Forgotten Valor: A Korean War Military Novel (The Jonas Stuyvesant Saga Book 1)

Make no mistake: Forgotten Valor is unquestionably a war novel…and a novel of battle, first and foremost. The author prefaces his first book with a grim, historical quote: “The inexorable law of combat is the disintegration and replacement of rifle companies.” Within a few chapters, the reason becomes clear. Although the book’s central character is junior lieutenant Jonas Stuyvesant, born to wealth and privilege, the Korean War, itself, is the real protagonist. The author has a fine eye, and ear, for the ordered chaos of men in battle, and the turns of luck by which they live or die. His detailed portrayal of platoon and company tactics, overlaid on the individual soldiers’ struggles to survive, make for an engrossing read. Those battle scenes are the book's greatest strength, and it would be well worth reading for them alone.Forgotten Valor is no romance novel, and the author is, thankfully, no romance novelist. The book’s weakest moment comes early, when a US nurse is instantaneously and inexplicably swept off her feet by Lt. Stuyvesant: “Yes, she read gentleness in his face, but also strength. At once she began to feel safe.” And Stuyvesant’s wife is a caricature of clueless privilege who seems hand-crafted to justify her husband’s inevitable infidelity. Fear not, though: the author quickly returns to the war and warriors that are his forte.Those warrior characters are a mixed bunch: some convincingly and sharply drawn, while others are less satisfying. A sometimes brutal Chinese major is Stuyvesant’s antithesis, and arguably the novel's most compelling character. A much-decorated US corporal, bored stiff in the peacetime army, is almost as vivid. Stuyvesant himself feels less well-developed, at least early in the story, perhaps because the author felt less connected to this favorite son of the ruling class. A dashing officer may have been necessary for the genre, but I suspect the author’s deeper sympathies lie with his grunts and medics.Forgotten Valor’s subtitle promises a “Stuyvesant saga”, with more books to come, and the author’s development of his protagonist from callow youth to battle-hardened officer reminded me just a bit of C. S. Forester’s beloved Horatio Hornblower series. Matching Forester’s classic would be rather a tall order, obviously, but I look forward to reading the next installment, and seeing how the author and his creation continue to evolve.

Forgotten Valor, Book 1 of the Jonas Stuyvesant Saga, an e-book published, copyright and written by Richard Thomas Lane.Plot: Jonas is part of the privileged class. His brother is an army major who began his active career in action as a 2nd Lt. Platoon leader. His father was a combat veteran of WW II. Together they have considerable ‘weight’ in Washington. His mother was greatly disturbed when he announced he was going to enlist directly after graduating from high school. Persuaded by his brother to attend college and participate in ROTC, he finally graduates, gets married to his childhood sweetheart and is about to be assigned to a stateside desk job engineered by his influential military family. He attends a masked ball, has the temerity to ask an attending General to be assigned to the line instead, and is successful just as the Korean ‘Police Action” is initiated. The story progresses through those early days of that war before the US could bring sufficient troops, ammunition, medical facilities and everything else necessary to stop the northern troops with their insane bugle-blowing charges that sacrificed endless numbers of their ranks to gain a decided upon objective.Discussion: Fundamentally a war story, it follows a young, combat naïve ROTC graduate as he is thrown into brutal conflict on his very first assignment and of his gradual development with the help of his master sergeant and the sergeant’s corporal friend with whom he had seen much action during WW II. In fact, Jonas character development is a little ‘light’ by comparison. His wife briefly is pictured as typical of her ‘class’. A nurse plays an abbreviated role, and members of his platoon are adequately presented. A North Korean officer is well portrayed as a counter protagonist. The action is constant and description of the terrain, the miserable conditions especially during the heavy rains, and more explicitly of the bloody destruction resulting from such viciously deployed action are well portrayed. The specific action often required by individuals in desperate combat situations is set forth in explicit detail. This is a more realistic descriptive novel of the early days of the Korean War than any previously encountered by this reviewer. Probably, as titled, because it was an unpopular war that treated returning veterans quite poorly and thus more probably has suffered from a general desire to forget it. If a reader likes war stories this definitely is for you.

Forgotten Valor: A Novel of the Korean War (The Jonas Stuyvesant saga book 1) by Richard Tomas Lane is a book, war story fans would love and not want to put down.The reader finds themselves alongside Lt Jonas Stuyvesant who had a privileged background while growing up and most certainly wasn't ready for what he would come up against with the hardships of war. Unaware of what was about to commence with the troops on the front line in North Korea . The opposition who they believed would be just armed with pitchforks are rigged out with soviet style tanks and battle tested harden soldiers. Jonas and his platoon are outnumbered and not protected enough, find themselves retreating down through the Korean peninsula until they find themselves backing into the sea. Himself and the others are tired and weary, currently preparing themselves for the final stand. However a twist of fate sees him having to decide whether he'll stick it out alongside his men or getting out alive and leaving the front line behind.This was written in such a way it felt like actual history was being told. It kept the reader s attention and was a great start to the series.

A real page turner. Those guys and Gals really deserve to be remembered for what they did. Will be looking to read more from this author. Thanks.

Very intriguing, interesting and worth the time. I looked forward with great anticipation to each time I was able to return to the book and was not disappointed! More please!