Customer Reviews

Feast of Bones

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Having stumbled across Daniel Bolger's Feast of Bones in a used bookstore, I had no idea of the quality of the narrative, character development, and objectivity of the point of view. Since it takes place in Russia and Afganistan, and it takes the Russian paratrooper sight-line, the reader might find it difficult at first, if one is hardliner anti-Soviet. Feast of Bones reminds me of other novels written by 'natives,' like Das Boot. Bolger gets inside the Russian military mind with his lead character Desantnik D. I. Donslov's singleminded commitment to fighting a war intuitively, instinctively, and historically. I was so impressed by Bolger's ability to create fiction from fact that I turned to Amazon.com to find anything else he's done, besides his military textbooks, only to find that Feast of Bones is out of print. For a 1990 title, it's too bad, and warrior readers' loss. Knowing this, I'll keep my copy... wishing that Bolger would write another novel one of these days.

I have read every one of Lieutenant General Dan Bolger's books. This one is among his very best in my opinion. His writing is crisp, his knowledge of soldiers and soldiering is unmatched, and the story is compelling without some of the folksy writing that occasionally works its way into his non-fiction works. His background, both military and academic, guarantee the authenticity of the details that make this compelling reading. Like RED ARMY, by Ralph Peters, FEAST OF BONES is an easily readable insight into the force that routinely gave American military leaders sleepless nights from 1945 to 1991. I had the privilege of serving with Lieutenant General Bolger, in peace and war, in the 101st Airborne and 1st Cavalry Divisions and he convinced me to major in military history at West Point many, many years ago in just 3 minutes. If you can get your hands on this book, read it. Infantry Officers will find Cadet Donskov's training particularly compelling and may bring back a few flashbacks from Darby Phase. A superb precursor to viewing the movie 9TH COMPANY. [Updated review in 2010 from initial review in 1999].