Review of The Fighting Ibex

[Shem Murundu]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Fighting Ibex" by Leo Peterson.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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In the mid-1950s, when Europe was recuperating from the cataclysms of the Second World War, there developed a high demand for goods (such as clothing, medicine, cigarettes, alcohol, and firearms) across Europe. "The Italian black market had established itself as the chief distributor of these items.” As this venture became more lucrative and the black-market organization "grew into a full-fledged criminal power”, they plotted schemes to enter and dominate European (and world) politics. The Fighting Ibex—a joint Italian-American battalion—was tasked to dismantle this crime syndicate. Leo Peterson’s historical fiction novel, aptly titled The Fighting Ibex, details how this military operation was carried out.

The story had thematic elements of corruption, treason/treachery, and struggle for (European) power and dominion. Other issues addressed in the book include fidelity/infidelity in marriage; the challenges of long-distance relationships; classism in mid-20th-century Britain; the traumatic effects of war on soldiers; and the hazards of arranged/forced marriages.

Victoria and Johnny's romance story was a delight to read; the instant connection between the two was wonderful. The bond between the four mountaineer soldiers—Gigi, Johnny, Tony, and JoJo—and later Victoria, was heart-warming. As for the main motive behind the composition and publication of this story, I found this novel immensely informative. I acquired new knowledge and historical facts about "buffalo soldiers” (who they were and what they did), the Italian black market and its disbandment by the remarkable Fighting Ibex Battalion, and the 'New Reich’ and its propaganda tactics, among other historical facts.

Victoria was my favorite character. I loved the way she handled her heartbreak. I was as well impressed by the way she positively impacted the four Englishwomen, instilling in them a sense of morality and integrity/honesty. The family atmosphere among Victoria, the military men, and the hotel staff was another praiseworthy feature of the book. I also found the book cover appealing.

This book's foremost drawback was Peterson's deviation from the main plot. Inasmuch as the romance and "hotel experience” facets of the book were pleasant to read, the central plot of the novel was to disband the Italian black market, and I observed that more focus was given to the former aspects than to the latter. This did not augur well with me, as the author strayed off-topic. In my opinion, the inclusion of the minor character named Umberto was unnecessary. Moreover, I was bothered by the manner in which Nick’s character exited the story; his exit was some sort of a cliff-hanger, and considering that Nick was involved in the black market operations, I expected to read more about his ultimate fate.

The book was edited professionally; however, I noticed a significant number of errors. My rating of The Fighting Ibex is 3 out of 5. I deducted one star for the editing errors—they were more than ten—and another star for the drawbacks I observed. This book is a must-read for lovers of historical fiction and romance as well as readers of war stories. I wouldn't recommend it to minor audiences because the book contains explicit sexual content suitable only for adults.

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The Fighting Ibex
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[Hazel Mae Bagarinao]

This gonna be an exciting historical novel again, I have this copy now and I'm excited to jump into the story. I'm curious about the crime syndicate you've mentioned. Your review is interesting!

[Chris Agbara]

Thank you for your insightful review of The Fighting Ibex. Your mention of the historical facts and informative nature of the book piques my interest. I appreciate your honesty regarding the editing errors and the deviation from the main plot. Overall, I would still consider reading this book based on your review.

[Shem Murundu]

This gonna be an exciting historical novel again, I have this copy now and I'm excited to jump into the story. I'm curious about the crime syndicate you've mentioned. Your review is interesting!

Thanks, Hazel. Hoping to know your opinion of it once you're done with it.

[Shem Murundu]

Thank you for your insightful review of The Fighting Ibex. Your mention of the historical facts and informative nature of the book piques my interest. I appreciate your honesty regarding the editing errors and the deviation from the main plot. Overall, I would still consider reading this book based on your review.

Thank you for the visit, Chris. I hope you enjoy reading it too.

[Sarah Zain]

This is the kind of review I would like to read before choosing a book. Really, I enjoyed your review very much and your ability to analyze the elements of the book well. In general, I am not inclined towards historical books, but I might like the family and romantic aspect that you mentioned. Great review

[Shem Murundu]

This is the kind of review I would like to read before choosing a book. Really, I enjoyed your review very much and your ability to analyze the elements of the book well. In general, I am not inclined towards historical books, but I might like the family and romantic aspect that you mentioned. Great review 👏

Thank you for your honest thoughts and for your time, I hope you get to read this story yourself one day.

[Sara Nóbrega Bartolomeu]

Sounds like a really good read! I've never heard about this black market post war. That is interesting to know! Great job with your review

[Chinazo Anozie]

This book does sound intriguing, but I'm not really a fan of historical fiction, so I'm afraid I'll have to pass on it.

[Shem Murundu]

Sounds like a really good read! I've never heard about this black market post war. That is interesting to know! Great job with your review 👏

It was also a new thing for me to learn! Thank you for the nice feedback.

[Shem Murundu]

This book does sound intriguing, but I'm not really a fan of historical fiction, so I'm afraid I'll have to pass on it.

Thanks for passing by!

[Omneya Shakeep]

This is an interesting novel. I like historical fiction, especially when romance is involved. I think you analyzed this book perfectly, keeping an eye on all the small details. Thanks for this amazing, honest review.

[Shem Murundu]

This is an interesting novel. I like historical fiction, especially when romance is involved. I think you analyzed this book perfectly, keeping an eye on all the small details. Thanks for this amazing, honest review.

Thank you Omneya for taking the time to read and share your thoughts!

[Christabel Ify Benson]

You did an excellent job of conveying your genuine interest in the book's plot and characters, which made me want to read it myself. Your enthusiasm is infectious! well done

[Shem Murundu]

You did an excellent job of conveying your genuine interest in the book's plot and characters, which made me want to read it myself. Your enthusiasm is infectious! well done

Thank you Christabel for your pleasant comment! Hope you enjoy reading it too.