Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway: A Brothers in Arms Novel

by John Antal

“With sharp insights into history, combat, and human nature, this enthralling novel can stand beside even the best chronicles of that fabled ‘band of brothers.’ ”
–Ralph Peters, author of Wars of Blood and Faith

It’s 1944, and the German war machine is on its heels but still lethal, while the Allies pry the Netherlands from the Nazis’ grasp. Operation Market Garden will be spearheaded by the 101st Airborne Screaming Eagles. But if you’re one man in one corner of this battle, it’s a plunge into chaos–at a place called “Hell’s Highway.”

Sergeant Matt Baker is a recon leader from the 101st, in charge of a team of Brits, Americans, and Dutch resistance fighters sent on a desperate reconnaissance mission. For Baker, every step behind enemy lines means dozens of critical choices, firefights that explode out of nowhere, and facing down one ruthless German who knows his war is lost– and who is as fierce as he is brilliant. To both men, it’s a battle to get out of hell alive.

From the struggles of the men and women of the Dutch resistance to a pitched fight for one critical bridge, Hell’s Highway is the suspense-packed, surprise-filled version of the bestselling video game–and an intense epic journey into the true nature of war.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, War

320 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Colonel John Antal, US Army (Retired)served 30 years in the US Army as a leader, senior staff officer and commander. He commanded tank and combined arms combat units at platoon, company, battalion and regimental level. He is Airborne and Ranger qualified. He has served in sensitive joint, combined Army staff assignments in the US and overseas. He also served as the Special Assistant to the United States Military Academy at West Point, the Command and General Staff College and the Army War College. Since his retirement from the US Army in 2003, he has become a successful author, speaker, magazine editor, film adviser and personality, mass-market video game developer, explainer-integrator, journalist, and leadership expert.

Reviews

[Chris The Lizard from Planet X · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway The official Companion novel by John Antal is a media tie-in novel based off Gearbox Studios 2008 WW2 game Brothers In Arms 3: Hell’s Highway. Blending fact with fiction as Antal intertwines the struggles of series main character Sargent Matt Baker, the British XXX Corps, the German army (both SS and Wehrmacht), and members of the Dutch Resistance during Operation Market Garden. Hell's Highway illustrates the Allies' attempt to put an end to fighting in the European Theater of operations by reclaiming Holland and crossing into Germany in full force. It was the largest air-drop operation in American history, and the last major victory the Germans were able to muster. Initially, I was concerned that Antal's fictitious narrative could never provide the same level of authenticity and historical accuracy one would expect from strictly non-fiction accounts of the 101st Airborne. Still, my love for the Brothers series, and WW2 history in general, compelled me to give it a read regardless of my trepidation. As it turns out, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that by writing historical fiction, Antal capitalizes upon his artistic liberty to convey the inner worlds of his characters in a more personal light than other popular accounts of this conflict. For instance, protagonist Baker's post-traumatic stress disorder is explored with a level of sophistication and depth that strict non-fiction seldom approaches. Never does the story venture beyond the boundaries of the credible, and one gets the feeling while reading Brothers in Arms that the plot progression always has one foot firmly planted in actual history, which is the result of many years of research on the author's part. I was also a bit concerned that the novel would ruin the plot of the game, but I've watched practically every bit of Hell's Highway video available on the Internet, and as far as I know, many scenes, characters and set pieces portrayed in the promotional trailers never seem to pop up in the novel. Corrian, the assault team leader who has been in the previous Brothers titles, is present in the cut scenes Gearbox has released, but entirely absent (at least in name) from the text, for example. I may be wrong, but it seems like the novelization of Brothers in Arms is anything but, instead fleshing out the game's ancillary narratives with additional exposition. It's meaty stuff, but it doesn't appear to be the author's intent to spoil the game with a blow by blow account of the game's plot. Instead, much of Brothers focuses on the various soldiers struggles with the true nature of war. Overall, The result of this exposure in the moments of victory and defeat the characters face make this novel not only educational, but captivating. John Antal writes in a action-paced, cliff-hanger driven fashion, jumping from perspectives, ensuring that any reader will be on the edge of their seat. I would definitely recommend Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway to any fan of World War 2 Military Thrillers or Video Game tie in novels.

[Jorge Gomez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really entertaining book. Easy to read and a little of history. The way it's written helps you travel through different points of view regarding the same operation. Has some images that might help you "see" more clearly how war was fought.
Could've worked a little bit better the end.
Anyway, if you're looking for a war themed booked with good descriptions, easy to read and light written, here you go.

Have fun

[Brett Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give BIA Hell's Highway 4 stars it was a pretty good book although it had little correlation with the game the only time you would hear or read something from the game something from the game would be in a conversation. I also did notice one error on the back of the book it says that they go in to rescue an English officer this is not what the book is about at all.

[Erik van Berkum · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book based on the Xbox game. Was nice and quick to read but not great, fast produced book, Xbox game is better.