Customer Reviews

The Warbirds

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Warbirds, which I recently revisited, holds up pretty well over time. Parts of it are obviously dated - the use of F-4s in a frontline combat role, and of course the Soviet Union and the proximity of the events in the book to the Iran-Iraq war. But, if you're reading this review, these probably aren't things to worry about.

The Warbirds is at its best as the story of a combat unit in the post-Vietnam military struggling to prepare for war, as a portrait of a unit under wartime conditions, and as a study of leadership. As a whole, it remains an excellent novel.

The novel begins with the 45th Air Wing posted to Egypt, where the first segment of the book begins. As storm clouds gather in the Persian Gulf, and following a clash with Libyan plans, the unit is reposted to RAF Stonewood for training purposes, under its talented new leader "Muddy" Waters. The last third of the book covers its posting to the Persian Gulf to oppose an Iranian campaign to overrun the oilfields.

Richard Herman has a real talent in populating his novels with distinctive and memorable characters. The Warbirds establishes the core group of the early Herman novels, in particular: Anthony "Muddy" Waters, Jack Locke, James "Thunder" Bryant, Doc Landis, Rupert Stansell and Ambler Furry. Herman defines his characters by their actions. The resulting is a set of interesting and likable individuals.

Perhaps by virtue of his own Air Force experience, Herman's depiction of the service is frank. Particular emphasis is paid to the necessity of adaptation under training and combat conditions. Bureaucracy takes its toll on the characters, and the hero, Muddy Waters, is forced to repeatedly defend both his men and his command from rivals in the Air Force.

The last third of the book contains some very well rendered depictions of combat. The 45th is steadily attritted by combat against an Iranian army, and, in the final section of the book, forced to fight for its life against an amphibious attack. The losses it suffers are made vivid by the author's willingness to sacrifice likable characters (something lacking in other genre authors).

Good characterization, tense action and (amateur editorial review above to the contrary) solid plotting make The Warbirds an early classic of the military genre and a great first novel for Richard Herman. By all means read this and then Force of Eagles, which is its immediate sequel.

Definetly one of the best thrillers I've come across in a long time. "The Warbirds" doesn't neccessarily have all kinds of high-tech weapons and aircraft you see in other fine thrillers, but instead Herman focuses on the development of the characters themselves, and includes one action-filled scene after another, with vivid flying sequences involving everything from tense training emergencies to all-out war. The fact that Herman flew F-4s in combat lends a large degree of credibility to his descriptions of aircraft, weapons, and the people who fly them. A top-notch thriller from start to finish!

This has to be one of the best books ever. From the moment I started reading it, I could not put it down. I have read it atleast 3 times over the past 15 years. Loaned it to a friend and he got mad at me because he lost a lot of sleep. He finished it the first night. The second book Force of Eagles is just about as good as this one.

I read this book when it first came out and enjoyed it tremendously. When the Gulf War began, it was like I had already been there. Since then I have read everything he's put out and enjoyed them all (some more than others, but they were all good). I like how he's slowly developed (and killed off) characters. First class stuff

Read this fisrt in 1980's and now for third [at last] time. Locke, Thunder, Waters and Cunningham are outstanding

"The Warbirds" was, for 80% of the novel, riveting. That said, I don't think I have ever been more disappointed in a book's ending in my life. The need for justice, even revenge (if not reality), that builds throughout the story never comes through; the reader is robbed. Days of waiting while traveling through the story end in a pathetic (and needless) "mass-murder" of characters, while many of the surviving characters become alarmingly uncharacteristic in their behavior. Despite the fact that political idiocy can thwart a military, it is completely absurd to believe a strong character such as 'General Cunningham' would allow the slaughter and sacrifice of an entire air base.

To make our side so weak and helpless at the end of a book detailing our strength and skill was deflating, and 'disappointing' is not viable-enough a word to describe it. It's as if Herman decided to choose the worst possible ending he could choose just because he could. It's as if he didn't feel like closing the loose ends and just turned an otherwise great read into a pitiful, horrible exercise. "Let's see, how can I take this and turn it into something completely depressing?"

In fiction, there is never a guarantee that a story will end the way we want it to. But we expect the writer to stay within the confines of reality while they spin the fiction we consume, and more importantly, stay within the confines of his own storyline, which include the rewards hinted and promised throughout the story.

Life is too short to invest that kind of time in a story only to have the author betray not only his characters, but also the story, and ultimately the reader. Throughout the novel I was hoping it would never end, it was THAT good. Yet I was so discouraged by the time I got done with "The Warbirds" that I know I'll never read another Richard Herman novel again in my life.

With vivid characters and outstanding technical support to throw the reader into the action it is a treat. You get to watch the inner workings of Generals and politicians dancing around each in a sabre dance. As you ride with the young hotshot Lt. Locke, you will feel every G as he throws you for a loop. Richard Herman Jr. is a worthy techno-fiction writer for someone first starting out in the gerne.

A great story. The flying sequences and aerial combat are great. Excellent characters. It is always fun to read about the ineptness of politicians and the arrogance of Generals and some Colonels. Upon reflection, I wonder about the battle for Ras Assanya. Where was the rest of the Air Force? I find it hard to believe that our country would let an entire Air Force wing, with 72 combat airplanes get wiped out. The convenient bad weather prevented the Navy from helping but it wasn't so bad that the 45th and the bad guys couldn't fly. The Air Force has thousands of airplanes yet couldn't come up with much of anything to evacuate the 4500 personnel??? The story was rather thin in details of support from the other Armed Services in spite of the location of the base. No Army, Navy, Special Forces, Paratroopers, CIA Etc. to help out. I find it hard to believe that any politician would dare allow what happened to the 45th and expect public reaction to be favorable . A good read otherwise.