Under Fire

Rating:
Summary: Another great installment for The Corps series
Review: I just finished my 18th Griffin book. Having now read all of the Brotherhood of War and The Corps series, I eagerly await new installments. There is obviously at least one more story left in this series to deal with what happens to Pick.
And yes, there continue to be the usual editing errors, but these are certainly more tolerable than, what, movie versions of popular books? The author was under no obligation to "finish" World War II. Eight books with these Marines in the pacific theater certainly gave us more of the same war than, for instance,the Brotherhood of War books. Griffin offers great entertainment value and I look forward to reading the Men at War, Honor Bound, and Badge of Honor series. If and when another Corps book comes out, I'll be ready and waiting to read it.

Rating:
Summary: Killer McCoy Goes to Korea, or Where's 1944 - 1950?
Review: I wait impatiently for new W.E.B. Griffins; he's one of my favorite writers. That, I suppose, is why I am so disappointed with Under Fire.

I was expecting a book that would follow Major Ken McCoy through C&GS College as ordered by President Roosevelt and cover his wedding to Ernie; followed by a posting in Intelligence to a line outfit either at Iwo Jima or Okinawa; with subplots involving Pick Pickering, General Pickering, Ed & Ludmilla Banning, Charlie Galloway, et.al. - and hopefully concluding with that despicable coward Macklin's final cashiering from the Corps as arranged by Generals Pickering and Stecker. Instead, I got a rather dull military soap opera complete with a cliffhanger ending.

Griffin seldom disappoints, but when he does, he REALLY disappoints. The only bright spot is that he now has the characters from two of his series in the same place at the same time. Personally, I think a meeting between Killer McCoy, Mouse Felter, Mac McMillan, Duke Lowell and the two Pickerings could be downright amusing. Perhaps Task Group Able could be called on to rescue Pick from behind the lines; or the Duke might stumble over him during the Task Force Lowell operation; or some similar doubletalk generator device. Improbable as such a plot development might seem to be, it would be a substantial improvement over the plodding pace and overall dullness of Under Fire.

I can honestly recommend this book only to completists. Dammit, W.E.B., we expect better from you.

Rating:
Summary: Griffin had his facts right!
Review: I would love to know what it is about Griffin's books that holds me so well. He is the only Author I know that can get me to consistantly reread everything he writes. I must have read "The Brotherhood of War" series 5 times by now.

This book is an excellent start for Griffin's Marine Korean War series. Two things I want to point out. The taking of the islands before the Inchon invasion was true, except that, of course, MacArthur knew about it.

The interesting point to me was the failure of intelligence about the communist Korea invasion that Griffin uses at the sart of the story but does not document. General Singlubs book, "Hazardous Duty" does document the failure. It shows that the CIA knew about it, informed the top people in Washington, and that General Willoghby, MacArthurs Chief of Intelligence, had specifically downgraded it as "unreliable." This ties in exactly with the way that Captain McCoy is treated in the book.

Rating:
Summary: Typical W.E.B. Griffin!
Review: Known facts are extremely accurate and Mr. Griffin continues his masterful writing with "Under Fire" which makes the reader feel as if he personally knew the characters. The thoughts that go thru the minds of his characters are as interesting as the words they speak and make for a most enjoyable read. I have all Griffin books and anxiously await the next one. Keep up the good work, Mr. Griffin.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding addition to this excellent series
Review: This is the first time I have written a review on this excellent series. I am suprized I haven't before, however I suppose that there are so many reviews written about the previous books in this series that my opinion is in agreement with those who enjoy this series immensely.

This is an excellent addition. The main characters, Ken McCoy, Fleming Pickering and his son Fleming Pickering Jr, Ed Banning, Ernie Zimmerman and all the others are important in the plot of the book.

The year is 1950, and it is the beginning of the Korean War. Capt. McCoy is convinced that the North Koreans are a threat and will start a war, however the higher brass dosen't share his opinion and try to kick him out of the USMC. It turns out that McCoy is 100% on the money. Thus begins the interesting story. There of course is combat, political and military intrigue, and of course the women who love their Marines are in the book as well. My favorite is Ernestine "Ernie" McCoy, Capt McCoys wife, she is the type of woman that any man would be fortunate to have as a girlfriend or wife.

This is a fine addition to "The Corps" series. It is a definite page turner that will have the reader well up into the early morning hours. I just got finished and am eagerly awaiting for Mr. Griffins next addition to this fine series.

Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: W.E.B. Griffin has done it again
Review: UNDER FIRE, the 9th book of W.E.B. Griffin's "Corps" series, moves from World War II to the prelude and opening days of the Korean War. As in previous "Corps" and "Brotherhood of War" novels, Griffin uses actual historical events as background while skillfully putting his characters into the action.

In UNDER FIRE, he uses the intelligence failure that allowed the North Koreans to mount a surprise attack, and the sad state of our military at that time, as the opening, following with an excellent description of the mauling our troops received during the early days of that war, finishing by using a highly fictionalized account of a little known, but highly successful special operation to clear the Inchon Approach Islands of North Korean troops prior to the Inchon Landing. To this end, Griffin uses many of his characters from previous "Corps" novels -- Ken McCoy, Ernie Zimmerman, Fleming Pickering and his daredevil son, "Pick" Pickering, and others.

Overall, UNDER FIRE is a "page turner" that offers insight, via Griffin's well developed military fiction writing style, into the beginnings of the Korean War and Korean War special operations.

Rating:
Summary: Good Book, Bad Typos -- Where's the rest of WWII?
Review: Yeah 5 stars cause it's a good Griffin read. Lots of research about the Korean War went into the book and I really enjoyed it. FYI I really liked In Danger's Path too and I thought Under Fire was almost as good. BUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REST OF WWII??? Inquiring minds want to know. Perhaps Griffin will fill in the blanks at a later date.

Typo's. Hokey Smoke! I don't "proof read" books, I read 'em for fun and most all grammar errors get past me. I certainly don't go looking for typos but PenguinPutnam get a proofer. I think there's at least four reviewers right here that could do a better job than who ever proof read this book. Right after a map in the book a character talks about Korean Cities on the east coast and they are clearly on the west coast. At the start of the book Captain McCoy's quarters are labeled Corporal McCoy. Somebody else caught this too before I posted this review so I don't get credit for it but PenguinPutnam, if I am being annoyed by these glitches you must be driving legions of potential customers nuts!