Rating: 
Summary: The best Bond
Review: This is the best of his for books, in my opinion, but only slightly ahead of "Red Phoenix" and "The Enemy Within". It is an excellently written book about a part of the world that hasn't had any major wars in a while, unlike his other books, but he shows the frightning way wars do happen, and how nations ten thousand miles away and more get sucked into conflicts. When a far-right fanatic seizes control of South Africa's government, all hell breaks loose across the world. Virtually all aspects of land war are explored: infantry, armor, air combat, paratroopers, anti-guerilla, even some battleship action in there (my favorite part). An excellent read
Rating:
Summary: ENGROSSING
Review: This is the first book I read by Larry Bond. I became absolutly engrossed in this book, and was very disappointed when it came to an end. I started reading Vortex at about the same time that South Africa was going through their elections. With this book Larry Bond has gained a diehard fan. I now read anything that comes out with his name on it. I look forward to see what he does next. Through Amazon.com I have been made aware that there is one Larry Bond book that I didn't read, "Battles of the Third World War", I see that it came out in 1987. I will be sending for it. My only question about Vortex is" when is the movie coming out "? This book needs a movie, if ever a book needed to be turned into movie, this is it. Keep up the very good work.
Rating:
Summary: another powerhouse thriller from the greatest author.
Review: This sansational bestseller is non-stop action
Rating: 
Summary: great but little dry
Review: Very interesting to learn the geo-political conditions in South-African, like a tension country inside and between the border countries after the collapse of Soviet Unions.Most wonderful one in this story is, of course, to depict the war strategy of relevant countries. But most disappointing one is too many coincidence is happened. As you konw well, in international relations especially in war engagement, coincidence can be regarded to miracle.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best Books in History
Review: Vortex is one of the best books I've read in a very long time. This book is the best. You should read it, fast. It is so absorbing, so forget about meals.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but still could get a bit better...
Review: Vortex was definetly an outstanding novel, but there were several places that I felt Bond could have gone a bit further. For example at the end there is a possibilty of a full scale ground war that sort of materializes. But this is countered by the chapter entiltled "Brave Fortune" which was the longest chapter of the book, and contained enough action for it to be the climax of any war novel. But this happened only about 450 pages or so into the book, and trust me, it contains more action than you'll find at the end of the book. Shortly before this chapter, there was bone-chilling suspense that was so thick I couldn't stand it any longer.
Is Vortex Bond's best? That's arguable, but my personal opinion is that while an above average novel, that no it wasn't his best.
Rating:
Summary: Engaging techno-thriller
Review: War erupts in South Africa and Larry Bond brings us there with another of his authoritative journeys into conflict and high-tech modern warfare. I've enjoyed all of his books, especially "Cauldron", in fact I read any military fiction I can get my hands on. "The new WWII novel, "The Triumph and the Glory" was spellbinding, and brought to mind the best of Larry Bond or Tom Clancy, set during WWII. Read Vortex, by all means, you will enjoy it!
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing and different!
Review: What if a white supremacist brought back apartheid into South Africa and used any means of military force at his disposal to make South Afric make some kind of military gain? This scenario is thoroughly well explored. The format is Larry Bond`s typical format - interesting political background, skirmishes and then the big shooting war! South African forces invade Namibia to regain their old territories, the various guerilla groups in Zimbabwe and Zambia make their views heard and then Cuba, who are occupying Angola take advantage of South African dictator Karl Vorster's invasion of Namibia to pour into his country from Mozambique. The US, worried about this war causing a world recession(South Africa is rich in diamonds and other strategic minerals) decide to take military action, along with various British armed forces, who are well portrayed and represented. The action is first rate, the military hardware is well researched and accurate and the nuclear and chemical attack scenes are vividly done. After I read this book, I heard on the TV news about Pakistan and India's nuclear testing programs, and there was a brief mention of a South African nuclear weapons project . . . spooky! There's even a hint of romance between an American reporter caught up in the war and an Afrikaaner female journalist whose father is on Vorster's committee, which is done very well, better than the pulp romances that dumb housewives feed on. Altogether, this is Larry Bond's best, equal to Red Phoenix, so far. This would make one hell of an excellent movie! If you like your action explosive, this is for you!
Rating: 
Summary: Not Up to Red Phoenix's Caliber but absorbing fare.
Review: With Red Phoenix Larry Bond launch a new era in combat fiction. One in which the author thoroughly researches not only combat hardware, but local color and the diplomatic climate of the theater in which the novel is to take place. In his second novel, Vortex, Bond employs this format which propelled his first novel through the roof. How does the follow-up fair? One of the unintended consequences of Bond's formula is that it makes for a LARGE book, a long read. So the reader better like the premise of the book before he even starts plodding through it. And this book does plod at times. By the very nature of the type of combat depicted in Vortex, the action sequences are gritty and lack much of the techno-ga-ga stuff of Red Phoenix. this is not a criticism mind you, but if you're expecting the aerial dueling of Red Phoenix with high tech fighter aircraft, you'll be out of luck. What you will get is in your face ground war that works well, but there's so much of it! Bond's knowledge of the geopolitics of the region shine through the novel. Although history has played out (the book is five years old) and the odds of such a thing as a White Supremisists rise to power in South Africa are quite a stretch these days, in 1995, such a power grab as that which is depicted in the novel was not outlandish. And the international response to a coup might have resembled Bond's response in this novel. Bond is less adept at developing his characters. That was a flaw that could be overlooked in Red Phoenix, but in this novel, its villian is much more central to the plot. Vorster is too one dimensional. He doesn't seem to have any human motivations. This is the only thing Bond would need to work on in future novels. The good guys don't ellicit enough empathy from the reader, and the bad guys look to be made of paper. They're after-thought creations made to justify the crackling, sweeping events that Bond covers in such detail. One dimensional characters aside, Bond's Vortex is worthy of a few late night's reading! Got thoughts about the book, email me!
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