Rating: 
Summary: Really good book about the next korean war.
Review: This is a really interesting book, and it is well written and well thought out. The plot makes sense and the story is very interesting. Do not read on if you have not read the book. There were a few problems with the book when the author tried to make it seem plausible that the US would impose trade sanctions on korea. First of all, the Korean economy had a major account trade deficit at least until the recent financial crisis(I haven't checked the last two years of data). In fact, korea had a multi-billion dollar per year trade deficit with the United States for a long time. So that was one mistake the author made. Just because korea sits between Japan and China doesn't mean that it enjoyed a huge trade surplus with the US. Of course, there are more trade barriers in korea than there should be, but it's a lot less than any other country in the entire area. Secondly, the author says that cutting off trade between korea and the US would have minimal consequences as though korea were some tiny economy. Compared to the American economy, yes, but in 1995, South Korea had the 11th largest GDP in the world. They currently produce the highest technology DRAM chips, and korean firms compete more with Japaneese firms than they do with American firms. Despite being a great book, there were thus some errors in economic data in the book. Other than that, a few items were missing from the US military inventory, such as M1 Abrams tanks, Bradley APCs, MLRS, Cobras and Apaches, F-177 & B2 bombers, land-attack cruise missles, etc. Also, South Korea has its own F-16 manufacturing ability and produces it own major war ships and tanks which are supposed to be much better than the M60. None of these were mentioned in the book. Despite these things, the book is still well worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome!
Review: This is just an incredible tale about a second Korean War.Contrary to other people i find refreshing the fact that Larry Bond does not comes up with all Clancy's "political know how" and page after page of boring reading. This book just goes to the point, you fill you are in the foxhole with the infantry or riding along with the F-16 fighter pilots. Great Read.
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Summary: the 4th book is really fantastic!
Review: This is Larry Bond's 4th book, it is his best story about Washington DC, Iliked the plot a lot. Great characters. Wonderful locales. A must to read.
Rating:
Summary: Tension Building
Review: This is one of the better Cold War escalating conflict scenarios I have read. Sure it's dated; like much of this genre it relies heavily on the technology from the time it was written (for that matter most of the techno-thriller genre is dated by the time it hits the stores). But the techno stuff is only the superficial element of the story. Much of the action takes place at a level that could be set in WWII or present day with a few tweaks of the equipment. The story begins on the DMZ between North and South Korea with a little action, that can easily fail to hook you, but keep reading. There is quite a bit of setup for the story before the action begins, but once it begins, the momentum will drag you through the rest of the book in no time. As far as accuracy, there are certain parts I have to accept on trust, however, having spent all of 1983 in Seoul, traveled around the country a little, done some little time as a ground pounder, in tanks and with artillery as well as some time as a remf; those aspects are fairly realistic. The story thread hops between approximately 5-6 main characters (pilots, generals, politicians, civilians, and frontline troops) and a few one shot characters in a pretty successful effort at building and maintaining tension. This is a keeper for me; I'll no doubt read it again in a few years. For other books in the genre, check-out Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy or for something on a more tactical scale try Team Yankee by Harold Coyle. P-)
Rating: 
Summary: Hard to believe more followed this debut
Review: This is probably one of the only books I've bought that I have been unable to finish--not for lack of trying. Why? It's so damn BORING. I know Bond has worked with Clancy but he obviously didn't glean any hints during that time because this book moves about as fast as a three legged turtle. For alternatives to Clancy, I would recommend any books by Richard Herman. I've been gun shy of buying any more of Bond's books after my experience with this one.
Rating: 
Summary: SWEEPING! Bond covers all bases in this mega techno fest!
Review: This novel is scarry in that its premise is among the most probable (not just believable but PROBABLE) of any techno thriller! Brilliantly researched, credible. It almost seems like I'm reading a transcript of CNN. Actually, in some cases in the novel, Bond want's you to think that. What else can be said? Action sequences in the air, sea and on land are fast-paced and gripping. The only shot that misses is the pointless love interest that Bond introduces between two of the story's characters - and there are many in this tale. It was unnecessary, and gummed up a large portion of the novel's considerable pages. But don't let that distract you. Red Phoenix is a classic of the techno thriller genre. It hasn't been topped since (and it was published NINE years ago!). Read it, then watch that 38th parallel!
Rating:
Summary: Relations have warmed but plot was very probable for years!
Review: This novel is scarry in that its premise was among the most probable for years (not just believable but PROBABLE). Brilliantly researched, credible. It almost seems like I'm reading a transcript of CNN. Actually, in some cases in the novel, Bond want's you to think that. What else can be said? Action sequences in the air, sea and on land are fast-paced and gripping. The only shot that misses is the pointless love interest that Bond introduces between two of the story's characters - and there are many in this tale. It was unnecessary, and gummed up a large portion of the novel's considerable pages. But don't let that distract you. Red Phoenix is a classic of the techno thriller genre. It hasn't been topped since (and it was published TEN years ago!). Read it, then watch that 38th parallel! Questions? Email me
Rating:
Summary: Undeniably good
Review: This story of the Second Korean War is great. Simply great. Superb technical details and battle scenes, but like Bond's "Cauldron", the characters just aren't there. Yes, the characters are developed enough to carry the story, but they simply don't "come to life" like in the Clancy books. A minor flaw in an otherwise great read.
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Summary: One of, if not the best books ever written on this subject!!
Review: This was my first Larry Bond novel and needless to say I was not disappointed. Not since The Hunt For Red October (Clancy) has there been a book that I could not put down. I read the book cover to cover in a weekend and then a couple of months later I read it again. The second time through was even better than the first because I knew the terminology a little better. My favorite scene in the book was when the scouts discovered the underground tunnel into the south from the north. The gun battle and the demolition of the tunnel are definatly attention grabbers and the action didn't stop from there on out. Another great scene to look for is the assault on the American embassy. Both are right at the beginning of the book. I actually logged on to Amazon.com for the purpose of finding other books by Bond and I was not disappointed. I plan to read every one I can get my hands on and then when done, I'll read them again...
Rating:
Summary: top-notch
Review: Though this was written some fifteen years ago, the topic of a second Korean War is (unfortunately) still timely. The events may be dated slightly, but this is still a top-notch techno-thriller. I don't know who Larry Bond is, but he can move effortlessly from the political infighting in Washington to the grim realities of modern-day warfare on the battlefield to the reactions of Communist leaders. Even at 700 pages, it moved at a brisker pace than many novels half the size. He's included maps and Dramatis Personae but, to be honest, the characters and situations are so vivid, these are hardly even needed.
Nitpicking Dept: He occasionally throws in a military and/or slang word which he doesn't define. There were one or two instances where individuals got too lucky in escaping dangerous situations which stretched credulity. His writing is good, but occasionally doesn't quite convey battle scenes as vividly as it should. Overall, though, on a scale of 1 to 100, I would give this novel a solid 97. Should be required reading for anyone concerned about the current political situation.
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