Saving Private Ryan

Only being a novelization of the film, I was seriously impressed. Though lacking the incredible effects of the motion picture, the book tells a more detailed story of the men and their lives. You actually get to know some of them, where they come from, etc. Things that did not make sense in the movie started to make sense in the book. Max Allan Collins did a wonderful job of conveying emotional scenes, as well. I fought myself for dry eyes several times while reading.If you liked Saving Private Ryan, the movie, read this book. You'll see what I mean.

I have seen the movie several times and have ordered the book, because - as we all know too well - the book is always better. Anyway, in the process of reading another "semi-related" text (Band of Brothers, by Stephen Ambrose), I happened upon what I believe to be "Private Ryan". Let me explain. In Ambrose's telling of the history of the E Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne and it's actions at Normandy, a soldier by the name of Fritz Niland discovers that one of his brothers (a member of the 82nd Airborne) was killed on D-Day. Immediately following this discovery, Niland hitches a ride over to the 4th Infantry Division (in the area immediately behind Utah Beach) to visit with his 2nd brother (a platoon leader), presumably to inform him of the 1st brother's death. Once in contact with the 4th Infantry he discovers that the 2nd brother was also KIA on D-Day, on Utah beach (aka Sean Ryan). Upon return to E Company (506th/101st Airborne), he is confronted by Chaplain Sampson who informs him that his 3rd brother (a pilot in the Burma/China theatre) was killed the previous week. He is informed that the Army wants him escorted from the combat zone immediately, and flown back to the States. Mrs. Niland received all 3 letters from the War Department on the SAME day!This HAS to be the story that Saving Private Ryan is based upon. As I recall, in the movie - Ryan was in the 506th of the 101st! And, his 3rd brother did die in the Asian theatre the previous week. Fritz Niland has got to be Private Ryan.Perhaps this is of little interest to those of you who love this story as much as I do, but I thought it worth relaying, nonetheless, because for me atleast, it adds weight and truth to a story that has already touched me profoundly. I had two Uncles on Omaha Beach that costly June morning in 1944. Both were medics. One survived the D-Day landing and the war. The other never made it off the beach.

Having read this novel through several times...one of the most poignant, if salient, points it makes is that the fellows with Private Ryan defending the Alamo all had names and hometowns. They all had mothers, families, and were as anxious to get through the war as anyone else. This excellent book also fills in a lot of the missing details that for some reason were edited from the movie. For instance, we see the Miller's squad drive away in a Jeep... then they are walking. In the movie, so much happens that it is easy to overlook this gap. Also, when Wade is shot, the book explains much better how it happened. In the film, you have to wonder why Wade didn't stay behind instead of Upham. For those of us who have seen the film over and over, it's likely we'll want to read the book over and over too. And that's part of the joy in this book. Great job, Mr. Collins.

Collins has written an excellent novel. A few times I found myself doubting about different charcters' fates (Mellish almost did make it in this one). However, I can't resist saying that both the movie and the book were wrong about the "Panzer/Panther" affair. The tanks were Marder IIIs (open topped tank destroyers). But it really doesn't matter in all the action. A minor error. VERY ENTHRALLING. Was up to midnight reading it.

"Saving Private Ryan" was an action packed book as well as a movie. The way Max Allan Collons described war and Private Ryan was awesome. This is a book you have to read and a movie you have to see.