In Danger's Path (Hardcover)

Most of the characters spend a lot more time hanging out in exclusive nightclubs and drinking expensive scotch than in preparing for or engaging in combat. Even a character like Ken McCoy, who initially seems like the protoype for a self-made man and heroic warrior, eventually comes out looking more like an aristocratic playboy than the ideal fighting Marine suggesting by Volume I.

To overcome the bad guys (who are usually self-important rear-echelon chairwarmers) Griffin's characters seldom rely on courage or ability - they just get themselves promoted repeatedly or find a patron who outranks their foe.

It's one thing to write a story about unusual people within a realistic broader context. In THE CORPS, even the broader context degenerates into nothing but a stage for a sort of social inflation (every character in the book apparently MUST meet in person with either President Roosevelt or General MacArthur - preferrably both). And it seems that the key to getting ahead in the WWII Marine Corps is to have a father or patron who was best friends with a General when they were both enlisted men in WWI. This series would have been infinitely better if there were fewer "General Pickerings" and more "Gunny Zimmermans". Why does EVERYONE have to have a tailored uniform, special orders, a Top-Secret clearance, and a AAAAA-1 travel authorization?

On a more technical level, Griffin has the EXTREMELY annoying habit of repeating entire segments of the story (often verbatim) from one volume to the next, and occasionally within the same volume! Even worse, In spite of using what is apparently the cut&past method of writing, he often changes details of these episodes between tellings.

In spite of the MANY flaws of this series, these books are very readable and, at least for me, highly addictive. Overall however, THE CORPS falls far short of its potential. Griffin also has some very annoying habits that make reading the whole series much less than the sum of its parts.

If you're the sort of person who likes to watch daytime soap operas, then you may enjoy these books. If, on the other hand, you're interested in military history, the banality of these books will leave you screaming in frustration.