Up Country

By: Nelson DeMille

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 28 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

This production features a special audio introduction by Nelson DeMille.

There is a name carved into the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C., of an American army lieutenant whose death is shrouded in mystery. The authorities have reason to believe that he was not killed by the enemy or by friendly fire; they suspect he was murdered.

At first, Paul Brenner, himself a Vietnam vet, isn't interested in investigating the case. After his forced retirement from the army's Criminal Investigation Division, he has adapted to the life of a civilian with a comfortable pension. Then his old boss, Karl Hellmann, summons him to the Vietnam Memorial to call in a career's worth of favors.

Hellmann tells Brenner of the circumstances surrounding the officer's death, and gives him this much to go on: The incident happened over three decades ago in Vietnam; the only evidence is a recently discovered letter written by an enemy soldier describing an act of shocking violence.

Brenner's assignment: return to Vietnam and find the witness.

Reluctantly, Brenner begins a strange journey that unearths his own painful memories of Vietnam and leads him down a trail as dangerous as the ones he walked a lifetime ago as a young infantryman. From sultry, sinful Saigon, where he meets beautiful American expatriate Susan Weber, to the remote, forbidding wilderness of up-country Vietnam, he will follow a trail of lies, betrayal, and murder...and uncover an explosive, long-buried secret.

©2002 by Nelson DeMille, Alll Rights Reserved (P)2002 by Time Warner AudioBooks, a Division of the AOL Time Warner Book Group

Critic reviews

"A profound exploration of...war, justice, and...the human heart." (Lisa Scottoline, author of Moment of Truth)
"Finely drawn characters, wickedly crisp dialogue, and brilliant twists...Nelson DeMille [is] the master storyteller of our times." (Linda Fairstein, author of The Deadhouse)

A long read but enjoyable

For those of us who served in Vietnam or as travelers, the story was well done. Narrator was clear and although stuck on himself, he added lots of color and drama. Having been to many of the cities and villages in both North and South Vietnam I followed the roads, trails and sites. Characters were well developed and the story was a good mix of crime and romance. Long yes and I may have nodded off now and again but I enjoyed it.

Just a perfect DeMille novel.

Just a perfect DeMille novel. Clever, warm, thrilling, and funny. Fabulous characters. Excellent arc. 5 stars across the board.

The Best!

I've recently become a huge fan of Nelson Demille, and this is by far the best ever. As long as it was, I didn't want it to end! As a Vietnam vet, I can vouch for his completely accurate depictions of the times, and it's easily the most compelling I've ever read on the subject. The plot also keeps you guessing until the end.

should have been written as non-fiction

Two thirds through with the story and I think DeMille could have just written it as his memoirs and skipped Susan and the "mystery". His Viet Nam scene descriptions make a powerful story on their own and didn't need the extra filler to make is sound like fiction...actually that just distracted from his war experiences. This book and others similar to it about Viet Nam should be required reading by all.

Great!

I loved this book and have listened to it over and over. I learned a lot about Vietnam and thought it was great the way the plot was interwoven with the fascinating information about the war and the country. The plot had some twists and surprises which kept things interesting.

Great story!

Suspenseful, edge of seat story of post war Vietnam. Soldier reliving his battles and demons intertwined with a view of the countryside and a dramatic tale.

Should have been labeled "Documentary"

Would you try another book from Nelson DeMille and/or Scott Brick?

Yes

What could Nelson DeMille have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Whoa, this one was about 10 hrs too long. If I had wanted a Vietnam documentary, I would have gone elsewhere. I kept waiting for the denouement - Paul Brenner meeting the mystery man (witness to a wartime murder) in Vietnam - and instead we waded through his budding romance, his wartime experiences, and it took about 20 more hours to get there. It was tedious, exasperating, and I almost called it quits several times. The ending, when we finally got there, was disappointing to say the least.

What didn’t you like about Scott Brick’s performance?

The indignation and snippiness in his voice got very tedious to listen to, hour after hour.

Do you think Up Country needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No way

Any additional comments?

I've read and listened to many, many Nelson DeMille books, so I didn't hesitate when I found one I hadn't read yet. But I'm sorry to say, this one was a dog for me. The others I loved.

Great Mystery/History Mash-up.

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

This book is a fun listen. The narrator does a great job, and doesn't over-do the accents or voice changes for gender which sometimes gets too over the top. Scott Brick is top notch.

What other book might you compare Up Country to and why?

This book was out of my comfort zone as historical fiction/mystery. I learned quite a bit about the Vietnam War, which was informative and interesting paired along with the fictitious mystery plot.

Which character – as performed by Scott Brick – was your favorite?

The main character, Paul, is smart, charming, quick, and hilarious.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

If this book were to become a film the tagline might read, "Mystery, Romance, and Shadows of a war that extend from Vietnam to the USA."

Any additional comments?

A fun listen and many hours of entertainment. Well worth the money and time!

Another GREAT DeMille!!

Up Country (unabridged) is one of the Best Reads/Listens that I have experienced. Scott Brig does a wonderful job of naration.

Having been too young to be a part of the Viet Nam war, Demille in his writing puts me there as if I was a combatant in the Tet offensive..

While the story does have a few slow sections I find myself looking for excuses to stay in the car for the entire 28 hours...

Superb!!!

Wow, what a great book. As always, Scott Brick provided excellent narration. The amount of research about the Vietnam war that must have gone into this book was astonishing. Highly recommended. I was in suspense until the very end.