Review of Deadly Waters: The Vietnam Naval War And Its Aftermath
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Review of Deadly Waters: The Vietnam Naval War And Its Aftermath
[Following is a volunteer review of "Deadly Waters: The Vietnam Naval War And Its Aftermath" by Randy Miller.]
Deadly Waters: The Vietnam Naval War and its Aftermath by Randy Miller is an obtrusive, naked, unabashed view of the horrors and beauties the men of the American Navy faced during their many tours of Vietnam. It sinks its teeth deep into the lives of naval officers aboard their ships as well as focusing solely on the professional and private lives of the protagonist, Zack.
The story begins when our young man decides to join the Navy at the ripe age of seventeen. We move through the hardships he faces, from leaving the love of his life and family to traveling beyond his town's borders for the very first time and meeting multitudes of people of different races, cultures, religions, etc. The book doesn't just stop there; Miller also shows us what life can be like for these men beyond their years of service.
To me, Deadly Waters: The Vietnam Naval War and its Aftermath, was well-paced. It understood when the story needed to move a few days, weeks, or even months ahead. It did so in such a way that it added to the story, and it never felt like I had missed out on anything that had taken place during those skipped periods.
I immensely enjoyed the technicality of it, you could tell that the author did his research. I also thought a look at the Navy was a breath of fresh air as the media intensively covers the army and marines, but rarely their other brothers-in-arms.
With the main character, I didn't like that he seemed to always get his way or that things seemed to always come easy for him. It never seemed like he never had to work at or hone his skills. He seemed to always have an inherent ability to do something. The reader never gets to see him toil to achieve something, but is always told by other characters about the amount of time and dedication he put into attaining that particular thing.
The first and second acts were fast-paced and intriguing. They brought up questions of morality and made one question whether it was wise for one to put duty above their feelings. I especially liked that, as it forced the reader to think about what they would be willing to do in the name of honour and duty.
What I didn't like was that such questions never seemed to deter our protagonist at all. He pondered them and spoke of them, yes, but it didn't seem like they affected him or the people around him that much at all. He continued to be the very same person we were introduced to in the beginning, except for moments when other characters would conveniently point out to the reader how he had changed.
All in all, it was a good read, but it had a few stark problems that I could not get over, so three out of five stars is what I am rating it. It was entertaining and educational, but it failed to deliver in a way that captivated or enthralled me. I couldn't connect with or sympathise with the main character, as he seemed too good to be true; everything worked out for him, even his dark impulses, which never seemed to beget any consequences.
The antagonist of the third act was also very flat and one-dimensional; being evil just for the sake of it. In the end, I understood why he was written and the purpose he served, but again, the delivery hurt the story and message that were being brought forward.
It was well-edited, although I did come across a few errors. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys tactical and technical books and to lovers of historical fiction.
******
Deadly Waters: The Vietnam Naval War And Its Aftermath
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Deadly Waters: The Vietnam Naval War and its Aftermath by Randy Miller is an obtrusive, naked, unabashed view of the horrors and beauties the men of the American Navy faced during their many tours of Vietnam. It sinks its teeth deep into the lives of naval officers aboard their ships as well as focusing solely on the professional and private lives of the protagonist, Zack.
The story begins when our young man decides to join the Navy at the ripe age of seventeen. We move through the hardships he faces, from leaving the love of his life and family to traveling beyond his town's borders for the very first time and meeting multitudes of people of different races, cultures, religions, etc. The book doesn't just stop there; Miller also shows us what life can be like for these men beyond their years of service.
To me, Deadly Waters: The Vietnam Naval War and its Aftermath, was well-paced. It understood when the story needed to move a few days, weeks, or even months ahead. It did so in such a way that it added to the story, and it never felt like I had missed out on anything that had taken place during those skipped periods.
I immensely enjoyed the technicality of it, you could tell that the author did his research. I also thought a look at the Navy was a breath of fresh air as the media intensively covers the army and marines, but rarely their other brothers-in-arms.
With the main character, I didn't like that he seemed to always get his way or that things seemed to always come easy for him. It never seemed like he never had to work at or hone his skills. He seemed to always have an inherent ability to do something. The reader never gets to see him toil to achieve something, but is always told by other characters about the amount of time and dedication he put into attaining that particular thing.
The first and second acts were fast-paced and intriguing. They brought up questions of morality and made one question whether it was wise for one to put duty above their feelings. I especially liked that, as it forced the reader to think about what they would be willing to do in the name of honour and duty.
What I didn't like was that such questions never seemed to deter our protagonist at all. He pondered them and spoke of them, yes, but it didn't seem like they affected him or the people around him that much at all. He continued to be the very same person we were introduced to in the beginning, except for moments when other characters would conveniently point out to the reader how he had changed.
All in all, it was a good read, but it had a few stark problems that I could not get over, so three out of five stars is what I am rating it. It was entertaining and educational, but it failed to deliver in a way that captivated or enthralled me. I couldn't connect with or sympathise with the main character, as he seemed too good to be true; everything worked out for him, even his dark impulses, which never seemed to beget any consequences.
The antagonist of the third act was also very flat and one-dimensional; being evil just for the sake of it. In the end, I understood why he was written and the purpose he served, but again, the delivery hurt the story and message that were being brought forward.
It was well-edited, although I did come across a few errors. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys tactical and technical books and to lovers of historical fiction.
******
Deadly Waters: The Vietnam Naval War And Its Aftermath
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Khanjar by Bob O'Brien
