Matterhorn A Novel of the Vietnam War

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Average customer rating 4.9 (63 comments)

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I received this book last year from Powell's as one of their Indiespensible books and it sat on by bookshelf until just recently, when our lunchtime bookclub voted for it as our January read. Up until then, I was afraid to read it, thinking it would be hard to read about the Vietnam war, in part because my dad was there and of course because war itself is such a scary topic (the actual being there... no idea how soldiers do it). As soon as I started reading, I was immediately pulled into the story and eventually could not put the book down, even though it's a very long book (it doesn't read like a long book though - it's not hard to read at all). I loved how the story focused mainly on one character, but also gave us insightful glimpses into so many characters along the way. The book doesn't shy away from hard topics - like racism and classism (if you can call it that) and like many great books, it does not offer any easy answers to the situations characters find themselves in. I also loved how the main character Mellas evolved as the story unfolds - he starts out pretty self-centered and power hungry, only to see those things melt away in importance as he fights along side the other Marines. The author takes you right into the experiences of these characters - what they feel like, what their bodies are going through, how they all handle their fears. After reading the book, I still have no idea how someone manages to put themselves through such an experience without going insane. I will be thinking about this book for a while, thinking about it and the characters for some time, thinking about the shadow and how these characters showed their humanity (or maybe humanness). I'll be talking to my dad too, trying to understand what happened to him and how he dealt with his experience. And I'll be reading Karl's other work, that's for sure.

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This was my favorite book of 2011 and is probably the best war novel that I've ever read. I'm an Army Vietnam vet, and even though I was not out fighting in the jungle, this book brought back many memories, positive and negative, about my time in a war zone. I feel blessed to have been able to chat for 15 minutes with Karl Marlantes at a book event in Florida last year. The book and our conversation made my year.

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This book overlapped from 2010 to 2011. Because it was such a big book (and not just in the number of pages). Page by page, Karl Marlantes makes you feel: the tedium, the terror, the loss, the miserable conditions, the anger, the futuility and the transformation of Lieutenant Mellas. My husband immediately began reading it when I finished it because of the way I muttered to myself through out reading it, my visceral reactions to what was on the page. For anyone who wants to know, just the smallest bit of what it must have been like for these Marines in Vietnam: READ. THIS. BOOK.

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I'm not drawn to war stories, but Matterhorn came courtesy of my Indiespensible subscription and I loved it -- felt the fear, the stress, the physical hardship, every minute of it.

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My uncle died fighting in Viet Nam. He volunteered to join the Army as a way to help his family, to give himself a respectable life. Like his older brother; my father. He also volunteered to go to Viet Nam. I was only 8 years old. He was staying with us, we were stationed on Treasure Island (Dad was a Navy man). I remember the intensity of the conversations between my father and his younger brother. I can still hear the pleading in my father's voice, "but you don't have to go, you have 3 children, you can get out of going over there." My uncle responded in such a quiet voice, "I want to go...I want to go." Four months later, my uncle was dead. He was 25 years old. Killed in Viet Nam while on patrol. His unit was ambushed. I cried the night Karl Marlantes visited Powell's. I had him sign the book in memory of my uncle, Terence Fedor. And still, while asking for this, I cried. I am 50 years old. And then I read the book. It was real and amzing and horrible and fantastic. Best of all, it was very well written. Karl Marlantes brought the war in Viet Nam to me in away that was missing. And he helped me along the way. I recognize this is not a critique of his book. I could do that very well, too. But, that is not really why we read, is it? It isn't for me. Karl Marlantes...he is why we read. IT is that good.

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A poignant novel of brotherhood that captivates the turmoil of the time, both deep in the Bush and back in the World.

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great story that simultaneously gives the reader a sense of what day-to-day operations were like in the Vietnam War; thoroughly engaging

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Dark and Gripping; this novel of the vietnam war is worth a hard look. Having read several books in the Vietnam War in "fiction" genre this goes to the top of the list. Matterhorn presents you with a compeling layered look at the war and the young men sent to fight it. With sections that bring to mind M*A*S*H, Catch-22, Shorttimers and many others, this is a great read and engaging book about the conflict/war.

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Easily the best book I read in 2010 - it was compelling, thrilling, engrossing and affecting.

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The finest Vietnam War novel to date. Karl Marlantes brings the war to life in this tour de force.

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What an engrossing powerful novel! So descriptive it reflects many emotions long repressed. A great read for everyone, especially for those born after that era.

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Through the tale of a few short weeks of a soldiers tour in Viet Nam, Malante reveals an understanding of the complexity and range of human nature and a view into the soldiers ability to persevere despite the horror of war.

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I was very glad this was one of the books sent as part of Powell's Indiespendsibles. I may not have bought the book if I had seen it on the shelf as war novels are not usually a genre I read. Being more or less "given" it I felt obligated to read it. I got deeply involved in the book and the characters. The underlying story of loyalty to comrades and how it drives men at war to act as they do was brilliantly executed. I highly recommend this book to anyone. It may be situated in a war but it is a study of interpersonal realtionships first and foremost.

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This book is very grueling, impressive and seems very authentic (so realistic you can taste it). To me with no direct experience, it is a terrible indictment of the officer class by one who has excellent knowledge of his subject. But with the help of the author, I discovered that the leaders in our Marine corps/army are no worse than those in industry and politics back in the civilian world; they are lazy, incompetent, selfishly ambitious and greedy in both places but seem worse at war because their bad decisions get people killed. Knowing that, for me then, makes the leaders at home here look very different--worse than I thought; they just hide their disgusting selfishness better than the officer corps since bodies don't pile up and it is easier for them to hide their human disregard and its source in their sociopathology. This book is long but compelling and very worthwhile. I could not ask for more details to "bring the war home", something we asked for in its time but which I have not found until now. It reminded me of "The Naked and the Dead" in that respect.

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This book changed how I viewed The War (in Vietnam), war (in general), soldiers and soldiering, loyalty, and friendship. That's a lot of changes for one book to accomplish. Brilliant writing and storytelling. This book is extraordinary.

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I could not put this book down. The scenes and dialogue were so realistic that it brought back memories of why then we thought this was a totally useless war which killed too many of my generation. Excellent book!

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Compelling, visceral, engaging and frightening. One of the best books about vietnam I've read and a dramatic and sobering reminder of the waste of war.

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Having read almost all the faction and non fiction regards the Viet Nam war this one is the best. Hard to believe it is fiction. Getting ready to read it again.

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Excellent book. Everyone should read it.

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As a Christmas gift we received a few of the Indiespensable books and Matterhorn was one of them. The Indiespensable gift was great for introducing us to writers we had not read before. Matterhorn is one of those books that stays with you long after you have finished it.

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The best Vietnam War novel that I have read.

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Best Book of 2010

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Surprise of all surprises....I LOVED THIS BOOK. I couldn't put it down. I am so not a fan of books with foul language, but the language used was as integral to the book as the story. Once I got past that, I was totally engrossed in the story of our young men who fought a "war" in Asian terrain that who, other than politicians, cared about. We truly owe our Vietnam Veterans the honor they deserve. What a shame that has not happened.

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This is one of the most powerful books I have ever read. It should be standard reading for any military officer.

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Having served with the United States Marine Corps in Vietnam (1966-67) this book is on the money. It brings back the worst and best memories of a time when the only thing that mattered was living for another day, the brotherhood we all felt, despite the tension between black and white, our disgust for "lifers" and hoping to make it back to the "world" without being stuffed in a black bag.

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A harrowing tale detailing the horror of combat in Southeast Asia.

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I never thought I would enjoy a war novel, but this is one of those novels that stays with you.

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It is important to value the experiences of the veterans who fought in Vietnam. Reading this book helps bring some sense of understanding to what the common soldier went through.

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Excellent; not just for men...

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Accurate description of the soldiers life in Vietnam and the various issues they faced. Sometimes you felt you were there.

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a must-read for anyone interested in the vietnam war...

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If you really want to understand the "hell that is war" this book will leave you with a lasting impression. It will also give you some understanding of the Vietnam era vets, many of whom came home "broken men". It is also a study in how military leadership and political interference can result in disaster. The character development and attention to setting will paint a vivid picture of the Vietnam War.

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Great book!

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Excellent book. Really draws you into the war and the sense of fear that flows through the soliders as they are dropped into the middle of hell.

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Wonderful novel. The author clearly has been there. You are transported to the jungles of Vietnam during the 1960s war. This is one of the best war novels I have ever read. Highly recommended.

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Best fictional account of men at war I've read since Mailer's "The Naked and The Dead"

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I thought I had escaped the VietNam war (I turned eighteen just as Nixon began to bring the troops home), that is until I read Karl Marlantes cinematic novel of jungle warfare. If I were to recommend one war novel that is truly "in medas res," this is the one. You are in the trenches, the foxholes, you are fighting for glory, for vainglory, you are pulling off the leeches, eating fizzies, living in complete fear for your life while walking the thin line of racial tension between white and black soldiers. And of course there's the cowardice and ignorance of military brass who consider casualties political collateral and nothing more. All prospective military recruits should read Marlantes' novel before signing the papers and think long and hard about what they might be getting themselves into.

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I knew the guys from the first paragraph and looked forward to sharing their experience each time I picked up this novel. It carried me along with them through every step of the heroes journey.

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Finally, a book that gets to the substance of the war.

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A modern, realistic coverage of the still powerful effects of the one of the several recent unnecessary wars we have been involved in.

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In a sea of gripping war novels I found Matterhorn to be incredibly involving. It gives you the sense of being a member of a Marine Corps unit struggling against the enemy, superior officers, the environment, and one another. The bare prose highlights the sheer intensity and the never-ending dread that was life for so many young Americans during this horrible war.

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This is a brutal, profound, real and important tale of life and death with US forces in Viet Nam.

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An incredibly engaging book. It is at times funny and others haunting and heartbreaking. It's an impossible book to put down and I've continued to think about it since finishing it several months ago. A fantastic, illuminating Vietnam War novel!

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Great story, great writing.

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Hands down the best book I read this year.

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Amazing book, I felt like I was there with them! It was a book that was so good that once I had finished, I couldn't think about picking up another book for a couple of weeks!

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Damn good novel.

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Amazing story, fascinating characters. I don't usually like war novels, but this was truly a beautiful novel about a tragic war.

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The best novel of Vietnam I have read.

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A powerful, visceral movie of combat...from the boredom of living in a wet, insect ridden jungle, to surviving under the suspense of action that never occurs, to the horror of senseless killing. This book took more than a few pages for me to get into, and at times I had to refer back to learn the characters and their relationships, then I was into the story and stayed up late on too many nights to finish it. Compelling, indeed, and so timely for what our military people are engaged in today. I kept asking the question..."why, why, are we still killing people?".

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Greatly written book which you will enjoy it if you find fascinating descriptions of leeches appearing in unpleasant locations and the ever present dampness of the books locale. The author relates the story in a way that nearly very literally takes the reader to the foxhole with your buddy, digging out the mud and while standing ankle deep in mucky, warm water.

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War is a horrid subject. Karl Marlantes knows that. His novel, MATTERHORN, brings the human, ugly reality to life. It is the finest book of war I have read.

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My absolute favorite book of 2010, thank you indiespensibles. A very strong military book that never loses focus on the soldiers. Seemed a little intimidating when it opened with a detailed org chart for the company including call signs and command structure. However, ignore it and jump in to feel these soldiers lives. A glossary is at the end for anyone ho is completely new to military movies and books. However, it voids vein too wonky or jargony. Captures the pointless and often brutal effect on the individual soldiers of afterthought decisions by leaders big and small with delusions of grandeur. Not to reveal much of the story but much of the action involves taking, fortifying, the abandoning the hill called Matterhorn, then having to tak it again with the enemy occupying the fortifications. Similarly pointless and soul wearing is reading a squad suffering in te jungle without supplies and without food simply because a commanding officer dd not want to admit that he had drunk too much and forgot to resuming his troops. When he remembered, it was a better career mve for him to let them nearly waste away than to admit his mistake. A must read book. I have bought it for three people as a gift ad all have loved it. I have a hard time imagining me reading another military novel without finding it badly lacking for the foreseeable future, which is probably the best praise I can think of. It makes me wish that the publisher would release the original cut rumored to be another thousand pages!

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I'm a third generation military brat and I've had relatives who have served from WWII (Grandfather) to today (Myself in Iraq and Afghanistan) I've read "a few" military novels both fiction and Non-fiction. A lot of them though compelling are not "page turners" this is by far one of the few I have found to be such, and not just in the military genre. I find that a book I can pass to the someone else whether its a friend, family member or one of my subordinates and say "great book" is rare. This book is that and more.

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Classic!

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I’ve read over 30 works of literature on the Vietnam War, and this one stands out for how tactile it is. Many books about Vietnam describe the colors of the triple canopy jungle, where even the sunlight appears green. But none have come this close to expressing the way everything feels – from the ground underfoot to the razor-sharp elephant grass. Even the smells are evoked in a more immediate way than in other works. The characters are well-developed, especially the main character, Waino Mellas. He’s just a guy, and the reader can be rather indifferent towards him, since Marlantes doesn’t make him into a hero. It’s this sort of complexity that makes this novel stand out. I can’t do this book justice, in trying to describe why it is so outstanding. I’ll just say this: Atlantic Monthly Press published this novel after it already had a small publishing run with El León Literary Arts. The Atlantic Monthly Press edition is about 40 pages shorter. This book is so darn good that, when I finished reading it, I got a copy of the El León Literary Arts edition, so when I read it next, I can read those other 40 pages. Marlantes is an amazing writer, and I hope we don’t have to wait another 30 years for his next book.

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very realistic story

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The simple and direct narrative brought home the pain, exhaustion, frustration and absurdity of soldiers in combat. The author created characters that may you both cry and curse at the same time.

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My seventy year old husband is a three tour, Navy Corpsman, Vietnam Vet. This book, after all these years,finally opened an avenue of conversation regarding his experience there. I now have a much better understanding of some of his odd behaviors and "hyper-vigilance". None of the Vietnam era movies gives the insight into the experience of the men who served in Vietnam that this book does. I highly recommend this title to anyone with a close personal relationship with a veteran of any war.

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The Book Report: Waino Mellas, newly minted Marine infantry lieutenant, arrives in the tender embrace of Bravo Company a scared, green, awkward, scared, stupid, scared kid and, after a huge amount of pain, loss, and hellish enraging waste of life and liberty, becomes a man. No, really. My Review: Marlantes was a Marine in Vietnam. He took thirty years...longer than most of this planet's people have been alive...to bring forth this horrifying, harrowing, agonizing artwork. I expect we will not see another book from him, or if we do, it will be so radically different from this one as to be unrecognizable as created in the same brain. The pain and the horror are obviously not going to let him go. He's exorcised them as best a man can in writing this book. But I don't feel a sense of relief at the end of this book. I don't finish up when he stops writing. I think that's because the experience of reading this book is so shattering. OBVIOUSLY! OBVIOUSLY!! it's no smallest patch on actually living this book, but it's a rare experience to read something so complete, so clearly delineated in its scope and its prupose, and that has power...ask a demolitions person about the power of an explosion contained in a box...but more than that, it has purpose. I don't know Marlantes. I don't know that I want to. I know enough about him after reading this book to hate the idea of sending kids across oceans to kill other human beings before I think they're even ready to *love* other human beings, because so many of them won't live to become the man he has. I hate that fact so much that I hurt inside. I want to scream and cry and rage and mourn and weep with the mothers and fathers whose souls are now scarred and deformed by the pain of losing a child. It won't help, they're launched on a horrible personal journey, but GODDAM IT they're people whose lives changed forever because of some stupid slogan like "national interest." Ahem. The book. So, what has Marlantes wrought? A long, hard journey of a book that millions will read some of, and back away scared...be one of the few who go the distance, and you will never, ever forget the journey or the guide. Worth it.

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Matterhorn effectively establishes that war is an essential human enterprise, a complex and contradictory cultural thing. Karlanthes describes the tedium, humanity, craftsmanship, horror, and glory of combat convincingly. In my bookcase, Matterhorn will stand well next to another masterwork, James Jones' The Thin Red Line.

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This book took me back to that era, and memories of stories told by friends who served in Vietnam. The story made me glad for my warm, dry, comfortable bed, and enhanced my appreciation of what service members do despite the obstacles, geographic, human, and circumstantial.

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For a first tie writer he does a good job both historically and storywise. It is believable and gives realistic acount of the existence of marines in America's worst war. Earlier books on Vietnam have been better, but this is a good read.