Rating:  Summary: READING CON BRIO Review: Griffin proved himself to be a champion of military suspense with "Honor Bound" and "Blood and Honor." Brace yourselves for a roller coaster of thrills because he's done it again. In "Secret Honor," a German general plots the assassination of Adolf Hitler. At the same time in Buenos Aires the general's son is targeted by the SS following a botched Nazi operation. OSS agent Cletus Frade knows them both and he knows the truth. But, Frade is branded a rogue agent by the OSS. All three men are in peril. As always, Tony Award nominee Lang reads with brio. His stellar performance is the perfect showcase for this astoundingly well crafted story.
Rating:  Summary: READING CON BRIO Review: Griffin proved himself to be a champion of military suspense with "Honor Bound" and "Blood and Honor." Brace yourselves for a roller coaster of thrills because he's done it again. In "Secret Honor," a German general plots the assassination of Adolf Hitler. At the same time in Buenos Aires the general's son is targeted by the SS following a botched Nazi operation. OSS agent Cletus Frade knows them both and he knows the truth. But, Frade is branded a rogue agent by the OSS. All three men are in peril. As always, Tony Award nominee Lang reads with brio. His stellar performance is the perfect showcase for this astoundingly well crafted story.
Rating:  Summary: Different, but a good read Review: Having read all of Griffin's books, I've been accustomed to finding that he occasionally takes a side path. This is one of those side paths. But he carries it off with the same style and intensity that he puts into all his books. Not having served in the military, but having worked with and for senior military people all my life, I find his characterizations to be accurate and true to life. I can relate to the characters and find them worth knowing. I expect his next book will take us down yet another path and I am anxious to learn what it will be.
Rating:  Summary: Another Griffin Winner Review: Having read all of W.E.B. Griffin's novels, in my personal opinion this is the best. It picks up seamlessly where BLOOD AND HONOR left off and continues an interesting and entertaining plot developed in the previous two books of this series. As for comments this novel is not "historically accurate" and is a "soap opera," novels are not supposed to be historically accurate. If it were the work would be nonfiction instead of fiction. A novel should be entertaining so a "soap opera" format is acceptable.
Rating:  Summary: A Different Perspective Review: I also am an avid reader of Griffin's books. But this novel was like wanting a thick juicy steak and getting a thick juicy cheeseburger. You know, it was good but . . . I liked the fact that more background of the characters was provided in this work but there was a tremendous lack of action and now I am not sure where the next volume (if there is one in the works) will take the reader. As for any "inconsistencies" from previous novels, so what! This novel is a piece of fiction. I just wish Mr. Griffin had four hands so that he could put out a book for each series each year.
Rating:  Summary: A SCAM on his followers Review: I always have looked for Griffin's next book, so I picked this one up immediately, only to find that it repeated 75% of the previous one in the Honor series and left the reader nowhere. There are even direct copies of paragraphs from the previous novel (which I enjoyed). In order for him to keep up the production tempo of his releases, I am sure he has a staff of sub-writers, but he needs to find some who don't plagiarize his old writings. Summary--boring, too long and no story conclusion.
Rating:  Summary: Why write this series at all? Review: I am sorely puzzled. The master who wrote the Men at War, Brotherhood of War and Corps series seems to be floundering. His latest book is poorly researched (Himmler NEVER was "Reichsprotektor", EL bitcho, etc.) and very badly edited, with words missing in the middle of sentences; both the Spanish and German language quotes are atrociously misspelled; time and again the reader is jarred. It appears that a few years ago, the writer had a good editor and at least a German-speaking advisor at his disposal; alas, no longer. This book is far from the military masterpieces of the Corps, Men at War, Brotherhood of War and even the Badge of Honor series. Too bad. Two recommendations: 1. Drop this series, it isn't worth to be bought. 2, Go back to the Corps, where you shine, Mr. William E. B.....
Rating:  Summary: Not up to snuff. Review: I eagerly await Griffith's war series books. But this one takes the first 100 pages and more to bring new readers who haven't read the first two books in the series, up to date. Unfortunately, this is done with a series of very boring meetings between groups of the participants, Nazis, Argentinians, Americans. Booooring! After that has put the reader to sleep, the book doesn't go on to great action, but just slow moving on the part of the participants. I was very disappointed in the book, especially since I bought it in hardcover, not being able to wait for a paperback version. Hope the rest aren't like this.
Rating:  Summary: Thrilling Review: I hardly read before reading this book. I read Secret Honor when it first came out, and loved it. The plot is fast paced and constantly keeps the reader guessing until the end. When I finished, I turned the page and expected more. I am still waiting for the next book to come out in the series. After reading this book, I read all the books in Griffin's Corps Series and was equally impressed. The Honor Bound series was written so well, that I was afraid of being disappointed by the Corps Series. I was not, Griffin has an unique talent to portray accurate historical facts with characters, and plot lines that make all of his stories truly thrilling. If you like books about the military, World War II or just a plain good read any of Griffins books will not disappoint you.
Rating:  Summary: Sitzkrieg Review: I hate myself for yielding to temptation over and over again after I've sworn--absolutely, positively, never, ever--to buy another of Griffin's books. And then I do it anyway. "Secret Honor," however, may be the one that gets the monkey off my back. Less and less is happening in Griffin's books. For veterans of the (excellent) Brotherhood of War, The Corps and Honor Bound, be advised that about all that happens in "Secret Honor" is that Clete gets married and discovers that he's inherited half of Argentina. That's pretty much it. For raw recruits, if you're determined to join up, don't come to "Secret Honor" unprepared. At least read "Honor Bound" and "Blood and Honor" first. Here's the thumbnail sketch: In "Honor Bound" Cletus Frade, a Marine aviator ace/hero of Guadalcanal, is seconded to the OSS in Argentina (that sounds promising, doesn't it?) to screw up German efforts to resupply Nazi U-boats operating in the Atlantic. Clete's father is an Argentinian colonel from whom Clete's been unjustly separated for many years. The father-son thing, of course, gives Clete entre to the Argentine power structure. The German point of view comes from Luftwaffe ace/hero Hauptmann (later Major) Freiherr Hans-Peter von Wachtstein; Clete and von Wachtstein become clandestine friends--common code of honor and all that--in an unusual fashion. The romantic interest is Dorotea Mallin, with whom Clete falls heroically in lust at every opportunity. On the war front, Clete performs heroics in sinking a German resupply ship. In "Blood and Honor," the Germans assassinate Clete's father, who's been a major player in the upcoming coup d'etat and the probable president of Argentina. Clete assists in the coup d'etat and gets revenge with the covert help of Peter von Wachtstein. Clete also throws a monkey wrench in the gears of the German effort to offload loot in Argentina for after the war. Oh, yes. Clete gets Dorotea pregnant. In "Secret Honor," Clete and Dorotea get married. And that's as far as the story advances. No kidding. Oh, well, you might stretch the point and mention that Peter von Wachtstein falls in lust with Alicia Carzino-Carmino, gets HER pregnant and THEY get married. Very big yawn. How in the hootenanny did something like this ever get to 497 pages?
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