Morning Star, Midnight Sun

The Early Guadalcanal-Solomons Campaign of World War II August–October 1942

By: Jeffrey R. Cox

Narrated by: Joe Barrett

Length: 20 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's Summary

Following the disastrous Java Sea campaign, the Allies went on the offensive in the Pacific in a desperate attempt to halt the Japanese forces that were rampaging across the region. With the conquest of Australia a very real possibility, the stakes were high. Their target: the Japanese-held Soloman Islands, in particular the southern island of Guadalcanal.

Hamstrung by arcane pre-war thinking and a bureaucratic mind-set, the US Navy had to adapt on the fly in order to compete with the mighty Imperial Japanese Navy, whose ingenuity and creativity thus far had fostered the creation of its Pacific empire. Starting with the amphibious assault on Savo Island, the campaign turned into an attritional struggle where the evenly matched foes sought to grind out a victory.

Following on from his hugely successful book Rising Sun, Falling Skies, Jeffrey R. Cox tells the gripping story of the first Allied offensive of the Pacific War, as they sought to prevent Japan from cutting off Australia and regaining dominance in the Pacific.

©2018 Jeffrey R. Cox (P)2018 Tantor

Very enjoyable popular history

This is a VERY 2018 popular history of the early Guadalcanal campaign. The only possible word for the style is 'snarky'. The text is full of side-snide comments that might strike some reader / listeners as unprofessional, and that occasionally cross from the editorial into the overly speculative. The upside -- and it's a very big upside -- is that most of 'em are funny and right on-point. They're comments that every serious student of the campaign must've said to themselves. There are minor errors of fact, but none of consequence, and the overall themes and complex decisions involved at every level are clearly outlined. The author is to be commended for being meticulous about putting names to the players on both sides; it's not 'three Wildcats shot down three Vals', it's John Smith in his Wildcat (describe action) shot down Takeo Nakajima's Val. It's a marker of genuine respect for the people at all levels who fought (mostly) bravely and (mostly) skillfully for their countries in this most difficult theater of WWII. Highly entertaining and educational, well written and read; the reader serves the voice of the author beautifully.

great narration great storytelling.

out of all the books I've read on the Guadalcanal campaign and there's been a few this was by far the most readable and interesting.

Both sides told

It was good to hear both sides of the history. Narrator had a good cadence and kept it interesting.

great detail, phenomenal story telling

I have gone through this book many times and I couldn't recommend it enough. Jeffery Cox does a phenomenal job of combining technical details, human story, and entertainment into this book. The last point needs clarification. I feel in this very technical book, the author does a great job having some fun blatancy with the crazyness that ensued in this important moment in history. I recommend listening to, and recommend listening to it multiple times.

My Fourth Book On Guadalcanal

My fourth book on Guadalcanal. Naturally, hard to put 6 months of battle in anything succinct. Cox does a good job and there are a number of things I learned. Unfortunately the narrator repeatedly made me cringe as he never got Japanese pronunciation correct. Other than that though I liked his style.
The book ends after the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands and therefore cuts out several significant naval and land engagements. I would have liked a bit more detail on the engagements but it's a huge topic he chose.

well done

Great narrative and well read, close you eyes and picture the battles. Not to be a background book but you must engage the authors words to get the most out of the narrative, it is fast paced and detailed.

Okay Sloppy research

Butch O'Hare was a Naval aviator. not Army!

Nothing earth shattering, reader was okay at best.

Try Richard B. Frank or James Hornfischer

Excellent Detailed History

Excellent detailed account of the Guadalcanal campaign at it's beginning. I have read other accounts but this one puts you there. Not just the battles but the decision making on both sides. Looking forward to reading the second volume and now will also seek out Mr. Cox's Java Sea Campaign tome.

Very good book

This book has a lot of detail for military history buffs. If you are looking for a story, this is probably not the book for you.

Left hanging

Did not take story to its conclusion. The book would have been much better if the author had told the complete story.

Brilliant account of Guadalcanal

The author has really done his homework. An excellent account of the US Marines on Guadalcanal and the many sea battles in the South Pacific. I am so impressed that he can name the personnel, both US and Japanese of these forces. I look forward to the next book,

Brilliant Book

Brilliantly written and excellently narrated. I really enjoyed listening to this history on the early stages of the Pacific War.

The book is well researched, but not dry, with a little dark humour; I really look forward to the next installment due out this year.