A Soldier's Duty : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Interesting but comes up short
Review: Tom Ricks' first novel starts off strongly but comes up short in the end. The description of military life is rich and detailed and since he lived in Afghanistan, when the story line shifts to that part of the world, it is the high point of the book. The story holds up well in a post 9/11 world and some of his comments are almost prophetic. The reason for conflict between the military and the Republican president is under-developed and tenuous. Character development is OK for this genre. In the end, the book collapses with all of its main characters acting in stupid and unbelievable ways. He is a talented reporter and writer that is still new to fiction.

Rating:
Summary: Superb, tough-minded and authentic!
Review: Tom Ricks, who just might be the nation's finest military journalist, has written a remarkably-good first novel. Based upon the tensions within today's military and the very real challenges posed by a changing world, Ricks takes lead characters who have just the right feel as examples of today's Army officers and puts them through a kick-butt, hold-on-tight story that takes the reader from commando raids and foreign firefights to the even more vicious combat inside the Pentagon and the government. From oblivious politicians to conniving generals, Ricks gets the Washington scene dead-on, while his details-perfect view of the military, in the field or in office suites, is one of the best I've ever encountered (as a recently-retired officer, I know that world pretty well). So, high praise to Ricks for a tightly-written, faster-than-a-speeding-bullet and very convincing thriller. Highly-recommended for soldiers and civilians. And, by the way, this novel would make a great movie.