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3.0 out of 5 stars
Adequate Entry in a Solid Series, Jun 4 2004
There are two kinds of book series: Ones that can more or less be read in any order (James Bond comes to mind), and ones that work better when read in order of internal chronology. Griffin's "The Brotherhood of War" is the second kind of series, and it's virtually impossible (and certainly unfair) to review one of its "middle" books *except* as part of the larger series. _The Majors_ doesn't match the standard set in _The Lieutenants_ and _The Captains_, but it's a workmanlike entry that keeps the series moving."Brotherhood of War" is, as another reviewer said of a different volume in the series, a "military soap opera." It's concerned, for the most part, not with battles but with the rhythms of Army lives and careers: changes of post, changes of assignment, promotions, decorations, unexpected reunions with old comrades, and so on. The series has, by now, upwards of three dozen significant continuing characters . . . six or eight of whom qualify as major (in significance, not rank). That's a lot of fictional lives to keep straight and a lot of storylines to keep in motion, but Griffin pulls it off with considerable skill. _The Majors_ keeps you abreast of all the main players from the earlier books, and adds several new ones. Its a fast, satisfying read, and left me eager to pick up _The Colonels_. That said, _The Majors_ is a step down from _The Lieutenants_ and _The Captains_. There're a few gunfights, but no big combat scene like the mountain battle in Greece (Bk. 1) or the commando raid into North Korea (Bk. 2). Craig Lowell and Sandy Felter, whose growth as people and as officers gave the first two books much of their depth, are less compelling in _The Majors_. Felter has become more of a plot device than a person. Lowell is in danger of becoming what he threatened to be early in _The Lieutenants_: an insufferable twit with more money than brains. The rest of the main characters fare better, but none of them has the kind of life-changing story arc that Felter got in Book 1 or Lowell got in Book 2. If you loved the first two books in the series, _The Majors_ will have plenty to keep you interested. If you found yourself wishing that the first two books had more shooting and less soap opera, you'll be even less satisfied this time around.
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