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AJaneClark (3962 KP) rated His Woman In Command in Books
Dec 2, 2019
Short Read
Captain Nike Alexander is in Afghanistan for one reason only - to use her pilot skills. She doesn’t have time for men, especially military men. Playing hard to get with Captain Gavin Jackson comes as naturally to Nike as flying one of her Apaches. But Gavin’s sexy-as-sin smile is making it harder and harder to say no. Nicely written short read, touches on the hardships of war and the tolls that this has on all involved. It would have been nice to tie up some of the unfinished parts touched upon throughout the book. The characters were very likeable!
Eleanor (1463 KP) rated Small Wars (Jack Reacher #19.5) in Books
Jan 13, 2020
Nice Quick Reacher Fix
Another Reacher short audio for me narrated by Kerry Shale and with a run-time of around 1hr 15 mins it was an enjoyable quick fix.
Set back in 1989 while Reacher is still in the military it’s a fairly standard investigation set-up following the murder of young lieutenant colonel.
It’s what you expect from Reacher with his no-nonsense style and observing nature all in the form of a quick hit. I enjoyed this short more than the previous Reacher shorts I’ve come across; it kept things simple and to the point.
Set back in 1989 while Reacher is still in the military it’s a fairly standard investigation set-up following the murder of young lieutenant colonel.
It’s what you expect from Reacher with his no-nonsense style and observing nature all in the form of a quick hit. I enjoyed this short more than the previous Reacher shorts I’ve come across; it kept things simple and to the point.
Karim Ainouz recommended The Battle of Algiers (1966) in Movies (curated)
David McK (3222 KP) rated Top Gun (1986) in Movies
Aug 26, 2020
"I feel the need. The need... for speed!"
"This is what in call a target rich environment"
"Son, your ego is writing cheques your body can't cash"
1980s action classic (that I was all of 7 when it was released) starring a then up and coming (and young!) Tom Cruise as Maverick, the hotshot pilot who gets a shot at Top Gun: the military training school for the top 1% of naval pilots.
This has a great cast (Michael Ironside, Val Kilmer, Kelly McGillis, Tom Cruise himself) alongside some great aerial battles, but does drag in bits.
"This is what in call a target rich environment"
"Son, your ego is writing cheques your body can't cash"
1980s action classic (that I was all of 7 when it was released) starring a then up and coming (and young!) Tom Cruise as Maverick, the hotshot pilot who gets a shot at Top Gun: the military training school for the top 1% of naval pilots.
This has a great cast (Michael Ironside, Val Kilmer, Kelly McGillis, Tom Cruise himself) alongside some great aerial battles, but does drag in bits.
Bostonian916 (449 KP) rated The Losers (2010) in Movies
Sep 29, 2020
Serviceable action flick with an all star cast before they each BLEW up and came into their own as lead actors and actresses.
Decent, if not completely predictable, story that follows an elite military unit that is essentially blackballed (and noted as deceased) by the unit for defying direct orders in an effort to protect a group of innocent children being used as pawns.
As you can imagine, they're pretty upset about that. The movie follows their pursuit of revenge on those who've wronged them and clearing their names. A few twists later, we arrive at the assumed foregone conclusion.
Decent, if not completely predictable, story that follows an elite military unit that is essentially blackballed (and noted as deceased) by the unit for defying direct orders in an effort to protect a group of innocent children being used as pawns.
As you can imagine, they're pretty upset about that. The movie follows their pursuit of revenge on those who've wronged them and clearing their names. A few twists later, we arrive at the assumed foregone conclusion.
Blazing Minds (92 KP) rated Predator (1987) in Movies
Nov 1, 2021 (Updated Nov 3, 2021)
Major Schaefer Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is the leader of a military rescue unit looking for allies captured by guerrillas in the Latin American jungle. At first, it seems like any other mission: Schaefer and his team of seasoned combat veterans spot a guerilla camp, destroy it, and find the men they were sent to rescue executed. But when Schaefer attempts to lead his unit out, with a captured guerrilla in tow, something horrifying and inexplicable begins to happen: One by one the men are killed by a mysterious adversary – a predator from another world.
Merissa (11758 KP) rated Tight Quarters (Out of Uniform #6) in Books
Jul 10, 2018
Tight Quarters (Out of Uniform #6) by Annabeth Albert
Tight Quarters is the sixth book in the Out of Uniform series, and if M/M Romance mixed in with a Military scenario does it for you, then you really need to check out this series.
In this book, we reunite with Bacon (and yep, that is his real name!). He is none too happy because he has been stuck with babysitting duty for an embedded journalist, one he actually admires and knows is gay. Bacon himself is Pan, and I loved him for it. Now, Bacon has a history, and is a SEAL. Bryant is a gay journalist. Whatever could go wrong?
This is a book of two halves - the first part being with Spencer embedded and them both fighting their attraction. The second is when Spencer is no longer in the team, and they give up fighting. I honestly can't tell you which half I prefer! For differing reasons, both parts are fantastic, and definitely make up the whole.
With stories that need to be written, but jobs that need to be protected, these two face a horrible decision that left me crossing my fingers and hoping for a happy ending. No knowledge of the American Military is needed as Ms. Albert gives out enough information for it all to make sense, without disclosing any secrets.
I keep thinking to myself that this series can't go on for much longer. How many different military stories can one author do? And then Ms. Albert comes out with something new, something refreshing and unique that makes me fall in love with her characters all over again. How many is too many? I don't have the answer to that, but I do know I definitely need more in this series. Absolutely and highly recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
In this book, we reunite with Bacon (and yep, that is his real name!). He is none too happy because he has been stuck with babysitting duty for an embedded journalist, one he actually admires and knows is gay. Bacon himself is Pan, and I loved him for it. Now, Bacon has a history, and is a SEAL. Bryant is a gay journalist. Whatever could go wrong?
This is a book of two halves - the first part being with Spencer embedded and them both fighting their attraction. The second is when Spencer is no longer in the team, and they give up fighting. I honestly can't tell you which half I prefer! For differing reasons, both parts are fantastic, and definitely make up the whole.
With stories that need to be written, but jobs that need to be protected, these two face a horrible decision that left me crossing my fingers and hoping for a happy ending. No knowledge of the American Military is needed as Ms. Albert gives out enough information for it all to make sense, without disclosing any secrets.
I keep thinking to myself that this series can't go on for much longer. How many different military stories can one author do? And then Ms. Albert comes out with something new, something refreshing and unique that makes me fall in love with her characters all over again. How many is too many? I don't have the answer to that, but I do know I definitely need more in this series. Absolutely and highly recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated Hacksaw Ridge (2016) in Movies
Nov 26, 2017
Vivid and brutal
I usually can't stomach war movies or Mel Gibson, but the story of Desmond Doss is an incredible one to behold. Doss is the only conscientious objector during the Second World War to have received America's top military award - the Medal of Honor. His refusal to bear arms gained him notoriety during training, being bullied by his commanding sergeants and fellow soldiers. But at the brutal battle in Hacksaw Ridge against the Japanese, Doss single-handedly went back into a warzone retrieving 75 injured soldiers, at a time when all hope was thought to be lost.
The film itself is in two halves. The first part is a little saccharine, portraying Doss as an innocent doe-eyed boy trailing a beautiful nurse who ends up becoming his wife. At the same time, his father, a tortured military man, is seen as abusive after witnessing horrors in France. Director Mel Gibson tries to connect this relationship to why Doss may not be keen on weapons. Overall, the war scenes are well-shot, extremely graphic to the point it is a completely immersive experience. If Gibson made the first half a little less Hollywood, it would be a skilfully made film. The best part by far is the end where you get to meet the real hero Doss speaking about his experiences. A harrowing watch.
The film itself is in two halves. The first part is a little saccharine, portraying Doss as an innocent doe-eyed boy trailing a beautiful nurse who ends up becoming his wife. At the same time, his father, a tortured military man, is seen as abusive after witnessing horrors in France. Director Mel Gibson tries to connect this relationship to why Doss may not be keen on weapons. Overall, the war scenes are well-shot, extremely graphic to the point it is a completely immersive experience. If Gibson made the first half a little less Hollywood, it would be a skilfully made film. The best part by far is the end where you get to meet the real hero Doss speaking about his experiences. A harrowing watch.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Third Reich Victorious: Alternate Decisions of World War II in Books
Feb 24, 2020
There's been a certain tension when it comes to military history, pretty much since not long after the Second World War ended: pretty much everyone agrees that the Nazi Party was as close to evil incarnate as we will hopefully ever see, but many academics (amongst others) still harbour a sneaking admiration for the quality of the German war machine and its leadership. That tension is basically at the heart of this book; it's telling that several of the German victory scenarios outlines here are predicated on Hitler either being replaced or being markedly less of a genocidal bigot.
The what-ifs vary: what if Hitler served in the navy in the First World war, what if the Russians pre-empted Barbarossa and attacked Germany first, what if Turkey joined the Axis, what if the Germans got the atom bomb in 1944, what if Rommel defeated the D-day landings, deposed Hitler, and the war devolved into a one-front struggle with the Soviets? Most of these are interesting and seem to have been written with the general reader in mind; a few do suffer from getting bogged down with detail. On the whole it is engaging stuff, if recent military history is your thing, and you do come away with an improved awareness that the Second World War was a closer-run thing than most people realise nowadays.
The what-ifs vary: what if Hitler served in the navy in the First World war, what if the Russians pre-empted Barbarossa and attacked Germany first, what if Turkey joined the Axis, what if the Germans got the atom bomb in 1944, what if Rommel defeated the D-day landings, deposed Hitler, and the war devolved into a one-front struggle with the Soviets? Most of these are interesting and seem to have been written with the general reader in mind; a few do suffer from getting bogged down with detail. On the whole it is engaging stuff, if recent military history is your thing, and you do come away with an improved awareness that the Second World War was a closer-run thing than most people realise nowadays.
Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated War Stories: New Military Science Fiction in Books
Jan 12, 2018
As a military fiction fan and a sci fi fan this was the best of both worlds in one. I loved how most of the stories were from either a LBGT perspective or a female one. Also the various views of war from authors(and in a lot of cases) soldiers from not only different branches but different countries. There were one or two stories that were very difficult to read because their wordiness caused them to be pretentious and drag on(one in particular). Over all though I would recommend this book and would like to see some authors turn the short stories into full length books.