A Damned Fine War

Rating:
Summary: Patton gets his wish
Review: America's favorite wartime general always wanted to head east, and now he gets his way. I thoroughly enjoyed the setup where the fledgling UN falls apart over executed Polish officers. With our own history of Soviet invasion and oppression, I felt that the story presented a very legitimate What-If, without resorting to literary license. I especially enjoyed the tactics used by Patton, and the reluctant republics under Soviet command. The characters were well thought out, and the plot really held my interest. I do wish the book were longer, or possibly the setup for another volume or two, as I would like to see what kind of world arises from the story.

Rating:
Summary: Alternate History Novel or Alternate History Text?
Review: Author Bill Yenne has done a fine job of researching the major players, geo-political currents, and the various active armies that would have been involved in a "what-if Stalin decided to make like Hitler". In his book, 'A Damned Fine War', I felt as if I were literally reading a history text from an alternate time line. If I were taking a class on a real time period and was required to take a test on it, then this would be the "book" I would want to read. Given that I had purchased this novel for enjoyment, I was sorely disappointed, especially given the other readers' reviews.
As mentioned by previous reviewers, Bill Yenne does an excellent job dealing with a plausible WWIII scenario and even makes a fair go at providing a richly detailed overview of the strategic and tactical battles that take place in Patton's non-stop conquest of the Red Army forces.
What Yenne fails to do, completely and totally, is write a "story" worth reading. This book was as dry as most history texts, with occasional outbursts of attempted story lines and character development. These occasional interruptions of the campaign overview actually got in the way, as they didn't further the campaign in any way. There was no realisic character development, as everyone fit into some stereotyped cliche or another; rugged cowboy, pre-madonna general, and Loise Lane-type reporter. The dialogue was stilted and read like a constant lecture and, again, did not further the "story".
All and all, it was quite a disappointing book and completely misrepresented. I would certainly buy Bill Yenne's nonfictional works about the various flying aces of WWII and the secret weapons of the Allies and the Axis, but I will never buy another one of his alternative history texts.

(Side Note: I mentioned that his research on the European theatre of war was well done, but some of his potrayals of the politicians and Pacific war commanders transferred to the European theatre were sketchy at best and at worst utterly ignorant of transcripts documenting their stated thoughts and feelings on the war and aftermath.)

Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly human and intimate "what if WWIII in 1945"
Review: Given the author's nonfiction military history work, I expected a dry, strategy/technology-heavy, character-light book on one of the most intriguing "What If's". Instead Yenne gives much of the book to complexly drawn characters experiencing the events at ground level instead of leaving it at the Olympian perspectives of Patton, Stalin, Marshall, etc.. Having read long biographies of most of the big guys, I was generally impressed with Yenne's imaginings of their actions. Russian revelations that Stalin really did want to fight the West in the early 1950's before the technology advantage of the West became too overwhelming as well as Stalin's actions like taking U.S. soldiers prisoner in 1945 and holding them until they died decades later or the Berlin airlift confrontations...this is not a far-fetched scenario at all. Yenne also looks at the motivations and loyalties of the Soviet forces very astutely and shows how quickly both the armies and the Soviet states would seek to escape Stalin's psychotic butcheries. With the rapid collapse of Saddam's regime, Patton's very fast campaign becomes far more believable than it would have read in 2002. I think anyone who enjoys World War 2 or Cold War history would enjoy it while the main characters' adventures and love story will make it a book many readers not enamored with military strategy rehashes will enjoy considerably too.

Rating:
Summary: A Damned Fine Book!
Review: I don't care what ANY of the one-star reviewers had to say, I liked this book! While there WAS a certain element of wish-fulfilment here, it was an excellent story, that kept me turning pages from start to finish!

Rating:
Summary: Poorly researched throwaway trash
Review: I love alternate history books. But you expect two things from them - some basic historical accuracy and some plausibility. Sadly, this book is seriously flawed in both respects.

For example, at one point when Sgt. McKinley reaches US lines at the beginning, US troops are armed with M-14s ... a 1950's/60's version of the M-1 Garand that simply didn't exist in 1945. A major gaffe that shows piss poor editing as well as crappy research. Later on when McKinley saves the "lost patrol" one of the soldiers there has a BAR ... which, according to Mr Yenne is a "20mm" calibre weapon. Bzzt. Wrong. .30-06 ... say 7-8mm or so. Again, piss poor editing and crappy research.

As far as plausibility is concerned ... no explanation for Stalin going insane is offered. And Stalin, while crazy, knew that he was in no position to fight a war with the Western Allies in 1945. This just comes out of the blue for no obvious reason or believable justification. The author shows no comprehension of logistical reality, either, having defecting Soviet troops seamlessly integrated into western allied forces virtually overnight ... despite having different caliber weapons, vehicles etc.

This is the sort of book you buy for a long plane flight or bus trip and throw away, finished or unfinished, at the end.

Rating:
Summary: A failed attempt
Review: I wanted to like this book, I really did. There is a fair amount of action and a great idea for an area of alternate history no yet explored. Sadly the story falls apart on several levels.
Spoilers coming. You have been warned!

First, the author seems to have a case of hero worship for Patton. The man can do no wrong here. He always comes up w/ unstoppable plans and his analysis of enemy strategy is never wrong. It simply isn't fun to read about someone who has no real flaws (even superman had a weakness).

Second, The love story Yenne trys to develop is shaky at best. It wasn't hard to predict how things would turn out between the two characters. Again we have a few misunderstandings but zero conflict, just two people idolizing each other from afar.

Third, no background is given as to what caused Stalin to attack. If you are going to deviate from history there should be a reason given.

Fourth, There is very little perspective from the russian side. Russian characters are really nonexistent except to show how amazingly over confident they are.

5th, We really need some maps to follow the action as I have no idea where many of the cities mentioned in the book are.

I simply had to force myself to finish this book. I knew about halfway through what the result was going to be and I kept waiting for the twist that never materialized.

Rating:
Summary: Simple awful!
Review: I, too, enjoy alternate history. Unfortunately, this book has far too many CLANKS that remind you that you are reading an author who doesn't know much of anything about what he's writing about. Like the previously mention M-14s -- CLANK. And as for the 20mm BAR -- CLANK -- no wonder the poor guy thought it was too heavy, the author had Supersized the gun. And would maps have been so hard to include in a military novel? Apparently so.

The main characters, aside from the historical ones, were simply unbelieveable. Even Patton could never make so much as a small mistake in this unexpected conflict. This was more like "The Hardy Boys Go To War" ... and stay faithful to "dead" dream girls. Gimme a break.

However, the absolute worst aspect, for me, was the grossly inaccurate portrayal of the people of the Caucasus. Mr. Yenne would have you believe that they are horse-worshipping Central-Asian yurt-dwellers when nothing could be farther from the truth. How do I know? I have lived in Tbilisi for most of the last three years and I know that part of the Caucasus fairly well. Certainly much better than does Mr. Yenne.

Is there regional friction in the Caucasus? Sure there is, but Chechnya was a non-issue then, mostly because Stalin had depopulated it by mass executions and forced resettlements. As for the Azeris hating the Georgians? Bull pucky. Read the classic *Ali and Nino* for a better understanding, quite unlike the feelings between, say, Azerbaijan and Armenia. And as for the Don Cossacks, well, there are a lot of cossacks and their simplistic portrayal was unknowledgeable at best.

Good alternate fiction assumes some basis in fact, from which interesting twists may be developed. There was little such in this book and no interesting twists whatsoever. The money I spent on this book was wasted but I will not repeat that mistake with any of Mr. Yenne's other efforts. Save yours.

Rating:
Summary: Stalin Attacks - Then Wishes He Hadn't
Review: The book starts when, at the end of World War II in Europe, Stalin decides that half of Europe doesn't suffice. He wants it all, Urals to the Pyrennes and beyond. So the massive Soviet legions that helped to crush Hitler turn on the Western Allies. The Red Army meets with some success in the north. But, in the south, in Barvaria, the Red hordes face General Patton's Third Army and that's where things start to get interesting.

I'm not sure that I agree with the scenario that follows. It seems a lot like a wish fullfillment fantasy. Yet, in the back of my mind, I wished that George C. Scott were still alive for one more film, this time of the war Patton really wanted to fight.

Rating:
Summary: Kept my pages turning
Review: This book perfectly incorporates historical fact, military insights and a good story line. Because of that I know I could recommend this to people who may not have a large knowledge or interest in WWII. They could still find this story exciting. I love mysteries not just historical, and this book kept my interest through its entirity. I am giving it as a stocking- stuffer to quite a few people on my list!