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The Shannons #3
A Reckoning for Kings
Captures the horror, confusion, and courage of combatants in Vietnam, on both sides of the conflict, as the struggle moves toward the seminal day in 1968 when the Tet invasion explodes and changes the course of the war. Reprint.
496 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
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About the author
Chris Bunch
86 books130 followersChristopher R. "Chris" Bunch was an American science fiction, fantasy and television writer, who wrote and co-wrote about thirty novels.
Born in Fresno, California, he collaborated with Allan Cole on a series of books involving a hero named Sten in a galactic empire. (Cole married Bunch's sister, Kathryn.) He served in Vietnam as a patrol leader. He also wrote for Rolling Stone and was a correspondent for Stars and Stripes. He died in his hometown of Ilwaco, Washington, after a long battle with a lung ailment.
Born in Fresno, California, he collaborated with Allan Cole on a series of books involving a hero named Sten in a galactic empire. (Cole married Bunch's sister, Kathryn.) He served in Vietnam as a patrol leader. He also wrote for Rolling Stone and was a correspondent for Stars and Stripes. He died in his hometown of Ilwaco, Washington, after a long battle with a lung ailment.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 15, 2017
Good Vietnam War novel, told from the perspective of the 1980's. I think history has changed our viewpoint on the war a bit, or maybe even a lot.
August 20, 2020
I first read A Reckoning for Kings in 1987 when I was in the Army R.O.T.C. program at Boise State University.
At that time I was a young cadet fascinated by all things having to do with the Army. I remember thinking that the book captured the feel and the rhythms of Army life. Whether that be the peacetime Army or the wartime Army. Also during that time there were still many Vietnam vets in the service and I gave this book to one of the cadre members (a master sergeant) to read.
The sergeant had served two tours over there. When he finished reading it he told me that the authors had done a better job of capturing the war in all it's nuances, then many of the other Vietnam novels he had read. There were no weird musings on the nature of man and no bizarre drug induced fantasies; plot tropes that so many other Vietnam War authors were using in the seventies and early eighties. A Reckoning for Kings is a straight forward story without any literary pretensions.
I have found that often those things which seemed so impressive to me at the age of nineteen (eighteen, twenty etc.) are diminished at the age of forty-three. Well this novel hasn't lost anything. It's still wonderfully detailed, suspenseful, humorous and intelligent. One could do far worse this summer then reading this book. If this sounds at all interesting to you get a copy and read it.
SECOND TIME AROUND
It's still holding up. That nineteen year old kid that read this book in 1987 is long gone, but the book has aged well. I find myself looking at the characters and their situations differently, but it's still a very solid book. Well written and readable.
At that time I was a young cadet fascinated by all things having to do with the Army. I remember thinking that the book captured the feel and the rhythms of Army life. Whether that be the peacetime Army or the wartime Army. Also during that time there were still many Vietnam vets in the service and I gave this book to one of the cadre members (a master sergeant) to read.
The sergeant had served two tours over there. When he finished reading it he told me that the authors had done a better job of capturing the war in all it's nuances, then many of the other Vietnam novels he had read. There were no weird musings on the nature of man and no bizarre drug induced fantasies; plot tropes that so many other Vietnam War authors were using in the seventies and early eighties. A Reckoning for Kings is a straight forward story without any literary pretensions.
I have found that often those things which seemed so impressive to me at the age of nineteen (eighteen, twenty etc.) are diminished at the age of forty-three. Well this novel hasn't lost anything. It's still wonderfully detailed, suspenseful, humorous and intelligent. One could do far worse this summer then reading this book. If this sounds at all interesting to you get a copy and read it.
SECOND TIME AROUND
It's still holding up. That nineteen year old kid that read this book in 1987 is long gone, but the book has aged well. I find myself looking at the characters and their situations differently, but it's still a very solid book. Well written and readable.
December 2, 2013
I'm stunned. This book is the best Vietnam war novel I've ever read and gets an immediate place on my favourites list.
Why? Because it uses the right elements of all war fiction and is somehow able to keep a story alive, create rich characters by the handful and correctly address the atmosphere at all times. It has the staccato feel of 'The Things They Carried' by Tim O'Brien, the change in perspectives displayed so nicely in the double-feature 'Letters from Iwo Jima' and 'Flags of our Fathers', the brotherhood and camaraderie from 'Band of Brothers', the reluctance and stupidity from 'Hearts in Atlantis' and the utter hopeless, maddening desperation of 'Apocalypse Now' and 'Jarhead'.
400 pages of awfulness, wry smiles and life-changing moments a book that is as much about characters confronting themselves as confronting the 'enemy'.
5 Stars. Brilliant.
Why? Because it uses the right elements of all war fiction and is somehow able to keep a story alive, create rich characters by the handful and correctly address the atmosphere at all times. It has the staccato feel of 'The Things They Carried' by Tim O'Brien, the change in perspectives displayed so nicely in the double-feature 'Letters from Iwo Jima' and 'Flags of our Fathers', the brotherhood and camaraderie from 'Band of Brothers', the reluctance and stupidity from 'Hearts in Atlantis' and the utter hopeless, maddening desperation of 'Apocalypse Now' and 'Jarhead'.
400 pages of awfulness, wry smiles and life-changing moments a book that is as much about characters confronting themselves as confronting the 'enemy'.
5 Stars. Brilliant.
February 26, 2015
This book was written by two authors, one being a service person, the other, not. Although, you can sometimes pick up on the variation in writing style, because of the two people contributing to this book, there is an incredible amount of detail which adds to the authenticity of the story.
Now as to the story itself, two major scenes stick in my mind. Firstly when blind pig rips the molten hot turret of the tank and has no concern for his searing, burning hands. Then later, how he found gold loot, rightfully so, since he fought so hard. The next scene was when Duan was in the cave, the battle lost, bombshells illuminating the night sky, and how the buddha head smiled at him, mocking all his efforts hitherto
I would defintelt recommend this to any person considering serving because it shows the cold, brutal reality of combat, while also giving a vistage of the heartfelt commerraderrie of men fighting these wars.
Now as to the story itself, two major scenes stick in my mind. Firstly when blind pig rips the molten hot turret of the tank and has no concern for his searing, burning hands. Then later, how he found gold loot, rightfully so, since he fought so hard. The next scene was when Duan was in the cave, the battle lost, bombshells illuminating the night sky, and how the buddha head smiled at him, mocking all his efforts hitherto
I would defintelt recommend this to any person considering serving because it shows the cold, brutal reality of combat, while also giving a vistage of the heartfelt commerraderrie of men fighting these wars.
October 7, 2018
Great reading for a history of Vietnam war pretty well done
December 8, 2019
Read this book back when I was serving, so I remember it with some bias. A good book that showed both sides of the Vietnam war
March 3, 2022
Mi-a placut la nebunie cand am citit-o, copil fiind. Cred ca am citit-o d evreo 5 sau 6 ori. :)
May 28, 2009
This is the best book I've read so far, of the books Bunch and Cole did together. It's also I believe the first novel the writing duo published, and radically different that any of the sci-fi/fantasy books that will follow, in that it's a follows a unit of characters through the Tet Offensive in Viet Nam.
September 1, 2014
A narrow double sided view of the Tet Offensive, from the perspective of the commanders and their soldiers from the North and South in the Song Nhanh Province near Saigon during 1967 & 1968. A very well documented Historical Fiction with many details of, why and how, that you don’t normally find in other stories.
February 23, 2010
I read this book over and over. I bought a signed hardback original printing of the book. And it is one of my treasures.
August 6, 2012
Outstanding.
November 26, 2014
An outstanding story of the Tet Offensive, sympathetic to both sides.
May 19, 2016
The book portrayed details of army life very well. It was entertaining and also a good book to use for research.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews