This is a three part book or three books now rolled into one, however you want to look at it. The three parts are: “The Few”; “The Proud”; and “The Marines”. Each part of volume is rather short but together they all three make one fine and outstanding book.
I normally don’t read books just about the military. This book is classified as science fiction but there’s really not that much science fiction to it other than the time has been moved forwarded by a few years. At the outset of this book, an idiotic Senator has done the unthinkable and arranged for the “dismemberment” of the Marine Corps by getting a budgetary act made into law. Now that Senator has been elected President of the United States with a definite bad attitude and lack of respect for the military and specifically the Marines. Nobody said Senators or Presidents had to be smart.
Ok, so what happens next? Well, the President just happens to be on a foreign nation tour, As usual the President and his entourage will make an appearance at the US Embassy in the current foreign country on their itinerary. Now you probably know that US Embassies are and always have been secured by the US Marine Corps. That hasn’t changed even with this new President and his bad attitude towards the Marines. They have barely enough Marines left to cover most all the Embassies and a few other places. Even those on duty at the Embassies are not necessarily fully staffed nor are they getting their full allotment of equipment, some of which had to be turned in to the Army during the “dismemberment”.
But when the President visits, the Marines prepare. Of course you wouldn’t think anything would happen in a country like India, but think again. The action starts quickly and is fast and furious. The attackers quickly wipe-out the Secret Service agents protecting the President while the Marines manage to drag him into the Embassy. Needless to say, the Marines are not about to let the President of the United States be taken prisoner. They will fight to the death doing their duty. In the meantime, a very normal but straight speaking Marine Gunnery Sergeant gives the President a good lesson in what it means to be a Marine. He finally gets it through the guys thick skull that the Marines are different and very definitely worth keeping around no matter the costs!
Well you need to read the book to find out if the President gets rescued. I think you’ll be surprised to find out who is trying their hardest to secure the President of the United States while others are sitting around twiddling their thumbs. A very, very good story.
The other two volumes are just like the first. Full of action and with some of the same characters. Most of these Marines are wondering, “Why me?” when they find themselves in these different situations. One Sgt, who was part of the Indian Embassy action, now finds himself as a new Lieutenant in of all places, Somalia. He and his Marines are out to rescue a capture American from Somali pirates. Sounds kind of familiar! Needless to say things don’t go too well and the Marines have to prove once again, that they aren’t there for a vacation!
And finally in the last volume, we get a little glimpse of a possible future. Will China someday decide that they want more than they have? If so, you need to read how the Marines get to be the first to fight! Although there aren’t a lot of Marines available on this one tiny Pacific island, they still have to hold out against the Chinese’s People’s Liberation Army which could put as many as 1,000 Chinese Marines on the same island. Why are the Marines always out numbered?
As I said before, there isn’t a great deal of science fiction in these stories. These settings could easily come to pass. Most of the weapons in use are or could be easily developed. The fighting is exciting and there is definitely a lot of action. I still found this book a great read and very hard to put down.