Against All Enemies

Rating:
Summary: Solid Military Thriller
Review: As a military fiction junkie, I liked this book. Woulfe has a database of personal military experience from which to draw, and it shows in his story. The action sequences are tight, and they don't always turn out the way in which you expect them to. The parajumper rescue sequence was eerily similar to the Rangers' experience in Black Hawk Down, and I found myself really caring about the characters involved.

Woulfe does a great job of educating the reader about today's modern soldier, without the pedantic, over the top expostulation exhibited by Harold Coyle. In fact, Woulfe's style reminds me of Coyle's back when he was writing good books. While Coyle concentrated primarily on the Army, Woulfe has a broad knowledge of Army special ops doctrine, Marine special ops, and Naval aviation doctrine. His in-depth technical knowledge rivals that of Clancy, but he gives you just enough to keep it interesting, without detracting from the story.

My only criticism is that the art of proofreading seems to be dead in this modern age of Microsoft Word. There were numerous grammatical errors in this book that should have been caught by a semi-skilled proofreader, but I have seen worse in other books by other authors. They were mildly irritating, but not distracting. I hope to see much more from Maj. Woulfe!

Rating:
Summary: Against All Enemies
Review: I thought that this book is awesome. It is as truthful a book as I have ever read about the American public and how we feel about war, and how we are so timid about committing forces anywhere. Highly reccomended!

Rating:
Summary: Well worth the expense and effort
Review: In this impressive fiction debut, set in a near future and turbulent South America, Marine Corps Major James B. Woulfe (author of Into the Crucible, an account of how the Corps makes Marines for the 21st Century) provides readers with a rare peek inside U.S. fox holes and cockpits during wartime. Woulfe draws on an impressive background of personal experience to create an all too real vision of urban combat.

The tale sounds like something you'd expect to read in the newspapers: Despite opposition from the United Nations, a complex combination of terrorism, drug trafficking and environmental issues lead the United States into a military operation against a rogue South American regime. Precision bombing and Special Forces open the campaign with a series of breath taking missions. A woman pilot is captured and becomes a POW. (I'm sure you're wondering if Delta Force will rescue her like they did Jessica Lynch in Iraq. It's the first thing I thought of, and as I read the story, I kept looking back to the book's publication date, surprised that it came out before Operation Iraqi Freedom. The book is full of experiences like that.) Soon Air Force commandos are fighting in the streets of a hostile city to try and save Army helicopter pilots from the same fate, producing scenes more horrific that the aftermath of U.S. vs. clan fighting in Somalia. Before you know it, Army Rangers are parachuting in to seize an airport and Marines are landing on the beaches. The end of the war comes quicker than expected, but then the nation building mission begins, and that might prove to be the hardest and deadliest part of the operation. Again, I was surprised this book came out before the war in Iraq began. Amazing foresight by the author.

This engrossing read will satisfy those who want factual accuracy as well as action, but it may not appeal to supporters of simple neo-macho thrillers that litter bookstores. This might explain the shocking one star review down there. The reader from Belton, Texas is missing the point of this book, but those who appreciate a more realistic and challenging story, especially those who enjoy nonfiction sepcial operations stories or want insight on what our Soldiers might be facing in Iraq right now, will agree with my five star ranking.

Rating:
Summary: Asymmetric Warfare Guide
Review: Not a bad book, not really a good book either. But, it does a Great Job defining a new enemy and tactics. Woulfe does an incredible job of describing asymmetric warfare, tactics, and possible outcomes. These plausible tactics could be effectively employed against the US Military or any other strong military force. Very scary if you think about it.

Rating:
Summary: Can it get any worse?
Review: Not worth the expense or effort to read.

Rating:
Summary: War is Hell
Review: This is one of the best, most comprehensive books I have ever read concerning "low-intensity confilicts" and the kind of engagements America finds itself in nowadays. The account is sombering. There is great characterization. There are high points (the Delta Force rescue, Army SF & SEAL actions) and there are low points (the PJ rescue & Arrowhead presence patrol). Once again the truth the America is almost too-civilized to win a fight against a foe that has a fighting spirit. I hope the author writes again!

Rating:
Summary: War is Hell
Review: This is one of the best, most comprehensive books I have ever read concerning "low-intensity confilicts" and the kind of engagements America finds itself in nowadays. The account is sombering. There is great characterization. There are high points (the Delta Force rescue, Army SF & SEAL actions) and there are low points (the PJ rescue & Arrowhead presence patrol). Once again the truth the America is almost too-civilized to win a fight against a foe that has a fighting spirit. I hope the author writes again!

Rating:
Summary: An excellent Modern War Saga
Review: To an old retired military man, this gives us a really good idea of what the men and women in the Armed Forces could be up against in a "limited war" in today's world. Major Woulfe's descriptions are vivid and almost give you the feeling you are there. One minor blip in his research had a woman on a destroyer - accurate because there are women on destroyers, but she had the rating of Seaman First Class, something that went by the wayside on April 1, 1948 when the Navy changed a lot of things in the rating structure. That shouldn't stop you from reading this book. It's a page turner.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent Modern War Saga
Review: To an old retired military man, this gives us a really good idea of what the men and women in the Armed Forces could be up against in a "limited war" in today's world. Major Woulfe's descriptions are vivid and almost give you the feeling you are there. One minor blip in his research had a woman on a destroyer - accurate because there are women on destroyers, but she had the rating of Seaman First Class, something that went by the wayside on April 1, 1948 when the Navy changed a lot of things in the rating structure. That shouldn't stop you from reading this book. It's a page turner.