From Publishers Weekly
A Marine veteran of the Korean conflict, Brady (The Marines of Autumn) has stormed publishing high ground to become, arguably, our foremost novelist currently writing on the subject of Marines at war. Here, the distinguished columnist and author brings under close scrutiny the sorry disarray of the U.S. military during the two months (beginning November 27, 1941, and ending Jan. 27, 1942) just before and after the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor. Playing tennis by day with his friend, an American-born Japanese colonel, and by night enjoying posh clubs with his White Russian mistress, Marine Capt. Billy Port, a Back Bay Bostonian, sees his pampered life among the cosmopolitan set in exotic, Japanese-occupied Shanghai come to an abrupt halt on November 27, 1941, when FDR orders the complete evacuation of all Marines stationed in China under an official "warning of war." A decorated veteran of the 1920s Nicaraguan campaign, Port is given the task of taking a rifle squad of combat-seasoned Marines and rounding up a scattering of isolated detachments and leading them over the Great Wall and across the Gobi into icy Siberia. Taking his personal majordomo, a naval lieutenant, a French former Grand Prix race driver, and an exiled White Russian general, he loads four military trucks and his own Bentley touring car aboard a rusty Portuguese ship and sails north to rescue the isolated Marines, unaware that his Japanese tennis partner will become his relentless pursuer. Authentic atmospherics and crackling action are sure to keep fans turning the pages of this newest Brady combat thriller, which succeeds equally as entertainment, history and morality lesson. (Apr. 10)Forecast: The Marines of August was a New York Times bestseller, and Brady's latest looks likely to follow in its footsteps.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
In November 1941, U.S. marines were stationed in North China and fighting the Japanese well before the attack on Pearl Harbor. This novel tells the story of the days just before and shortly after the "official" fighting began. Capt. William Port, 4th Marines, is stationed in Shanghai, a city wracked by poverty, corruption, and intrigue, as the Japanese army looms on the horizon. Wealthy and educated, he is comfortable with his White Russian girlfriend, Natasha. While some members of his regiment are ordered to the Philippines and to the subsequent horrors of Bataan and Corregidor, Port is left behind with a small group of marines whose task is to rescue American missionaries trapped in the far reaches of the Gobi Desert. Port's trek through the desert constitutes the heart of this story of adventure, conflict, heroism, and tragedy. A former marine and magazine publisher, Brady (Marines of Autumn, The Coldest War) offers a fascinating tale of a virtually forgotten time and place. For all general collections. Robert Conroy, Warren, MI
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Brady, a decorated Marine veteran of the Korean War, has written another exciting novel focusing on his beloved corps. On the eve of Pearl Harbor, a thousand U.S. Marines maintain a shaky truce in an isolated region of northern China. After Pearl Harbor, the Marines are cut off and at the mercy of advancing Japanese forces, led by a fanatical officer. Thus begins a riveting rescue story as an equally relentless Marine captain strives to save his comrades. This thriller has a little bit of everything, including exotic settings, murderous warlords, enigmatic villains, and a breakneck narrative that bounds smoothly and credibly from one exploit to another. Readers who like adventure combined with a realistic portrayal of men in war will find great enjoyment here. Jay Freeman
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Review
"This is a real page-turner, equally thrilling as history, entertainment and a morality lesson." --Liz Smith
About the Author
James Brady was a baby-faced marine commanding a combat platoon during the Korean War. He captured these experiences in his highly praised memoir The Coldest War and the New York Times bestselling novel The Marines of Autumn. His weekly columns for Advertising Age and Parade magazines were considered must-reads by millions. He lived in Manhattan and in East Hampton, New York.
