Field Gray by Phillip Kerr

This is apparently the 7^th Bernie Gunther novel.  I haven’t read any of the others.  This one deals with a pre-WWII vintage ex-policeman who is tangled in a web of duplicity that permeates Europe after WWII.

Bernie is awash in a sea of trouble that is primarily not of his making.   He seems helpless to chart his own course in a world that was changed so dramatically before, after and during World War II.   One of the more interesting things about this book is that it forces you to concede that as United States citizens, we are not always right or in the right.   I clearly recall doing a paper on the Vietnam war back in 1965 time frame.   We were told to have at least 10 sources and only two could be books authored by Americans.   That was rather eye opening for a committed ROTC participant in 1965.   I discovered that historically, Vietnam had been a quagmire for invaders for centuries.   I also discovered that we were totally committed to repeating many of the same mistakes that were made by prior invaders.   Invaders is used intentionally for that is apparently how the common people in Vietnam saw Americans.  

This book re-ignites some of that skepticism.   Bernie does not perceive the British, French or Americans as radically different than the Russians.   This forces you to ponder your history.   I’m reasonably well read and sadly much of what Bernie Gunther felt in this book could be substantiated.   

Kerr writes a very thought provoking novel that is not overly entertaining.   It is a good story, rather dark and overtly political.  Political in that Kerr seems to have nothing good to say about any government.   It does seem that all governments lie to both the world and to their own people.   You just have to pick up the paper or log on to the web to be bombarded with deceit.   I found the book depressing, not terribly enlightening but well worth reading.   I also found that the book made me feel somewhat reassured that, at least, I live in a country whose government lies less to us than most.  I am comfortable that is true in that no one in the government seems to be able to keep a secret so that has to inhibit rampant lying that has no consequences or at least I hope so.

I recommend the book.

Body of work of Phillip Kerr

Web site:  couldn’t find one

You’ll Be Sor-ree! By Sid Phillips

Sid Phillips tried to enlist in the Navy the day after Pearl Harbor. He ended up shortly thereafter in the Marines. These are his recollection of his days in the Pacific in World War II.

I’m not much for non-fiction. I find that daily events often provide more grim reality than I really care to experience. My Dad was only slightly older than Sid Phillips. Even though Sid was in the Pacific theater and the Marines and my Dad was in Europe and the Army, I heard parallels in his tales.

Phillips points out several times that our bulwark against aggression was a group of very young and very inexperienced kids. Those kids had horrific experiences that turned them quickly into men. I was struck by the fact that there wasn’t one single instance of “poor me” in his homey rendition. He made no excuses for is behavior or complaints about treatment. Quite frequently he made mention of events or instances where you could not expect sympathy or compassion from your compatriots. You were expected at all times to “man” up.

Regardless of your feelings about the military, you have to admire the courage and the resiliency of the “greatest” generation. In 1939 my Dad was in a mule brigade and by the end of the war there jets in the air. The astounding changes these young guys went through are hard to imagine.

Sid Phillips, I salute you and your generation for an amazing job!

I recommend the book.

Body of work of Sid Philllips

The Bavarian Gate by John Dalmas

Curtis Macurdy becomes involved in World War II, meets some new aliens, returns to Yuulith, comes back to Farside(Earth) and settles some issues. Between action events, Curtis gets married again.

Dalmas writes a good story. Curtis is likeable and accepts his extraordinary powers without any difficulty. I like the way he cares about individuals and agonizes over the need to be violent and yet steps up to the plate when necessary. In an afterword, Dalmas states he writes to entertain and he doesn’t feel it necessary to over-research a topic. I did read some criticism in regards to his lack of detail on military equipment. My thoughts are if he was writing a historical treatise on the precise nature of military equipment he would be more accurate. His lack of pretensions and pontificating are positively refreshing after the self serving arrogance shown by some authors.

I liked the book, I like the series and I recommend it.

Body of work of John Dalmas

Review: http://www.amazon.com/BAVARIAN-GATE-John-Dalmas/dp/067187764X

Web site: http://www.sfwa.org/members/dalmas/