Thomas F. (hardtack) - , reviewed on 8/16/2023 + 2559 more book reviews

I have a deep, abiding interest in World War II. There is a 8-foot tall bookcase in my house filled with books I've read on this subject. And those books have spilled over to numerous other shelves too. As you might expect, I also like to read novels set during this period. I read W.E.B. Griffin's novel series on the Marine Corps---in which I served for 12 years---so long ago there are no reviews from me on those books in PBS as it was before I became a member. So I can't remember if the problems I'm finding in this current series was present in his "Corps" series.

Due to my extensive reading about World War II, I like it when the author sticks pretty close to the facts in a novel, even though I know a novelist can play loose with his or her fictional characters. Griffin's "Men at War" series deals with the OSS, an organization I've read a lot about. But some of his characters in this series would have been relieved from duty if they had really been in the OSS. Especially Major Canidy, who is a loose cannon.

Too much of this series deals with sex. I know sex existed in the 1940s, as I was born in 1947. But Griffin has his male officers continually having sex. In fact, the female characters in this series exist only to provide sex to the male characters and/or be continually, verbally abased by the male characters. In fact, one major male character might even be accused of running a brothel. If you are female, you should probably avoid this series (and his others ?) as many of the male characters in it are male chauvinists (MCs). Even one of the few "straight-arrow guys" gets laid, goes off to war, is wounded and returns to the woman who, unknown to him, became pregnant with his son, and asks her to marry him because he loves her. But in the next book, he says (to himself) he didn't love her and only asked her to marry him to give his son a name. Later, he realizes he loves her too. Then, as he has just been painfully injured on a mission to the point of often throwing up in his lap, and even after medical treatment continues to throw up, still has sex with a female enlisted member of the British army who has been passed through many "hands." I've been in the hospital myself (four times) and due to the pain I suffered never even thought of having sex with any of the nurses. Obviously, I could never be one of the MC heroes of any of Griffin's novels. Of course, it's not just the Americans who are doing this, the Nazis do it in Griffin's books too.

One other point I'd like to make a comment on. The people in the story constantly tell others, they can't know what is being planned or happening as it is classified and they have no need to know. As I had a Top Secret clearance myself I know this is a pretty firm rule. Yet the above mentioned sex-crazed, enlisted female member of the British Army seems to know all the secrets. So much for security. In the real world, she would have been sent off to some secluded post until the war was over. And the station chief would have been sent with her.

What a shame, as it takes away from the more enjoyable historical aspects of the series which make the pages fly by, at least for me.

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