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Vortex
In the bestselling "Red Phoenix, " Larry Bond showed, in a world of explosive uncertainty, what a new Korean War would be like. Now, in VORTEX, he takes his storytelling powers one astonishing step further in an epic novel set in one of the most emotionally charged global flashpoints today - South Africa. As the forces of white supremacy make their last ruthless stand, as chaos threatens an entire continent, and as the world is faced with Armageddon itself, America mobilizes Operation Brave Fortune, a full-scale war effort it will wage on land, at sea, in the air...
592 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1991
190 people are currently reading
1046 people want to read
About the author
Larry Bond
76 books412 followersLarry Bond is the author of several bestselling military thrillers, including Crash Dive, Cold Choices, Dangerous Ground, Red Phoenix and the Larry Bond’s First Team and Larry Bond’s Red Dragon Rising series. He was a naval officer for six years, serving four on a destroyer and two on shore duty in the Washington DC area. He's also worked as a warfare analyst and antisubmarine technology expert, and he now writes and designs computer games, including Harpoon and Command at Sea. He makes his home in Springfield, Virginia.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/larrybond
http://us.macmillan.com/author/larrybond
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
June 4, 2014
This was my first Larry Bond, and I was struck with how similar his writing, style, and plots are to Tom Clancy. It makes sense that they collaborated on a few books. I like Larry Bond because his books (or at least this one) are so big-scale. He doesn't focus on one little conspiracy or skirmish - he tackles the subject of a fictional,large-scale, full-blown, 20th century war.
Everything that happens in the book makes sense and is realistic. Many of the themes and events already have precedents in history: Karl Vorster's racist, totalitarian, militaristic government shows remarkable similarity to Hitler's Nazi Germany (no doubt intentional). The US only enters the war at the end, which is what I would expect, as Washington was hesitant to get into another Vietnam or Korea. This was written in the first half of the 90s, so obviously this kind of war would not take place now, in the second decade of the 21st century, but this book is very realistic based on the geopolitical status of the world when it was written.
My one complaint is the narration: there are just TOO MANY CHARACTERS! Bond concentrates on a few main characters - the Cuban general, US Marine general, an American reporter, etc., but he includes about 50 other narrators who come into the story for only a page or two, then disappear. For instance, one scene will be an air-to-air battle, narrated by the Cuban pilot; then he will be forgotten, thrown into the growing pile of discarded characters, to be replaced by a South African artillery major on the ground. He will take the spotlight for about three paragraphs, then a radio operator in Johannesburg will take his share of the action. This style of writing, skipping from one character to another, quickly becomes exhausting. There are too many names to remember!
Apart from that, I really enjoyed this book, though it took me a while to get through (670 pages is no small number!). The political and military scenarios are well-thought out and realistic, and its clear that Bond really did his research, and has a firm grasp of military strategy.
Everything that happens in the book makes sense and is realistic. Many of the themes and events already have precedents in history: Karl Vorster's racist, totalitarian, militaristic government shows remarkable similarity to Hitler's Nazi Germany (no doubt intentional). The US only enters the war at the end, which is what I would expect, as Washington was hesitant to get into another Vietnam or Korea. This was written in the first half of the 90s, so obviously this kind of war would not take place now, in the second decade of the 21st century, but this book is very realistic based on the geopolitical status of the world when it was written.
My one complaint is the narration: there are just TOO MANY CHARACTERS! Bond concentrates on a few main characters - the Cuban general, US Marine general, an American reporter, etc., but he includes about 50 other narrators who come into the story for only a page or two, then disappear. For instance, one scene will be an air-to-air battle, narrated by the Cuban pilot; then he will be forgotten, thrown into the growing pile of discarded characters, to be replaced by a South African artillery major on the ground. He will take the spotlight for about three paragraphs, then a radio operator in Johannesburg will take his share of the action. This style of writing, skipping from one character to another, quickly becomes exhausting. There are too many names to remember!
Apart from that, I really enjoyed this book, though it took me a while to get through (670 pages is no small number!). The political and military scenarios are well-thought out and realistic, and its clear that Bond really did his research, and has a firm grasp of military strategy.
December 18, 2009
Another good techno-thriller that moves along smartly with action (well, action may not cover it). The war this time begun in South Africa drawing in surrounding nations and the troops of Cuba etc. Finally the precious metals market begins to suffer (South Africa source of a great deal of Gold). The saddest part of this book is that quite likely, were the kind of forces feilded in this book needed today, the US and UK probably couldn't do it.
June 30, 2014
I'd read his previous book 'Red Phoenix' some time ago. This is similar. Interesting enough plot, suspenseful aside from US forces jingoism (they could never lose or make a mistake in Bond's world). The characters are cardboard cutouts. But one reads this for plot and action, not to find out who gets Mr. Darcy. It was diverting.
February 26, 2023
This book is so riddled with cliques that it's literally a parody of the American techno thriller. The handsome hero, the virginal love interest, and the sidekick who dies so the hero can reach his full potential.
The South Africans are the bad guys, so naturally, they have the worst luck ever experienced by any nation the world has known. Every engagement has some quirk of fate (read plot convenience) that allows their enemies to triumph.
The Cuban's aren't racist but are still communist so they are kinda bad. They only have bad luck when they go up against the Americans. But compared to the South Africans, they are practically saints.
But of course, the stars of the show are the Americans. No matter how bad the situation seems, you can be sure that some glaring contrivance will allow them to overcome all odds.
This book reads like the wet dream of some social justice college student who happens to read Jane's Defence news.
The South Africans are the bad guys, so naturally, they have the worst luck ever experienced by any nation the world has known. Every engagement has some quirk of fate (read plot convenience) that allows their enemies to triumph.
The Cuban's aren't racist but are still communist so they are kinda bad. They only have bad luck when they go up against the Americans. But compared to the South Africans, they are practically saints.
But of course, the stars of the show are the Americans. No matter how bad the situation seems, you can be sure that some glaring contrivance will allow them to overcome all odds.
This book reads like the wet dream of some social justice college student who happens to read Jane's Defence news.
January 22, 2024
le mot juste:
p77: A few sat in rickety wooden desks, but most squatted on the cracked linoleum floor or jostled for space against the school's cement-block walls.
p540: Its eight wheels were actually painted cement cylinders, designed to keep the rest of the decoy from blowing away in the valley's ever-present wind.
p1046: He put his hand on the cement wall and felt the vibrations, the slamming sensation of explosions rippling through the earth.
spelling:
p130: The specks beneath the spreading dust cloud grew rapidly larger, resolving suddenly into six large, canvas-sided trucks rolling south--lied by a dazzling white jeep flying a huge blue and white United Nations flag.
p177: "Hey, guys, time's awasting...."
periods:
p179: A. liberal firebrand since his student days at Brown University, he helped draft the legislation that kept the senator's name in good standing with the right D.C.-based lobbying groups.
p276: Aside from the Eland armored cars already committed to the flank attack, the only antitank weapons the battalion had were ancient French-designed SS. 11 missiles mounted on unarmored jeeps.
p276: His SS. 11s were an even match for the enemy T-55s, but he didn't know if their warheads could penetrate the frontal armor of a T-62.
p556: With less than ten hours left to go before Vega's tanks rolled across the frontier, South Africa's military intelligence service had lost its head
p891: "We have them., Major!..."
ocr:
p267: Huge 11-76, smaller Antonov aircraft like his own, and even Ilyushin airliners from Air Cuba, all had to land, unload, and fuel simultaneously, then turn round for an immediate takeoff.
p907: "What can 1 do for you?"
space:
p287: Occupied by the British before World War I, Walvis Bay had been handed over to South Africa directly instead of being included as part of the old League of Nations mandate over the SouthWest Africa Territory.
construction:
p1023: It was harder to do business, but at least the Vega and his staff were still alive.
p1087: M-1 Abrams tank--Arguably the best tank in the world, if the most expensive, the M-1's main advantage over other first-line fighting vehicles is its tremendous speed.
It isn't as consistently compelling as the previous book. It did become more exciting once the United States fully committed to the action, though.
p77: A few sat in rickety wooden desks, but most squatted on the cracked linoleum floor or jostled for space against the school's cement-block walls.
p540: Its eight wheels were actually painted cement cylinders, designed to keep the rest of the decoy from blowing away in the valley's ever-present wind.
p1046: He put his hand on the cement wall and felt the vibrations, the slamming sensation of explosions rippling through the earth.
spelling:
p130: The specks beneath the spreading dust cloud grew rapidly larger, resolving suddenly into six large, canvas-sided trucks rolling south--lied by a dazzling white jeep flying a huge blue and white United Nations flag.
p177: "Hey, guys, time's awasting...."
periods:
p179: A. liberal firebrand since his student days at Brown University, he helped draft the legislation that kept the senator's name in good standing with the right D.C.-based lobbying groups.
p276: Aside from the Eland armored cars already committed to the flank attack, the only antitank weapons the battalion had were ancient French-designed SS. 11 missiles mounted on unarmored jeeps.
p276: His SS. 11s were an even match for the enemy T-55s, but he didn't know if their warheads could penetrate the frontal armor of a T-62.
p556: With less than ten hours left to go before Vega's tanks rolled across the frontier, South Africa's military intelligence service had lost its head
p891: "We have them., Major!..."
ocr:
p267: Huge 11-76, smaller Antonov aircraft like his own, and even Ilyushin airliners from Air Cuba, all had to land, unload, and fuel simultaneously, then turn round for an immediate takeoff.
p907: "What can 1 do for you?"
space:
p287: Occupied by the British before World War I, Walvis Bay had been handed over to South Africa directly instead of being included as part of the old League of Nations mandate over the SouthWest Africa Territory.
construction:
p1023: It was harder to do business, but at least the Vega and his staff were still alive.
p1087: M-1 Abrams tank--Arguably the best tank in the world, if the most expensive, the M-1's main advantage over other first-line fighting vehicles is its tremendous speed.
It isn't as consistently compelling as the previous book. It did become more exciting once the United States fully committed to the action, though.
November 12, 2019
Güzel başladı ama sonra politik doğruculuğa kayıp saçma sapan birşey oldu.
December 17, 2024
Bonkers but good descriptions of artillery 🤓
December 3, 2015
I first read this book back in 1992, when I was a junior in high school. It was a pleasure to re-read it now, with not only the perspective of adulthood, but military and international travel & (security-oriented) work, as well as a college degree in International Relations to boot. From my recent professional interactions with South Africans of every skin color since I first read this book, it amazes me how far South African race relations have come since then.
This book is a bit implausible and over-the-top (for example, some of the Afrikaners seem a bit comic book-ish) on the one hand, but on the other hand, is paradoxically and frighteningly plausible (or at least still was plausible in the real-world historical context of the time period when the book was published, i.e. when the Cold War and apartheid both still existed).
Exciting, non-stop action, a pace that never flags, and engaging characters on all sides of the conflict (military and civilian alike) makes for a fun read.
Random stream-of-consciousness notes & observations:
--p. 373: "Even though the buck ultimately stopped with the President, a lot of the spare change landed on his own desk." Nice one.
--p. 447: "When you're in a tin can with only a small gun on top, three farmers on donkeys looks like heavy resistance." Ha, good oe.
--p. 461: "it was a hell of a lot easier to follow orders than it was to give them."
--p. 483: Would a non-English speaking country's military, especially a communist country like Cuba's, really be using the same radio phonetic alphabet as us?
--p. 533: I thought U.S. Marines and Navy sailors didn't salute indoors, not even when formally reporting to a senior?
--p. 591: shouldn't that be "160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR)" AKA The Night Stalkers as opposed to just"Aviation Regiment?"
--p. 710: shouldn't "Rover Foxtrot One" be Romeo Foxtrot One?
--p. 758: Plan Valkyrie, eh? Is that an homage to the real-life (and tragically unsuccessful) Operation Valkyrie against Hitler in WWII?
If I were in charge of Central Casting for a filmic adaptation of this novel, I'd go with:
--Robert Loggia as Lt. Gen. Jerry Craig, USMC
--James Spader as reporter Ian Sherfield
--Charlize Theron as Emily ven der Heijden
--Jeremy Irons as CIA Director Chris Nicholson
--Derrick O'Connor as SADF intelligence chief Erik Muller
--either James Cromwell or Steve Berkoff as South African President Karl Vorster
--Djimon Honsou as Matthew Sibena
--Drew Carey as Sam Knowles
--Steve Bauer as Cuban General Antonio Vega
This book is a bit implausible and over-the-top (for example, some of the Afrikaners seem a bit comic book-ish) on the one hand, but on the other hand, is paradoxically and frighteningly plausible (or at least still was plausible in the real-world historical context of the time period when the book was published, i.e. when the Cold War and apartheid both still existed).
Exciting, non-stop action, a pace that never flags, and engaging characters on all sides of the conflict (military and civilian alike) makes for a fun read.
Random stream-of-consciousness notes & observations:
--p. 373: "Even though the buck ultimately stopped with the President, a lot of the spare change landed on his own desk." Nice one.
--p. 447: "When you're in a tin can with only a small gun on top, three farmers on donkeys looks like heavy resistance." Ha, good oe.
--p. 461: "it was a hell of a lot easier to follow orders than it was to give them."
--p. 483: Would a non-English speaking country's military, especially a communist country like Cuba's, really be using the same radio phonetic alphabet as us?
--p. 533: I thought U.S. Marines and Navy sailors didn't salute indoors, not even when formally reporting to a senior?
--p. 591: shouldn't that be "160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR)" AKA The Night Stalkers as opposed to just"Aviation Regiment?"
--p. 710: shouldn't "Rover Foxtrot One" be Romeo Foxtrot One?
--p. 758: Plan Valkyrie, eh? Is that an homage to the real-life (and tragically unsuccessful) Operation Valkyrie against Hitler in WWII?
If I were in charge of Central Casting for a filmic adaptation of this novel, I'd go with:
--Robert Loggia as Lt. Gen. Jerry Craig, USMC
--James Spader as reporter Ian Sherfield
--Charlize Theron as Emily ven der Heijden
--Jeremy Irons as CIA Director Chris Nicholson
--Derrick O'Connor as SADF intelligence chief Erik Muller
--either James Cromwell or Steve Berkoff as South African President Karl Vorster
--Djimon Honsou as Matthew Sibena
--Drew Carey as Sam Knowles
--Steve Bauer as Cuban General Antonio Vega
June 12, 2013
Karl Vorster,presiden baharu Republik Afrika Selatan (RAS) mahu kembali ke era Apartheid. Selain itu,dia juga mahukan kembali Namibia yang terletak di barat laut RAS. Untuk mencapainya,Vorster mengaturgerakkan pasukan polis dan kumpulan pelampau kulit putihnya untuk melakukan penindasan dan menjejaki mana-mana individu bukan kulit putih yang menentang rejim di bawah pimpinannya. Penaklukan tentera secara besar-besaran juga dilancarkan untuk menawan Namibia. Namun demikian,ini bukanlah suatu tugas yang mudah. Cuba,dengan bantuan Kesatuan Soviet dan negara-negara Afrika yang berfahaman sosialis dan Marxisme,bertindak balas dengan melakukan penaklukan balas ke atas RAS sendiri. Bimbang akan kesan-kesan buruk yang akan menimpa dunia jika RAS ditakluki,Amerika Syarikat dan British bersatu tenaga untuk menduduki RAS melalui jalan laut di selatan negara tersebut,melalui Cape Town. Kini,perlumbaan ke arah Pretoria,ibu negara RAS bermula!
Walaupun saya sudah membaca novel ini buat kali kedua,namun,inilah kali pertama saya benar-benar berjaya menghabiskan pembacaan saya sehingga ke muka surat yang terakhir! Kali pertama saya membaca novel ini adalah ketika saya masih bergelar pelajar universiti di sebuah Institut Pengajian Tinggi Awam (IPTA) terkemuka di utara tanah air beberapa tahun dahulu. Akibat kesuntukan masa,saya terpaksa memulangkan novel ini kepada pihak perpustakaan universiti kerana tempoh meminjam sudah tamat. Namun,kini,saya akhirnya berjaya menamatkan pembacaan saya. Yeah! Hehe...!
Vortex>/i> merupakan sebuah novel bergenrekan perang,politik dan thriller moden. Dari segi struktur plot dan jalan cerita,mungkin agak berbeza jika hendak dibandingkan dengan gaya yang tipikalnya kita temui. Umpamanya,saya ingin berikan satu contoh unik novel ini. Tiada watak utama yang benar-benar dominan di dalamnya. Sebaliknya,terdapat beberapa watak yang boleh dianggap watak utama. Tetapi,peranan watak yang terlibat hanya ditonjolkan mengikut plot tertentu. Begitu juga dengan watak antagonisnya yang pelbagai. Aksi ketenteraan lebih diutamakan walaupun wujud beberapa elemen yang lain di dalam novel ini.
Bagi mereka yang sememangnya meminati novel yang bergenrekan perang,pasti akan meminati novel ini. Walaupun banyak mengandungi perkara yang berkaitan dengan perang,namun,novel ini ada menyediakan sebuah ruangan glosari untuk rujukan pembaca. Tidak dinafikan,wujud propaganda Amerika Syarikat di dalam novel ini. Tetapi,jika anda meminati novel yang padat dengan aksi-aksi ketenteraan,anda boleh mencuba membaca novel ini.
Walaupun saya sudah membaca novel ini buat kali kedua,namun,inilah kali pertama saya benar-benar berjaya menghabiskan pembacaan saya sehingga ke muka surat yang terakhir! Kali pertama saya membaca novel ini adalah ketika saya masih bergelar pelajar universiti di sebuah Institut Pengajian Tinggi Awam (IPTA) terkemuka di utara tanah air beberapa tahun dahulu. Akibat kesuntukan masa,saya terpaksa memulangkan novel ini kepada pihak perpustakaan universiti kerana tempoh meminjam sudah tamat. Namun,kini,saya akhirnya berjaya menamatkan pembacaan saya. Yeah! Hehe...!
Vortex>/i> merupakan sebuah novel bergenrekan perang,politik dan thriller moden. Dari segi struktur plot dan jalan cerita,mungkin agak berbeza jika hendak dibandingkan dengan gaya yang tipikalnya kita temui. Umpamanya,saya ingin berikan satu contoh unik novel ini. Tiada watak utama yang benar-benar dominan di dalamnya. Sebaliknya,terdapat beberapa watak yang boleh dianggap watak utama. Tetapi,peranan watak yang terlibat hanya ditonjolkan mengikut plot tertentu. Begitu juga dengan watak antagonisnya yang pelbagai. Aksi ketenteraan lebih diutamakan walaupun wujud beberapa elemen yang lain di dalam novel ini.
Bagi mereka yang sememangnya meminati novel yang bergenrekan perang,pasti akan meminati novel ini. Walaupun banyak mengandungi perkara yang berkaitan dengan perang,namun,novel ini ada menyediakan sebuah ruangan glosari untuk rujukan pembaca. Tidak dinafikan,wujud propaganda Amerika Syarikat di dalam novel ini. Tetapi,jika anda meminati novel yang padat dengan aksi-aksi ketenteraan,anda boleh mencuba membaca novel ini.
August 12, 2019
I had trouble getting through this book. It is a book of its time situated between cold wars at the end of the Apartheid era in South Africa. It comes across as dated. People who like war strategy may find this interesting, but was not for me. It's ambitious, but too many characters, most who meet violent ends, at times make it hard to follow. The listing of characters in the front of the book and the glossary in the back for mostly military equipment was helpful. The book was written in 1990, a time of relative peace. It doesn't play so well today. There is too much war in the real world.
July 3, 2010
I didn't like Vortex as much as I enjoyed Red Storm Rising (yes, he helped Clancy co-author RSR) or Red Phoenix, but this book has its moments. Bond's true success with these novels is his ability to create realistic scenarios that catapult tense regions of the world into war. Bond also has a very good grasp of international politics in regards to weapons sales and alliances. Vortex was a solid offering, but I didn't enjoy it as much as Red Phoenix.
January 24, 2019
This is a dated story, written before the collapse of Apartheid and the USSR. If you can ignore that, accept its historiographic limitations and appreciate the context in which it was written, I regard this as one of Bond's very best. The steady escalation of the conflict, its unexpected (but realistic) twists and the steadily growing madness of the South African president's erratic behavior kept me on my toes.
April 24, 2022
Not as good as Red Phoenix but still a reasonable yarn. I had some issues with his use of technology and it was funny to see that he bought into the manufacturer’s hype that the V-22 would be operationally ready in the early 1990’s as opposed to it’s actual operational date of over 15 years later. Still the kind of book that I enjoy for airplane trips as it requires little thinking and keeps you engaged.
November 27, 2015
I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13537998
At the time it was published it had some potential, but didn't realise it. The author had little sense of the geography of the places her writes about, making the story improbable.
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13537998
At the time it was published it had some potential, but didn't realise it. The author had little sense of the geography of the places her writes about, making the story improbable.
November 15, 2015
Good novel about South Africa and one of its factions trying to maintain the status quo with apartheid.
Easy to make a comparison of the events in this novel and some of what took place in Germany in the early and mid '30's.
Written in the early 90's, before the ANC took control of South Africa.
Easy to make a comparison of the events in this novel and some of what took place in Germany in the early and mid '30's.
Written in the early 90's, before the ANC took control of South Africa.
April 29, 2018
WAR sea adventures
SPY
GOOD WAR STORY DETAIL
EASY READ
GET MOR
SPY
GOOD WAR STORY DETAIL
EASY READ
GET MOR
February 5, 2025
Only so so
An interesting idea for a book, but the writing suffered. As a Brit I found it strange to include them at all - as they don't really appear in the story at all.
An interesting idea for a book, but the writing suffered. As a Brit I found it strange to include them at all - as they don't really appear in the story at all.
March 19, 2024
Vortex is in my opinion Larry Bond’s best work and a fantastic insight into a world that has seen Southern Africa set ablaze. It’s a military techno-thriller through and through in a setting very rarely explored with intriguing characters and a surprisingly deft take on the politics of 1980’s South Africa. With good action and extremely memorable sequences found throughout. I would thoroughly recommend it to fans of the genre or to those with a passing interest in late Cold War African history.
No doubt my enjoyment of this novel is enhanced by a fair amount of academic work I did regarding Apartheid South Africa and its foreign policy in this period. That is not to say such experience is required for enjoyment at all as Bond crafts his fairly believable and dynamic world, but it certainly added to my own.
The plot revolves around the ascendancy of a belligerent, racist Afrikaner regime in South Africa following a daring attack by the armed wing of the ANC. Eager not just to stave off majority rule, but also to reclaim what it sees as rightful South African possessions the antagonists plunge a continent into crisis with a terrifying war. The consequences are devastating not just for its neighbours, but also South Africa itself as it plunges into the depths of a horrific, internecine domestic struggle that threatens to tear the entire country apart.
Not only did I find the setting and research done into said setting extremely refreshing, but also the strength of the characters that can at times with other novels of the type play second fiddle to the overall narrative. Encompassing a wide range of backgrounds with captivating motivations, conflicts and relationships between one another there was an element with every contributing plot thread that kept me invested until the very end. Vortex is an extremely long book, which is a testament in my opinion to how Bond slotted together the contributing pieces of his yarn.
The novel also actually deploys weapons of mass destruction into the narrative, somewhat breaking with a tradition in the genre that usually doesn’t actually use them but rather their looming threat as a driver to bring the story to an end before things get out of hand. These haunting sequences are fantastically done throughout and only further the stakes of the story by heaping more pressure on the forces involved.
All through its story the specific detailing of conflict is done wonderfully and the book teems with the research Bond put into it. I can’t think of a single key moment that felt flat as I flew through its length desperate to find out what happened next. Vortex is a book I have loaned to several friends who have all returned it singing the same praises that I do now. A fantastic yarn that I could not recommend more highly!
No doubt my enjoyment of this novel is enhanced by a fair amount of academic work I did regarding Apartheid South Africa and its foreign policy in this period. That is not to say such experience is required for enjoyment at all as Bond crafts his fairly believable and dynamic world, but it certainly added to my own.
The plot revolves around the ascendancy of a belligerent, racist Afrikaner regime in South Africa following a daring attack by the armed wing of the ANC. Eager not just to stave off majority rule, but also to reclaim what it sees as rightful South African possessions the antagonists plunge a continent into crisis with a terrifying war. The consequences are devastating not just for its neighbours, but also South Africa itself as it plunges into the depths of a horrific, internecine domestic struggle that threatens to tear the entire country apart.
Not only did I find the setting and research done into said setting extremely refreshing, but also the strength of the characters that can at times with other novels of the type play second fiddle to the overall narrative. Encompassing a wide range of backgrounds with captivating motivations, conflicts and relationships between one another there was an element with every contributing plot thread that kept me invested until the very end. Vortex is an extremely long book, which is a testament in my opinion to how Bond slotted together the contributing pieces of his yarn.
The novel also actually deploys weapons of mass destruction into the narrative, somewhat breaking with a tradition in the genre that usually doesn’t actually use them but rather their looming threat as a driver to bring the story to an end before things get out of hand. These haunting sequences are fantastically done throughout and only further the stakes of the story by heaping more pressure on the forces involved.
All through its story the specific detailing of conflict is done wonderfully and the book teems with the research Bond put into it. I can’t think of a single key moment that felt flat as I flew through its length desperate to find out what happened next. Vortex is a book I have loaned to several friends who have all returned it singing the same praises that I do now. A fantastic yarn that I could not recommend more highly!
January 8, 2021
Vortex weighs in at a 1,000 pages, its size daring you to object to its level of detail. I mean, Bond is an expert on this stuff, right?
Well... for a book set in South Africa immediately after the Border War, it takes remarkably little inspiration from that conflict. Units such as 32 Battalion or the Recces fail to appear and the tactics/strategy of the forces in the book bear little relation to history.
It is true that the Border War focused more on counterinsurgency warfare but it still serves as a comment on Bond's narrative choices. He wants a full scale mechanised clash of arms, regardless of past history in the region. Bond may be able to run through the nomenclature of Ratels, Elands and G-5s, but it is in the context of a transplanted form of warfare with relatively anonymous units. It makes things rather colourless.
The bigger issue is to get to the big battles, the main players act with malevolent incompetence. I get the hardcore followers of apartheid weren't the nicest guys, but I cannot understand their intent to provoke insurrection at home while undertaking military adventurism in Namibia. Neither can Bond, since it almost immediately results in disaster. I am not sold on the value of writing 1,000 pages about how your main antagonists aren't the brightest cookies.
As for the Cubans, they might as well be Martians or penguins, such is the detachment from the reality of their presence in Southern Africa. Whatever, I guess, but let's not pretend this stuff is "ripped from the headlines".
The characters dutifully serve their roles as drivers of the plot (some even being relatively ok), the story is artifical but comprehensible and the action sequences are passable with the best ones occurring early. It is just that Vortex is way way too long for a military techno-fantasy. If you are already making up stuff, just make it up faster.
Well... for a book set in South Africa immediately after the Border War, it takes remarkably little inspiration from that conflict. Units such as 32 Battalion or the Recces fail to appear and the tactics/strategy of the forces in the book bear little relation to history.
It is true that the Border War focused more on counterinsurgency warfare but it still serves as a comment on Bond's narrative choices. He wants a full scale mechanised clash of arms, regardless of past history in the region. Bond may be able to run through the nomenclature of Ratels, Elands and G-5s, but it is in the context of a transplanted form of warfare with relatively anonymous units. It makes things rather colourless.
The bigger issue is to get to the big battles, the main players act with malevolent incompetence. I get the hardcore followers of apartheid weren't the nicest guys, but I cannot understand their intent to provoke insurrection at home while undertaking military adventurism in Namibia. Neither can Bond, since it almost immediately results in disaster. I am not sold on the value of writing 1,000 pages about how your main antagonists aren't the brightest cookies.
As for the Cubans, they might as well be Martians or penguins, such is the detachment from the reality of their presence in Southern Africa. Whatever, I guess, but let's not pretend this stuff is "ripped from the headlines".
The characters dutifully serve their roles as drivers of the plot (some even being relatively ok), the story is artifical but comprehensible and the action sequences are passable with the best ones occurring early. It is just that Vortex is way way too long for a military techno-fantasy. If you are already making up stuff, just make it up faster.
May 13, 2018
A genuinely good book. The scope is massive, and is focused not on a small group preventing a crisis, but a crisis erupting into full scale war and I really appreciate that. Larry Bond really developed the world of Vortex, and most of it is highly believable.
I do, however, have a few small complaints. I give the book five stars, so these are not big issues at all, but I feel the need to get them down. Bond’s habit of ending paragraphs with short statements explaining the significance of what has just happened becomes repetitive, and feels a bit unnecessary in some places. The Afrikaners, particularly the Vorster regime seem like over-the-top villains at some points. I question the plausibility of some parts of the story: a Cuban invasion of South Africa seems like a stretch, and the American intervention also seems a bit off, but I give Larry Bond credit for justifying these things in-universe, and, while I am not entirely on-board with them, they are done well.
I do, however, have a few small complaints. I give the book five stars, so these are not big issues at all, but I feel the need to get them down. Bond’s habit of ending paragraphs with short statements explaining the significance of what has just happened becomes repetitive, and feels a bit unnecessary in some places. The Afrikaners, particularly the Vorster regime seem like over-the-top villains at some points. I question the plausibility of some parts of the story: a Cuban invasion of South Africa seems like a stretch, and the American intervention also seems a bit off, but I give Larry Bond credit for justifying these things in-universe, and, while I am not entirely on-board with them, they are done well.
August 21, 2018
A really exciting global thriller.
South Africa is in chaos and full scale war, a repressive administration is in government causing internal strife, Cuba is invading to gain control and the Americans are just about to strike with their next military coup, Brave Fortune.
With a country in turmoil and invaders from many countries and an intrepid American journalist and his South African girlfriend trying to expose the regime this is an international crisis of epic proportions but with so many fingers in so many pies and opposing factions fighting each other for control of a country that rich in many commodities who can save the day?
South Africa is in chaos and full scale war, a repressive administration is in government causing internal strife, Cuba is invading to gain control and the Americans are just about to strike with their next military coup, Brave Fortune.
With a country in turmoil and invaders from many countries and an intrepid American journalist and his South African girlfriend trying to expose the regime this is an international crisis of epic proportions but with so many fingers in so many pies and opposing factions fighting each other for control of a country that rich in many commodities who can save the day?
July 9, 2024
A long but thoroughly detailed and entertaining “What If” story about war in an uncommon setting - Apartheid South Africa. A Cold War military fiction that is as in depth about tactics as they come, this story is engaging and suspenseful as it weaves a tale that’s plausible enough to present quite a compelling strategic arc. With a breadth of tactics and technologies covered, from desert artillery duels to tactical nuclear weapons, there’s something for everyone. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoyed Red Storm Rising!
February 8, 2025
I first read this in the early 90’s and it’s a bit of nostalgia for me. It was at the height of the techno-thriller (think Clancy’s ‘Red Storm Rising’ & Cole’s ‘Team Yankee’) and this was right up there. It was the first Larry Bond I read before going on a bit of a LB binge!
Re-reading it today, it’s of its age and if you ignore the cliched national stereotypes, and occasional ‘comic book’ writing it’s a still a rip-roaring read (although at a 1000 pages, it’s a long read and the list of main characters exhausting to try and remember!)
Re-reading it today, it’s of its age and if you ignore the cliched national stereotypes, and occasional ‘comic book’ writing it’s a still a rip-roaring read (although at a 1000 pages, it’s a long read and the list of main characters exhausting to try and remember!)
May 5, 2022
Mr. Bond in this 1991 war novel is based in Apartheid South Africa. There are no heroes in this story, between the white apartheid regime as well as the Marxist guerrillas. The only good option is to try and minimize the disruption in the global economy. That is no longer an option with the introduction of nuclear weapons to stop a Cuban advance on Johannesburg. Global conflict is ready to ensue and nuclear armageddon is a distinct possibility.
October 10, 2018
4.5 stars.
The first half took me a bit longer than usual. Partially because the story was a bit slow to get started, but more because of what was going on. The portrayal of those Apartheid Nazis and how they saw the world was really awful. The second half was full of action, a page turner. Good story, well developed and thought through.
The first half took me a bit longer than usual. Partially because the story was a bit slow to get started, but more because of what was going on. The portrayal of those Apartheid Nazis and how they saw the world was really awful. The second half was full of action, a page turner. Good story, well developed and thought through.
December 30, 2025
four stars not because it is great literature but because it is an excellent example of the late 80s, early 90s techno thriller genre. Bond along with Clancy was one of the best in his field. An indulgent escape of a book, like eating a bag of gummy bears. It’s good to indulge you sweet tooth every once in a while.
February 19, 2018
Interesting. Not the best not worst
I enjoyed all he insight into the South Africa political scene during this era. The narrative is a bit long winded/slow, but all in all an enjoyable read.
I enjoyed all he insight into the South Africa political scene during this era. The narrative is a bit long winded/slow, but all in all an enjoyable read.
January 2, 2021
The best storyline of its genre.
A well written tale interwoven with thoughtfully developed characters wrapped in the reality and technology of modern warfare. Worth every moment of reading.
A well written tale interwoven with thoughtfully developed characters wrapped in the reality and technology of modern warfare. Worth every moment of reading.
October 19, 2023
A fast-moving, gripping account of a fictional modern war in South Africa, involving military forces of Cuba, the U.S., the U.K., multiple South African factions, Mozambique, and Namibia. Better than the average Tom Clancy novel.
May 24, 2017
Good military/tech yarn.
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