Mark Berent

Mark Berent's book, Rolling Thunder not only tells a war story, but educates readers who are not familiar with the terminology and routines of pilots during the Vietnam War. I learned a lot and thoroughly enjoyed this story in which the author follows the adventures of three strangers, soldiers who cross paths on several occasions during their tours and eventually become friends: An Air Force captain and fighter pilot, an Air Force administrative lieutenant and an Army Special Forces Major. show more Their lives become intertwined in the story - at one time, all three are fighting for their lives in the same battle against an overwhelming enemy, but in different roles. It is early in the war and the military is fighting with their hands tied behind their back, the White House (the president and aides / civilians) are calling the shots: picking targets, identifying others that are strictly off limits and choose not to consider or approving targets recommended by the military. After all, The United States Government is afraid of drawing China and Russia into the conflict, thereby, taking a rather conservative stance in the war, angering those who take on the missions, placing themselves in harms way.

Each story line is filled with adventure and hold your breath suspense. The Lieutenant's character surprises me the most. seemingly having all the ups and downs during his tour. He falls in love with a local girl, then one night on the streets of Saigon, she saves him from the clutches of the VC. He sees her again several weeks later, but only as a witness to her murder when the base perimeter is attacked and breached by the enemy. He has it in his blood to fly...he experiences terror in the cockpit...he becomes a hero!

Court Bannester, fighter pilot, is the son of a famous movie star...he has much to prove to his peers in Vietnam who think he got to where he is because of his father's influence. It doesn't take long to prove his worth! However, on one of his first missions, Courts' wing man is killed because of pilot error. The pilot's father, a general at the Pentagon, and Courts current commanding officer both blame the Captain for his wing-man's death. The father, eventually goes so far as to get Court transferred from his current job of flying support for infantry units in the Delta and III Corps to bombing runs in North Vietnam - the most contested airspace of the war, losing an average of five planes / pilots per week.

The Green Beret is a fighting machine and appears to return from the dead - twice during the story. Wolf is a skilled warrior, leading teams to find and rescue downed pilots before the enemy can take him prisoner. However, his tour ends before he is able to complete some unfinished business. The major is set-up by a double agent on his last mission...both survived and both seek revenge upon the other. I'm certain that all three stories will continue in Mr. Berent's next book when the three military officers return to Vietnam for a second tour.

A most enjoyable read and highly recommended to all. Great job Mark! Welcome Home Brother!

John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel
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I didn't even make it to the first 100 pages. It was dull. Boring. Bland. I've read plenty of Vietnam books that were gripping, immediately, engaging, enthralling. This was none of that. There was one short piece of action, but not much else. Additionally, the book opens with two first-year Air Force Academy cadets, Dominguez and Tanaka, who are mercilessly harassed/hazed by an upper classman just cause he's a dick. You think these guys are going to be the primary protagonists when the plot show more shifts to Vietnam several years later, but it seems to turn out that they're merely secondary characters. So why lead off the book with them? It's confusing. Maybe it's just cause I'm not an Air Force guy. Maybe it's cause I'm more of a grunt on the ground guy, or even a Special Forces guy. The grunts have to survive in hostile territory in fear and terror 24/7 while the Air Force guys fly an hour or so, drop a few bombs, fly back and have cocktails. Big damn deal. I guess I'm jaded because I know the Air Force is important, especially these days, but I find more to enjoy reading an infantryman's book than an Air Force man's book, I guess. Whatever the case, I wasn't impressed with the writing, with the plotting, with the set up, with none of it and, especially as I didn't finish it, I'm afraid I can't recommend it. show less

Maj. Court Bannister and Col. Wolf Lochert survive the 1968 Tet offensive to become the bravest and the best. Then they are asked to set up the defense of Eagle Station, a radar post in northern Laos. Their task becomes complicated by politics at home, treachery in the field, and massive drug traffi

A Walk in the Park...I'm not able to add much more than what has already been written about Mark's short story. I found it amusing that he wore his flight suit and didn't carry much more than an M-16 and a couple of canteens of water. The hump kicked his ass. Just think what would have happened if he carried 80 lbs. on his back and did this everyday for almost a year. Still, I enjoyed it and will have to look into his other works