of 1950 to life, and then weave through it a tale replete with anguish, danger, intrigue, frustration, elation, humor, heroism, and moral outrage, is nothing short of phenomenal. To develop fictional characters with dynamic and diverse personalities, and bring them to life through dialog, is nothing short of fantastic. A work of fiction that can do all three is brilliant. Retreat Hell! is W.E.B. Griffin at his finest. Retreat Hell! is brilliant, and the W.E.B. Griffin is a literary genius by any standard. This is his best work to date. If you can read this book without laughing out loud, you never served in the military. If you can read this book without tears, you never served in the Marine Corps. If you can read this book without feeling outrage, you must be related to MacArthur. If you can read this book without being thoroughly entertained, then great historical fiction is beyond you. Five Stars!
Rating:
Summary: A great story
Review: This book is an epic, in the grand style, set during the Korean War of 1950-53. Following the Inchon landings, the North Korean Army is on the run. But, even as they follow, the leadership of the American army is locked in internecine war of its own, even as General MacArthur plunges ahead taking advice only from those who tell him what he wants to hear. But, this is not just a story of generals. This is also the story of a downed Marine fighter pilot who begins to learn humility, and an intelligence team whose hard-earned information is not wanted. OK, I must admit that this is the first W.E.B. Griffin book that I have read, so I cannot compare it to any others. But, what I read impressed the heck out of me. This is a great story, less about wars than about the men who fight them; their loves and hates, their sense of duty and their overweening pride. I really enjoyed this book, and highly recommend it to you.
Rating:
Summary: A little long on padding and short on story
Review: This is the 10th in Griffin's Marine Corps series and I've read them all along with another 10 or so of Griffin's other military novels. In portraying U.S. military culture, folkways, and technology he's unmatched.
"Retreat Hell" tells the story of the Korean War in the couple of months of 1950 while the North Koreans were on the run and it looked like the U.S. would have its troops "home for Christmas." The surprising intervention of hundreds of thousands of Communist Chinese soldiers was to set the US troops back on their heels and force a bitter, bloody winter retreat. This book tells the story of a CIA unit gathering evidence that the Chinese are going to intervene and the unwillingness of "El Supremo" (General Douglas MacArthur) to believe the evidence.
That sounds interesting and it is, but "Retreat Hell" is crowded with too much minutiae and too little story. Much of the book describes the preparation, distribution, and reading of memoranda, eating and drinking, and military machinations to steal men and material from each other. Endless and tiresome accolades are showered on the omnipotent hero, Major Kenneth "Killer" McCoy. Calling this a book about the Marine Corps is a stretch, as most of the book is about a CIA unit, politicians, and generals, including Harry S. Truman and the aforementioned El Supremo.
I like Griffin's books and this one has some nuggets of interest, but "Retreat Hell" doesn't have much of substance or story to recommend it.
Smallchief
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