Deadly Reunion

The Black Berets #1

by Mike McCray, John Preston

The Black Berets learned their lethal skills on the secret battlefields of Vietnam. In this classic novel of wartime adventure, once the Black Berets start fighting for themselves, what will it take to be able to stop them? They were the most elite team of interservice fighters America’s government had ever formed. As war raged in Vietnam, the Black Berets took on the most secret—and most heinous—of covert operations. Now they’re back, and they have a new mission. Eight years after their bloody exploits across the battlefields of Asia, the five-man team is reunited at the behest of their scheming CIA handler, a man none of them trusts after a dirty war of lies and betrayals. However, word has it one of their own, thought long-dead, is alive and being held prisoner in Laos. Shaking off the cobwebs of civilian life, the Black Berets must re-hone their skills to become a flawless killing machine once more. Eager to get back in the game, they’re ready for action. But who can they really trust?

211 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 12, 2023

Reviews

[Paperbackbooks86 · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading a review of this book on the paperback warrior website, I figured I would pick it up, because I had a free book reward on ThriftBooks. I figured for $5, why not and it’s only 185 pages so I can read it pretty quickly.

To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much out of this book. I wasn’t even really that excited to read it. But I have to say, I LOVED this book! I’m a big fan of the Rat Bastards series, and this book reminded me of the rat bastards but as Vietnam Combat vets.

Like almost every one of these storyline books; a group of ex military put together a rag tag team one more time to do a mission, you will get a rather lengthy “training montage” in the middle of the book, that for me, takes up too much time in the story. But, after reading so many of this genre of books, you just learn the first book in the series is going to make you read about it.

Other than that, this story is great. The characters are well fleshed out and all different. There is some wicked gruesome stories throughout the book, and the ending had a nice twist that has me anticipating book 2!

If you’re like me, and enjoy this genre of books, grab this one, you will love it!

[Wayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had its ups and downs, and I can only give it the three stars. I would like to have given it more, but it just kept riding of the rails. Like some of those Mack "The Executioner" Bolan volumes, our hero veers off and starts his diatribe on the ills of society and the general lack of morals of humankind and why him and his friends have to stomp their heads into the pavement and fill them full of holes.

The reunion is because a CIA man brings a team of special force troops together again to rescue P.O.W.s from the Vietnam war held in Laos. Once the team sets out to liberate them, things go south. For a much better version of this kind of book, Go for the M.I.A. Hunter series by "Jack Buchanan."

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is my personal opinion that 70% of a book’s page count should not be dedicated to getting the band back together / training unless you’re are talking about a novelization of The 36th Chamber of Shaolin.

That said, the author does know how to write about men shooting guns, so perhaps the next one will have more of that.

[Robert Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

During my years serving in the US Army. I came across this series and loved reading each adventure during those many hours of down time when I would hurry up and wait.
The books were circulated during many FTX training cycles.
I am glad to for these books for a person who love to read.
Cheers to this series plus the many others.

[Josh Hitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this squad based novel. Its the first one, so it spends a lot of time introducing the team and training since its been around a decade since they were in Vietnam. The black berets are five men that were a crack team in Vietnam but now are out of shape and kind of wasting away as civilians. Their former CIA handler got them back together again to go back over there to rescue some MIAs. However its not that simple and none of the five trust the situation at all, they are just glad to be back together again as a team.

Highly recommended, looking forward to continuing the series.

[Ralph Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A highly entertaining read. Will definitely be reading the whole series.

[Wolfgarr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this series growing up as a kid.. Back in the 1980's.
And even today i remember bits and pieces of it.
Its a real shame the books can not be found in electronic form.

[Matthew · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cliffhanger!