Watch on the Rhine

Legacy of the Aldenata

By: John Ringo, Tom Kratman

Narrated by: Marc Vietor

Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

The invaders are coming; the Posleen, a seemingly unstoppable horde who have conquered one star system after another, literally feeding on their conquests. Earth's dubious allies, the Darhel, have given the humans a number of highly-advanced technological devices, including a process for rejuvenating the aged, including trained and proven soldiers who otherwise would be too old to fight. Rejuvenation may give a critical edge, since to survive, the Earth must use every resource at hand. Every resource . . .

In the dark days after the initial Posleen attack, but before the primary invasion, the Chancellor of Germany faces a critical decision. Over the years, with military cutbacks, the store of experienced German military personnel had simply dwindled. After the destruction of Northern Virginia, he realized that it was necessary to tap the one group he had sworn never, ever, to recall: the few remaining survivors of the Waffen SS. Has he made a devil¿s bargain, or is this a chance for the reviled SS at last to fight the good fight? And, perhaps, gain redemption?

Watch On the Rhine, a new chapter in the New York Times best-selling Posleen War saga, is perhaps the most unbiased, and brutal, look at the inner workings of the Waffen SS in history. Meticulously researched, it explores all that was good, and evil, about the most infamous military force in history using the backdrop of the Posleen invasion as a canvas.

©2007 Baen (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

excellent, touching but yes has difficult to hear

I read other reviews warning about this book, the context and contents, yet decided to try it as I deeply enjoy the series and the unique plot lines in the series. I found this book excellent, action based balanced with character development, military scifi, touching at times, but ... Yes, it has difficult to hear historical war crimes and inhumane treatment of our own species. however i think it was handled well, and neither favored one side or other but handled horrors of world war 2 in Europe with factual aspect which then showed the impact then plus over time ... all while within the larger stage of human fight for survival against an alien species, causing a need for all experienced soldiers and the very difficult decision to select some of them for rejuvination and use. I can see how some may not like this book; however, consider giving it a try. the author's afterward states clearly the intent was to shock and cause discussion. i myself am not normally emotionally moved by many terribly sad parts or any narrative; however, as a parent I was touched by (trying hard to avoid spoilers) a specific parent's delima for young children and then the afterward portion. Compliments and thanks to all involved, for a really good story plus one more book in an excellent longer series.

Shocking

The topic is intended to be shocking and it succeeds. Made me think about a few things. However in my mind this is the 3rd and last volume of the best Legacy of the Aldenata "trilogy" - Hymn Before Battle, Gust Front, this book. Done.

Great Story

Good to go, John writes a great book as usual. love the ship being named the Chesty Puller...yutt

Innsparing

it was a good story that i loved and the performance was good

it was Even better than the book 1 and 2

Damm just Damm.

perhaps the best book of the legacy of the aldenata. not the most fun book, but quite possibly the best.

Ignore the Greens and Reds in this Review section!

This isn’t a pretty story. It’s a real story set in an unreal world. Some will call it Nazi apologist propaganda. Some will call it “cleverly concealed anti-semitism”….these people are sadly confused. There is no pro-Nazi propaganda anywhere in this book. There is no anti-Semitic agenda to this series. Spoiler, the Darhel are not stand ins for Jews…Jews are stand ins for Jews, if anything Ringo goes to far in glorifying us and Israel. We aren’t any better than anyone else. All that said great book that delves into a touchy topic. I for one do enjoy most of the depictions of Israelis and other Jews in the novel. The Waffen SS were no different than you or I. They were people living in a crazy time. They made human choices and human mistakes. Most of us would have been Nazis if we had been born in and lived in Nazi Germany. Most of us aren’t brave enough to die for our beliefs, and let’s not mince words, that’s the choice Germans had, get on board, at least superficially or join them in the camps. How many of you would have volunteered yourself, or your children or your parents for the camps to make your point? Very few of you would have joined my people willingly. It’s easy to hate the bad men of the past, we have hindsight. They did not. Anyway great book!

SS? - I guess it would have to be so

Nothing is ever just all one way, and can never be as bad, nor as good as you might hear.

"Watch ..." renders even the vaunted SS into what it is. Just people. Many good, many bad, most just trying to survive.

I take that back. Greens and Reds ARE just as bad as you've been told.

Typical Ringo & Kratman. Friggin' awesome!

The Final war for Liberty

The watch on the Rhine was excellent, as it foreshadows the world we actually live in. In a way the Aldenata and the Posoline (please excuse my spelling) are the Muslim fringe element/terrorist and Issis that the west (essentially democratic freedom) are fighting to preserve our way of life from extinction. Time will tell if we are successful or not.

Recycled SS versus Posleen

Great concept, Waffen SS versus Posleen. It's a great insight as to how blind cosmopolitan progressives can be when they resist the formation of a fighting force to counter the Posleen invaders which will surely devour them. Would love to see additional Tom Kratman novels on audio. PLEASE!!

Good but not as compelling as the main storyline

What was one of the most memorable moments of Watch on the Rhine?

When the tanks were playing cat-and-mouse games with the Posleen landers.

What does Marc Vietor bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Pronounciation of the characters' names, voice inflection and voice characterizations. Fantastic work by Marc.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Killing the old SS soldier in the tank "Anna."

Any additional comments?

I found the generalization of the storyline a little bit harder to "get in to" than the depiction of the stories in the other books. I found myself somewhat engaged with different characters but not as deep as I would have liked.