Rating: 
Summary: Suspenseful Journey Across Vietnam
Review: Vietnam veteran and author Nelson DeMille reacquaints his readers with Paul Brenner, former CID investigator and primary character of THE GENERAL'S DAUGHTER. The year is 1997, and his former boss, Colonel Karl Hellmann, asks Brenner, who completed two tours in Vietnam, to investigate a thirty-year-old crime that occurred there. Allegedly, in February of 1968, a U.S. Army captain shot a U.S. Army lieutenant and killed him. The only witness was a soldier for the North Vietnamese army, named Tran Van Vinh. In a letter to his brother, Tran Quan Lee, Tran Van Vinh describes the occasion. An American soldier discovered the letter on the body of Tran Quan Lee and recently unearthed it in an old trunk and sent it along to Vietnam Veteran's of America. Paul's mission is to locate Mr. Tran Van Vinh and discover if he remembers the murderous incident. Reluctantly agreeing to this mission, Paul flies to Saigon where he meets up with American Susan Weber who claims to be making contact with him to aid a friend. Susan's savvy knowledge of Vietnam helps Paul as he journeys across the countryside, ostensibly as a vet and tourist reliving old memories. As an airport confrontation with Colonel Mang leaves a cloud of suspicion over Paul, Susan's relationship with Paul aids his attempt to lessen Mang's suspicion. Paul's reawakening journey across Vietnam is not a history lesson, but a craftily worded journey that leaves the reader grasping for more in anticipation of the next clash with police and finally, the discovery of Tran Van Vinh. Seasoned veteran Brenner is fully aware that there is more to this mission than meets the eye, but what, he has yet to discover. And Susan proves to be an enigma, as her abilities to squirm out of the most difficult of situations, are inconsistent with her status as an ivy-league American businesswoman. As Paul and Susan approach Tran Van Vinh's village near the Tet holiday, they must decide whether love and trust are codependent. With seven hundred plus pages of text, many a reader might be concerned that the description of places and battles in Vietnam would cause the read to drag. Not so, as De Mille is a skilled enough author to carefully integrate the present and past in a combination that encourages the reader to seek the compelling conclusion.
Rating: 
Summary: Going Up Country with Nelson Demille
Review: At forty-two old, I am not old enough to remember the Vietnam War, which is the subject of Nelson Demille's recent effort. My memories are tainted by hazy media images of newscasts and brief mentions in High School history classes right before the summer break. It wasn't until college when I was taking classes at night; I began to meet the occasional combat veteran who spoke, in passing, of the war and what really happened. The actual experiences of each Veteran I met far outweighed the plain text of the history book and were always incredibly moving. That is the theme of this novel-explaining the past to himself and others. Nelson Demille served at various times in Vietnam including the horror of the Tet Offensive. That action becomes the backbone of the novel where Paul Brenner, now retired under questionable circumstances from the Army Criminal Investigation Division is asked to return to Vietnam to investigate a 30 year old murder. We last saw Paul Brenner in The General's Daughter (which was also made into a fairly decent movie of the same name starring John Travolta as Paul Brenner). He is still dealing with the fall out of that case and is rather at loose ends, professionally and personally. His former boss, Colonel Karl Gustav Hellmann asks to meet him at the Vietnam Memorial. They both share a past in that horrible war and while picking out the names of their dead comrades in arms; Karl begins to slowly explain why he wanted a meet. "Finally, Karl said, 'There is a name on this wall of a man who was not killed in action. A man, who was, in fact murdered.'" Additionally, "'Regarding this American Lieutenant, we have evidence that he was murdered by an American Army Captain.'" The evidence is a letter that another Vietnam Vet took off a dead Viet Cong Soldier some thirty years ago, along with some other souvenirs. The letter was written by the dead man's brother who claims to have witnessed the murder. This man, a murder witness, might still be alive somewhere in Vietnam and Karl wants Paul to got and investigate the case. They even have a location for the man, but Paul is aware that he is not being told even half of the real story. But Paul, for various reasons not entirely clear to himself, agrees to make one more journey to Vietnam for the United States Government. Once in Saigon, now officially Ho Chi Minh City, he meets with Susan Weber. Ostensibly, Susan Weber is nothing more than an American Expatriate who is to help Paul by making him aware of current customs in Vietnam as well as translating the language. But, Paul soon figures out that she is another part on an increasingly more difficult puzzle as he begins to follow the trail. This is a far different novel than the thrillers Mr. Demille has penned in the past. Instead, this is an extensive travel log as Mr. Demille recounts various battle scenes from his past and others in Vietnam. The novel is full of long scenes of Paul Brenner staring at rice paddies and former battle sites, detailing the horrors seen in combat. At 1170 pages in large print, the reader eventually longs for the action that one is used to in a Nelson Demille novel. Unfortunately, the action for the most part is limited to approximately two hundred pages total, split about evenly between the very beginning and the end. And even though the action picks up drastically towards the end of the novel, the last few pages reveal a very weak and unsatisfactory ending. While this is a good opportunity for Mr. Demille to evolve the character further in another novel, after spending some much time reading this work, it would have been nice to tie up just a few pieces of the puzzle. Instead, the reader is left with some vague hints and the feeling that one has been exposed to a very long and painful cathartic release for Mr. Demille in the form of a novel. Accepted in that spirit, is a very detailed and well-written complex work, driven almost entirely by character pain and development. Just don't expect a lot of action, the hallmark of Mr. Demille's other enjoyable works.
Rating: 
Summary: Different from Demille¿s others novels, but just as good
Review: I was very taken by UP COUNTRY, for one thing I am going to Vietnam later this year and two, I thought it was a very well told story. In this novel, Demille takes us literally up country to locate a old NVA soldier who witnessed a murder from the war days of 2 American officers. The trouble is it is in Vietnam, and in the north of the country no less. The journey begins and Demille gets to work.
First realize that with Demille your gonna get your monies worth, he writes very literally and explains everything from soup to nuts. If you can be patient your gonna be happy. Again we meet Paul Brenner from The Gerneral's Daughter: funny witty but tough as nails. I love how Demille makes his humor roll and roll, I love funny things and Demille and I share the same sense of humor. Also ironically Demille mentions Sen. John Kerry in the book and how he was a fellow Vietnam veteran, and now he is in the news poised to be the next president. I recommend it but be patient and open minded.
Rating:
Summary: I'm already having Nelson DeMille withdrawal.
Review: Every time I read one of Nelson DeMille's books (and I've read every one of his novels, in order, starting with MayDay), I feel like I'm sitting in a movie theatre and a classroom all at the same time. I'm entertained and educated simultaneously; certainly a tribute to the way he integrates his research and life-experience into a work of fiction. DeMille's writing style is wonderful, his characters are witty and Up Country is no exception. I am grateful for the knowledge of DeMille's time in Vietnam that he imparts to his readers through Paul Brenner's return as a "tourist" to his old battlefields. Brenner's companion in the book, Susan Weber, makes things very interesting for him and us as we travel with them on each stage of their information gathering journey in hopes of solving a 30-year old murder mystery. This book is well worth the time it takes to read the 700+ pages. I had to restrain myself from reading when I was working and I savored every page when I was lucky enough to carve out some time to read. It was over too soon for me. I will look forward to his next novel.
Rating:
Summary: A Meaningful Experience
Review: It's true, this is not a typical Nelson Demille thriller packed with intrigue, espionage and murder, but it is a fascinating story and obviously a topic that means a great deal to him. Paul Brenner, from The General's Daughter, is back and is called out of retirement to go back to Vietnam to perform a vaguely described mission for his former bosses at CID. As a veteran, Vietnam is the last place in the world he wants to go, however curiosity eventually overcomes his misgivings and he agrees to the mission. Starting at Saigon, Brenner proceeds to accomplish two missions, one official and the other personal. He makes contact with Susan Weber who is more than she appears. He also relives many moments from the days during the war, exorcising some old demons along the way. From Saigon he heads north, up country, visiting old battlegrounds and lending great insight to us, the reader, into what life was like as an American GI in Vietnam. I found this book to be a fascinating and informative adventure story. With so much travelling done by Brenner, there is no time for it to become slow and boring. The actual reason for his mission to Vietnam eventually becomes of secondary importance as I got caught up in the country and it's meaning to Brenner. By the end, it really made no difference to me what the final outcome was, I was satisfied by the journey however it turned out. This book is obviously of special importance to Demille and feels as though it's a kind of homage to Vietnam and the people of both sides who fought there. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, appreciated the humour in which it was told and respect the emotion that it evokes. I fell richer for the experience of having read it.
Rating:
Summary: A good novel and a good read, if not Demille's best.
Review: Nelson DeMille is my favorite novelist, bar none, and I have read every single one of his books, and enjoyed them all. "Up Country" is a good solid read, although it is not his best novel, in my opinion. In "Up Country" our old friend Chief Warrant Officer Paul Brenner (from "The General's Daughter") comes out of retirement from the Army Criminal Investigation Division to handle an investigation of a 25+ year-old murder. The catch: the murder occurred in Vietnam, at the height of the Tet offensive. This requires Brenner to return to postwar Vietnam, resulting in a nostalgic series of flashbacks as Brenner pursues his investigation while reliving the fighting in the war in which he participated. The ending packs a notable punch, causing this to be a successful novel. Critics of this novel by and large have noted that it is a lot longer than it needs to be in order to sustain the plot. I agree with this criticism. This novel is almost an excuse for DeMille to tell the stories of the Tet offensive, the Khe Sahn standoff, and other big battles of the Vietnam War. DeMille is a veteran of that war himself, as all of his devoted fans are aware, and Brenner's reliving of various aspects of the conflicts have a stark authenticity that adds a great deal to the novel. Fellow vets will doubtless be intrigued, the rest of us at least interested and entertained. However, it is a fact that this book moves at a very slow pace, without the usual rapidity of most of DeMille's other novels. For DeMille lovers (myself included) this is a plus, for most of us cannot get enough of DeMille's writing. Others may find that the storyline drags in portions of the novel, and lacks the focus and pace that characterizes the best novels (including most of DeMille's). Brenner is the same wise, sarcastic, and very bright character that we all loved in "The General's Daughter" and this vivid characterization, a DeMille trademark, gets the reader through the slow parts of the story. Overall, "Up Country" does three things. It spins a good yarn, does an excellent job revisiting some aspects of the Vietnam War, and acquaints the reader with certain aspects of the modern Vietnamese nation. Overall a good book, if not necessarily DeMille's best.
Rating:
Summary: 33 Beer and Lao Cai
Review: Won't bother with the aspects of the book that have been reviewed already by other reviewers much more facile than I. What impressed me was that reality of his impression of Vietnam. I have been there twice in recent years and have been in many of the places he describes - he has caught the essence of both urban and rural Vietnam. And, in contrast to many witers of popular fiction, he gets virtually all of his facts right. The only mistaken factoid is when he calls the Vietnamese beer by the wrong name. The beer is really "33", ba muoi ba (sp?) and is famous for the horrendous hangovers one gets. This has been ascribed to the brewers, lacking satisfactory pasteurizing techniques actually adding some formaldehyde to the beer. One small cavil. DeMille understates the absolute horror of Lao Cai, the small town that is the railroad terminus on the Vietnam-Chinese border. Lao Cai is the worst crap hole I have ever been in, making Tijuana look like a garden spot. The railroad station is not new (as DeMille says) but a relic of colonial days with the 'Europeans only' waiting room converted to 'International Travellers only' This book is not a substitute for a trip but is a real impression of the country.
Rating:
Summary: I'd give it 6 stars if I could. Maybe 7.
Review: I've been a longtime fan of Mr DeMille's, and pretty much a new book from him is always a happy time. I'll hit 46 this year, and am old enough to remember Viet Nam, and friends that didn't come back, or came back in pieces. This book hit home in as many ways as it could for someone who isn't a veteran, but remembers the war and the times. Lots of new thoughts, old emotions which haven't surfaced or reared their heads in years, and damned fine writing as always. A total package, new perspectives regardless of age. Dig in, and get overwhelmed.
Rating:
Summary: Up Country
Review: Excellent book. Shows real life politics within both the US Military and US Politics. (Don't EVER turn your back!!). Excellent plot and character development. As a navy Vietnam Vet (kindof!), I enjoyed this book from cover to cover. Eagerly await the next!! Bob KNOTTS, PHCM, USN, Ret.
Rating:
Summary: Nonstop intrigue
Review: There is something for everyone in this book. From the exotic locale of Vietnam to the richly woven plot supported by outstanding character development, readers will find they don't want to put this book down. It simply grabs you, and won't let you go.
DeMille is able to strike a balance between the facinating story of Vietnam today, and yesterday, and of the lives and ways of life, that were destroyed by thirty years of war, and the interactions of his primary characters, Paul Brenner and Susan Weber. As a returning Vietnam vet on a criminal investigation mission, he meets the sensual Ms. Weber in Saigon (oops...Ho Chi Minh City), and one might as well be lighting a match to kerosene.....
As they attempt to unravel a mystery of more than 30 years, they must also try to unravel their own pasts, present, and future. And that isn't easy when, as Paul Brenner notes, they are prone to "lover's fights when one person wants to kill someone and the other doesn't". That sums up their relationship rather nicely, I think.
Get this book and read it. You won't be disappointed.
|
