Customer Reviews

The Silent Men

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Dickinson captures the back stories, the covert ops, deceit and filthiness of this nearly-forgotten ugly war in the way that no other writer has done.His descriptions of soldiers and civilians under fire are better than Celine, better than Ian MacEwan in "Atonement". Dickinson's heroes are killers and the killing is a form of sanctioned ritual. We meet an anti-hero, an unforgettable black sniper(!) who Dickinson, according to the blurb, plans to do more with in a subsequent novel. This reader would have torn the library apart to get it but, alas, it doesn't exist yet. Soon? When?

I enjoy reading books set during the Vietnam War, so when I saw that a novel by a new author was released on the subject, I eagerly snatched it up. I'm glad I did. Richard Dickinson has written a novel that portreys its characters and settings so realistically that it is difficult to come up with a comparison. This book is like Marine Sniper by Charles Henderson crossed with Point of Impact by Stephen Hunter. It's that good. Do yourself a favor and read it - you won't be disappointed.

I just happened to pick up this book at a gas station in the middle of nowhere when I was on a long road trip, & I'm glad I did, because The Silent Men is excellent. Richard H. Dickinson's vividly detailed descriptions of the snipers' precision and the filthy chaos of war and his interesting cast of characters held my interest from beginning to end.

Though book started out well with a couple of little twists here and there, but about mid way through, it seemed like the author was sort of, I don't know, looking for ways to prolong the story to fill pages. The book seemed sluggish toward the end, and didn't seem to go anywhere. The characters, who didn't seem to respect even themselves, held little respect from me.

This book is much better than what I expected. It looked like genre fiction from the cover but is really much more. If you are at all interested in Vietnam War fiction this book is a must-read.

If you are looking for a thrill-a-minute roller coast ride action book, "The Silent Men" is it. Seldom, however, have I read an action book that is so well written. It is quality literature with highly developed characters and a breathtaking sense of place. Unlike most writers, Richard Dickinson does not introduce a character and immediately expend a paragraph on physical description. The characters describe themselves in the way they clean their gear, shoot their targets, and run for their lives. There never is a wasted word about "sinewy arms" or "steel gray eyes," but by the end of the story, you know the main characters in the book as if they are your brothers. The author is a master at incorporating the soldier's banter into the action, and captures perfectly the military mindset. The Mekong Delta is described as if it were a living character as well. You learn about the terrain in the way it affects every action in the story. There is honesty in the writing that makes the story and characters credible. This book starts with action, and by chapter four, just takes off and you cannot put it down. In "The Silent Men," Richard Dickinson, however, transcends the ordinary action genre. Like most great books, this is one where I did not want it to end. "The Silent Men" made my heart race with its story line, and with strong character development, it made my heart break. The book jacket indicated this is the first in a series by Richard Dickinson with Monroe as his central character. Bring on the rest of the series. I can't wait.

The crisp descriptions and pacing move you through a realistic and compelling view of the war from the rarely depicted perspective of a sniper while integrating the acts of a single soldier into a wider political intrigue.

Let me state it again, this is a good book. Its about a sniper named Monroe who accidentally gets left in enemy territory. Well, its supposed to be about him, but he is in no way a character who hogs a lot of the book. The story centers around him. It is also about the people around him, who try to get him back. The story flows nicely. I don't know how accurate it was about the whole Vietnam War, but thats because I don't know much about that war. Overall, this was a great fictional read. You will not be disappointed!

My brother was a Medevac Corpsman with the Marines in Vietnam. After reading The Silent Men, I have a much better feel for what he went through. He received a Purple Heart while on night manuevers and Richard H.Dickinson's description of frontline medical treatment made my skin crawl. The activities of snipers is a relatively new scenario for me. I find story of Sniper Monroe and his collegues riveting. I couldn't put the book down. I look forward to reading more by Dickinson.

Allegedly the first of a series of books about Monroe, a sniper, this is really about the people around him. And it is fascinating in detail and characterization. It will be interesting to see where the author goes from here.