Expendables [Mass Market Paperback]

Leonard B. Scott (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 23, 1992

"Military fiction buffs looking for immersion in authentic renderings of infantry combat will appreciate Scott's latest Vietnam war story."
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Four men who had nothing in common -- except the raw courage that was their greatest weapon during the fierce thirty-five-day conflict of the Ia Drang. This is the story of the men who fought with them -- and the 304 who didn't return.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Military fiction buffs looking for immersion in authentic renderings of infantry combat will appreciate Scott's ( The Hill ) latest Vietnam war story. Shawn Flynn returns from fighting in Vietnamp. 62 to find his home life has gone sour. His career almost goes the same way until a pal with some rank gets him in on developing a new unit, the First Cavalry (Airmobile) Division. Shawn's best men turn out to be an unlikely quartet joined by strong bonds formed during basic and airborne training: Blake Alexander, whose only constant in life is in failing to meet his rich father's high standards; Vinny Martino, a South Philadelphian who grew up streetwise; Eugene Day, a black radical civil rights activist; and Lee Calhoon, a hardworking but poor rural Georgian. Together they face battles against North Vietnamese regulars. These characters are not drawn with finesse or depth, but they are established as individuals and this is adequate to Scott's purposes: the sense of horror instilled by his battle scenes depends not on the drama of these particular characters caught up in such carnage, but from our comprehending that real people were.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From Kirkus Reviews

Scott's fourth Vietnam novel (The Hill, 1989, etc.) is reminiscent of an old John Wayne movie, with Barry Sadler's ``Ballad of the Green Berets'' for background. We begin in 1953, seeing the young man who will become the Grizzled Old Sergeant get his first taste of action in Korea. Then we see the early years of the men whose fates will be determined in combat. There are, among others, the Unhappy Rich Kid, out to prove himself; the Angry Black Guy who hates ``the Man''; the Tough Italian Stud from the big city; the Simple Southern Hillbilly whose innate goodness belies his ``white trash'' background; and an Even More Grizzled Old Sergeant--all of whom are thrown into the mix, a mix in which the noncoms are toughened warriors with hearts of gold beneath their gruff exteriors; the officers come in two flavors (naive--West Point; good guys--ex-college jocks); and just about everyone else functions as a Plot Element. The most interesting parts here are the often humorous takes on basic training and Scott's description of some of the final conflict--the classic 35-day battle of the Ia Drang in which 304 Americans died--from the Vietcong viewpoint. But finding out which members of Our Gang survive for the truly maudlin conclusion is about the only motivation that will keep some readers going to the end. -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (December 23, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345380363
• ISBN-13: 978-0345380364
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #952,303 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "The Expendables", October 10, 2004

By 

Carl L. Grilliot (West Palm Beach, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Expendables (Mass Market Paperback)

As a Marine infantryman, the characters in this book were as real as the grunts as I served with. No other author has ever connected with the real comraderie of men under arms as well as Scott has. I can not read this book with a dry eye and I challenge any man who has ever served to do so, especially the last five pages. This book is written with the first hand knowledge of a man who has faced the elephant and understands the warrior ethos. It ranks with "The Forgotten Soldier" as a gripping narrative of men in combat. Although these men are fictitious, they are as real as any name on the Wall because they could have been any one of them. For anyone who wants to understand the truth of what our fighting men did in Vietnam, indeed did in any war, they must read this book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome read..., May 7, 2005

By 

Larry M (Kamuela, Hawaii) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Expendables (Mass Market Paperback)

Scott is the Master. I've owned several copies of all of Scotts books, from wearing them out to lending them out and this is one of the best. I served with every one of these guys (it seems), Scott's uncanny ability to create the character as someone you know is incredible. Even the places his characters come from are described perfectly, having lived or served in a lot of the places (stateside) that Scott writes of I can attest. For example anyone who lives in or around South Philly would feel right at home with Vinny his girl and the Hoagie stand. Georgia and it's simplicity out in the boonies is captured perfectly by Lee Calhoun and his family. Eugene Day will give the folks a taste of what it was like for a young black to live and serve after the race riots. Young men with any kind of stature who had to live up to their familiys' impossible standards will relate easily to Blake. Old vets will appreciate the professionalism of Quail and Flynn. Anyone whose ever donned a uniform will love how they all come together to become the Expendables. You will laugh out loud (if you served) going through basic training with these guys, You will remember the professionalism of the fearsome "Blackhats" and get chills at how well Scott captures the feeling of elation after that first jump, You will realize you're holding the book a little tighter in anger at self important ticket punchers who leave there men out to dry for no good reason and finally you will cry at the Memorial Day Ceremony, a promise made by each brother to another. This is the absolute best novel on the Vietnam war.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Military Authors to Date, September 9, 2003

By 

"mercsix" (Fayetteville, AR United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Expendables (Mass Market Paperback)

I have read them all from Clancy to Brown and LtCol.(Ret) Scott is by far one of the best military writers to date. My father served in Vietnam and after he came back my mom said he was never the same and I always wondered what it was like, why men like my father and Col Scott, why they went when they were called knowing they might not return and those that did would be forever altered. I joined the infantry at 17 to see for myself and after serving in Panama and Somalia I understand. Col. Scott says it best in the books with way he connects you to the characters you come to realize they did it for the men to their left and their right, not so much for America, but the men who represent America. Sad to know that he won't be writing anymore books but the four vietnam books he wrote are some of the greatest military fiction ever written and in my opinion should be required reading for all young soldiers and leaders.