This book has everything: wizardry, parallel worlds, lizard men, a dragon, ogres, magical swords, a flying saucer, romance, court intrigue, an armored personnel carrier, death scenes, a dude who was raised by wolves, ... It was a fine book to pick up as a dollar paperback. It was light and cheap; I was not encumbered when I brought it to Houston. It entertained me. I left it in Houston with no regrets after I finished reading it. Part of the plot involves US soldiers parallel-worldlishly transported to a fantasy world. They help save the world. Well, that world, anyhow. I expected this to be a bigger part of the book--hey, here are some characters I can identify with more easily than these princes, wizards, and such. But strangely, they're pulled in... and don't do that much, plot-wise.

This memoir of the Pacific in WWII is pretty disturbing. I suspect that William Manchester was pulling punches, but his story still has plenty of punch. People got blown up. People fought at close quarters. People convinced themselves to run into harm's way. People were foolish and died of it; people weren't foolish and died anyhow. Years later, most had forgotten about the fighting, leaving the veterans un-lionized. I recommend this book; it made me think.