The Silent Men

I just happened to pick up this book at a gas station in the middle of nowhere when I was on a long road trip, & I'm glad I did, because The Silent Men is excellent. Richard H. Dickinson's vividly detailed descriptions of the snipers' precision and the filthy chaos of war and his interesting cast of characters held my interest from beginning to end.

Dickinson captures the back stories, the covert ops, deceit and filthiness of this nearly-forgotten ugly war in the way that no other writer has done.His descriptions of soldiers and civilians under fire are better than Celine, better than Ian MacEwan in "Atonement". Dickinson's heroes are killers and the killing is a form of sanctioned ritual. We meet an anti-hero, an unforgettable black sniper(!) who Dickinson, according to the blurb, plans to do more with in a subsequent novel. This reader would have torn the library apart to get it but, alas, it doesn't exist yet. Soon? When?

If you are looking for a thrill-a-minute roller coast ride action book, "The Silent Men" is it. Seldom, however, have I read an action book that is so well written. It is quality literature with highly developed characters and a breathtaking sense of place. Unlike most writers, Richard Dickinson does not introduce a character and immediately expend a paragraph on physical description. The characters describe themselves in the way they clean their gear, shoot their targets, and run for their lives. There never is a wasted word about "sinewy arms" or "steel gray eyes," but by the end of the story, you know the main characters in the book as if they are your brothers. The author is a master at incorporating the soldier's banter into the action, and captures perfectly the military mindset. The Mekong Delta is described as if it were a living character as well. You learn about the terrain in the way it affects every action in the story. There is honesty in the writing that makes the story and characters credible. This book starts with action, and by chapter four, just takes off and you cannot put it down. In "The Silent Men," Richard Dickinson, however, transcends the ordinary action genre. Like most great books, this is one where I did not want it to end. "The Silent Men" made my heart race with its story line, and with strong character development, it made my heart break. The book jacket indicated this is the first in a series by Richard Dickinson with Monroe as his central character. Bring on the rest of the series. I can't wait.

I enjoy reading books set during the Vietnam War, so when I saw that a novel by a new author was released on the subject, I eagerly snatched it up. I'm glad I did. Richard Dickinson has written a novel that portreys its characters and settings so realistically that it is difficult to come up with a comparison. This book is like Marine Sniper by Charles Henderson crossed with Point of Impact by Stephen Hunter. It's that good. Do yourself a favor and read it - you won't be disappointed.

The crisp descriptions and pacing move you through a realistic and compelling view of the war from the rarely depicted perspective of a sniper while integrating the acts of a single soldier into a wider political intrigue.