Secret Honor (HONOR BOUND Book 3)

Some books on tape are easy listening for long car trips. Some involve more complex plots and/or ideas and take more concentration than is safe when driving. I suppose tapes have to be judged by slightly different standards than the books on which they based. A book like <Secret Honor> has so many characters, so many plot threads and twists, that the listener wishes he could look back to remind himself about who a person is or what event is being referred to. Even in its abridged format (6 hours), this novel is pretty involved. Frankly I began to give up half way through. I did like the reader however, and the sporadic use of background music and some sound effects helped somewhat. The plot began very nicely, holding my interest, but then too many things began to happen--and none of them were particularly exciting--to characters with whom I felt little or no sympathy. For those who like this author or sprawling spy novels, this tape is recommended.

I am sorely puzzled. The master who wrote the Men at War, Brotherhood of War and Corps series seems to be floundering. His latest book is poorly researched (Himmler NEVER was "Reichsprotektor", EL bitcho, etc.) and very badly edited, with words missing in the middle of sentences; both the Spanish and German language quotes are atrociously misspelled; time and again the reader is jarred. It appears that a few years ago, the writer had a good editor and at least a German-speaking advisor at his disposal; alas, no longer. This book is far from the military masterpieces of the Corps, Men at War, Brotherhood of War and even the Badge of Honor series. Too bad. Two recommendations: 1. Drop this series, it isn't worth to be bought. 2, Go back to the Corps, where you shine, Mr. William E. B.....

The third installment in W. E. B. Griffin's 'Honor' series is going to be something of a disappointment to anyone who expects the same level of excitement as the first couple of books delivered. This continuation of the story of Cletus Frade and his rather large cast of co-stars seems much more like some domestic melodrama, with the emphasis on shootgun weddings, marriages, receptions and the ongoing muddle of Argentine politics. There were some points of interest; Juan Peron continues as a character, playing a more central - though not very interesting - role, and Evita Duerte (Peron)is introduced, though, again, nothing much is done with the character. At book's end we don't have the sense of a real conclusion and there will almost certainly be a sequel, although I can't imagine why. This story has played out. Enough already. It's hard to take an espionage story seriously when the lead character goes home at night and tells his wife everything he did that day at work. Now that Cletus and "Galahad" are both married off and expecting little ones, where can the story go?

I enjoyed this novel, although it started out slowly and I didn't really get interested in it until about a third of the way into the story. It's nice that Griffin uses pain-staking detail, which makes for a better read, but he comes up with stuff that appearently came out of somebody's backside. To wit:
1. The SS, ALL SS including the Gestapo, stopped wearing black uniforms in 1938. Repeat 1938. Therefore, if you ever read or see novels, movies, TV, etc. that shows black uniforms during WWII, they're oh, so wrong. (I have this fantasy about breaking into the big warehouses in Hollywood and taking all those black uniforms and setting them on fire, so they can never again appear in a movie, like Inglourious Basterds, for instance.) Anyway, I defy anyone out there to find a picture of an SS man, in WWII, in a black uniform--they're simply not there.
2. Griffin goes a bit crazy with all the SS titles, and, although authentic, they become cloying and for most novices, confusing. BTW, where does he come up with Himmler as "Reichsprotekter"; there were only a few RPs and none of them Himmler, who was Reichfuhrer SS, and was addressed as such.
3. Herr, this and herr that. The SS, who wanted to separate its members from the Wehrmacht officer corp, did not use the "herr" prefix, thus all SS officers, including Himmler, were addressed by others in the SS by their rank only: Untersturmfuhrer, Sturmbannfuhrer, Reichsfuhrer, etc., not Herr Reichsfuhrer.
4. While I liked the Latin American details, like the name of the estates, they, like the SS rank, increasingly become redundant--why not just say it the first time, then abbreviate later? Wasn't that why we invented acronyms?
5. More sex. And good sex, with details that keep the reader enthused.
Overall still a good read....

While I have criticized some of the author's efforts in the past, I have to disagree with the above criticisms. What has set him apart from other military fiction authors has always been his character, plot and enviroment developments. You can imagine these worlds from his descriptions. I found the depictions of life in Nazi Germany fascinating, particularly the conferences between higher-ups which showed the evil banality of Hitler's thugs. Argentine society is more richly described in this book and you get a sense of the contradictions in Juan Peron. And, just as in the Corps series, you get a sense of how Washington bureaucrats fought each other, as well as the enemy, in WW II. Good work Mr. Butterworth!

I eagerly await Griffith's war series books. But this one takes the first 100 pages and more to bring new readers who haven't read the first two books in the series, up to date. Unfortunately, this is done with a series of very boring meetings between groups of the participants, Nazis, Argentinians, Americans. Booooring! After that has put the reader to sleep, the book doesn't go on to great action, but just slow moving on the part of the participants. I was very disappointed in the book, especially since I bought it in hardcover, not being able to wait for a paperback version. Hope the rest aren't like this.

Posted reader-reviews by Kelley and Anthony, fellow West-Coasters are essentially accurate judgments. I rate it 2 stars rather than 3 because it's so much less intriguing than any previous Griffin (Butterworth) novels, in this series, The Corps, or possibly anything but the Philly PD books. As for historical inaccuracies, I right away picked up on the "Army Air Corps," but that's almost obscure; many people don't realize Hap Arnold changed the name to US Army Air Forces in mid-1941. Many other "errors" seem to be continuity or proofreading errors, getting times wrong, as with the invitation to see Peron at 7:30PM but arriving before 6. Not as good as the first two in the Honor series, we still need to read this, I just wish it had been incorporated with #4, so we didn't have to pay to read about a couple of months in the life of Clete Frade.

A very disappointing book. I did not find anything about a plot to kill Hitler and there was less intrigue and less suspense than what is found in the Boy Scout's Handbook. The 2 main characters succeeded in impregnating 2 Argentinian naivettes and that seemed to be the highlight of the "story". A couple of plane rides around South America resulted in a smidgeon of activity but other than that it was "Yawnsville" all the way. The endless, needless repetition of the Kraut's formal titles were boring and only added to the author's "paid per word" remuneration. The reviews on the book's rear cover were obviously written by people who have never read the book. Especially vapid is the Kirkus Reviews' "gibber-al" comment.

This book was a disappointment. While it seems like the book is relatively realistic (unless you count the fact that there are military officers that are allowed to run around, doing as they please), it lacks the story to make use of that realism. The plot is hard to follow, taking turns that end up right where they started. It seems that throughout the book, the reader is bothered with the characters' problems that simply exist and do not affect the character.

This book has an somewhat interesting plot, but it is bogged down with memos between Nazi officers, which take attention away from the main plot. There is simply too much information to keep straight, especially since many of the titles of the character's are in German. A large portion of the book could have been eliminated, and the book would have made more sense and had more impact.

When I finished the book, I was not beside myself that I would never again experience that adventure of the characters again. I was happy that I was done with the book, and I then wondered where all my time had gone. At the end of the book, I ended up having a greater knowledge of the Nazi beuracracy. This is not a book that I would recommend.

I love the storytelling ability of this author. His words are enjoyable to read and he knows all of the suspense hooks. I just wish that his ability to write included an ability to keep his stories straight.
Mr Griffin frequently forgets who has done what; who has said what and frequent readers are frequently annoyed at some of the plotline errors he makes.
All of the above does not cause me to shun his books: in truth, he and Clancy are about the only writers I buy in hardback, rather than wait for the paperback. Secret Honor certainly will continue his string of successful books.

Despite my following criticisms, I will probably purchase his next book in hardback without reviewing it. The author has an annoying habit of being entertaining and historically inaccurate in the past but this work had only one glaring error, probably a typo. This book is an accetable continuation of an appealing soap opera series but should not be read by anyone not already hooked by the story. It is disjointed, erratic and gives the impression of hurried completion. It heads nowhere, leads nowhere and arrives nowhere. It is a series of anecdotes rather than a coherent story. I have read and re-read every one of the author's books (under this name) more than once and will probaby do so again-more than once. The fact remains, that a reader goes for the moment and not the long run in any of his novels. They are most dissatisfying in that they never finished as either novels or series. They are just abandoned. And each time I buy, in recent years, another completed work I anticipate the frustration of never achieving closure. Read the work, prepare to be hooked and then abandoned. So, just go for the moment of reading and never expect more from this author.

Griffins book Secret Honor is a big dissappointment, I would suggest he has become a troll of commercialism. No plot, no suspence, no excitement, no story line. This book reads like a soap opera, a high school student could have written a better story. It seems Griffin is relying on his name to sell this book, also his other novels in this series are somewhat dull and redundent in character. I hope he wakes up, I will not purchase or recommend any more of his books.

I, also, have read every Griffin book and until this "Honor Bound" series was very satisfied. My reason for dissatisfaction is Griffin's and his editors' abysmal German. Virtually every German word or phrase has a mistake in spelling or grammar. He even misspells the first name Ingeborg as Ingebord. For readers who know no German, this is, naturally, no distraction, but, for those of us who do, it is entirely unacceptable

Griffin is outstanding in my mind and has been my number one author for some time now. I've read most of what he has written and I'm on the second time around for The Corps and the Honor Bound series. When I complete them I reread the Officer series. I can't get enough of them. Come man write a new one in The Corps series.

Griffin keeps the Honor Bound series going. Frade with all is problems, the War, is now planinng to get married. We get a close look into the Germany High Command. Griffin keeps your attention and interest each and every minuite. Give your self some time. Each both does stand on it's own feet, but as a series it becomes more.

Griffins book Secret Honor is a big dissappointment, I would suggest he has become a troll of commercialism. No plot, no suspence, no excitement, no story line. This book reads like a soap opera, a high school student could have written a better story. It seems Griffin is relying on his name to sell this book, also his other novels in this series are somewhat dull and redundent in character. I hope he wakes up, I will not purchase or recommend any more of his books.

I, also, have read every Griffin book and until this "Honor Bound" series was very satisfied. My reason for dissatisfaction is Griffin's and his editors' abysmal German. Virtually every German word or phrase has a mistake in spelling or grammar. He even misspells the first name Ingeborg as Ingebord. For readers who know no German, this is, naturally, no distraction, but, for those of us who do, it is entirely unacceptable

Griffin is outstanding in my mind and has been my number one author for some time now. I've read most of what he has written and I'm on the second time around for The Corps and the Honor Bound series. When I complete them I reread the Officer series. I can't get enough of them. Come man write a new one in The Corps series.

Griffin keeps the Honor Bound series going. Frade with all is problems, the War, is now planinng to get married. We get a close look into the Germany High Command. Griffin keeps your attention and interest each and every minuite. Give your self some time. Each both does stand on it's own feet, but as a series it becomes more.