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A review by zare_i
First Blood by David Morrell
5.0
In the days of WW1 and WW2 it was called what it is - shell-shock. Then came more "understanding" era and this clear and pretty self-explanatory psychological state became convoluted to unimaginable levels. Because, hey, how can you say that in your society you have shell-shocked people, you can only have traumatized people. And while this might have started by bureaucrats unfortunately it was picked up by a medicinal profession that just had to classify every superficial facial or body tick as a separate trauma. And thus main substance got lost.
This book, truly a very rare book on the subject because there is no surplus of drama, no over-emotional layer to it, although a critique of a war and what it does to the person (no matter the era, be it Korean or Vietnam war, and I think it was same with WW1 and WW2) it is first and foremost critique of the way society greets its soldiers after the conflict they are sent to fight [by that very society]. Because they are embarrassment and it would be much more convenient if nobody returned from the war at all - as they say "far from sight, far from heart".
Book has a much stronger effect than the first movie in the series. To describe it in a single sentence it would be unfortunate-turn-of-events. When man returning from hell in Southeast Asia, John Rambo, comes across a veteran from earlier days who is having his own personal problems, Teasle, both proud and stubborn, time-bomb starts to tick last seconds to destruction. What starts as war of wills soon escalates in a full scale conflict in the country where John Rambo manages to tie full force of law enforcement and National Guard until he gets cornered while raising hell trying to escape.
Excellent novel on how misunderstanding and unwillingness to understand and know the other can have devastating effects. When pushed to the limits and to wall only way remaining is forward because there is nothing to lose. Only other novel that made same impact on me is novel Testament by the same author.
As is case with all Morrell's novels highly recommended to fans of action thriller. It is a sad and tragic story and as all tragedies truly worth reading.
This book, truly a very rare book on the subject because there is no surplus of drama, no over-emotional layer to it, although a critique of a war and what it does to the person (no matter the era, be it Korean or Vietnam war, and I think it was same with WW1 and WW2) it is first and foremost critique of the way society greets its soldiers after the conflict they are sent to fight [by that very society]. Because they are embarrassment and it would be much more convenient if nobody returned from the war at all - as they say "far from sight, far from heart".
Book has a much stronger effect than the first movie in the series. To describe it in a single sentence it would be unfortunate-turn-of-events. When man returning from hell in Southeast Asia, John Rambo, comes across a veteran from earlier days who is having his own personal problems, Teasle, both proud and stubborn, time-bomb starts to tick last seconds to destruction. What starts as war of wills soon escalates in a full scale conflict in the country where John Rambo manages to tie full force of law enforcement and National Guard until he gets cornered while raising hell trying to escape.
Excellent novel on how misunderstanding and unwillingness to understand and know the other can have devastating effects. When pushed to the limits and to wall only way remaining is forward because there is nothing to lose. Only other novel that made same impact on me is novel Testament by the same author.
As is case with all Morrell's novels highly recommended to fans of action thriller. It is a sad and tragic story and as all tragedies truly worth reading.