Spring 1952. The Korean War: the second year. Peace talks have started and stalled. The battlefront is unstable and active. Fierce fighting continues between UN and communist forces for tiny pieces of ground in strategic locations along possible attack routes for the massive armies if, and when, they decide to start up again. A U.S. Army rifle company is in reserve licking its wounds after a near-devastating defeat at Iron Mountain. It must get well and prepare for further effort against unremitting pressure from the Chinese Volunteers. Even in this recovery mode there is some down time available, during which the occasionally profound, often lunatic, aspects of infantry life spark up and are played out. A five-day rest period in Japan for the only two officers of the company scores some pleasant relaxation on the shores of Lake Hakone. But it also ends up in a murder in a Tokyo alley. The following army investigation leads back to Korea where the company is fighting for its life in a three part battle on Monastery Ridge which ultimately affects, in different ways, the company's principal players.

Dave and his buddies are on their way home from the war. They look forward to civilian life, but have reservations. How will they be treated? Will they be accepted? Upon landing, they are greeted by protesters who are very antagonistic to them because they are soldiers. Each goes his own way with experiences both good and bad. Their reintegration back into civilian life proves to be anything but easy, each one facing similar obstacles. It proves to be a long process, one that not everyone can overcome. Dave drives cross-country to get home and ends up with a companion he didn't expect. Pete wonders if his parents will accept him now that he is crippled and has to walk with crutches. Joe goes with Pete and tries to encourage him, all the while wondering what his homecoming will be like. All three have memories and nightmares to deal with. How well will they succeed? This book is about the heroes, and victims, of the horrific situations forced upon them and the results of how they deal with them. Their characters are fiction but their flashbacks are real, and each one has a tremendous price to pay for their service.

If you like military humor, you will enjoy reading about the antics of bored but resourceful sailors all but stranded on an obscure South Pacific island with no means of recreation except for what they invented on their own-an illegal still, a hidden saloon and bordello. A deal made with the boss of the island, Chief Omoka, a rascal in his own right, assures the secrecy of the endeavor. We see a final resolution to the long, lingering feud between the ship's captain, Commander Hewett, and his superior, Admiral Crabbett, who for years played one-upmanship games with his junior officer. And you will be kept guessing what the main character, the Kushmaker, is up to. He's a specialist who dupes the entire navy staff with his secret invention that is intended to astound the officials and dignitaries by its uniqueness. Anyone with a humorous outlook and who enjoys leisurely reading will surely enjoy this book.

Don Quix loves taking risks. When Don is caught AWOL with buddy Ken Jackson, his dreams of flying are shattered, but he still manages to become a sergeant radio truck operator in a fighter control squadron. Ken is sent to a demolition unit. During a baseball game in a French forest, Don narrowly escapes a sniper's bullet. In Verviers, and Liege Belgium, he has daily encounters with buzz bombs but suffers only minor cuts dodging shrapnel. Using forged passes to visit a girlfriend; he freely roams restricted areas when similarly-daring soldiers are court-martialed. But Sergeant Quix's jauntiness is tempered by tragic loss. His reunion with Ken in Verviers is violently cut short. Another close friend, Technical Sergeant Stanley Firestone, dies in a V-1 attack while pulling a shift for a newly engaged radio man. Meanwhile, Don begins a torrid love affair with Denise Vervier, a beautiful Belgian seamstress far wiser than her 23 years. Denise's husband was sent to a forced labor camp four years ago and is presumed dead. When he unexpectedly returns, Don and Denise face the most difficult decision of their lives.

The great Empire of Ice - Chung Kuo - has finally been shaken after more than two centuries of peace enforced by brutal tyranny. The Minister of the Edict has been assassinated and the seven ruling T'ang struggle to maintain Stasis, even as their mile-high, continent-spanning cities descend into chaos. But the assassination was orchestrated by men close to the ruling powers; powerful merchants - Dispersionists - intent on Change, whose betrayal will lead them into the world-shattering War of the Two Directions.

Before the tragedy of the Civil War tore the United States in two, America was involved in another war, one that has not received nearly the attention it deserves. In fact, the Mexican-American War, 1846-1848, could arguably be called the training ground for the Civil War a little over a decade later.

Author Phillip K. Rose turns the spotlight on this important historical event in American history in Mexico Redux. Rose digs into the heart of this conflict and calls it the most significant war in American history. Through an eclectic mix of fact and fiction, he profiles some of the war's major and minor players, offering new ideas and concepts that challenge the current historical record.

Through the eyes of historical figures, the Mexican-American war comes to life. Santa Anna describes his tumultuous experiences at the Alamo and the Battle of Buena Vista while General Zachary Taylor discusses the Battle of Resaca de la Palma in chilling detail. Lesser known individuals, such as naval officer Robert Field Stockton and ordinary soldier Lew Wallace, also lend their voices to this historic drama.

Inventive and thoroughly researched, Mexico Redux provides an important addition to our understanding of the Mexican-American War.