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Windtalkers

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During the invasion of Sai-pan near the end of World War II, Marine Joe Enders is given the task of protecting Navajo radioman Ben Yahzee, called a codetalker, or killing him if he falls into enemy Japanese hands.

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

3 people are currently reading
188 people want to read

About the author

Max Allan Collins

803 books1,311 followers
Received the Shamus Award, "The Eye" (Lifetime achievment award) in 2006.

He has also published under the name Patrick Culhane. He and his wife, Barbara Collins, have written several books together. Some of them are published under the name Barbara Allan.

Book Awards
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1984) : True Detective
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1992) : Stolen Away
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1995) : Carnal Hours
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1997) : Damned in Paradise
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1999) : Flying Blind: A Novel about Amelia Earhart
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (2002) : Angel in Black

Japanese: マックス・アラン・コリンズ
or マックス・アラン コリンズ

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5 stars
42 (28%)
4 stars
42 (28%)
3 stars
45 (30%)
2 stars
16 (10%)
1 star
1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
Profile Image for Kent.
120 reviews
September 26, 2014
Overall, I'd probably give it a 2.5 star rating; mostly because of the language. The characterizations were well done, as was the story line. It was somewhat predictable, because it is a war story, you know some of the major characters are going to die. The war scenes and feelings of those who survive fierce battles were probably pretty realistic, but since I've never been in war, I can't say it with any authority.
In the future, if I want to learn more about the Navaho (Dineeh) Code Talkers of WWII, I'll look for a book that is more historical and factual, so I don't have to deal with the very foul language. I'd have been better off not reading this one, and having to work on ignoring and skipping over the cussing.
2,665 reviews
May 23, 2022
This is another World War II book. However, the reader will find this story to be very informative without the usual story of destruction. The Navajo language was used to send messages that the Germans could not decipher. The story involves a man that his buddies did not accept, but he ends up changing their outlook when he is able to get messages through. This is an engaging book.
363 reviews2 followers
November 3, 2023
Though this is fiction as most events of the "code talkers" were not available to the public until 1970 or later, this is very much the way it happened in WWII. There are events of this time that are documented and now available to the public. Do read the history of these amazing people that gave their lives to help the USA during the WWII and Korea and Vietnam. This is how our country is made.
Profile Image for Andrew Lauver.
39 reviews
July 16, 2025
Almost identical to the movie, down to the dialogue, which is fine. I was hoping for a bit more background delving into Navajo customs/traditions/beliefs etc. Overall it is a solid read. A little repetitive with “obliterating Japs with his Tommy gun” kind of speak. I think the author nailed the “shell shock” PTSD that Enders undoubtedly had.
Profile Image for P.S. Winn.
Author 103 books364 followers
November 18, 2016
This is a story of war, but it is so much more. It is the story of standing up for yourself inspite of others pushing you down. A story of learning empathy by living with and standing side by side those different than you. If you pick up one war story to read, this is the one!
Profile Image for Ranette.
3,402 reviews
December 30, 2020
A interesting book about how the Navajo used their language to defeat WW11 agressors. Many men worked on this project and returned home to find peace.
33 reviews1 follower
June 11, 2010
Windtalkers (Mass Market Paperback)by Max Allan Collins is a movie based on the world war 2 Navajo marines. This is the screen play for the movie Windtalkers. i think the main characters main internal conflict is that they arnt white. i think there main external conflict is its ww2.

while reading this book i made a text-to-self connection. based on how my grandpa was in ww2. Also how my great granpa got silver star for bravery.

i would give this book 5 out of 5 stars. mainly cause of all the war stuff. i would recomend this to any one who like ww2 books.
Profile Image for Maxwell.
12 reviews1 follower
Currently reading
May 18, 2010
I am reading Wind Talkers by: Max Collins. I am at the part when Joe has to protect a code talker but he does not want to. He thinks it would slow him down because he already has to lead a squad of troops and it would be somthing else to worry about. But the major does not agree With Joe. The major says if the codetalker dies the code dies with him. The best part of this book was when Joe was giving Rita grief about going back to fight. I love this book because it tells what roll the codetalkers played in american History.
5 reviews1 follower
October 1, 2008
In the brutal fires of war, two men come together from different worlds. Joe Enders is a haunted warrior plagued by guilt, the only man to survive a terrifying bloodbath on the Tarawa Atoll. Ben Yahzee is a "codetalker", a gentle, proud Navajo who transmits secret military code created from his Native American tongue---a language the Japanese enemy cannot decipher. Based on one of the most remarkable secret operations of WWII: The Navajo Indian Codetalkers.
61 reviews
December 27, 2013
This book read like a tired, over-the-top explosive action movie. The violence was glorified and the characters were predictable and cliched, I do not feel it did justice the historical importance of the code-talkers, their experiences prior to, during, and post their service as well as the cultural differences they may have felt, nor do I feel it appreciated the racial and class nuances and discrimination experienced by the code-talkers.
Profile Image for Trevor.
11 reviews3 followers
March 22, 2013
I liked this book a lot, the whole story interested me with the Navajo marines speaking in their language so that the Japanese soldiers weren't able to translate and understand it during WWII and how important they were during the war. Overall it was a great book and I would recommend it to anyone interested in true stories or anything military related because it's all during the war.
Profile Image for Beauregard Shagnasty.
226 reviews18 followers
July 16, 2015
Max Allan Collins also gets a lot of work writing novelizations. After reading Windtalkers I can understand why. He does a good job here. A solid craftsman, just doing his thing.
Profile Image for Sak Sriwong.
14 reviews
December 16, 2011
The is great, there are some emotional parts and action. It gives some info about the war(real one), like why they were using the code for. I guess anyone can read if they want to.
Profile Image for Dakota.
136 reviews26 followers
February 14, 2012
A decent book. You might find it in the bathroom magazine rack.
Profile Image for Patrick.
315 reviews
June 7, 2012
Picked it up thinking it would give a lot of historical background to the story of the codetalkers. Guess what? Its not there.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews

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