OT: Book Review

This new stand alone release based on the legendary War in the Pacific from 2 by 3 Games adds significant improvements and changes to enhance game play, improve realism, and increase historical accuracy. With dozens of new features, new art, and engine improvements, War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition brings you the most realistic and immersive WWII Pacific Theater wargame ever!

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Trugrit
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OT: Book Review

Post by Trugrit »

I just finished this book and it is a great read – like a fast paced novel.
A riveting battle narrative - I could not put it down and I highly recommend it.

The Conquering Tide: War in the Pacific Islands, 1942-1944.
by Ian W. Toll
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2495 ... ering-tide

Review:
“In The Conquering Tide, Ian Toll takes his place as one of the great storytellers of war. He is equally vivid and commanding describing landing on a carrier at night, making grand strategy in Washington, and brawling in a bar in Australia. Toll is a master; he is writing for the ages.”
(Evan Thomas, author of Sea of Thunder and Ike's Bluff)
"A man's got to know his limitations" -Dirty Harry
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cobra7
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RE: OT: Book Review

Post by cobra7 »

+1
Remember officers and soldiers that you are free men,fighting for the blessings of liberty. General George Washington
JocMeister
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RE: OT: Book Review

Post by JocMeister »

I really liked it too. [:)]
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jmalter
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RE: OT: Book Review

Post by jmalter »

hmm, I've read 'The Conquering Tide' - it just didn't reach me the way his earlier books ('Six Frigates' & 'Pacific Crucible') did. Mebbe it's due to format - I read 6F & PC in hard-copy, but read TCT as an e-book on my phone. Anyhow, I'll re-read TCT, reserving the right to change my opinion.

ETA:
I've re-read the Prologue & Ch. 1-4, & I really do have some complaints about this book, but also some praise.

There are several passages in these early sections that are repeated, nearly verbatim, 2 or 3 times among these chapters - I thought, "You've said that already, you need a bit of editorial work on the narrative."

There are some passages that *need citations*. Mr. Toll makes statements to the effect that 'Arriving at SOWESPAC, Adm. Ghormley's main concern was the lack of on-shore fuel storage capacity' and 'the USMC had studied amph ops more extensively than any other service.' The former seems plausible, & the latter even more so - but without cited back-up from the literature, they are unsupported conclusions presented as fact.

There's a bit of inconsistency wrt jargon - 'Washing Machine Charlie' is explained multiple times, but a description of a cruiser's damage ('sky one & sky two were destroyed') doesn't inform me about what happened - were they mast-mounted lookout platforms or AA directors on the ship's superstructure?

His narrative includes the 1st (Ichiki) & 2nd (Kawaguchi) Japanese ground-attacks at Guadalcanal, then moves on to the IJ decision to evacuate Guadalcanal, w/ no mention of the failure of their 3rd assault (Hyakutake). He describes Cactus' air ruining the 'high-speed convoy', but skips over the subsequent ground-battle.

On the plus side, I think that Mr. Toll has gone deeply into original-source material, w/ copious cites. He's a talented historian & author, justly praised for his previous work. But I can't help but think that "The Conquering Tide" needed another 3 months of work - IMO it was published prematurely.


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geofflambert
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RE: OT: Book Review

Post by geofflambert »

I'm waiting for the paperback.

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pontiouspilot
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RE: OT: Book Review

Post by pontiouspilot »

I recommend strongly reading his early war book first.
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geofflambert
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RE: OT: Book Review

Post by geofflambert »

ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot

I recommend strongly reading his early war book first.

Pacific Crucible

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