Red Menace’s Reading Room: 2023 Recap

TL;DR Hall of Fame: Six Days of War, The Big Show, Stars and Stripes Forever, Your Table is Ready, Harrier 809, Machines Like Me, The Sky People, The Power of the Dog, West of Prehistoric

1. Moon Above, Moon Below by William Peter Grasso   – A sort of alternate history novel about two brothers in World War 2. The writing was very good, but the scenario wasn’t a huge departure from reality. It is the first in a series so perhaps the sequels will diverge further from actual history. 8/10

2. Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris – A historical fiction novel set in the 17th century. A very interesting story from a time period I haven’t read much about before. Robert Harris clearly did a great deal of research on this book. Pacing was very good and the characters were delightful. 9/10

3. The Island by Adrian McKinty – This one was kind of a thriller. Rather stereotypical “city people get hunted by crazy country folk.” Some of the plot points were predictable, and, while a lot of the characters were supposed to be unlikable, they were just hard to listen to. On a related note I don’t think the narrator helped. 6/10

4. Cry Havok by Simon Mann – I love stories of African mercenaries, and this is one of the last. Simon Mann attempted to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea Dogs of War style. Although he failed, the story of how close he and his team were to succeeding, and what happened to them after they were caught was riveting. 9/10

5. They Shall Not Pass by Christopher G. Nuttall – This is the 13th or 14th book in a Sci-Fi series I’ve been working on since 2018. It was a fun ground war “episode” if you will. It moved the larger plot along serviceably. 8/10

6. Silverview by John Le’Carre – John Le’Carre’s last completed novel. It is classic Le’Carre start to finish, from a baffling cold open that ties up nicely later on, to a thoughtful, but almost underwhelming ending. Characters with depth and emotions, just great overall. 9/10

7. Culture Shock by Christopher G. Nuttall  – A side story from the same series as They Shall Not Pass. Is a pretty thinly veiled fictionalization of the debates around refugees. The characters come to some pretty right-wing conclusions so that was refreshing. 8/10

8. Six Days of War by Michael B. Oren – A historical look at the lead up to, duration of, and effects of the Arab-Israeli Six Day War. While I’m by no means a fan of Israel, the discussion of the behind the scenes decision making on both sides is phenomenal. There’s also a section about the USS Liberty that doesn’t pull any punches. 10/10

9. Resurrection Day by Brendan DuBois –  This was an alternative history novel about the US after the Cuban missile crisis led to a nuclear war with the Soviet Union. The world building is great, the plot is creative, and the ending was really meaningful. 8/10

10. The Golden Rendezvous by Alistair Maclean –  A classic from the early 60’s by Alistar Maclean. It has all the hallmarks of one of his novels: subterfuge, espionage, and hokey 60’s technology. Not as good as Gun of Naverone but still enjoyable. 8/10

11. The Big Show by Pierre Closterman – The wartime memoirs of a Free French pilot in the Royal Air Force. Really well detailed combat segments, funny comedic interludes, and some really emotional moments sprinkled in.  10/10

12. Cowboys Over Iraq by Jimmy Blackmon – A combat memoir of the 2003 invasion and occupation of Iraq from the perspective of a Kiowa squadron. There were a lot of insights about the invasion that I learned from this book, but the writing style was rather dry. There were comedic anecdotes that landed well, but the combat sections weren’t terribly exciting. 7/10

13. Vicious Circle by Wilbur Smith – A sequel to another Wilbur Smith novel I read six or seven years ago. Was really looking forward to this one and I was really let down. The main character is cool enough, but the plot meanders, and it falls into the Wilbur Smith trope of “they can do it because money.” Also there was a lot more graphic gay sex than I was expecting. 6/10

14. Radio Operator on the Eastern Front by Erhardt Steiniger – This book was a memoir of a Wehrmacht radio operator during World War 2 (which you probably guessed from the title). A lot of the interlude and home leave sections were very interesting, but the sections at the front were pretty dry. 7/10

15. Out of the Congo by Mark Wade – This was more of a novella than a full book. It describes a mercenary pilot being shot down over the Congo, and his subsequent rescue and escape. The timeline is a little fuzzy and Mark Wade’s writing style can be repetitive at times. Overall it was just okay. 6/10

16. Flames in the Sky by Pierre Closterman – From the same author as The Big Show this book was a collection of set pieces from different theaters during World War 2. Closterman does a great job making the narrative dramatic, and each section is followed by a very interesting technical discussion of the aircraft involved. 9/10

17. Stars & Stripes Forever by Harry Harrison  – This is another alternate history novel, set during the civil war. The idea of the British becoming involved in the war isn’t a new one (it almost happened twice in reality), but the result of British intervention in this novel is very unique, I’m excited to read the sequels. 10/10

18. Flying From the Black Hole by Robert O. Harder – This book is the memoir of a B-52 navigator, and also a history of SAC involvement in Vietnam. It has some great historical sections, funny anecdotes and some very interesting stories from foot soldiers who received cover from the B-52s. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. 9/10

19. Night Soldiers by Alan Furst – A World War 2 historical fiction novel about disparate characters whose stories begin during the Spanish Civil War, and intersect again on the Western Front of World War 2. Very much a slow burn type of story with a few action set pieces and very satisfying ending. 8/10

20. Your Table is Ready by Michael Cecchi-Azzolina  – I actually did a full write up about this book here. But the short version is: this is a fantastic look at life in the Front of House at a restaurant. Loved the anecdotes, and I definitely sympathized with the author’s conclusions on the industry as a whole. 10/10

21. Panzers on the Eastern Front by Erhard Raus – This book was taken from a US Army program after World War 2 focused on lessons learned by the Wehrmacht about fighting the Russians in Eastern Europe. While an interesting concept, the delivery was very bland, and even exciting stories about sabotaging Russian tanks in the middle of the night manage to be boring. This might have been partly a narrator issue as well. 6/10

22. Vulcan 607 by Rowland White – The story of the first “Black Buck” raid during the Falklands War, and all the preparations and experiments that made it possible. The author did a great job of weaving a historical account into a novel-esque delivery for the actual flight and combat scenes.  9/10

23. No Greater Ally by Kenneth K. Koslodan – This book was a real eye opener for me. I always knew that there were Free Polish forces fighting with the allies during World War 2, but I had no idea the extent of their involvement. From comparisons of the fall of Poland with the fall of France, to the exploits of Polish fighter pilots during the battle of Britain, to the betrayal of Poland immediately after the war. This book does a great job of deconstructing a lot of the myths about Polish forces in World War 2. 9/10

24. Wolf’s Bane by Christopher G. Nuttall – Another entry from the Empire’s Corps series. This novel does a good job of wrapping up the Wolf’s Bane war plot line and moving the series into a new chapter. 8/10

25. Swift Boats at War in Vietnam by Guy Gugliotta  – This book covers a part of the Vietnam war that I was aware of, but I’ve never done any reading about. It chronicles the development and transformation of Swift Boat Operations throughout the course of the war. Each chapter is a story told by a different swift boat Veteran, along with historical notes from the author. 9/10

26. Harrier 809 by Rowland White – From the same author as Vulcan 607. This is the story of a Sea Harrier Squadron thrown together at the outbreak of the Falklands war, and the story of their aerial combat over the Falklands Islands. Great historical detail and novel-esque pacing and storytelling.10/10

27. The Great Anglo-Boer War by Byron Farwell   – An incredibly detailed and balanced look at the Anglo-Boer War. I learned a lot from this book and the author’s descriptions of events and places were great. 9/10

28. If the North Won the Civil War by Andrew J. Heller   – A fun novel within a novel story ala Man in the High Castle. The fictional Civil War segments were interesting, but the “modern” CSA sections were weak. The author never did a great job of establishing what time the novel was set in. The technology in the fictional CSA is beyond even what we have today, despite characters repeatedly mentioning the “2nd War of Independence” ended 150 years ago. Also, the author throws a pretty thinly veiled shot at Robert Conroy at the end, not cool. 7/10

29. Enemy Coast Ahead by Guy Gibson  – This book is probably unique in that it was written by a World War 2 bomber pilot during the war. Also unique is that Guy Gibson (VC, DFC) didn’t actually survive the war. Gibson is most famous for being the squadron leader on the Dam Busters raid, and this book talks about that mission in great detail. Overall it was cool hearing his take on wartime events as they were happening without the benefit of hindsight, also his dog had a funny name (seriously look it up). 9/10

30. A Most Wanted Man by John Le Carre – Another classic Le Carre novel. Complex characters, a plot that is somehow both simple and intricate, and an absolutely heartbreaking ending. Cannot recommend it enough (the movie version is really good too).  9/10

31. Tiger Battalion 507 by Chris MacDonnell – Another war diary of German tank crewmen on the Eastern front. This book included a lot of technical information about the man power breakdown for a Panzer battalion. It was also interesting in that it was a collection of stories from different perspectives. That really helped to keep the content fresher. 7/10

32. 11 Harrow House by Gerald A. Browne – I love a good heist story, and this is anything but a good heist story. Gerald A. Browne has written some interesting stories, but this one fell flat. The characters don’t act logically, and the ending felt like a cop out after writing himself into a corner. 6/10

33.  I Flew for The Fuhrer by Heinz Knoke  – Another wartime memoir of a Luftwaffe squadron leader. Talked about the Luftwaffe counter bomber tactics in great detail, including tactics I had never heard of before (dropping time fused 500lb bombs into the middle of bomber formations for example). Very interesting book overall. 8/10

34.  Al Capone’s Beer Wars by John J. Binder  – A very detailed and well researched history of not just Prohibition, but organized crime in Chicago back to the 1890s. Lots of interesting stories, contradictions to popular folklore and even a few amusing anecdotes. 8/10

35. Final Justice by W.E.B. Griffin – The 9th book in W.E.B. Griffin’s “Badge of Honor” series, this installment inexplicably jumps from 1979 to 2003. None of the characters have aged despite more than 20 years passing, and events from the previous installment which very explicitly took place in 1979 are mentioned having happened “about six months ago.” Small continuity errors in series already annoy me, this had me baffled. The story itself was fine, and the characters are still likable even with laptops and cell phones. 7/10 

36.  The Pact by Robert Patrick Lewis – A borderline fantasy look at World War III on US Soil. The author is former US Army, but apparently doesn’t understand logistics. In his novel, the Russians, Chinese, North Koreans, and Iranians, and Hezbollah invade the US simultaneously and with complete surprise. The plot is nonsensical, every character is a Mary-Sue, and the Ukraine war has really taken the fun out of novels like this. The Russians aren’t scary anymore. 2/10

37. Machine’s Like Me by Ian McEwan – An alternate history novel set in 1982, but where technology is more advanced than we have today. The plot follows an English couple who buy one of the first generation of humanoid robots. Loved every minute of this book. Really interesting take on AI, machine learning, and the place of technology in society. 10/10

38. River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey – The premise of this novel is that the US imported hippos to solve a meat shortage problem in the 1850’s. An interesting premise let down at every turn by the author. The group assembled by the protagonist seems to have been drawn from Tumblr or Twitter, they include: a Mig, a they/them Mig, a fat woman, and a pregnant man hating lesbian. Very 1800’s. The author apparently doesn’t know how dams, or indeed Hippos work, since in the book they can both swim and feral hippos become carnivorous. Also, the author put her timeline for fictional events at the end of the book, rather than using it to world build. An absolute train wreck from start to finish. 1/10

39. The Sky People by S.M. Stirling – This was a fantastic alternate history/ sci-fi story. Basically, what if humans discovered life on Venus and Mars. Great action adventure story and really cool sci-fi elements. Also, all the Americans carried 10mm Hi Powers. Now I want one. 10/10 

40. In The Courts of the Crimson Kings by S.M. Stirling – The sequel to The Sky People, this novel tells the story of the American diplomatic mission to Mars. The author does a fantastic job of creating a martian society, and their unique approach to technology. It also did a good job of answering most of the questions raised in the first novel. 9/10

41.  Underground Airlines by Ben Winters – A very interesting and detailed take on what America would look like if the Civil War had never happened, and slavery was still an American institution in 2015. Lots of great details and world building, it reminded me a lot of Fatherland in tone and execution. 9/10

42. Forever and a Day by Anthony Horowitz – A James Bond prequel set before the events of Casino Royale. It tells the story of Bond’s first assignment as 00 agent. I was originally interested in this book because it was written by Anthony Horowitz, author of the Alex Rider series. The book was quite good, with good attention to detail regarding what is known about Bond before Casino Royale, and it never crosses into pure fan service territory. 8/10

43. Single & Single by John LeCarre – Noone, and I mean noone, writes dialogue like John Le Carre. Like so many of his other novels, this one is almost Tarantino-esque in how it jumps around the timeline, but somehow it works. One of the other great aspects of Le Carre novels is genuinely not knowing how it will end. Sometimes the hero wins, sometimes he doesn’t. 8/10

44. The Sword and the Shield by Christopher Andrew – A very detailed (and I mean very, this book was 31 hours long) look into the files smuggled out of KGB headquarters by Vasili Mitrokhin during his 25 year career. The information in the files reveals some of the internal workings of the KGB, reinforces some assumptions about cold war espionage, and debunks others. Also, McCarthy was right. 9/10

45. City of Dreams by Don Winslow – A sequel to “City on Fire” this sequel picks up immediately after the first book. Good change of scenery, good plot and characters, but a little lackluster ending. Still looking forward to more in this series. 8/10

46. The Force by Don Winslow – Another novel by Don Winslow. I don’t know why, but I love stories about dirty cops, and this is one of the better ones. The main characters are part of a crime prevention task force, and they do all the usual dirty cop things, robbing drug dealers, planting evidence, and perjury for convictions. Great novel with really great characters. 9/10

47. Alright, Alright, Alright by Melissa Maerz – An oral history behind the scenes of Dazed & Confused. I love this movie and this book is a great companion to it. Lots of very interesting stories from extras to studio executives. Really creates some extra appreciation for Linklater’s movies in general. 9/10

48. The Man with the Iron Heart by Harry Turtledove – I actually read this book the first time right around when it was released in 2008. Re-listening to it was still very enjoyable. The premise is Reinhardt Heidrich survives his assaination in 1942, and goes on to create a very organized and effective resistance to the Allied occupation of Germany after VE day. The tone of the book is very much an allegory for the war in Iraq, but the Germans win in the end. Maybe Harry Turtledove accurately predicted ISIS. 8/10

49. Violence of Mind by Varg Freeborn – A book about the mentalities, decision making, and realities of real, professional level violence. The author mentions repeatedly that this is an entry level book, and therefore none of the topics are delved into deeply, but there is a lot of good info here. I would highly recommend it if you’re into firearms or martial arts. 9/10 [deeper breakdown here]

50. Grey Tide in the East by Andrew J. Heller – An alternate history novel on a less frequent topic, World War I. The premise is based on Kaiser Wilhelm canceling the Von Schlieffen plan and not invading Belgium (he actually gave this order in reality, but rescinded it shortly after). This sets Germany up to be much more successful through the course of the war. The characters are all real people which was a very neat touch. It also features a cameo from an Austrian Corporal with a funny mustache. I liked this one a LOT more than Heller’s previous entry on this list. 9/10 

51. Woke up this Morning by Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirrpa – I was recommended this book by Audible after I finished Alright, Alright, Alright. I was hoping it would be similar, and it was, mostly. The book is read by two of the actors from the Sopranos, but the delivery comes across like a poorly edited podcast. It had some interesting stories, but was just okay. 7/10

52. Cry Wolf by Christopher G. Nuttall – Another entry in the Empire’s Corps series. This was a standalone story about a small news agency standing up to a planet wide plutocracy. Nice try Christopher G. Nuttall, but journalists aren’t people and you can’t make me root for them. 7/10

53. Favor the Bold by Christopher G. Nuttall – After the last Empire’s Corps novel I decided to jump right into another one to wash the taste out. This one was much more enjoyable, a pretty straightforward near peer war with all the typical sci-fi tweaks thrown in. 8/10

54. The Power of the Dog by Don Winslow – Don Winslow is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors of this year. This is a true crime saga with a story that spans almost 25 years. There is a fantastic cast of characters whose stories intersect in a kind of Guy Ritchie way. Phenomenal in all respects, I couldn’t stop listening to this one, I’m really glad it’s part of a trilogy. 10/10

55. Blood & Soil by Sepp de Giampietro – This was the wartime memoir of an Italian ethnic German who joined the Wehrmacht in 1941 and became a “Brandenburger.” The author documents the several “camouflage” (meaning dressed in enemy uniform) operations his unit took part in both in the Balkans and Greece, as well as Russia. Great writing for a lot of the combat scenes, and the interludes as well. The last quarter of the book or so felt a little rushed though. 7/10

56. The Centurions by Jean Larteguy – A very interesting novel based on the author’s experiences as a journalist in Indochina and Algeria. The novel was quite well written and the characters were complex. The biggest downside to me was that there were a lot of very similar sounding French names to keep track of. 8/10

57. Banker by Dick Francis  – A mystery/crime novel set in 1980’s Britain and focusing mainly on investment banking and horse racing. My favorite kind of mysteries are the ones where you can figure it out yourself if you’re paying attention, and that is very much the case with this story. 8/10

58. Man Eaters of Tsavo by J.H. Patterson – An autobiographical story of Col. J.H. Patterson who was Chief Engineer of the Kenya to Uganda railroad. The first half of the book describes hunting for the titular man eating lions, while the rest details other hunting expeditions. The story of the man eaters is interesting, however Patterson’s writing style is quite dry. Decent overall, but not as good as Death in The Long Grass. 7/10 

59. If the South had Won the Civil War by MacKinlay Kantor – More of a novella than a full on novel. This story was pretty interesting. The author does a good job of establishing the events that caused the split from our history, and then creates a very interesting world post-civil war. A CSA battleship blows up in Havana and sparks the Spanish Confederate War. Texas secedes from the CSA. The USA and CSA end up on the same side in World War I. I wish this book was longer so that the history of this alternate world could be fleshed out more. 9/10

60. The Cartel by Don Winslow – Don Winslow just stays winning. This book is the sequel to “The Power of the Dog.” And while the scope of this story isn’t quite as grand as the first installment, it nevertheless was thoroughly enjoyable. The continued stories of the characters from the first novel were interesting, and the new characters introduced were as delightful and unique as all of Don Winslow’s other novels. This book was so good it even had me rooting for journalists. 9/10

61. Toast on Toast by Steven Toast – Written and narrated by Matt Berry totally in character as Steven Toast, this book was hilarious. Absolutely ridiculous anecdotes about British television in the 80’s, giving acting lessons to a feral Julian Assange in the Peruvian Embassy, as well some very insightful auditioning tips. This one was a lot of fun. 8/10 

62. Killing Zone by Harry McCallion – An autobiographical story of a Scottish man and his service in the British Army, the South African Army, the British Army again with the SAS, and the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Lots of very interesting stories, especially the Border War/ Rhodesian parts. 7/10 

63. Battle of the Bulge: Hitler’s Alternate Scenarios by Peter G. Tsouras – The title is a little bit misleading, it could more accurately have been called “Western Front: History’s Alternate Scenarios.” Like Peter G. Tsouras’ other collections, this book is actually seven short stories focusing on different aspects of the Western Front after D-Day; the stories are like Twilight Zone episodes in that they do not form a cohesive narrative. One talked about if the British had managed to take Caen on D-Day as originally planned. Another discussed if the British had managed to close the Falaise Gap, while another discussed if Eisenhower had allowed Patton to advance into Germany as aggressively as he had wanted to. Only the last three scenarios actually looked at possible outcomes of the Battle of the Bulge. Still very interesting overall. 8/10 

64. Broken by Don Winslow – I think I’m turning into a shameless Don Winslow fanboy, but man can the dude write. This book is actually a collection of six short stories, mostly disconnected but a couple have overlapping characters. All of the stories are great and range from revenge to heists to even a love story. 9/10 

65. Steel Boats Iron Hearts by Hans Goebeler   – Memoirs of a U-boat crewman during World War II. Like a lot of these books the stories here are great. The action/combat scenes were very exciting and there were a lot of endearing stories as well. There was also a good deal of attention paid to the author’s post war efforts to organize reunions with his shipmates, and even American sailors from the ship that captured them. 8/10 

66. Red Dragon Rising: Shadow’s of War Larry Bond – This novel is written by the same author that helped Tom Clancy write Red Storm Rising. Set in the distant future of 2014 (the book was written in 2009), where the world is suffering from rapid onset climate change. I think the term “Climate Change” gets mentioned about 400 times in this book. As far as plot, I really liked it. China invades Vietnam as a kickoff to a greater Pacific War. Good characters, good action, I’m looking forward to the rest of this series. 8/10

67. 19 Minutes to Live by Lew Jennings – This was an autobiographical account of a Cobra pilot in Vietnam. Lots of very cool stories both about training and combat. Like a lot of these memoirs there are stories that are harrowing, comical and heart breaking. I really really enjoyed this one. 9/10 

68. West of Prehistoric by Erik Testerman – A great adventure novel set in the American West of the 1880’s except with dinosaurs and barbaric ape men. The premise is a lot of fun, the characters are great, and the action scenes were brutal. I can’t wait to get into the rest of the series. Also, apparently the author is a fan of us here at PGM. So on the off chance you’re reading this: Great book! 10/10
69. The Border – The third installment in the “Power of the Dog” trilogy. This one doesn’t cover quite as broad a time frame but it was still very good. One of my favorite characters from the first book made a return and the plot was interesting. One of the antagonists was a very thinly veiled Trump analog, and Winslow showed a little bit of his true colors with anti-Trump some of the character’s dialogue gets. Still very enjoyable overall. 8/10

Well, there’s about zero chance anyone is still reading down here, but I’ll go on anyways. Not quite as many books as last year, but I’m still pretty happy. I stayed ahead of my “one per week” rule which is cool. I think 75 books in 2024 isn’t a completely unrealistic goal. We’ll see how I do I guess.