Up Country

December 24, 2001
That DeMille has written a sequel to The General's Daughter
comes as no surprise; after all, that's arguably his best-known novel because of the hit film version starring John Travolta. Nor is it surprising that he's set this sequel in Vietnam; returning hero Chief Warrant Officer Paul Brenner, Ret., served two stints there during the war, and DeMille himself not only saw action in Nam but returned in 1997 for an extended visit. What is curious, and relatively unfortunate, is that the long narrative focuses so much on travelogue instead of intrigue and action; it's as if DeMille, a wickedly fine thriller writer, has been possessed by the soul of James Michener. Still, the overarching story line captivates, as Brenner agrees to return to Vietnam to track down a Vietnamese witness to a 30-year-old unprosecuted crime, in which a U.S. Army captain murdered an army lieutenant and plundered some treasure. Joined by beautiful Susan Weber, who says she's an American expat businesswoman doing a favor for the U.S. government, Brenner travels to the little village where the witness may still live; along the way, the pair flirt, sightsee, visit a nude beach, sightsee, have sex, sightsee, and talk a lot. The sightseeing carries serious emotional impact as Brenner processes his wartime past and Vietnam's present, and it carries serious risk, as Colonel Mang of the secret police tracks Brenner's and Susan's movements. There's some violence as the two Americans elude Mang and his minions, and a melodramatic finale as Brenner realizes just who the murderous captain now is, and some dramatic suspense as Brenner peels away layers of Susan's identity covers. And then there's blasted, resilient Vietnam, which DeMille captures expertly, in all its anguished pride. With a film version in development at Paramount and the Warner publicity machine working at top gear, expect this engrossing but not exceptional novel to shoot to the top. 15-city author tour.

February 1, 2002
DeMille, who has authored numerous blockbuster novels, here brings back Paul Brenner, the irreverent hero of The General's Daughter. Having been forced to retire from the army's Criminal Investigation Division, Brenner is both broke and bitter, and his love life has gone south. Against his better judgment, he accepts a surprise offer from his old boss to return to Vietnam and attempt to solve what may or may not have been the murder of an American officer by a fellow American 30 years earlier. Brenner knows that there's more to it and that he will be in extreme danger, but he's not sure from whom or why. DeMille served in Vietnam and returned there in 1997, as is apparent in his rich and riveting descriptions of both time periods. Grimmer, more introspective, and slower paced than his earlier works, DeMille's latest is nevertheless well written, intriguing, and sure to be another best selle. For all collections. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 6/15/01.] Robert Conroy, Warren, MI

Copyright 2001 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2002
Retired warrant officer Paul Brenner, last seen in "The General's Daughter" (1992), is asked by his former boss in the U.S. Army's Criminal Investigation Division to go to Vietnam to find Tran Van Vinh, a North Vietnamese soldier who witnessed the murder of one American by another. Paul senses an ulterior motive for his mission: Why would the army care about a 30-year-old crime? Having served two tours in Vietnam in 1968 and 1972, Paul can't believe he's volunteering to go back a third time. His first contact in Hanoi is Susan Weber, an expat who's a banker by day but who dreams of living more adventurously by night. Bright, well versed in local customs, and fluent in Vietnamese, Susan convinces Paul to take her along as he attempts to find Vinh. Following a circuitous path as it becomes clear that there is much more at stake than a cold murder case, Paul struggles to sort out the good guys from the bad while simultaneously dealing with his Vietnam memories of brutal, unspeakable acts of war, some at his own hands. DeMille's portrayal of the cocky soldier returning to enemy soil is moving and realistic, peppered with Paul's recollections of the war and the people who must live with its legacy every day. Neither pro- nor anti-war, this poignant story from the wildly popular DeMille is particularly timely in light of today's international situation. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)