Honor Bound [Paperback]

W.E.B. Griffin (Author)

Book Description

Series: Honor Bound | Publication Date: November 1, 1994

As part of an American mission to sabotage Argentinean arms trading with the Nazis, a young U.S. Marine must deceive his own father, a powerful Argentinian known as ""el Coronel."" Reprint. K. LJ. PW.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Best known for his series Brotherhood of War and The Corps, Griffin's new WW II novel uses the relatively unexplored theater of South America as the backdrop for his fast-paced story of a father and son, conflicting loyalties and war. In late 1942, marine fighter ace Clete Frade, Army demolitions engineer Anthony Pelosi and electronics wizard David Ettinger are sent by the OSS on a top-secret mission to neutral Argentina: destroy a merchant ship that has been supplying Nazi submarines and raiders. But the projected raid is only the tip of the novel's iceberg. The U.S. is hoping that Clete will be able to influence his estranged father, an eminence grise in Argentine politics by the name of "El Coronel" Jorge Guillermo Frade, to throw his influence behind the Allies. Meanwhile, Luftwaffe ace Peter von Wachtstein heads to Buenos Aires to consolidate the Nazi position. The Frades are convincing central characters, whose developing father-son relationship anchors much of the novel's plot. Griffin's reconstruction of upper-class Argentine society in the 1940s provides an exotic and credible setting for a tautly written story whose twists and turns will keep readers guessing until the last page.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

The author of the "Brotherhood of War" novels attacks a relatively obscure theater of World War II. Lieut Clete Frade, a Marine fighter pilot, is pulled off Guadalcanal. He and a small team have been selected by the OSS (Office of Strategic Services, the allied intelligence group) to stop the Germans from using neutral Argentina to resupply. Clete's father, who for complicated reasons he has never met, is a major figure in Argentina. Clete swiftly discerns that half his mission is to influence his estranged father in favor of the Allied cause; but working for the OSS, there are plots within plots. Griffin's feel for the details of life in the military 50 years ago and the humanity of his characters on all sides of the covert war make this a superior war story in an interesting milieu. Recommended for fiction collections. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 9/15/93.
- Edwin B. Burgess, U.S. Army TRALINET Ctr., Fort Monroe, Va.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 560 pages
• Publisher: Jove; First Printing edition (November 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0515114863
• ISBN-13: 978-0515114867
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #115,314 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #99 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > War

More About the Author

W.E.B. Griffin is the author of more than thirty epic novels in five series, all of which have been listed on The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly and other best-seller lists. More than forty million of his books are in print in more than ten languages, including Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese, and Hungarian. Mr. Griffin grew up in the suburbs of New York City and Philadelphia. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1946. After basic training, he received counter-intelligence training at Fort Holabird, Maryland. He was assigned to the Army of Occupation in Germany, and ultimately to the staff of then-Major General I.D. White, commander of the U.S. Constabulary. In 1951, Mr. Griffin was recalled to active duty for the Korean War, interrupting his education at Phillips University, Marburg an der Lahn, Germany. In Korea he earned the Combat Infantry Badge as a combat correspondent and later served as acting X Corps (Group) information officer under Lieutenant General White. On his release from active duty in 1953, Mr. Griffin was appointed Chief of the Publications Division of the U.S. Army Signal Aviation Test & Support Activity at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Mr. Griffin is a member of the Special Operations Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Army Aviation Association, and the Armor Association. He was the 1991 recipient of the Brigadier General Robert L. Dening Memorial Distinguished Service Award of the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association, and the August 1999 recipient of the Veterans of Foreign Wars News Media Award, presented at the 100th National Convention in Kansas City. He has been vested into the Order of St. George of the U.S. Armor Association, and the Order of St. Andrew of the U.S. Army Aviation Association, and been awarded Honorary Doctoral degrees by Norwich University, the nation's first and oldest private military college, and by Troy State University (Ala.). He was the graduation dinner speaker for the class of 1988 at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He has been awarded honorary membership in the Special Forces Association; the Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association; the Marine Raiders Association; and the U.S. Army Otter & Caribou Association. He is the co-founder, with historian Colonel Carlo D'Este, of the William E. Colby Seminar on Intelligence, Military, and Diplomatic Affairs. Mr. Griffin's novels, known for their historical accuracy, have been praised by The Philadelphia Inquirer for their "fierce, stop-for-nothing scenes." "Nothing honors me more than a serviceman, veteran, or cop telling me he enjoys reading my books," Mr. Griffin says. Mr. Griffin divides his time between the Gulf Coast and Buenos Aires.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Superb Story Well Told, June 20, 2005

By 

charles peterson (New Orleans, La/Keller, Tx) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Honor Bound (Paperback)

Honor Bound captures your attention at the start and never lets go. While there is not really a lot of "action," the story, the settings and the character development all make for an excellent book.

The story is the recruitment and development of an OSS team to carry out a secret mission to disrupt German submarine activity in neutral Argentina during WWII. The sub story is the reconnection of a powerful Argentine father and his American son who have not seen each other since the son was an infant. Several other sub stories are also woven in. All are interesting and well told.

The primary setting is WWII Buenos Aires. Most of us are unaware of the atmosphere there during the war, so that makes for a good learning experience. Other settings include Guadacanal, Midland (Texas) and New Orleans. All add interest to the story.

Griffen also does an excellent job of developing his characters. The primary ones really come to life.

If you are looking for "shoot 'em up" action, this book is not for you. If you are looking for a fascinating book about an arena that you probably know little about, give this a try. I am pretty sure you won't be disappointed.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When arrives the next novel?, May 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Honor Bound (Paperback)

Honour bound is a great novel. I was only familiar with the Brotherhood of Arms series, so I was suprised when I saw this book in the bookstore. Cletus Frade and his friends had to stop the Germans in Argentina for the second time (I later discovered that there was a another book). Cletus also had the trouble of a pregnant girlfriend and a deceased father. He became the owner of his father's possesions. What happens to the money stolen from the Jews? Will Cletus be ordered to gain acces to this money? And what about Dorethea? I'm desperately waiting for the next book. Please write your books faster!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Character Building into a Magnificent Nove, September 22, 2001

By 

Jake White - See all my reviews

This review is from: Honor Bound (Paperback)

Griffin is well known for his military books that have real characters doing unreal things that make the entire novel a real story of unreal quality. Ok just a confusing enough sentence to make you read more. Griffith is such a writer that his characters are what carries the story; meaning the reader wants to know how the characters are going to develop in the situations. Cletus Frade is akin to another of WEB's great characters...Craig Lowell.

Perhaps one of my favorite authors with books that allow for countless rereads.