Lost Soldiers

by James Webb

Book Overview

Once in a great while there comes a novel of such emotional impact and acute insight that it forever changes the way a reader sees a nation or an era. Writing with an unerring sense of suspense and of history experienced firsthand, James Webb takes us on a myth-shattering cultural odyssey deep into the heart of contemporary Vietnam, with a riveting thriller that tells a love story -- love for those who perished, for family and friends, and between...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0440240913
• ISBN13: 9780440240914
• Release Date: August 2002
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Length: 466 Pages
• Weight: 0.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 4.3" x 7.0"

Customer Reviews

Ugh. Formulaic, unbelievable characters, dialog no real person has ever spoken

After reading another of Webb's books, Fields of Fire, which I enjoyed greatly, I was eager to read more of his work so I ordered Lost Soldiers. Wow, so bad. I've just suffered through a third of the book and can take no more so it's going in the Goodwill pile. The characters are so stereotypical and over the top, I found myself rolling my eyes and saying, oh c'mon! Add to that the awful, contrived dialog. No real person has ever spoken the way these cardboard-cutout characters speak. I have no idea what happened to Webb's writing in this one but it's truly terrible. I recommend this book as an expensive paperweight but not for reading.

Almost perfect

This is a great book on many levels. Just a terrific story. I learned a lot about Vietnamese culture and what has become--sadly-- of the South Vietnamese since the war. Mr. Webb is particularly good at evoking sights and smells and describing personalities. In short, a real storyteller. What I didn't like was Brandon Condley's affair with Van, the daughter of the Colonel. To me she wasn't brave and striving for independence but silly, shallow and their sort of sleazy affair was an intrusion in an otherwise excellent read. But still, a very worthwhile book that I highly recommend. As other reviewers have commented it is far and away superior to Clancy, Griffith or any other writer of this genre.

View from a Combined Action Platoon Marine

In 1966-67, I worked with the Marines at Fort Page, CAP Lima One, south of Chulai. It was a village of contradictions, of beer, peanuts, duck eggs and laughter during the day, and sudden firefights on the trails and among the hootches once the sun went down. Author James Webb has captured the contradictory soul of that beautiful, tragic country, the conflict between an archaic communist system and the true character of the people, between a system which doesn't work and a people who never stop working. His descriptions rival those of Conrad and, because they are fresher, are better than those of Graham Greene. In fact, he has written the book which explains Vietnam and the fascination it holds for those of us who fought there. He tells an adventure story which is a story of the soul.

Wonderful Look at Modern-day Vietnam

What a delightful book! Webb has given us a look at a Vietnam that we can only experience through a book like this. It is a work of fiction, of course, but it reads like non-fiction. The descriptions of Saigon, Bangkok, Moscow and Honolulu are as sharp and realistic as in any well-written travel guide.The characters are well-drawn and robust, and in Dzung and Professor Muir the author has created top-notch supporting players for Brandon Condley, the ex-Marine lieutenant who is the main character.The plot works well given the setting and the characters. and the book holds the reader's interest right through the last page. Some of the outcomes are a little stretched, but none farfetched.This is a book about (and by) a man who loves Vietnam and the Vietnamese people. It is also a most pleasant reading experience.

WOW, a masterpiece, all the earmarks of a "Best Seller"

WOW - what book did "Anchorage, AK" read? After finishing this book, I could not wait to way in with my thoughts.I first became a James Webb fan with "Fields of Fire". I am not of his generation but I knew instantly that I was hooked on this writer as I finished that book and was left with a real sense of loss. His vivid details of the war and the culture of Viet Nam captured me and left me with a desire to learn more.He has again captured me with "Lost Soldiers" as I felt like I have picked up 40 years later with the Viet Namese culture, with out missing a beat. My urge to learn was more than satisfied. I felt as though I was in Viet Nam with Brandon Condley. I felt the sadness and loneliness of the limited life of his cyclo driver, Dzung. The political manuverings of all the chess pieces (characters) was riveting and you know that all this was written with a great deal of accuracy. The plot is fresh and the insight into the history and culture of Viet Nam made Condley leap off the pages as he introduces you to unforgettable characters. How can you not feel for Condley and his sense of love for Viet Nam? I could vividly see Van, Colonel Pham's daughter. A beautiful women who can taste her freedom but is torn by her deep sense of love for her culture and heritage. A product of her past and Viet Nam's present. Colonel Pham is a well written character who's past combined with his current activities had me craving to know more of the inner workings of the government.As a side note, the good humor of Condley's sidekick, Professor Muir, is classic Webb. This war hero sprinkles humor in all of his books (something I have always wanted to see more of) and does not dissappoint you here. Muir is a classic, a wonderful break from the tension that Webb creates in this powerful, beautifully written novel.Highly recommend, has all the earmarks of a "National Best Seller" - Enjoy the read!

Very good, but not quite as good as Webb's other books

This is a very fine book - a 5 star book by a first class author. The story, centered around the search for remains of Americans left in Vietnam, is intriguing and the characters are engaging. The plot is well developed, even if it does come out of the blocks a little slowly. Having said all that, let me water my praise down a little with the following: I am a huge James Webb fan. He's one of my favorite authors and I've greatly enjoyed all of his books. I looked forward to getting this book, particularly after his last book, The Emperor's General, which I thought was spectacular. As good as it is, I have to rate Lost Soldiers as the least of Webb's books; not nearly in the class of A Sense of Honor, Fields of Fire or The Emperor's General, and not quite as good as A Country Such As This or Something to Die For. Maybe it's the story, which just didn't flow as well as the others and which had a few over the top features that didn't seem needed. Or maybe the characters weren't quite as interesting as those in prior works, but whatever it was, I feel there's a good chance you'll be a little disappointed if you expect this book to be as good as the author's earlier work.In spite of the prior points, I write this to praise the book, not bury it. I heartily recommend that you read it. If James Webb never again writes anything better than this, I'll still gladly read it all.