A Reckoning for Kings [Mass Market Paperback]

Chris Bunch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 12, 1987

Down a thousand miles of jungle trail the enemy came. The Tet Offensive was about to explode:

THEIR SIDE: The attack, their long awaited General Offensive, will begin during the traditionally peaceful celebration of the Vietnamese New Year - the Year Of The Monkey. Their leader is General Vo Le Duan, a soldier who knows his patriotic duty, but knows also he will never see, in this messy, endless war, the glory that he dreams of.

OUR SIDE: Blooded and ready, all they need now is an enemy. Not one that murders from the ditch, or from the darkness of the night, but an enemy in the open. One of the men who must lead the ranks is Major Dennis Shannon, who discovers vital information that could nail the enemy - but no one on his side is listening.

WITHIN THE SPAN of four short months, during the lightning quick, bloody campaign known as the Tet Offensive, two vastly different cultures and two bitterly opposing armies - the generals, the guerrillas, the grunts - will clash in an epoch shattering encounter that will alter the course of the war and change the shape of the world forever.

"A Classic war novel." - San Diego Tribune

"An excellent piece of work." - Los Angeles Times

"Sets high standards for other Vietnam War novels." - St. Louis Post Dispatch

"It has an enormous cast of characters and a compelling plot enhanced by an intimate knowledge of the land and people of Vietnam." - Chattanooga Times

"An authentic action story." - San Diego Tribune

"Rings with authenticity." - Austin American Statesman

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

While it breaks no new ground in the crowded genre of Vietnam Warera fiction, this sprawling novel set at the time of the Tet offensive in 1968 ultimately proves a compelling, if conventional, story of men at war. The authors use a wide array of characters on both sides to map out the conflict. Of these, the most interesting are a North Vietnamese general, a West Pointtrained intelligence officer who has already become wise to the futility of the American effort and a company of "grunts" trying to survive their year in the jungle. Building toward a battle over a fictional provincial capital, ironically a "set battle" in a war that saw few of these, the book follows the intrigues, corruption, bureaucratic bungling, pettiness and everyday heroics that were part of the war, as an army from the north moves south in anticipation of the Tet attack that will signal the general offensive, an event that the Communists presume will end the hostilities. Often relying too heavily upon stock characters and cliches of conventional war fiction, the book nonetheless generates excitement and suspense as it crashes toward the final battle scene.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

A kaleidoscopic treatment of the Vietnam War, this long novel maneuvers back and forth between the American viewpoint and, to a lesser extent, the Vietnamese. From October 1967 to January 1968 the military on both sides, as well as Vietnamese civilians, struggle to kill each other and/or survive. Major Shannon and General Sinclair and men of the first squad are highlighted, as are General Duan and his aide Lau. There are brief flashbacks to civilian life. The authors have created a frighteningly realistic overview of battle, punctuated with vignettes of individual triumph and failure. The climax is the Tet Offensive and bloody recapturing of a city. Three things finally emerge: the necessity for survival, the stupidity of war, and the suggestion that America might as well have been on the other side. Recommended.Robert H. Donahugh, Youngstown & Mahoning Cty. P.L., Ohio
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (December 12, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345346688
• ISBN-13: 978-0345346681
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 4.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,119,976 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars military fiction at it's best, June 22, 2001

By 

Jeff Cordell - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Reckoning for Kings (Mass Market Paperback)

Like one of the other reviewers I was actually born at the tail-end of the Tet Offensive. My father had been there and served his tour of duty in 65-66. But this book is on the mark. I first read it in 87 when I was in the R.O.T.C. program at Boise State University.

Just young cadet fascinated by all things having to do with the Army.At the time I felt that the book captured the feel and the rythms of Army life. Whether that be the peacetime Army or the wartime Army. At the time there were still many Vietnam vets in the service and I gave this book to one of the cadre members(a sergeant major) to read. He had served two tours over there and when he finished reading it he told me that the authors had done a better job of capturing the war in all it's nuances then all the other Vietnam novels he had read. No weird musings on the nature of man and no bizzare drug induced fantasies that so many other authors were turning out in the seventies and early eighties. Just a straight forward story.I've since reread this novel twice. The first time was about three years ago and then just last week. I'm older now and my attitude towards things have changed.I have found that often those things which seemed so impressive to me at the age of nineteen are diminished at the age of thirty-three. Well this novel hasn't lost anything. It's still wonderfully detailed, suspenseful, humorous and intelligent. One could do far worse this summer then reading this book. Unfortunately it's out of print, but I still see copies floating around in used book stores - both in paperback and hardcover. Good luck and, when you get a copy,enjoy.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Worst Kindle book ever experienced, November 28, 2010

By 

P. von Fischer - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Reckoning For Kings (Kindle Edition)

OK, I really loved this novel. I wore out my paperback a while ago and was excited when I saw that it was back in print and even more pleased when I saw there was a Kindle edition. However, when I started reading it quickly became clear that this was scanned and either left unedited or the editor spent more time picking his nose than editing. There are mis-scans on every page. Words like 'die' convert to 'the,' the name Fuller converted to Poller -only sometimes, 'them' becomes 'mem' and on and on... I have never bothered with a review before. However, I care enough about this book that I felt I had to say something in the hopes that others are able to enjoy a truly excellent story. Save your money. Buy the actual book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy This Book! But not for your Kindle, February 17, 2010

By 

Sacratomato (Northern California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Reckoning For Kings (Kindle Edition)

I have two copies of this book, just in case one is lost or damaged, that's how much I love it. I purchased the Kindle edition so I could re-read favorite sections anytime and anywhere; that was a mistake.

This is a book that honors the Vietnam combat soldier, the draftee field grunt, who does his best in an unpopular war. No philosophical officers agonizing over the war; just teenagers handed an M-16 and trying to stay alive. They don't kill babies or rape or pillage. The authors use the word "Kings" in the title and they mean it.

But what sets this book apart is that it alternates between the American side and the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong. It's not a comic book drawn in blacks and white. And unlike some other popular "war" book series, none of our heroes is a multi-millionaire or if they were born poor, they didn't marry a young woman with a millionaire father. The combat scenes are detailed and aren't glossed over.

It's so sad that the Kindle version of this marvelous book is marred by so many typos that a first time reader might delete it in irritation. There's usually at least one typo on each page, often two and sometimes THREE in a single sentence:

"Mosby watching the muzzle come back toward him, his own rifle coming up far too slowly, and mem (sic) Pritche (sic), bellowing like a bull in heat, buried the Made (sic) of his entrenching tool in the back of the man's neck....."

I'd recommend new readers buy the paper edition of "A Reckoning for Kings". The Kindle version will eventually wear you down with the innumerable typos.