Mamamontezz's Mental Rumpus Room

Phantom Warriors

I have always been a reader, generally a pretty indiscriminate reader
who could find something of interest or pleasure in almost any
collection of printed words. Yes, I have even been the butt of jokes about
reading cereal boxes and beer bottles if there was nothing else to read.

But as loose as the quality control may seem to be for my reading
habits, things are not always as they appear.

Currently I am in the midst of book 1 of Phantom Warriors by Gary A.
Linderer. Originally I purchased the book on Ebay because I was meeting
an individual who's story was in the book, and I wanted to have him
sign a copy for me. Of course, I find out later that he is actually in
book 2, but he was gracious about signing my tome anyway. It is destined
for my father as a Christmas present, but in the meantime I have been
reading it during lulls and breaks at work.

The story of the Long Range Recon Patrols (LRRP), Long Range Patrols
(LRP), and Rangers deployed in Viet Nam is told one incident at a time,
intimately and with no varnish or flowery prose. Each incident it
recounted with a vivid intensity which often times makes it extremely
difficult to move from one to the next.

Even for a woman who has never worn camo or looked down the business
end of a rifle, the read has been exceptional. Gary Linderer has taken
the tragedies, the celebrations, and the visceral, filthy and dangerous
episodes between them, and relayed them in a way that is both
informative and stirring.

It is my understanding that the hardback edition of Phantom Warriors,
Book 1 is out of print, but I have seen both the larger "trade size"
soft cover and the traditional paperback editions at Barnes and Noble.
You can also do as I did and haunt Ebay until one turns up. I have not checked Amazon, but I would almost bet you can get both new and used copies there as well.

Posted by Mamamontezz at November 26, 2004 10:17 PM