Matterhorn

A Novel of the Vietnam War

By: Karl Marlantes

Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot

Length: 21 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

An incredible publishing story—written over the course of thirty years by a highly decorated Vietnam veteran, a New York Times bestseller for sixteen weeks, a National Indie Next, and a USA Today bestseller—Matterhorn has been hailed as a "brilliant account of war" (New York Times Book Review).

Matterhorn is an epic war novel in the tradition of Norman Mailer's The Naked and the Dead and James Jones' The Thin Red Line. It is the timeless story of a young marine lieutenant, Waino Mellas, and his comrades in Bravo Company, who are dropped into the mountain jungle of Vietnam as boys and forced to fight their way into manhood. Standing in their way are not merely the North Vietnamese but also monsoon rain and mud, leeches and tigers, disease and malnutrition. Almost as daunting, it turns out, are the obstacles they discover between each other: racial tension, competing ambitions, and duplicitous superior officers. But when the company finds itself surrounded and outnumbered by a massive enemy regiment, the marines are thrust into the raw and all-consuming terror of combat. The experience will change them forever.

Matterhorn is a visceral and spellbinding novel about what it is like to be a young man at war. It is an unforgettable story that transforms the tragedy of Vietnam into a powerful and universal story of courage, camaraderie, and sacrifice—a parable not only of the war in Vietnam but of all war, and a testament to the redemptive power of literature.

A bonus PDF is included, with maps, a Chain of Command hierarchy, a glossary, and other interesting facts and information.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2010 Karl Marlantes (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“ Matterhorn is one of the most powerful and moving novels about combat, the Vietnam War, and war in general that I have ever read.” (Dan Rather)

“Brings a long, torturous war back to life with realistic characters and authentic, thrilling combat sequences.” ( Publishers Weekly)

“Unforgettable.… A beautifully crafted novel of unrivaled authenticity and power, filled with jungle heroism, crackerjack inventiveness, mud, blood, brotherhood, hatred, healing, terror, bureaucracy, politics, unfathomable waste, and unfathomable love." (Christina Robb, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist)

Spectacular!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. An unvarnished and authentic view of combat in Vietnam

Who was your favorite character and why?

Lt. Meliss

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Yes. I was amazed at the emotional pull. It made me cry in anguish for what these men went through.

Any additional comments?

I'm ashamed of my fellow countrymen for the treatment Vietnam veterans received when returning home. I am disgusted by Jane Fonda and those that defended the North Vietnamese.

Intense and immersive story

I've read just a little about the Vietnam war but wanted to learn more about the ordinary experience of front line soldiers. This book is anything but ordinary, and I think it does a great job of creating this odd alternative universe where kids are plucked from small towns and ghettos and dropped into a completely alien world. It's difficult to listen to at times but the connection you feel to these young men is strong. They're us, but better. They're like you and me but they're stuck in a hopeless hell where up is now down and death is a foregone conclusion.

It's not a perfect book but I wanted this perspective of a war we don't discuss. This book brings that and more. Also suggested: Hue1968, The Things they carried. I'm looking forward to watching the new documentary by Burns as well.

“AUDIBLE 20 REVIEW SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY”

Great Read. U R Deep into the bush, mud, & blood

I loved this book. Riveting. I could not stop listening. It is gritty and tough and will take you down into the mud and the blood. The language is raw but feels realistic.

The excursion into race relations was a bit longer than welcome but does not take away from the book's impact.

The book follows a young lieutenant as he arrives to Vietnam and begins to experience leadership and the bush. I loved the way his training came into play as various situations unfolded.

Narration was very effective and deserved the "narrator of the year" award.

Wow!

As a military vet and as a person who understands the dog of war and the human as a being, this book is in my top 3...

Well worth the time and money (credit)!!

Language (lots of the "f" word) takes some getting used to but I'm sure it was that way. But, the story, the humanity, the perspective of the main character are all so well done that, aside from my fear that I would involuntarily say "pass the f.....ing milk" at breakfast one day, I was enthralled. Great listen. And Balki was excellent. I hope he reads more.

One Narrator, Many Voices

This was an excellent book. The word images took me to the jungle. The story brought me back to a world time I thought I had forgotten. Mr. Pinchot made each character unique. The combination made it difficult to turn off the story and return to "the world."

There are heroes and foils, ordinary men, extraordinary characters, low life's. You will meet them all in this book. You will be with them as they face insurmountable challenges, face their defeats and move you back into the mists of Vietnam Nam.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS BOOK!

The narrator really pulls you into this book! Loved everything about it. Sorry not a good review writer. Just wanted to say LOVED IT!

A good novel from a dark time in history

This was a captivating story from a troubled time in American history. the author did a good job making you feel the misery of war. it showed the troubled times of ratial problems. It also showed the way that the United States military tried to fight a war with very little leadership. it gave me an idea of what changed the friend's I had that came back from Vietnam as different people. I enjoyed the narrator a lot. His reading brought humour to the book.

RAW

An awakening of the desperation, power, hopelessness and hope of the Vietnam War. I understand why our soldiers were broken when they returned!

Amazing storytelling of Vietnam experience

The narrator was superb in his rendering of each characters perspective. Loved the focus on each person’s outlook in the moment, struggling with “office politics,” and bonding in a dynamic environment. Appreciate how the story was apolitical while also conveying the social strife happening in the States affected grunts in the field of battle.