Iron Tigers [Mass Market Paperback]

Michael Farmer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 3, 2004

From the bestselling author of Tin Soldiers torn from tomorrow's headlines-a cutting edge novel of a new World War.

In the wake of the second Gulf War comes the revelation of shifting alliances in the Middle East. In Iraq, a stable new government has become a major global player rich with oil. OPEC has been redefined and the Saudis are left standing on the sidelines. But Russia is in turmoil. A hard-line Communist is in control, vowing to return Russia to its former power. His first move is to coerce the Saudi Crown Prince into a coalition to corner the world's oil market. His next is to assert his country's military power with a sudden act of aggression. It's time for the tanks to roll.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fans of tank action who didn't get enough in Farmer's Tin Soldiers (2003) will be delighted with the many, vividly described battle scenes in his latest-as American M1A2-SEP tanks go up against a superior force of Russian T-80Us on the border between Iraq and Saudi Arabia. The political ground has shifted a bit: as Farmer says in a foreword, he was a young captain in Kuwait in 1996 when the first book was begun; "I'm a senior major now and sitting in a very different geographical location-Baghdad, Iraq." (That the foreword is dated January 2004 indicates that perhaps the war didn't go quite as he expected in the following months, turning Iraq into what the cover blurb calls "a stable new Iraqi government.") In this sequel to Tin Soldiers, the Iraqis team up with the U.S. Army to fight an alliance formed between the Saudis and a repressive new Russian leader. Readers who can buy into this idea should find the ensuing desert tank battles a source of excitement and satisfaction.
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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Signet (August 3, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451212622
• ISBN-13: 978-0451212627
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #354,629 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Iron Tigers Why Havent't you read it, September 4, 2004

By 

John M. Trofimuk (IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Iron Tigers (Mass Market Paperback)

Michael Farmer's first book Tin Soldiers was the best armored warfare book I had ever read! Iron Tigers is just as good.

When Russia's fragile democracy fails, a hard line former communist takes over. In Saudi Arabia, the new peaceful Iraq begins to answer the oil needs of the West leaving the Saudis in the cold. The Saudis seek a new ally. With a powerful new alliance the Russians and Saudis move to dominate the world's oil reserves by conquering Iraq, Kuwait, the UAR and Qatar. The only thing in the way is the M1A2-SEPs of the 1st Cavalry Division and Patrick Dillon's tanks of Cold Steel.

This book was excellent. Patrick Dillon, Dave Bennett and Colonel Jones all return. New characters like Rolf Krieger and Luke Dodd are great additions to the storyline. Farmer returns with the same technical detail and descriptive writing that made me think once or twice I was crawling around the desert. I love these kinds of books so I have read quite a few and can tell you this book will be in your top five. If you enjoyed Tin Soldiers this book is for you, and can't wait for the third book. READ THIS BOOK!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Iron Tigers...as real as it gets, August 21, 2004

By 

Randall Vallee "Cav. Scout" (Las Cruces, NM. USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Iron Tigers (Mass Market Paperback)

Michael Farmer has surpassed the great authors of modern warfare such as Harold Coyle and Tom Clancy with his book "Iron Tigers". For once a book has been written that reflects the 21st century battlefield and the solders themselves, written by an author who's been there and can relate his experience to the readers. I couldn't put "Iron Tigers" down. As a Gulf War veteran and Cavalry Scout, I recommend this book to anyone who wants to get a feel for today's battlefield and those who serve on it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Iron Tigers, January 2, 2010

By 

Gary Newman (Northern Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Iron Tigers (Mass Market Paperback)

If you are looking for an extremely serious "what if" alternative history selection or a U.S. Military Senior Service School case study of a potential event, this is the wrong book for you. However, if you are looking for an entertaining, page turning, technically accurate story, this is definitely worth a look. I am always in search of well written, historically based alternative history books, but with the lack of such books in the genre, I have begun reading many more straight fictional military action stories.

I have been a military history buff, specifically WW II, since I was a child and I have read alternative history accounts from Conroy to Gingrich. Micheal Farmer spins a tale that is exciting, albeit at times predictable, and will do all John Wayne fans justice. His military background and understanding of tactics, weapon systems and their capabilities enhances the story's "believability factor."

While many of his characters, their interactions and their developments will make Hollywood proud, that does not detract enough from the overall story to diminish its entertainment factor. Again, as long as you enter into this book reminding yourself that is an military thriller and not a closely disected/researched alternative history event, you will enjoy this book.

As a former military member and veteran of SW Asia, the premise was intriguing. Farmer didn't delve too intricately in the overarching strategic picture and the geo-political events that would be ongoing, but he did add enough to answer the reasons why certain tactical events were occurring. I would have liked to have seen less "Vince Flynn" and that energy put into the military events, but it didn't detract from immensely from the story.

Again, this was a light, page turning, entertaining story that was grounded with enough technical and tactical accuracy to allow me to add an additional star in my evaluation. Keep your expectations a little more "Hollywoodish" and not "think tank" based and you should enjoy this book as a nice break from the heavier selections. I will read Farmer again.