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Honor Bound #2
Blood And Honor
As did his three immensely popular series Brotherhood of War, The Corps and Badge of Honor, W.E.B. Griffin's novel of World War II espionage Honor Bound became an immediate "A superior war story" (Library Journal) "whose twists and turns keep readers guessing until the last page" (Publishers Weekly). Now the characters of Honor Bound are back, in an adventure as exciting as anything Griffin has written. It is April 1943, and Marine aviator Cletus Frade, Army demolition's wizard Anthony Pelosi, and communications expert David Ettinger are thrust again into the lethal nest of intrigue that is wartime Buenos Aires. A clandestine German vessel sets sail to resupply submarines in the South Atlantic...as a massive shipment of money earmarked for postwar Reich makes its way to South America...and a coup designed to topple the government reaches critical mass. In the midst of it all, the German-ordered assassination of Cletus Frade's father demands only one revenge. Threading their way carefully between Axis and Allied sympathizers, and even between rival OSS and FBI factions, the three solidiers must strive their utmost not only to fulfill their missions--but just to stay alive. And for that, even their utmost may not be enough... Written with all the energy and expertise that Griffin's readers have come to expect, filled with drama and authentic heroes, Blood and Honor is a captivating novel sure to please fans old and new.
740 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 27, 1996
451 people are currently reading
703 people want to read
About the author
W.E.B. Griffin
351 books1,298 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 56 reviews
July 14, 2021
Another brilliant, intricate thriller from the master!
November 20, 2008
This book is a sequel to Honor Bound, which I have not read. It demonstrates many of the characteristics I am beginning to think of as W.E.B. Griffin trademarks: ridiculously formal use of full names and titles, obtuse cablegrams from Washington officials, and a mixture of real historical figures and characters larger than life (who all drink Famous Grouse whisky and get into girls’ panties much too easily). The protagonist here is Major Cletus Howell Frade, who led the OSS team that sank a German sub-replenishing ship in Buenos Aires in the winter of 1943 in the preceding novel, and now is back to see if he can do it again with the replacement ship. During the process, he gets involved in the revolution that eventually brought Juan de Peron to power in Argentina (maybe in the next sequel?). Frade seems to have another characteristic of Griffin’s plot development: his mother was the heiress of a fantastically rich American family involved in petroleum distribution, and his father was the heir of a fantastically rich Argentinean family, which means he has all the money he needs, as well as highly-placed contacts in government circles. There is no real suspense here, as we know who won the war (and, in case we do not, Griffin tells us, along with a variety of other historical facts that have nothing to do with the plot, such as who Axis Sally was), and there can be no doubt in our minds that Frade will not succeed in his various endeavors, but the plot moves on rapidly, with various complexities tossed in – such as having Frade befriend a German officer counterpart, who is making out with his aunt’s youngest daughter, while Frade’s girlfriend discovers that she got pregnant in the preceding novel.
March 1, 2019
The first and only book I’ve read by W.E.B. Griffin, and I loved every page.
December 28, 2022
Blood and Honor opens with the assassination of Clete’s father, which is really unfortunate because he was the most interesting character in the first novel with tremendous unplumbed depths. He was also the leading figure in a coming military coup that planned to remove the president of Argentina (who was apparently not planning to permit his future in office to be determined by democratic elections) and put himself in office (also undemocratically). With him dead (probably by German agents) a whole host of problems confronts Clete and most of the players in the first book—and most of the problems revolve around his father’s safe which holds, among other things, a written operations plan for the coming revolution, money needed to carry out the revolution, and banking and other incriminating documents that could get Clete’s German (but anti-Nazi) friend executed. The problem—no one seems to have the combination to the safe. As if that weren’t enough trouble, Clete’s secret Argentine girlfriend is pregnant and he needs to figure out how to get her parents, and the Roman Catholic Church, to agree to him marrying her in very short order. Oh, and the Nazis have put a contract out to kill one of the men on Clete’s OSS team.
So, there are no shortage of problems confronting Clete in the first half of the book (and I haven’t mentioned them all) when he returns to Argentina to inherit his father’s vast estates. Griffin handles his re-introduction to the wealth and social status of his father quite well and slowly transitions the problem to keeping the Germans from replacing the “neutral” ship that keeps its submarines supplied. To do this, Clete needs a new airplane which isn’t easy to get into neutral Argentina. He also is having trouble with his OSS superiors wanting information on his informants that he isn’t willing to give them. As if all of that isn’t enough, the coup is launched by the end of the novel causing even more trouble.
This is another fantastic novel making me wish I knew more about Argentinian history. I may have to do some reading on the subject.
So, there are no shortage of problems confronting Clete in the first half of the book (and I haven’t mentioned them all) when he returns to Argentina to inherit his father’s vast estates. Griffin handles his re-introduction to the wealth and social status of his father quite well and slowly transitions the problem to keeping the Germans from replacing the “neutral” ship that keeps its submarines supplied. To do this, Clete needs a new airplane which isn’t easy to get into neutral Argentina. He also is having trouble with his OSS superiors wanting information on his informants that he isn’t willing to give them. As if all of that isn’t enough, the coup is launched by the end of the novel causing even more trouble.
This is another fantastic novel making me wish I knew more about Argentinian history. I may have to do some reading on the subject.
October 14, 2020
A reread from almost 25 years ago. W.E.B. Griffin books are interesting in that he mixes a good deal of history into his stories. In this one he incorporates Juan Peron, William Donovan, as well as the military coup of 1943 in Argentina.
Reading the first book is necessary.
Reading the first book is necessary.
January 22, 2016
Almost Historical
Interesting narration of events taking place in Argentina during World War Two, reflecting the close relationship between Argentina and Germany, written as a novel. Sometimes too technical but worth dreading.
Interesting narration of events taking place in Argentina during World War Two, reflecting the close relationship between Argentina and Germany, written as a novel. Sometimes too technical but worth dreading.
January 6, 2025
finished 6th january 2025 good read three stars i liked it kindle library loaner have read a half dozen or more from griffin enjoyed them all this one no different and although i've read other stories that are numbered after this one that did not distract from my reading pleasure. through all of this series and to an extent in the other war-time series that members on the same team are not honest with each other is enlightening and baffling the argentines with good reason as some of them have been plotting to overthrow the government the germans with good reason as many of them know the war is lost and have taken turns to cover their ach du iber! mine arsch insert comedic drawing small hitler figure clutching his behind. on another note here again in this story is the pejorative phrase "the austrian corporal" signifying that the "elite" and the "qualified" and those who should make the decisions for all of us. progressive and enlightened folk (read "the quality") use the phrase "white trash" to signify same..."the austrian corporal"...despite the fact that hitler clawed his way to the position he attained. whew distracted...and the americans...not being honest with each other because some of them were intelligent enough to know that doing so would threaten the lives of those who would likely be killed all because someone far removed from the action on the front line thought they should be privy to secrets because...drum roll...they are "the quality" not some token austrian corporal thank you very much and will you be at the gathering tonight at the duke's estate? there's likely enough in the story to raise the ire of those who thin unkindly of men who "get in the panties" of the fairer sex and the portrayal of the moneyed isn't always sterling and jade and in a "war" story there's not a lot of women at the front...though this story is surely behind the lines...but if wouldn't enjoy a war story with historical connotations why in the hell would you read this anyway?
May 19, 2024
The story becomes more complex
Cletus Frade is still involved with the OSS as he suffers from a severe personal loss. The perfidy of the Germans is immediately apparent as he & his small band are working on finding out what the Germans plan to replace the submarine replenishment ship that they were able to sink.
The coup is obviously still going to take place, and Clete finds himself involved on several levels as he attempts to learn more about his new status in the Argentinian society. Just to make things that much more interesting, the small plane he has been working on getting as a replacement for the staggerwing Beech turns out to be different from his expectations.
As in the first book, the various characters find themselves in the position of having to make difficult decisions based on their own personal beliefs in what they feel is the most honorable choices.
Cletus Frade is still involved with the OSS as he suffers from a severe personal loss. The perfidy of the Germans is immediately apparent as he & his small band are working on finding out what the Germans plan to replace the submarine replenishment ship that they were able to sink.
The coup is obviously still going to take place, and Clete finds himself involved on several levels as he attempts to learn more about his new status in the Argentinian society. Just to make things that much more interesting, the small plane he has been working on getting as a replacement for the staggerwing Beech turns out to be different from his expectations.
As in the first book, the various characters find themselves in the position of having to make difficult decisions based on their own personal beliefs in what they feel is the most honorable choices.
March 19, 2024
Overall the author is very detailed in describing what is happening and providing footnotes to explain some of the terminology. It took a while to get to a point where I was engaged in the story. A family member who had read the first book said that since I didn’t read the first book, that might be why it wasn’t engaging at first. By the time it was getting to the climax of the story, it was over. I just felt the author got tired of writing and concluded the book to just finish because he didn’t want to get to 800 pages. But if you like WWII novels, you will probably enjoy this one. It is based on some facts.
January 5, 2020
This book is a 26 hour sequel to Honor Bound. Our hero is Major Cletus Howell Frade, USMCR, who becomes engaged to an Argentine woman during 1943, sees the country through it's revolution and becomes a hero of the OSS. WEB Griffin writes a great story that takes forever to get rolling. I had a little trouble keeping up with all of the characters--there are many. The book is written in typical Griffin style--you know when there's a piece of paper involved, the character is going to read it...all of it!
June 12, 2025
Absolute slog of a book. Way too long. Way too many characters. Way, way too many conversations between characters that don't matter. Only one major plot point happens in the first 450 pages. Then a few more things happen, then it ends. It's military soap opera. Not recommended if you like books where things happen.
May 15, 2022
After Cletus Frade's father is assassinated by german Gestapo Agents, his son Cletus inherits his father's vast wealth. His mission now changed and with the new mission comes both opportunity and danger.
June 10, 2017
Interesting plot based on WWII history, and setting in Argentina. A man's book with lots of machismo. I gotta keep reading the series, though to see what happens with the characters.
July 12, 2017
As always, WEB Griffin writes a great story that takes forever to get rolling. It's definitely worth suffering through spelling out BIS, FBI, SS, SD, etc for the first 150+ pages, though.
November 7, 2017
I enjoyed it
I like and enjoy Griffin's style. Being a Marine I liked The Corps series the best, but the series on the Army was very good
I like and enjoy Griffin's style. Being a Marine I liked The Corps series the best, but the series on the Army was very good
August 11, 2018
Another page turner. Read first in the series before reading this one.
November 15, 2018
I enjoyed the book, I really enjoy W.E.B. Griffins writing style and I will continue to enjoy his books. For those that do not like his style I would suggest reading something else.
January 22, 2020
Typical Griffin fare. However, it felt as if the first half was written by someone different than the last half.
December 20, 2021
Interesting story with complex plot that will keep you hooked. I will continue with the series.
Read
June 12, 2022excellent like web griffin's books immensely
October 30, 2025
queria poner 4 estrellas pero me gustó y entretuvo mucho más que otros libros a los que le puse 4 estrellas tmb.
March 8, 2017
good in places but some areas fo the story wound up quickly where others were long and drawn out or were retellings of past stories
October 13, 2014
This was a very interesting book-- even if the Presidential Agent series is simply a rehash of this World War II series set in a modern era. I learned some things about Argentina as I read this one. I was drawn into the Argentine customs as well as the description of the 1943 military coup that took place.
With that said.. Griffin's books are just a bit overkill in two areas. The characterization is rich, but the characters here are just too similar to those in the Presidential Agent series. At times, the reader is bogged down in the emotional upheaval going on in the hero's life. Then, the logistics, at times quite interesting, at times, little more than a burden for the reader to wade through. The author forces us to wade through conversation after conversation, where tons of people pretend not to know that our hero is working for the OSS and where the OSS officer, disregards the normal chain of command to do things his own way.
If Griffin was in the military, he must have served under a number of obnoxious officers and had a deep fantasy that the obnoxious superior would be chewed out and put in his place by someone further up the chain of command. This appears to occur in one way or another in nearly every book.
Griffin's books have one major flaw.. they are just way, way, way, too long.
With that said.. Griffin's books are just a bit overkill in two areas. The characterization is rich, but the characters here are just too similar to those in the Presidential Agent series. At times, the reader is bogged down in the emotional upheaval going on in the hero's life. Then, the logistics, at times quite interesting, at times, little more than a burden for the reader to wade through. The author forces us to wade through conversation after conversation, where tons of people pretend not to know that our hero is working for the OSS and where the OSS officer, disregards the normal chain of command to do things his own way.
If Griffin was in the military, he must have served under a number of obnoxious officers and had a deep fantasy that the obnoxious superior would be chewed out and put in his place by someone further up the chain of command. This appears to occur in one way or another in nearly every book.
Griffin's books have one major flaw.. they are just way, way, way, too long.
June 13, 2013
Intro to Argentine Frades and the Nazi Ranson of Jews. Sensing a coup d'etat, the Germans assassinate Jorge Frade, the leader of the revolutionaries on his ranch. His son Cletus, who has recently returned to Argentina from the Pacific front, immediately smells Nazi complicity and begins pulling the strings to discover a secret Nazi cash program where concentration camp Jews pay ransom for freedom. The ransom cash is to be invested in Argentina for when the Nazis must surrender and go into hiding following the war. Clete is rallied to smuggle a plane and OSS radar team into Argentina from Brazil while he simultaneously learns his hottie hookup Dorotea is pregnant and must marry her promptly. Upon arrival in Brazil, Clete learns the plane is a large transport and he somehow flies it back to Estancia only to find the Nazis have replaced the submarine replenishment ship in Argentine coastal waters and he must find time to thwart that while supporting the Argentine revolution, when he flies the army commander Rawson in a Piper Cub to observe troop movements and relay orders. Using critical intel from his bud Peter von Wachstein, he foils the Nazi offload plan while Enrico exacts revenge on Goltz.
May 26, 2009
To be fair I got this book by being 1/3 of three friends who pass their books along to each other. The other two are guys (a retired doctor and lawyer) who have IQ's through the stratophere ( I don't), are Veterans (I'm not), and read a lot of war and spy novels (I only read the ones they give me). They both obviously loved this book more than I did. I enjoyed it; they both raved about it. So I would conclude this is not only guy-lit but smart-guy lit, so if you are a guy take anything positive I say and double it. I enjoyed the WWII Argentine setting, because Argentina generally leaned toward the Nazi's and didn't see the US agents as the good guys, which makes this story very different from most US or British WWII dramas. Since the author was meticulous in detail, I felt the book didn't move fast enough for my taste, but the guys liked how there were no loose ends and nothing was slid over. I did not read the other books in the series, but it probably would have been a good idea to read them in order. This was kind of a bridge book and definitely seemed to lead to Volume 3 (or 4, or 5, or whatever) to get the rest of the story.
October 11, 2023
I read the first of the series and really enjoyed this one. Griffin characterizes his cast better than most of his peers, which is refreshing change than just being a book with only plot.
The plot itself is better than its predecessor. It has an interesting bit about what is on the resupply vessel, so it’s not just a complete rehash of the prior entry.
Another thing I appreciate in this book are the stakes. They’re not trying to win the war in one battle, but their decisions impact lives, even of those who are key characters. There’s great suspense when actions have consequences, and this book does a great job at that.
The plot itself is better than its predecessor. It has an interesting bit about what is on the resupply vessel, so it’s not just a complete rehash of the prior entry.
Another thing I appreciate in this book are the stakes. They’re not trying to win the war in one battle, but their decisions impact lives, even of those who are key characters. There’s great suspense when actions have consequences, and this book does a great job at that.
September 10, 2011
I really liked this book in spite of the I guess you could say the hotbloodedness of the hero's fiancee. Also I had to wonder if drinking as much as the characters' did is realistic. Since no one in our family drinks I'm not too up on the subject.
But those objections are rather trivial. The story was quite interesting and kept my interest throughout. I guess the proof of whether I liked it or not is that I'm anxious to read the next book.
But those objections are rather trivial. The story was quite interesting and kept my interest throughout. I guess the proof of whether I liked it or not is that I'm anxious to read the next book.
December 18, 2013
This was my first book by this author. I liked Tom Clancy writing so this was a very good read. I had trouble keeping up with all of the characters and ridiculously long full names and titles. There is not much suspense as history tells who won the war. The book is based in USA, Germany and Argentina involved in Coup D'Etat at the time of World War II For 700 odd pages it was too long and repetitive at times with too much description. I may read his writing in the future.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews