The Dogs Of War

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This is a SF novel, which on surface may appear as a near-future mil-SF, but in reality is much deeper.

Moreover, as far as I can tell from conversations with veterans, he's really done a great job in realistically portraying what it means to be part of something bigger, wanting to protect and having a purpose - and being stripped of it later. He teaches the reader about integrity and sacrifice.

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Forsyth's first published book, The Biafra Story, was a history of the Nigerian civil war that politically disenfranchised the Igbo, and was bitterly critical of the British government's policy toward that war. In 1999 the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra was founded to promote a separate Biafra state. I spent fourteen years in the U.S. Army (1986-2000). Approximately seven years in the Army National Guard and Army Reserve and seven years in the Regular Army. I was eighteen when I enlisted in 1986 and I was all about the "action". I had obviously watched too many Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone movies. By the time I separated from the Army in 2000 I had come to realize a few crucial things about the military and combat operations. Rex has a lot of canine traits, while Dragon is a typical reptile, Bees' consciousness is literally buzzing all over the place, and the felines are ... well, cats (there was an enormously funny moment in the book when a character actually said

I will hurt you for this. I don't know how yet, but give me time. A day will come when you think yourself safe and happy, and suddenly your joy will turn to ashes in your mouth, and you'll know the debt is paid.” - George R.R. Martin as Tyrion Lannister. Sounds like a great yarn, right? WRONG! Great idea for a story, horrible execution. First of all, Forsyth seems to have come across the problem that makes Tom Clancy's books so insufferable: endless, monotonous details about a the planning and execution of an operation. We get it, Freddie: you did your research. Now, how about some interesting characters and dialogue? How about some suspense, maybe?Mr. Forsyth does an excellent job of showing what goes into organizing a professional and effective military force and combat operation.It's a tedious and time consuming job. He shows that a one hour combat operation involving a few dozen soldiers entails several thousand hours of planning and training. The details that many have found to be tedious are part of war. How much the details of the International Arms Trade has changed over the past forty years I can't say. Obviously technology has changed. However, one thing that hasn't changed is the side that has the best chance of winning is the side that is the best equipped, organized and led. The Dogs of War isn't a Tom Clancy novel. It's a unsentimental look at a military operation. Albeit a mercenary operation. The devil is in the details. Effective organization and planning is very very important. Without it you don't have a chance. What are any of us? Truly? We hide behind entities and justifications just as damning as the operant conditioning so tightly discussed in this novel. Barnett, Antony; Bright, Martin (16 January 2005). "Pressure grows to strip Thatcher title". The Guardian.