Matterhorn

A Novel of the Vietnam War

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.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“ 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)

Unique, Fascinating

Would you listen to Matterhorn again? Why?

Yes, while fictional, I can't help but think this bears a clear parallel to the author's real life experiences, and that warrants the attention and understanding of everyone who did not have to suffer through it.

What other book might you compare Matterhorn to and why?

The only thing I can compare to is Michael Shaara's The Killer Angels, in terms of fictional depiction of what we believe is true in these wars. While Shaaras' novel is distant and noble, Marlantes' story is intimate and gritty, and clearly bears the pain of personal experience.

Fantastic Narrator and Riveting Story

The narrator did an amazing job giving each of the many characters a unique voice.

great book

it was a great book, I was hoping it would never end it never a dull moment

Well written, well read, interesting, and accurate

Firstly, I was not in Vietnam during the war but I have been there several times. I will let the men who have written prior reviews attest to the accuracy. My take on the book: It is not a book written to entertain folks who like combat stories although it is a great story. For me, it was a window into a place and time that few have experienced and less will talk about. I have many friends and colleagues who, unlike me, did serve in Vietnam. Few talk about it, much less than in the detail found here. The book is extremely well written, I learned a lot from it and it is infinitely sad. I listened to the Audible version which was one of the best narrations in the Audible collection. This is not a political book. It is about the soldiers and the battles they fought. In short, it is well written, well read, interesting, and accurate. Thank you for writing and sharing this book.

Powerful

A moving and powerful book on Vietnam. It took Marlantes 30 years to write but reading it brought back Vietnam in vivid detail. Destined to become a classic.