Helpful Score: 2
While I've never been one to read books about war, I was intrigued by all of the glowing reviews for "Matterhorn" and decided to give it a try. The fact that my scant knowledge of the history of the Vietnam War didn't extend far beyond the knowledge that it was basically a bloodbath also served as a catalyst to crack this open. I'm really happy that I did because not only did I learn quite a bit about the war but this also happens to be one of the best books I've read in quite some time.
Upon reading the Matterhorn's first few sentences you are immediately thrust into the middle of battle, chopping through 6 foot tall jungle, fearful of what horrors lie ahead. You can sense the inner turmoil each of your fellow soldiers feels as they try and remain focused on the task at hand despite the overwhelming trepidation welling up within them...Thinking about their families anxiously awaiting their return home...Listening intently for the faintest of sounds that may signal the enemy's approach...Wondering what they're fighting for in the first place. Remember that amazing opening scene in "Saving Private Ryan" where you see through the eyes of a soldier storming the beach at Normandy? Now imagine reliving the Vietnam War in a similar fashion, over the course of nearly 600 brutally honest, gripping, tension filled pages.
Marlantes, a Vietnam vet who to this day suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of his experiences, has managed to write what feels to me to be an incredibly authentic tale of Bravo Company's experiences during the war. Severely graphic at times, I found myself cringing at the brutal and terrifying accounts of battle. While this story is a work of fiction, Marlantes does indicate in a 2010 interview with the London Times that many of the events described were based off of his own experiences, which makes the stories all that more frightening.
Not only does Marlantes manage to tell an amazing tale of war, but he adeptly tells the story from many points of view. We see war through the eyes of African American soldiers who find themselves fighting not only the Northern Vietnamese Army, but also intense racism from within their own Company. We experience what it was like to be a field nurse, running from victim to victim, having to choose which soldiers to save vs. which to let die, due to the limited medical supplies on hand. We feel the intense pressure of leading a Company of men to battle despite not agreeing with decisions made by their superiors. We listen in on meetings as commanders determine the fate of their troops while also keeping in mind how each decision will enhance or hurt their chances of advancement within the ranks. And finally, we see through the eyes of the troops as they witness their friends being brutally murdered before their eyes.
Having never fought in a war I realize that I can never truly comprehend what Marlantes went through, however I am very thankful that he took the time to write this novel, which must have been an incredibly painful task. "Matterhorn" is a tense and thrilling must read for those looking to learn more about the Vietnam War and what our troops experienced in defense of our country.
I'll leave you now with a powerful quote that sums up the novel very nicely:
"It was all absurd, without reason or meaning. People who didn't know each other were going to kill each other over a hill none of them cared about."
Upon reading the Matterhorn's first few sentences you are immediately thrust into the middle of battle, chopping through 6 foot tall jungle, fearful of what horrors lie ahead. You can sense the inner turmoil each of your fellow soldiers feels as they try and remain focused on the task at hand despite the overwhelming trepidation welling up within them...Thinking about their families anxiously awaiting their return home...Listening intently for the faintest of sounds that may signal the enemy's approach...Wondering what they're fighting for in the first place. Remember that amazing opening scene in "Saving Private Ryan" where you see through the eyes of a soldier storming the beach at Normandy? Now imagine reliving the Vietnam War in a similar fashion, over the course of nearly 600 brutally honest, gripping, tension filled pages.
Marlantes, a Vietnam vet who to this day suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of his experiences, has managed to write what feels to me to be an incredibly authentic tale of Bravo Company's experiences during the war. Severely graphic at times, I found myself cringing at the brutal and terrifying accounts of battle. While this story is a work of fiction, Marlantes does indicate in a 2010 interview with the London Times that many of the events described were based off of his own experiences, which makes the stories all that more frightening.
Not only does Marlantes manage to tell an amazing tale of war, but he adeptly tells the story from many points of view. We see war through the eyes of African American soldiers who find themselves fighting not only the Northern Vietnamese Army, but also intense racism from within their own Company. We experience what it was like to be a field nurse, running from victim to victim, having to choose which soldiers to save vs. which to let die, due to the limited medical supplies on hand. We feel the intense pressure of leading a Company of men to battle despite not agreeing with decisions made by their superiors. We listen in on meetings as commanders determine the fate of their troops while also keeping in mind how each decision will enhance or hurt their chances of advancement within the ranks. And finally, we see through the eyes of the troops as they witness their friends being brutally murdered before their eyes.
Having never fought in a war I realize that I can never truly comprehend what Marlantes went through, however I am very thankful that he took the time to write this novel, which must have been an incredibly painful task. "Matterhorn" is a tense and thrilling must read for those looking to learn more about the Vietnam War and what our troops experienced in defense of our country.
I'll leave you now with a powerful quote that sums up the novel very nicely:
"It was all absurd, without reason or meaning. People who didn't know each other were going to kill each other over a hill none of them cared about."
Cameron-Ashley H. (BigGreenChair) reviewed Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War on + 461 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Well written, understandable, very HUMAN. You don't have to be a man to love this book and empathize with the 'kids' whose lives were in the hands of military brass interested in promotion, status, how they were viewed by their peers. As I read it, I thought of the Civil War too--and World War I, and what my father said about being a young kid serving in freezing Korea--well worth the read. Best I've read about Vietnam.
Matterhorn is well written and I felt like I was in the middle of the conflicts in Vietnam. It is a page turner and reflects the challenges facing our Marines as the higher brass pushed our soldiers to take positions that exposed them to untimely deaths. Our main character survives and the the narrator as well as sharing his internal experience. It was a long book but worth the time. I did not have to go to Vietnam in the early 60's but I had a greater appreciation for what our military faced during those years
Charles Merrill
Charles Merrill
Thomas F. (hardtack) -
As a former Marine officer and Viet Nam veteran, all I can say is.... good book.
The only thing I noticed which I knew was wrong, is the author referring to truck battalions as "Motor Transportation Battalions," as the official USMC name is "Motor Transport Battalion."
But we can certainly forgive the author that.
The only thing I noticed which I knew was wrong, is the author referring to truck battalions as "Motor Transportation Battalions," as the official USMC name is "Motor Transport Battalion."
But we can certainly forgive the author that.
This debut novel is based on actual events experienced by author Karl Marlantes who was a Marine Lt. during the Vietnam war. The authenticity of the war experience is evident on every page. This is perhaps the finest war novel I have ever read.
At almost 600 pages it seems like a daunting book to read but it's one I couldn't put down. Excellent book and would recommend to anyone even if they are not interested in "war novels."
When preparing for combat there are many expectations laid upon the soldier-in-training. When the time finally arrives it is seldom what he expects, and how he handles it changes him forever. Matterhorn: A Novel of the Viet Nam War by Karl Malantes is a study in just such an event.
We join Marine 2nd Lt. Mellick as he arrives at his first in-country command and follow his progress over the next few months, as he accepts the shock of war and grows through his experiences into a trusted combat veteran. Through him we get to experience a full range of emotions as he lives through the receiving end of death and injury, political madness, racial struggles, and eventually choosing the person he wants to become.
This is a first novel by a Vietnam veteran, who draws on his own experiences to show us what the war taught him. The characters are seldom deep and often only seen through Lt. Mellick's eyes, although we follow some of them into situations unknown to our main character. The development of the story early on leaves us struggling to grasp 'who, why and how' right along with the Lt. But before long we have everyone figured out and are deeply involved in the story.
I enjoyed this book by listening to the unabridged CD version, read by Bronson Pinchot. Often the voices chosen for the characters seem at odds with what I might have wanted, but the distinctions help the listener to easily follow the action and the dialog.
This book was not written to glorify the war or to condemn it. Instead we have a chance to meet men and women who were drawn into the war by choice or by force, and to come away with a better understanding of their pasts and their futures. Join the company and enjoy this novel.
We join Marine 2nd Lt. Mellick as he arrives at his first in-country command and follow his progress over the next few months, as he accepts the shock of war and grows through his experiences into a trusted combat veteran. Through him we get to experience a full range of emotions as he lives through the receiving end of death and injury, political madness, racial struggles, and eventually choosing the person he wants to become.
This is a first novel by a Vietnam veteran, who draws on his own experiences to show us what the war taught him. The characters are seldom deep and often only seen through Lt. Mellick's eyes, although we follow some of them into situations unknown to our main character. The development of the story early on leaves us struggling to grasp 'who, why and how' right along with the Lt. But before long we have everyone figured out and are deeply involved in the story.
I enjoyed this book by listening to the unabridged CD version, read by Bronson Pinchot. Often the voices chosen for the characters seem at odds with what I might have wanted, but the distinctions help the listener to easily follow the action and the dialog.
This book was not written to glorify the war or to condemn it. Instead we have a chance to meet men and women who were drawn into the war by choice or by force, and to come away with a better understanding of their pasts and their futures. Join the company and enjoy this novel.
Just confirms how lucky I was to get 309 in draft lottery.
Dramatically describes the sad waste of human efforts in war.
Dramatically describes the sad waste of human efforts in war.
Having read quite a few books about the Vietnam War, both written by men and women, I liiked Matterhorn least of all. The novel is authentic, at least in regards to how the war was fought. The actions of the soldiers, officers and the enemy were written very well. Where the book failed to engage me was in the writing of the character's personalities and emotionally driven actions. The characters are stilted and would appeal to those wanting war history, but not the high emotions of the tragedy of war.
