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Men at War #2
The Secret Warriors
Washington D.C., 1942. With the help of Charles A. Lindbergh, ace OSS pilot Richard Canidy sets up an air maneuver that will drop agents into the Belgian Congo to smuggle out uranium ore essential to the arms race. But this time, Canidy is not in the saddle; he's the backup pilot. And though he's not used to waiting for something to go wrong, he knows that it will...
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 1985
450 people are currently reading
1046 people want to read
About the author
W.E.B. Griffin
351 books1,310 followersW.E.B. Griffin was one of several pseudonyms for William E. Butterworth III.
From the Authors Website:
W.E.B. Griffin was the #1 best-selling author of more than fifty epic novels in seven series, all of which have made The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, and other best-seller lists. More than fifty million of the books are in print in more than ten languages, including Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese, and Hungarian.
Mr. Griffin grew up in the suburbs of New York City and Philadelphia. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1946. After basic training, he received counterintelligence training at Fort Holabird, Maryland. He was assigned to the Army of Occupation in Germany, and ultimately to the staff of then-Major General I.D. White, commander of the U.S. Constabulary.
In 1951, Mr. Griffin was recalled to active duty for the Korean War, interrupting his education at Phillips University, Marburg an der Lahn, Germany. In Korea he earned the Combat Infantry Badge as a combat correspondent and later served as acting X Corps (Group) information officer under Lieutenant General White.
On his release from active duty in 1953, Mr. Griffin was appointed Chief of the Publications Division of the U.S. Army Signal Aviation Test & Support Activity at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
Mr. Griffin was a member of the Special Operations Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Army Aviation Association, the Armor Association, and the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Society.
He was the 1991 recipient of the Brigadier General Robert L. Dening Memorial Distinguished Service Award of the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association, and the August 1999 recipient of the Veterans of Foreign Wars News Media Award, presented at the 100th National Convention in Kansas City.
He has been vested into the Order of St. George of the U.S. Armor Association, and the Order of St. Andrew of the U.S. Army Aviation Association, and been awarded Honorary Doctoral degrees by Norwich University, the nation’s first and oldest private military college, and by Troy State University (Ala.). He was the graduation dinner speaker for the class of 1988 at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
He has been awarded honorary membership in the Special Forces Association, the Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association, the Marine Raiders Association, and the U.S. Army Otter & Caribou Association. In January 2003, he was made a life member of the Police Chiefs Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, and the State of Delaware.
He was the co-founder, with historian Colonel Carlo D’Este, of the William E. Colby Seminar on Intelligence, Military, and Diplomatic Affairs. (Details here and here)
He was a Life Member of the National Rifle Association. And he belongs to the Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Pensacola, Florida, chapters of the Flat Earth Society.
Mr. Griffin’s novels, known for their historical accuracy, have been praised by The Philadelphia Inquirer for their “fierce, stop-for-nothing scenes.”
“Nothing honors me more than a serviceman, veteran, or cop telling me he enjoys reading my books,” Mr. Griffin says.
Mr. Griffin divides his time between the Gulf Coast and Buenos Aires.
Notes:
Other Pseudonyms
* Alex Baldwin
* Webb Beech
* Walker E. Blake
* W.E. Butterworth
* James McM. Douglas
* Eden Hughes
* Edmund O. Scholefield
* Patrick J. Williams
* W. E. Butterworth
* John Kevin Dugan
* Jac
From the Authors Website:
W.E.B. Griffin was the #1 best-selling author of more than fifty epic novels in seven series, all of which have made The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, and other best-seller lists. More than fifty million of the books are in print in more than ten languages, including Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese, and Hungarian.
Mr. Griffin grew up in the suburbs of New York City and Philadelphia. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1946. After basic training, he received counterintelligence training at Fort Holabird, Maryland. He was assigned to the Army of Occupation in Germany, and ultimately to the staff of then-Major General I.D. White, commander of the U.S. Constabulary.
In 1951, Mr. Griffin was recalled to active duty for the Korean War, interrupting his education at Phillips University, Marburg an der Lahn, Germany. In Korea he earned the Combat Infantry Badge as a combat correspondent and later served as acting X Corps (Group) information officer under Lieutenant General White.
On his release from active duty in 1953, Mr. Griffin was appointed Chief of the Publications Division of the U.S. Army Signal Aviation Test & Support Activity at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
Mr. Griffin was a member of the Special Operations Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Army Aviation Association, the Armor Association, and the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Society.
He was the 1991 recipient of the Brigadier General Robert L. Dening Memorial Distinguished Service Award of the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association, and the August 1999 recipient of the Veterans of Foreign Wars News Media Award, presented at the 100th National Convention in Kansas City.
He has been vested into the Order of St. George of the U.S. Armor Association, and the Order of St. Andrew of the U.S. Army Aviation Association, and been awarded Honorary Doctoral degrees by Norwich University, the nation’s first and oldest private military college, and by Troy State University (Ala.). He was the graduation dinner speaker for the class of 1988 at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
He has been awarded honorary membership in the Special Forces Association, the Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association, the Marine Raiders Association, and the U.S. Army Otter & Caribou Association. In January 2003, he was made a life member of the Police Chiefs Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, and the State of Delaware.
He was the co-founder, with historian Colonel Carlo D’Este, of the William E. Colby Seminar on Intelligence, Military, and Diplomatic Affairs. (Details here and here)
He was a Life Member of the National Rifle Association. And he belongs to the Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Pensacola, Florida, chapters of the Flat Earth Society.
Mr. Griffin’s novels, known for their historical accuracy, have been praised by The Philadelphia Inquirer for their “fierce, stop-for-nothing scenes.”
“Nothing honors me more than a serviceman, veteran, or cop telling me he enjoys reading my books,” Mr. Griffin says.
Mr. Griffin divides his time between the Gulf Coast and Buenos Aires.
Notes:
Other Pseudonyms
* Alex Baldwin
* Webb Beech
* Walker E. Blake
* W.E. Butterworth
* James McM. Douglas
* Eden Hughes
* Edmund O. Scholefield
* Patrick J. Williams
* W. E. Butterworth
* John Kevin Dugan
* Jac
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
March 10, 2022
The Secret Warriors by W.E.B. Griffin is another masterpiece when it comes to suspense, action, humor and events during the second world war. Although I have read these books many times I still find them rivetting and well written. I love series where you get to follow people through life and events. Griffin is a master at weaving real events with made up ones and you can actually learn a lot. He is also a master at making up situations between people that actually make you laugh out loud.
August 25, 2012
Abolutely marvellous - are the words that aptly define this book. Oh, what a read. Mr. Griffins has delivered more than expected in this 2nd instalment of the Men At War series. For all those who hasn't been introduced to this series, it's an absolute must to experience. The 1st in the series "The Last Heroes" kick starts a splendid and delightful World War II historical saga.
This series is filled with characters that all seem to be larger than life. Though Richard Canidy is the centre of the plot but he really can't be called the main protagonist of the series. Wherein the 1st book "The Last Heroes" just builds up the environment and the characters of the series, "The Secret Warriors" have very deftly started the incidents rolling out at a delicious roll. The chess pieces that were deftly placed and arranged on the board in "The Last Heroes" starts moving as the game begins in "The Secret Warriors".
This series has the usual exciting main plot of the Good Old Yankees vs the Nazis. But what makes this read simply outstanding is a real insight into the lives of Men At War. The charm of the military life, the men in uniform, the transition of boys into men, the romping romance of the ladies in their lives, the mentoring of elders (Roosevelt and Will Donovan), grooming of boys into men, the romantic and sexual escapades of these young men, the brotherhood and friendship, the life in war times and absolutely outstanding dashes of dry humour makes this book a cask of very rich and matured wine. Therefore, this book is not to be rushed through, but sipped and savoured delicately. Richard Canidy is sarcasm personified and so is his gang of some very charming and wicked men.
This book (and the series) will make you relive your very own friendships, your romance, your patriotism, your adventures, your relationships with seniors. This series will make you want to fall in love - fall in love with a brief journey we all undertake - called Life!!
And guess what - The Nazis have not even made their entry till now. God knows what will happen then.
This series is filled with characters that all seem to be larger than life. Though Richard Canidy is the centre of the plot but he really can't be called the main protagonist of the series. Wherein the 1st book "The Last Heroes" just builds up the environment and the characters of the series, "The Secret Warriors" have very deftly started the incidents rolling out at a delicious roll. The chess pieces that were deftly placed and arranged on the board in "The Last Heroes" starts moving as the game begins in "The Secret Warriors".
This series has the usual exciting main plot of the Good Old Yankees vs the Nazis. But what makes this read simply outstanding is a real insight into the lives of Men At War. The charm of the military life, the men in uniform, the transition of boys into men, the romping romance of the ladies in their lives, the mentoring of elders (Roosevelt and Will Donovan), grooming of boys into men, the romantic and sexual escapades of these young men, the brotherhood and friendship, the life in war times and absolutely outstanding dashes of dry humour makes this book a cask of very rich and matured wine. Therefore, this book is not to be rushed through, but sipped and savoured delicately. Richard Canidy is sarcasm personified and so is his gang of some very charming and wicked men.
This book (and the series) will make you relive your very own friendships, your romance, your patriotism, your adventures, your relationships with seniors. This series will make you want to fall in love - fall in love with a brief journey we all undertake - called Life!!
And guess what - The Nazis have not even made their entry till now. God knows what will happen then.
August 25, 2010
Second volume in the Men at War saga, begun with The Last Heroes (1997), a paperback originally published (in 1985) under the pseudonym Alex Baldwin. Griffin has written several popular WWII series, featuring the Marine Corps, the Navy, and now the shadow warriors of the OSS, led by ``Wild Bill'' Donovan. The first in this new saga turned on a cache of uranium ore in the Belgian Congo. This time, along with other jobs, the OSS must drop agents into the Belgian Congo and smuggle out ore to use in making atomic bombs. Secrecy is all, since the Germans also may well be devising their own atomic weapons. Shrewd, sharp, rousing entertainment
Beginning of the CIA
Bill donovan
Pulled from China as a flying ACE
Whittaker dragged from the Philippines
Project: to get Uranium from Africa to America for the Manhattan Project
Do this without the German government finding out
Kinda hard because the Germans control northern Africa
Love interests involved
What to do with the French leadership in exile
Planning eventually takes them to London where they begin preparing for the mission
Looks at how the CIA formed and what was happening behind the scenes during WW II.
Beginning of the CIA
Bill donovan
Pulled from China as a flying ACE
Whittaker dragged from the Philippines
Project: to get Uranium from Africa to America for the Manhattan Project
Do this without the German government finding out
Kinda hard because the Germans control northern Africa
Love interests involved
What to do with the French leadership in exile
Planning eventually takes them to London where they begin preparing for the mission
Looks at how the CIA formed and what was happening behind the scenes during WW II.
July 26, 2019
This novel follows a few of the men of the World War II OSS and their women. It is based on historical facts with footnotes pointing some of them out. A decent read despite the sexual antics of the characters.
November 17, 2022
Something I really liked was how the story transitioned to England and how the British were fighting in WWII. The activity behind the Manhattan Project was also great. My only complaint is there wasn't any real action until the very end, which gave a little distaste.
June 25, 2020
Very enjoyable read, onward to the next in this series.
December 28, 2013
I'm not quite sure why I didn't like this book. Some of the things I found annoying didn't especially bother me - not any more than maybe an eye roll - in the Presidential Agent series or the Honor series. Things like profanity (which admittedly is hard to escape these days), lots of drinking by most of the characters, supposedly nice girls who are the aggressors when it comes to initiating sex with (no surprise here) willing men who generally end up marrying them. I guess there were too many of the nice/willing/aggressive girls and I just couldn't believe in the one going after the annoying hero.
I was interested in this series since the beginnings of the OSS, forerunner of the CIA, sounds pretty interesting. There was a lot that was interesting. But I just couldn't warm to any of the characters and the story didn't really hold my interest.
I was interested in this series since the beginnings of the OSS, forerunner of the CIA, sounds pretty interesting. There was a lot that was interesting. But I just couldn't warm to any of the characters and the story didn't really hold my interest.
October 13, 2011
Book two in the series. It is what it is: A book that seems to be moving at a decent clip, but you reach the end and realize just how little happened. I'd give it two and a half stars if the system allowed it. Frankly, while I'm enjoying the series, there's very little that happens, but the things that do happen tend to be of importance to the grand scheme of the war.
August 12, 2017
Continuing action in the early 1940s quest of the Office of Strategic Services to help America win the race to build the first atomic bomb. In the first volume Griffin's Men at War series, "The Last Heroes," a source of ore that could produce needed uranium 235 was identified in distant Africa. This volume documents the efforts to recover the essential material.
The story is marked by adventure, misadventure, conquests in the bedroom, and an expansion of the overall cast of characters and new roles for some of them. The book also takes us to the formation of the OSS from the former office for Coordination of Information headed by Colonel Wild Bill Donovan. The agency's footprint becomes international with the establishment of a new office in London, where keeping an eye on the moves of self-proclaimed leader of the Free French, Brigadier General Charles De Gualle, becomes a requirement for the London OSS Station.
The story is marked by adventure, misadventure, conquests in the bedroom, and an expansion of the overall cast of characters and new roles for some of them. The book also takes us to the formation of the OSS from the former office for Coordination of Information headed by Colonel Wild Bill Donovan. The agency's footprint becomes international with the establishment of a new office in London, where keeping an eye on the moves of self-proclaimed leader of the Free French, Brigadier General Charles De Gualle, becomes a requirement for the London OSS Station.
May 9, 2021
Book #2 of the series; OSS "special operations" operations during WWII. Action wise, the book is very slow and most of the action occurs near the end of the listen. Most of the book seems to be introduction of new characters and expansion on our knowledge of those introduced in book #1. Sometimes, it was so obnoxious that the reader forgets what the mission might be. Then, you reach the end and realize just how little happened.
November 13, 2022
Addicting.
I have always enjoyed Griffin's ability to tell an epic story. Being a WWII amateur historian, I enjoy the content and the way he develops the characters and their relationships over my years. How Griffin incorporates historical figures and events into a story which is easily relatable and easy to follow is what keeps me coming back. I have read no less than 20 of Griffin's works and, keep coming back.
I have always enjoyed Griffin's ability to tell an epic story. Being a WWII amateur historian, I enjoy the content and the way he develops the characters and their relationships over my years. How Griffin incorporates historical figures and events into a story which is easily relatable and easy to follow is what keeps me coming back. I have read no less than 20 of Griffin's works and, keep coming back.
August 17, 2018
Washington D.C., 1942. With the help of Charles A. Lindbergh, ace OSS pilot Richard Canidy sets up an air maneuver that will drop agents into the Belgian Congo to smuggle out uranium ore essential to the arms race. But this time, Canidy is not in the saddle; he's the backup pilot. And though he's not used to waiting for something to go wrong, he knows that it will...
February 25, 2023
The "Men at War" series is the continuing saga of the founding and early WWII roles of the OSS...Its kind of W.E.B. Griffin's ETO version of his "Corps" and "Honor Bound" series...In "The Secret Warriors, Donovan's agents fly into the Belgian Congo to smuggle out uranium ore essential to our Manhattan Project and, like a soap opera, we are caught up in their losses and loves...Fun!!!
April 9, 2023
With the help of Charles A. Lindbergh, ace OSS pilot Richard Canidy sets up an air maneuver that will drop agents into the Belgian Congo to smuggle out uranium ore essential to the arms race. But this time, Canidy is not in the saddle; he's the backup pilot. And though he's not used to waiting for something to go wrong, he knows that it will...
October 8, 2025
It's an okay read. But was disappointing. Very little actually happens in the book. Lots about the characters and who is sleeping with whom. I found myself saying, "Come on let's get on with the story." I enjoyed the first book in this series, but not the second so much. I hope the 3rd is less of a filler and more of a good story.
July 22, 2021
book 2 of the series. seems to be more on their social lives than much action. The end wraps up with some excitement (predictable). It is a good read (or listen) if you are not in the mood for massive explosions and heart pounding action.
October 10, 2025
Another WEB Griffin Goody
In the fine tradition of WEB G, this story, a detailed corker of a tale that beggars belief of the irreverent behavior in the OSS, and the dedication of the folks who founded it.
In the fine tradition of WEB G, this story, a detailed corker of a tale that beggars belief of the irreverent behavior in the OSS, and the dedication of the folks who founded it.
January 14, 2019
Very good, enjoyable read. Will make the reader consider Bill Donovan in a different light.
July 31, 2019
Another well-written WEBG effort. I loved it!
August 10, 2019
Good action story.
October 7, 2019
Read this book before I read book 1. Still very entertaining.
Want to read
July 19, 2020elibrary
October 18, 2021
Makes light of war and though there may have been some of this type of "fun & games" for soldiers, I don't think it lasted long once these men and women saw the devastation of war.
September 29, 2022
Loved it.
April 17, 2023
Really enjoyed this one. The book is fast paced and packed with action and humor. Great book!
July 13, 2023
Very interesting novel.
August 21, 2023
4.5 stars - classic W E B Griffin. Highly enjoyable!
March 4, 2017
I am so split over these books. The first book in the series was a really boring book but it ended better than it started so i thought it worth giving the next book a go. This book is much better, though there are still too many characters. After 500-600 pages (first book and half of this) though you have a hang of most of them.
*The good*
There is a really good story hiding. I am still not sure how much is "true story" and how much is "inspired by a true story but completely different* but it does not really matter because there is a good story there.
*The bad and ugly*
Sexism, sexism, sexism. All women are fawning over the heroes who are wild bucks doing whatever they want. It gets boring and unrealistic very soon. I prefer the W. E. Johns or Tom Clancy approach to female ignorance, just cut them out of the story. If you don't know what you are doing, don't show it to the public.
This might be the last book I read in the series. Or maybe I want to know more of the story. We'll see.
*The good*
There is a really good story hiding. I am still not sure how much is "true story" and how much is "inspired by a true story but completely different* but it does not really matter because there is a good story there.
*The bad and ugly*
Sexism, sexism, sexism. All women are fawning over the heroes who are wild bucks doing whatever they want. It gets boring and unrealistic very soon. I prefer the W. E. Johns or Tom Clancy approach to female ignorance, just cut them out of the story. If you don't know what you are doing, don't show it to the public.
This might be the last book I read in the series. Or maybe I want to know more of the story. We'll see.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews