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MWSA Review
Patrick McLaughlin walked the walk in Vietnam, and he does a great job of talking the talk in his first novel about the Vietnam War.
Although fiction, it's not hard to tell that the experiences of the hero McKall were experienced first-hand by a young McLaughlin during his year as a "grunt" in 1967-68. The author does a great job of making the reader feel like he is on patrol with McKall and his squad. Most of the time they dish out death; sometimes it's dealt to them, but they work and live and survive and execute the mission not because it's their job, but because they don't want to let each other down. The action is vivid, the dialogue believable, and the situations will resonate with anyone who has served on the ground in a war zone. McLaughlin is already working on a sequel, and most of those who read Cheerful Obedience will be looking forward to it.
This book will appeal to anyone who enjoys historical fiction about Vietnam and also those who enjoy books about ground combat from the "grunt's" perspective.
Review by Rob Ballister (March 2024)
Author's Synopsis
Ignoring his 2-S selective service deferment, Conor Patrick McKall volunteers for the draft, and Uncle Sam promptly deposits him in the Big Green Machine.
Six months later McKall is walking point in jungles, rice paddies, and rubber plantations. In nine short months, he's made an infantry squad leader responsible for a dozen other grunts. In the "boonies," life is lived one day at a time.
Joining McKall's squad is Jack "Red" Sheridan whose near-death encounter with a black panther presents challenges to his credibility from other members of Lima Platoon. When McKall stands with Sheridan, an unbreakable bond develops. They meet Red Cross Donut Dollies and together experience the infamous Black Virgin Mountain where the good guys control the top and the bad guys the rest.
Escaping Vietnam for a handful of days on R&R in Sydney, Conor experiences Aussie hospitality and the attention of a green-eyed beauty who offers him a chance to escape the war. Loyal to his oath and to his men, Sergeant McKall barely has time to supplant the fading scent of Chanel before he and his squad must face their determined and deadly adversaries. The arbitrary gauntlet of Vietnam offers no guarantees.
Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle
Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 378
Word Count: 109,000