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A Requiem for Crows
Book Description
Drafted when service was obligatory and rarely avoided, Scotty Hayes' story begins moments before tradition comes under challenge, a time of Camelot where the only fear is the Soviet Bloc. Hayes walks half-heartedly and without direction out of high school into the Army when the country was still hearing JFK's "... we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty." Scotty Hayes is catapulted from recruit to combat soldier, from Florida to Vietnam. There are moments when he comes to doubt his country, his beliefs and his loyalties. Leadership and the responsibility for the lives of others are thrust upon him and his trust in his superiors is shattered by betrayal and abandonment on the battlefield.
Drafted when service was obligatory and rarely avoided, Scotty Hayes' story begins moments before tradition comes under challenge, a time of Camelot where the only fear is the Soviet Bloc. Hayes walks half-heartedly and without direction out of high school into the Army when the country was still hearing JFK's "... we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty." Scotty Hayes is catapulted from recruit to combat soldier, from Florida to Vietnam. There are moments when he comes to doubt his country, his beliefs and his loyalties. Leadership and the responsibility for the lives of others are thrust upon him and his trust in his superiors is shattered by betrayal and abandonment on the battlefield.
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First published July 14, 2010
90 people are currently reading
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About the author
Dennis Foley
14 books19 followersDennis Foley retired from the Army after several tours in Southeast Asia. He served as a Long Range Patrol Detachment commander, an Airborne Infantry company commander, a Ranger company commander, and a Special Forces “A” Detachment commander. After the Army he started working in Hollywood as an television writer. In addition to his novels, he has written and produced for television and film. He lives in Whitefish, Montana.
Dennis holds an MFA in Writing from Vermont College and is a member of the Writers Guild of America and the Authors Guild.
Dennis holds an MFA in Writing from Vermont College and is a member of the Writers Guild of America and the Authors Guild.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 27, 2024
Great storyline for a movie!
This story rings true, based on all the comments my Dad - who served twice in Vietnam for the US Army - used to make about other movies and books.
I highly recommend reading it, ignoring all the editorial errors, and even Buffalo wings being a thing in the early 60s, especially in the southern states.
I think there are several actors who could pull this off, and would love to see it on the big screen.
War is not what we normally see on the big screen. I think that it is at times like what we hear in detective books or police procedurals when someone's doing a stake out that had the ability to end badly: a lot of boring bracketed with a hit of adrenalin. I this this novel shows this as it smoothly gets inside the mind and thoughts of the main character, a young typical "punk" from HS - just gliding by in life, using his personality and charm but not really paying attention - who gets drafted for Vietnam. It's good to also read those books that discuss how other Americans of that age were dealing with this issue of the draft, this war, those times. There were a lot of options and ideas floating about, depending on what one believed, or what opportunities one had in life.
Thank you to the author for writing this, which was a hard book to write, I'm sure, harder than just putting pen to paper and fleshing out an outline. This is the kind of story that pulls out the meaning of true grit and asks you what you would do in a certain situation, and I think none of us know until we're in that situation.
Bradley Cooper would be my choice as the MC Scott. Who's yours?
This story rings true, based on all the comments my Dad - who served twice in Vietnam for the US Army - used to make about other movies and books.
I highly recommend reading it, ignoring all the editorial errors, and even Buffalo wings being a thing in the early 60s, especially in the southern states.
I think there are several actors who could pull this off, and would love to see it on the big screen.
War is not what we normally see on the big screen. I think that it is at times like what we hear in detective books or police procedurals when someone's doing a stake out that had the ability to end badly: a lot of boring bracketed with a hit of adrenalin. I this this novel shows this as it smoothly gets inside the mind and thoughts of the main character, a young typical "punk" from HS - just gliding by in life, using his personality and charm but not really paying attention - who gets drafted for Vietnam. It's good to also read those books that discuss how other Americans of that age were dealing with this issue of the draft, this war, those times. There were a lot of options and ideas floating about, depending on what one believed, or what opportunities one had in life.
Thank you to the author for writing this, which was a hard book to write, I'm sure, harder than just putting pen to paper and fleshing out an outline. This is the kind of story that pulls out the meaning of true grit and asks you what you would do in a certain situation, and I think none of us know until we're in that situation.
Bradley Cooper would be my choice as the MC Scott. Who's yours?
May 30, 2019
Serving as an Airborne Ranger in a Ranger company in Vietnam in 1969, I can appreciate some of the c
Struggles that Ranger Mayes endured, but being left behind was not one of those. The author certainly has the boots on the ground experience to be able to write in such detail. Highly recommend the reading of this almost true novel
.
Struggles that Ranger Mayes endured, but being left behind was not one of those. The author certainly has the boots on the ground experience to be able to write in such detail. Highly recommend the reading of this almost true novel
.
November 30, 2024
Great story, keeps you glued to the pages!
Another fine story by Dennis Foley. His characters are well conceived, and are brought from the pages to firmly imprint on the readers memories. Striking similarities to people you may have known and certainly people you may had to personally deal with. Thanks for this fine book!
Another fine story by Dennis Foley. His characters are well conceived, and are brought from the pages to firmly imprint on the readers memories. Striking similarities to people you may have known and certainly people you may had to personally deal with. Thanks for this fine book!
February 28, 2025
I was in the Army and in Vietnam and found much of the "Army" portions of the book to the point. However, in my opinion much of the book could have done without so many words and verbose details of meaningful incidents which took away from the central issues of the story. I found myself skipping pages when I encountered examples of such details.
April 20, 2025
A ground pounder's reality
Mr.Foley's novels reveal he presents scenarios that he has concrete knowledge of , and first hand experience with, to every facet of his plot lines.
Each of his books that I've read have been well conceived , thoroughly enjoyable, and highly informative of a front line soldier's point of view.
Mr.Foley's novels reveal he presents scenarios that he has concrete knowledge of , and first hand experience with, to every facet of his plot lines.
Each of his books that I've read have been well conceived , thoroughly enjoyable, and highly informative of a front line soldier's point of view.
May 26, 2019
It brought back memories of my basic training at Ft. Benning forty plus years ago.Another very good novel about the U.S. Army and Viet Nam.Highly recommend it.
March 18, 2025
A little too much about the major pascoe in the beginning. Found it detracting. Skipped over a lot of it to get back to what Scotty was up to.
January 14, 2016
A requiem for crows
What I have come to expect from a Dennis Foley book in its unique combination of detail and facts that keep you riveted to each page and anxious to return to reading after you were forced to put it down. The dual time line approach to the facets of the tale was fantastic. What's next?
What I have come to expect from a Dennis Foley book in its unique combination of detail and facts that keep you riveted to each page and anxious to return to reading after you were forced to put it down. The dual time line approach to the facets of the tale was fantastic. What's next?
January 11, 2017
Thriller
Followed a man through his military adventures from induction into the US Army to Vietnam and back home again. Nice
Followed a man through his military adventures from induction into the US Army to Vietnam and back home again. Nice
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews