Customer Reviews

Windtalkers

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

 

 

This book from start to finish was a rollercoaster of different feelings. Its jam-packed with descriptive battle sequences, from the first page the adrenalin just keeps on pumping throught out the book. How the characters interact with each other, and how they respect each other is so enjoyable to read and exciting. I really felt for the vast amount of likable and unlikable characters.
Haunted by the brutal battle on the island Guadacanal,where 'Joe Enders' (Nic Cage)was the only man of his unit to survive. Ender's is determined to get back into action and fight for his country, but with a badly damaged ear it doesn't look promising. But 'Rita' (Frances O'Connor), a nurse who is fond of Joe helps him cheat and passes his hearing test. Rita feels bad about her part in helping him cheat, but knows deep down that Joe really wants to go back. Rita feels very distant from Joe and wants to get closer to him. Joe is confused a deeply scarred by the effects of war is unsure what to feel towards this beutiful nurse.

In steps two native Navajo indians : 'Ben Yahzee' & 'Charlie Whitehorse'. Two marines called in to be used as codetalkers in the vital pacific battles. The Japanese were unable to decipher their native toungue and so were a great weapon for America. Joe finds out it his job to protect the 'code'. To his disappointment he acts as a bodyguard to Yahzee. But if he falls into enemy hands , Joe's job is to protect the 'code', in otherwards kill Yahzee.

The other marine assigned to protect Whitehorse is 'Anderson'. Both marines are musically talented and interact quickly. However Joe keeps a fair distant from Yahzee and only communicates when he has to. He doesn't want to get to close to a marine he may have to kill, he is already haunted by the marines that died brutally under his command when he was following strict orders on Guadacanal. Yahzee feels like an outsider , bullied by the other marines because of his race. Yahzee only finds comfort in his old friend Whitehorse. Yahzee is determined to befriend Joe and can't understand why he's so robotic and distant to him...

This is truely a brilliant read before the motion picture is released. All the characters are so interesting: Joe, the war-torn confused marine who lives in the past and feels sorry for himself all the time. Yazhee, the young intelligent soldier, very modern Navajo indian who's looking for a friend in Joe, with his wife and baby boy back home. Anderson, the lovable, funny , easy going guy who is the only guy who can share Joe's top secret mission. And Whitehorse the old traditional Navajo who believes strongly in his culture and religion, and gels well with Anderson.

The characters development between Joe & Yahzee and their relationship together is amusing at times, and interesting to read. The battle sequences on Saipan however are rather disturbing at times, and violent and very dramatic and exciting.

The end is unpredictable and brought a tear to my eye. Very moving and emotional ending. This book pays tribute to the brave soldiers and Navajo codetalkers especially, and feel they should be recognised for the vital role in the pacific...

Great book.

To give credit where credit is due, there are some good action scenes, and the plot does more swiftly along the predictable course. But this is really rough going.

To begin with, they have jazzed up the actions of the Navajo codetalker. Instead of showing what they mainly did -- sending coded messages about important logistics, intelligence, and operations functions -- we are shown them as code-talking basic artillery fire missions at small-unit level. I guess it is more exciting to have them screaming the Navajo code for, "We need fire support, now!!!" than reciting, "We need 3000 howitzer shells within three days."

For the most part this is unojbectionable pulp -- barely edited (Marines wear "boondoggers"?).

I have gained a deep respect for the Navajo from the reading of Wind Talkers. We Americans of foreign lineage fail to appreciate our Indian brothers in this country. There is a cult of appreciation of Indians in Germany. When I was in Europe there was a highly publicised entertainment involving American Indians.

The book takes us from the jungles of Guadalcanal to the months of preparation for the invasion of Saipan. We learn that the Indians have dignity and pride and love of family. After reading the book I had an obsessive desire to see the movie. The movie was good, but the book was better.

Max Allan Collins gets a lot of work adapting screenplays into books and after reading Windtalkers I can understand why. Windtalkers isn't high art but it works on the level it is supposed to. Anything that keeps Americans READING is a good thing, as far as I'm concerned.

Cpl. Joe Enders is in the middle of the swamp somewhere in the island, by given his first command to 15 marines inculding 3 of his friends fought against hundreds of japanese soilders until only one survived, Joe Enders. After Joe got a promotion to a Sergeant he was assigned to his next mission: saipan, which belonged to Japan. His job is to Protect a Navajo Codetalker, Private Ben Zahee at all cost. As the mission Begins, Sgt. Enders finds himself that a Navajo world is different from his world. but this story is about friendship between 2 different man from 2 different worlds.

I first found about about the movie "Windtalkers" on a TV preview and it looked so good, i could not wait till the movie came out,so i said to myslef, maybe there is a book out so if there is, i wont have to wait for the movie. I read the book all winter and i just finished right before i went on vacation. It was one of the greatist books i have ever read in my entier life.

The major drawback to this novel is that the author does not explain military jargon. I was in the Air Force so I'd imagine that a military neophyte would be more lost than me! The positive side of this book makes me appreciate the contributions of American Indians to our nation.

A great look into the action of The same title on screen. A great read. Don't miss this.

Like Director Woo's said, this is a story about friendship.

Can't wait to see this film.