The Ambassador's Son

Hickam is an interesting writer who does interesting work. I saw the movie October Sky and thought the guy was a rocket scientist but then read Rocket Boys and his other Coalwood books and was impressed by his ability to write. These "Josh Thurlow" novels are certainly a long way from his first novels but I also noted with some surprise that he wrote Torpedo Junction, an excellent U-boat non-fiction book I'd read many years before October Sky came along. So now that I've read both Josh Thurlows, I'm interested in anything else he has to write. The Ambassador's Son seems to me to be a bit "Catch 22-ish," though not so outlandish as that novel, a bit Michener's "Tales of the South Pacific" and also a bit of Hickam's wit and wisdom he showed in the Coalwood/Rocket books. Thurlow is intriguing as he is quite often wrong, very wrong in fact, in how he sees things. He has evolved quite a bit in the two books. He seemed simpler and sweeter in "The Keeper's Son" but has hardened in Ambassador's. Hickam is a clever writer and just when you think you're onto him, he switches gears. Quite often, he made me laugh. Both Penelope and Felicity in this novel are caricatures, yet I fell in love with both of them. How could a man not fall for women who are as likely to kill you as love you? The novel can be approached as an adventure, pure and simple, or, as I think it deserves, as a deeply moving tale of humans cracking under a great deal of pressure. Bravo to the real Jack Kennedy and Dick Nixon for fighting in that awful but awesome world Hickam has recreated here.

Just finished Hickam's last Thurlow epic. I was enthralled throughout. Great characters, though far tougher and more nuanced than in the Keeper's Son. Once a reader is immersed in Hickam's Thurlow world, it is as if you have stepped into a vivid, non-stop place. This is not a standard World War II novel. There is something very different about the Thurlow stories. For one thing, there is woven in the text a spirit unlike anything I've ever read. Penelope and Joe Gimmee and Dave the megapode are all more spirits than real it seemed to me. There are matters of the heart and soul that peek out through the story that are perhaps disappointing to anyone who just wants to read a war story. Hickam's Thurlow novels are going for something else and this one has cranked up everything a notch. I quite often laughed out loud at the very comic style of some scenes and then the next page I was immersed in a terrible battle that was so real, it seemed like I was a part of. Maybe Hickam, who is a combat veteran of Vietnam, is bringing out the insanity of war. He's a writer to watch, this one, but not one to read if all you want is the ordinary.

I love the Josh Thurlow series. For my money, this author delivers. What a great story of life, love, adventure, sex, and war in the South Pacific. Jack Kennedy is perfectly cast as Josh's sidekick. The cameos by Dick Nixon, James Michener, and Whizzer White had great dramatic effect. Hickam is an author who does his homework. He also is a writer who will make you laugh. His style is a combination of Steinbeck and Twain. Once you get into the rhythm of it, it's impossible to stop turning the pages. Great characters, great plot, great writing. I have a new fav author.

I can easily say that Homer Hickam is my favorite author. I was hooked when I read The Rocket Boys (October Sky) and Sky of Stone. Every book Mr. Hickam has written has been just as good as or better than the previous book, which is VERY high praise. Hickam manages to spin creative tales with interesting characters and interesting plot lines, time after time. Some authors, after a little success, begin to get predictable, or they begin to lose their creative edge. Not so with Homer Hickam! In my opinion, there are two authors that consistently produce outstanding works - the great John Grisham and Homer Hickam. I can only hope that Mr. Hickam's career as an author turns out to include as many books as John Grisham has produced. This is a wonderful, epic tale of World War II life, and, even for younger readers like myself, born two decades after World War II, we can almost feel like we knew what it was like to be there. I mean no disrespect to the honorable World War II veterans (and all other veterans) out there - I truly appreciate your service and I thank you for all that you did. For a good, entertaining read, RUN OUT AND BUY THE AMBASSADOR'S SON! You WILL NOT be disappointed!

Homer Hickam's books are a gift to an avid reader. The ambassadors son is a well structured book. This is an adventure story that moves along at a rapid pace, but doesn't drown the reader in too many small details. That is a trick for an author writing a fiction book about historical events. You have to add details, but not enough that you lose the story for the reader. Hickam is one of the best at doing this. To read this book, it helps to Read Hickams other book "The keepers son". I really think this book deserves a literary prize. Definitely worth the money!