What do you think?
Rate this book
Casca #16
Desert Mercenary
The war never ends for Casca, Eternal Mercenary. In a mountain fortress high above the Algerian sands, the son of a wealthy munitions dealer is held hostage. And it's Casca's job to get him out. But even Casca's "dirty dozen" mercenaries might not be able to overcome 200 of the toughest men the desert has ever spawned. Reissue.
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
44 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
About the author
Barry Sadler
108 books79 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
American author, musician and former green beret.
To the general public he is most known for the hit single "Ballad of the green berets"
After his musical career he decided to write a series of novels centered around the character "Casca Rufio Longinius" Who is cursed for piercing Jesus on the crucifix with a spear and is forced to forever remain a soldier until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
In the mid 1980s Sadler moved to Guatemala City where he was shot in the head one night in a taxi. He spent 7 months in a coma and died more than a year later.
American author, musician and former green beret.
To the general public he is most known for the hit single "Ballad of the green berets"
After his musical career he decided to write a series of novels centered around the character "Casca Rufio Longinius" Who is cursed for piercing Jesus on the crucifix with a spear and is forced to forever remain a soldier until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
In the mid 1980s Sadler moved to Guatemala City where he was shot in the head one night in a taxi. He spent 7 months in a coma and died more than a year later.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 3, 2019
Casca: Desert Mercenary is another book in the series that rings back some characters from previous novels. This time, Casca is a mercenary seeking to rescue the son and spouse of an arms dealer who can pay for the service. the6 have been kidnaped by Sunni Ali, a man with a past who has become a rising leader of the fierce Tuareg tribe that inhabits the desert.
Suffice to say that, as usual, things are going well, then they are not and the dying starts. I’m still amazed that so many men are willing to give their lives to help a man who can’t die.
This book had a few annoying typos and the same words spelled differently in various parts of the book. But other than that, the plot moved along. One thing that I find a bit different was that in a 188 page book, things didn’t really start happening at all until about 137. Then it is a race to the conclusion at almost breakneck speed. I understand a build up, but you would think that something exciting would have happened before then, even if only to keep the reader motivated.
This book was far better than Casca: The Pirate, so that alone called for three stars. The part where three offer to stay behind was done really well and highlights the point that fighters will willingly sacrifice themselves for those who they share danger and hardships with.
Overall, it was not a bad read and worth the time spent reading. I hope that the next books build upon the return to stronger writing that this book brought.
Suffice to say that, as usual, things are going well, then they are not and the dying starts. I’m still amazed that so many men are willing to give their lives to help a man who can’t die.
This book had a few annoying typos and the same words spelled differently in various parts of the book. But other than that, the plot moved along. One thing that I find a bit different was that in a 188 page book, things didn’t really start happening at all until about 137. Then it is a race to the conclusion at almost breakneck speed. I understand a build up, but you would think that something exciting would have happened before then, even if only to keep the reader motivated.
This book was far better than Casca: The Pirate, so that alone called for three stars. The part where three offer to stay behind was done really well and highlights the point that fighters will willingly sacrifice themselves for those who they share danger and hardships with.
Overall, it was not a bad read and worth the time spent reading. I hope that the next books build upon the return to stronger writing that this book brought.
December 24, 2018
I really enjoyed this, certainly more than a lot of the others as it was more about the planning of a hostage rescue and less about Casca's mystical properties.
The planning and preparation stage was well thought out, the actual rescue exciting with the adage "no plan survives first contact" and the ending was very heroic.
The planning and preparation stage was well thought out, the actual rescue exciting with the adage "no plan survives first contact" and the ending was very heroic.
May 1, 2023
"Casca 16: Desert Mercenary" is a thrilling military adventure novel by Barry Sadler. The book is part of the long-running Casca series, which follows the exploits of a cursed soldier who is doomed to wander the earth until the second coming of Christ. In this installment, Casca finds himself in the blistering Algerian desert, leading a group of international mercenaries on a daring mission to rescue the son of a wealthy munitions dealer and his wife.
The book begins with Casca and his team parachuting into the desert, where they must cross miles of scorching sand to reach the fortress where the hostages are being held. Along the way, they encounter deadly traps and ambushes, and must fight off waves of heavily armed enemies. Sadler's descriptions of the desert environment are vivid and immersive, and the tension and suspense build steadily as the team gets closer to their objective.
Once they reach the fortress, Casca and his team face their toughest challenge yet. The fortress is defended by two hundred of the toughest men the desert has ever spawned, and the odds are heavily stacked against the mercenaries. But Casca is a battle-hardened veteran, and he knows how to lead his team to victory. The battle scenes are intense and well-written, with plenty of gunfights, explosions, and hand-to-hand combat.
One of the strengths of the book is the cast of characters that Sadler has assembled. The mercenaries come from all over the world, and each one has a unique personality and backstory. There's the tough-as-nails Russian, the suave Frenchman, the stoic Japanese, and the hot-headed Australian, among others. Sadler does a good job of giving each character their moment to shine, and the interplay between the team members adds depth and texture to the story.
Another strong point is the attention to detail that Sadler brings to the military tactics and equipment used by the mercenaries. The author was a veteran of the Vietnam War, and his experience shows in his descriptions of the weapons, vehicles, and equipment used by the characters. The authenticity of the military elements adds a level of realism to the story that is often lacking in other action/adventure novels.
On the downside, the book does suffer from some of the clichés and stereotypes that are common in the genre. The villains are one-dimensional and cartoonish, with little depth or nuance. The female characters are mostly relegated to the role of damsels in distress, and the romantic subplot feels forced and unnecessary. Additionally, some readers may find the violence and gore to be excessive or gratuitous.
Overall, "Casca 16: Desert Mercenary" is a well-crafted military adventure novel that will appeal to fans of the genre. The book is fast-paced, action-packed, and full of memorable characters and thrilling set pieces. While it may not break any new ground in terms of plot or character development, it delivers exactly what readers expect from a book of this type: non-stop action and excitement. Fans of the Casca series will not be disappointed, and newcomers to the series will find this book to be a satisfying entry point.
The book begins with Casca and his team parachuting into the desert, where they must cross miles of scorching sand to reach the fortress where the hostages are being held. Along the way, they encounter deadly traps and ambushes, and must fight off waves of heavily armed enemies. Sadler's descriptions of the desert environment are vivid and immersive, and the tension and suspense build steadily as the team gets closer to their objective.
Once they reach the fortress, Casca and his team face their toughest challenge yet. The fortress is defended by two hundred of the toughest men the desert has ever spawned, and the odds are heavily stacked against the mercenaries. But Casca is a battle-hardened veteran, and he knows how to lead his team to victory. The battle scenes are intense and well-written, with plenty of gunfights, explosions, and hand-to-hand combat.
One of the strengths of the book is the cast of characters that Sadler has assembled. The mercenaries come from all over the world, and each one has a unique personality and backstory. There's the tough-as-nails Russian, the suave Frenchman, the stoic Japanese, and the hot-headed Australian, among others. Sadler does a good job of giving each character their moment to shine, and the interplay between the team members adds depth and texture to the story.
Another strong point is the attention to detail that Sadler brings to the military tactics and equipment used by the mercenaries. The author was a veteran of the Vietnam War, and his experience shows in his descriptions of the weapons, vehicles, and equipment used by the characters. The authenticity of the military elements adds a level of realism to the story that is often lacking in other action/adventure novels.
On the downside, the book does suffer from some of the clichés and stereotypes that are common in the genre. The villains are one-dimensional and cartoonish, with little depth or nuance. The female characters are mostly relegated to the role of damsels in distress, and the romantic subplot feels forced and unnecessary. Additionally, some readers may find the violence and gore to be excessive or gratuitous.
Overall, "Casca 16: Desert Mercenary" is a well-crafted military adventure novel that will appeal to fans of the genre. The book is fast-paced, action-packed, and full of memorable characters and thrilling set pieces. While it may not break any new ground in terms of plot or character development, it delivers exactly what readers expect from a book of this type: non-stop action and excitement. Fans of the Casca series will not be disappointed, and newcomers to the series will find this book to be a satisfying entry point.
November 15, 2021
Dull while also simplifying all of Arabic culture to 'Allah Akbar'. Casca seems to long for the good old days of fighting with the German Wehrmacht against the commies at the Russian front.
A side note, if Scribd doesn't have these on the day you look for them, just wait a day or so and they seem to pop back up. These books are not worth what Kindle Unlimited currently charge for them, so wait for them at Scribd or get them from Hoopla, or at a used book store for 50 cents.
A side note, if Scribd doesn't have these on the day you look for them, just wait a day or so and they seem to pop back up. These books are not worth what Kindle Unlimited currently charge for them, so wait for them at Scribd or get them from Hoopla, or at a used book store for 50 cents.
September 13, 2019
the Dien bien phu novel had more storyline.
read this one prior & aft Czechia misadventure.
Sadler Casca set in Russia during the Great Patriotic War sounds better time-line.
read this one prior & aft Czechia misadventure.
Sadler Casca set in Russia during the Great Patriotic War sounds better time-line.
December 1, 2017
Another predictable entry in the Casca saga. The buildup took awhile culminating into the assault at the end of the book. The ending came very abruptly.
April 10, 2018
I wish I had them all, they are such great stories.
April 20, 2020
Casca was hired to rescue the son of an arms dealer and his wife.
June 15, 2015
Best So Far. Still Only Two Stars
I made a point is finishing this book on my fire instead of my eink Kindle, because it means I can post a short review.
I've been reading this series through the Kindle Owners' Lending Library at a rate of one book per month. And this series will never be mistaken for great literature. But this one was a drastic improvement over the earlier books in the series.
The casual racism which has so deeply infused this series is almost absent here, and the lack of any female characters meant that Sadler didn't give us any poorly-written cardboard women, either. He even included a gay character in this one! Progress!
The characterization of the lead characters is still mostly flat, but there were a few sentences here and there where I caught a hint of something more to some of these guys.
The supernatural elements of the series were notably absent in this one, too. They were hinted at, and mentioned, but did nothing to drive the story at all.
The story here was pretty thin, though. It reminded me of several episodes of "The A-Team." Only with actual character death.
I made a point is finishing this book on my fire instead of my eink Kindle, because it means I can post a short review.
I've been reading this series through the Kindle Owners' Lending Library at a rate of one book per month. And this series will never be mistaken for great literature. But this one was a drastic improvement over the earlier books in the series.
The casual racism which has so deeply infused this series is almost absent here, and the lack of any female characters meant that Sadler didn't give us any poorly-written cardboard women, either. He even included a gay character in this one! Progress!
The characterization of the lead characters is still mostly flat, but there were a few sentences here and there where I caught a hint of something more to some of these guys.
The supernatural elements of the series were notably absent in this one, too. They were hinted at, and mentioned, but did nothing to drive the story at all.
The story here was pretty thin, though. It reminded me of several episodes of "The A-Team." Only with actual character death.
January 18, 2016
So you just a soldier doing your job. You shove a spear tip into the side of this supposed messiah, except he is the real thing. He curses you to wander the earth till his return. Not bad right, immortality and all. Oh but he also curses you to be a soldier forever at war, never to know peace. This is the story of Casca the Roman legionnaire that stabbed Christ. Forever wandering the earth fighting one war after another. Great adventure series. Very recommended
October 2, 2013
This one was okay, but it got convoluted into the post-WW2 subculture of disenfranchised countries. A good attempt, but it did not hit the mark for me.
August 3, 2014
The usual brisk read expected of the Casca genre.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews