The Pacific

America's defeat of Japan in WWII came at no small cost. Unprepared for the Pacific war, the military industrial complex rose to the challenge that threatened the country's freedom. Told through the service history of five men, this companion to the HBO mini-series, by the son of author Stephen Ambrose, gives an intimate look into a conflict that lasted three years and covered thousands of square miles of ocean and hundreds of islands. Narrator Mike Chamberlain meets the task of pronouncing the foreign vocabulary with aplomb, which is especially important because the locations have become recognizable names of famous battles. His quiet manner offsets the brutal tragedies he must describe and keeps him in the background while recounting the riveting events. Alas, the narrative often jumps from one place to another, forcing listeners to reorient themselves unaided. J.A.H. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine