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Jim Hollister #1
Long Range Patrol
"Thre are few novels about Vietnam, or any other war for that matter, that you can hand to someone and say, this is the way it was, this is what we were. Dennis Foley has written such a book."
CHRIS BUNCH AND ALLAN COLE
Authors of A RECKONING FOR KINGS
In 1965, Lieutenant Jim Hollister become one of the first platoon leaders helping to develop the support skills that would make LRRPs a legend of the war. Hollister quickly became an expert at judging the abilities and weaknesses of his men--men who became closer than brothers, men who fought for one another in a brutal, merciless jungle war where one small mistake could mean sudden death for everyone....
From the Paperback edition.
CHRIS BUNCH AND ALLAN COLE
Authors of A RECKONING FOR KINGS
In 1965, Lieutenant Jim Hollister become one of the first platoon leaders helping to develop the support skills that would make LRRPs a legend of the war. Hollister quickly became an expert at judging the abilities and weaknesses of his men--men who became closer than brothers, men who fought for one another in a brutal, merciless jungle war where one small mistake could mean sudden death for everyone....
From the Paperback edition.
496 pages, Paperback
First published June 9, 1992
243 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
About the author
Dennis Foley
14 books19 followersDennis Foley retired from the Army after several tours in Southeast Asia. He served as a Long Range Patrol Detachment commander, an Airborne Infantry company commander, a Ranger company commander, and a Special Forces “A” Detachment commander. After the Army he started working in Hollywood as an television writer. In addition to his novels, he has written and produced for television and film. He lives in Whitefish, Montana.
Dennis holds an MFA in Writing from Vermont College and is a member of the Writers Guild of America and the Authors Guild.
Dennis holds an MFA in Writing from Vermont College and is a member of the Writers Guild of America and the Authors Guild.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 21, 2017
The main character in this book is a US army long range patrol platoon leader in Vietnam. Everything in the book is told from the perspective of the main character, including his assessments of the troops he’s serving with and their missions. Every man in his platoon has volunteered for their dangerous assignments behind enemy lines. The book is about how the lieutenant learns to be a better leader of his men, how he learns to maintain their morale, and how he deals with the politics of an enormous army bureaucracy while staying focused on his work.
I particularly enjoyed this book because during the 80’s I went through the exact same training in the Australian army for long range patrol and reconnaissance. This book brought back all the officer training in field craft and “man management”. It was vivid and realistic. At times the chapters felt like descriptions of training scenarios that made me stop to think “what would I do?”
However, I’m not saying it’s a dry army memoir. It’s an exciting novel. It’s got action and suspense. It’s also got all the moral and ethical issues faced by junior officers who hold their men’s lives in their hands every day.
The author gets it right because he served as a platoon leader and eventually retired from service as a Lieutenant Colonel. The book reads so well because in addition to active service that earned him two Silver Stars and four Bronze Stars he’s also taught taught fiction writing at the UCLA Writer's Program for fifteen years and been a successful screen writer and producer.
This is one of the best Vietnam stories I’ve ever read. It’s one of the best novels I’ve ever read about young men going to war. I’m going to read the whole series.
I particularly enjoyed this book because during the 80’s I went through the exact same training in the Australian army for long range patrol and reconnaissance. This book brought back all the officer training in field craft and “man management”. It was vivid and realistic. At times the chapters felt like descriptions of training scenarios that made me stop to think “what would I do?”
However, I’m not saying it’s a dry army memoir. It’s an exciting novel. It’s got action and suspense. It’s also got all the moral and ethical issues faced by junior officers who hold their men’s lives in their hands every day.
The author gets it right because he served as a platoon leader and eventually retired from service as a Lieutenant Colonel. The book reads so well because in addition to active service that earned him two Silver Stars and four Bronze Stars he’s also taught taught fiction writing at the UCLA Writer's Program for fifteen years and been a successful screen writer and producer.
This is one of the best Vietnam stories I’ve ever read. It’s one of the best novels I’ve ever read about young men going to war. I’m going to read the whole series.
January 25, 2012
Dennis Foley does a great job with the vivid writing in the fictional work of the brave men who forged a bold new type of teams that gave many victories in a war that was not well supported or excuted.
Each of the characters are well liked and understood. The battle scenes are well written that you feel like you are in the jungles of Vietnam right along the troops.
A very well written book.
Each of the characters are well liked and understood. The battle scenes are well written that you feel like you are in the jungles of Vietnam right along the troops.
A very well written book.
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January 22, 2024Story of a Forgotten Era
I liked the realistic description of conditions in Vietnam, the comeraderie, the political machinations of 1960s warfare in Southeast Asia. Many accounts I've read try to sugarcoat these aspects of Americas I'll founded misadventure there. Riley's version crafting managed to catch the tone correctly, giving credence to the idea I have heard many times that a majority of US service members who spent time there viewed it as a positive experience.
I liked the realistic description of conditions in Vietnam, the comeraderie, the political machinations of 1960s warfare in Southeast Asia. Many accounts I've read try to sugarcoat these aspects of Americas I'll founded misadventure there. Riley's version crafting managed to catch the tone correctly, giving credence to the idea I have heard many times that a majority of US service members who spent time there viewed it as a positive experience.
Read
July 16, 2024Outstanding! If you love a soldier, read this.
Excellent wordsmith. As you read, keep in mind that this novel must be a graphic reflection of the author's own experiences. Toward the end, I was reminded again why I resigned my commission after ten years. Love me a soldier, despise "Big Army" and all the self-centered pukes who are no more than scheming politicians in a uniform. If you are/were a good troop, this book is for you.
Excellent wordsmith. As you read, keep in mind that this novel must be a graphic reflection of the author's own experiences. Toward the end, I was reminded again why I resigned my commission after ten years. Love me a soldier, despise "Big Army" and all the self-centered pukes who are no more than scheming politicians in a uniform. If you are/were a good troop, this book is for you.
June 22, 2017
The first book in a trilogy written by a former company commander who served multiple tours in Vietnam. It is a well written and eye opening book about the war. This book is written from the perspective of a lieutenant who leads long range patrols. The intricate planning that went into a patrol was very interesting and informative.
July 15, 2024
Smells Right
Whether one was a “boonie troop” or a “REMF”, this gritty novel hit the right notes every time for those who were in-country in those terrible years. The author didn’t bother to stop the flow of the story by pausing to explain the slang or the acronyms, because you either get it or you don’t. Look it up in the glossary FNG!
Whether one was a “boonie troop” or a “REMF”, this gritty novel hit the right notes every time for those who were in-country in those terrible years. The author didn’t bother to stop the flow of the story by pausing to explain the slang or the acronyms, because you either get it or you don’t. Look it up in the glossary FNG!
December 10, 2017
Liked it
The book seemed real. I was airborne in Viet Nam. I saw a couple of guys I was in jump school with who were lrps. We were all in awe of them. The description of the brigade reads like mine 173rd Airborne brigade.
The book seemed real. I was airborne in Viet Nam. I saw a couple of guys I was in jump school with who were lrps. We were all in awe of them. The description of the brigade reads like mine 173rd Airborne brigade.
September 29, 2024
Awesome
I have read a great many autobiographical Vietnam stories. This one is fiction but it seems incredibly realistic, including the combat side, the emotional side and the politics of stupid Army decision making...
I have read a great many autobiographical Vietnam stories. This one is fiction but it seems incredibly realistic, including the combat side, the emotional side and the politics of stupid Army decision making...
November 9, 2024
Great Read!
This book truly captures the reality of Vietnam in the mid-sixties through the eyes of a young LRP lieutenant. The story is fiction but real and totally credible. One of the best Vietnam stories I’ve read.
This book truly captures the reality of Vietnam in the mid-sixties through the eyes of a young LRP lieutenant. The story is fiction but real and totally credible. One of the best Vietnam stories I’ve read.
January 11, 2025
Great book from start to finish.a good friend of mine was an LRP during Nam. This book accurately describes what he told me. Great writing keep’s you reading this book
Looking forward to the next book in this story. Actually very interesting and realistic book
Looking forward to the next book in this story. Actually very interesting and realistic book
September 3, 2017
Too hard to follow. Stopped.
February 4, 2023
Good book about Vietnam. Good character development and good dialog.
July 25, 2023
Well done and .......................thank you for your service!
November 6, 2023
Great Read
Put you in the field and in the mind of a Lt. in a combat unit in Vietnam. Well written.
Put you in the field and in the mind of a Lt. in a combat unit in Vietnam. Well written.
February 24, 2024
Decent book. Experience is what made this author.
September 5, 2024
well researched
This book provides an excellent insight into a second Lieutenant in Vietnam and the politics of dealing with the army and the Vietnamese
This book provides an excellent insight into a second Lieutenant in Vietnam and the politics of dealing with the army and the Vietnamese
September 8, 2025
good book on war
Sometime too much detail but 99% great
This book was very well written about Vietnam and the things that happen well worth reading
Sometime too much detail but 99% great
This book was very well written about Vietnam and the things that happen well worth reading
July 13, 2014
A lot more truth than fiction!
I served with Company N Rangers 173RD Airborne brigade in 69' and 70'. I could tell that this story was based on a time much earlier. It some how seemed like it was much more complicated to get a team into the field and much noisier than when I was there. There are terms used like TOC (Tactical operation center) that weren't used in the book and many more that I can't recall, and why take a C&C chopper along on an insert? We also took no officers to the field with us as a general rule. All in All this was a great book that brought up many emotions I have not felt for years. I highly recommend this book and plan on purchasing the others in the trilogy.
I served with Company N Rangers 173RD Airborne brigade in 69' and 70'. I could tell that this story was based on a time much earlier. It some how seemed like it was much more complicated to get a team into the field and much noisier than when I was there. There are terms used like TOC (Tactical operation center) that weren't used in the book and many more that I can't recall, and why take a C&C chopper along on an insert? We also took no officers to the field with us as a general rule. All in All this was a great book that brought up many emotions I have not felt for years. I highly recommend this book and plan on purchasing the others in the trilogy.
February 27, 2012
Dennis Foley was a writer and producer on such iconic TV shows as Cagney & Lacey, China Beach, and MacGyver - he wrote the stunts for the latter show, always being careful to leave out an essential ingredient so the watchers at home couldn't build their own thermonuclear devices.
During a Hollywood writers strike, he turned to writing Vietnam novels, specifically about Long Range Recon Patrols based on his own experiences in SE Asia. His Vietnam novels have a gritty reality, and are infused with the ethical struggles of that period.
You'll feel like you're there in the jungle with these dangerous men.
During a Hollywood writers strike, he turned to writing Vietnam novels, specifically about Long Range Recon Patrols based on his own experiences in SE Asia. His Vietnam novels have a gritty reality, and are infused with the ethical struggles of that period.
You'll feel like you're there in the jungle with these dangerous men.
April 24, 2014
Extremely detailed and descriptive, this Vietnam War novel has to rank as one of the best fiction pieces created about the conflict. The characters are engaging and well drawn. Hollister, the young leader, is agonized over the corruption he sees in his allies, but is inspired by the men he serves with. The story is long but kept me reading willingly. Anyone interested in this polarizing conflict would enjoy this story.
December 15, 2016
This is a terrific novel and I was really surprised at how strong the writing was. Until the later part of the story there isn't a lot of first hand violence yet Foley does an excellent job of using the main character Jim Hollister to convey the emotional and psychological aspects of being a platoon leader.
December 31, 2015
Long range patrol
One of the best books about the Vietnam conflict I've read in quite some time. Tells it like it was and in ways that kept you aware of the turmoil in a soldiers mind in such a pitiful situation. I will try to see more of the series if it is as well written.
One of the best books about the Vietnam conflict I've read in quite some time. Tells it like it was and in ways that kept you aware of the turmoil in a soldiers mind in such a pitiful situation. I will try to see more of the series if it is as well written.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews