Rick DeStefanis

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Valley of the Purple Hearts by Rick DeStefanis. I was also in the 101st only two years later than the time depicted in the story and most likely, walked and crawled in much of the same dirt as did the main character, Buck Marino, in the story - especially in the A Shau Valley. The author is a great storyteller which puts the reader right there with the characters in the scene; we feel the same anxiety, paranoia, and fatigue they do. Every section of Vietnam had infamous areas which brought dread and doomsday scenarios to light. When I was with the 25th Division in III Corps, it was the Iron Triangle. Then, when I joined the 101st in I Corps, the A Shau Valley sent shivers up and down spines whenever mentioned.

Buck Marino was wounded twice as a grunt and was now entitled to a rear job in-country. I'm certain he wouldn't have been happy, because he seemed like an adrenaline junkie. During the last battle where he is wounded, four others were killed, including one of his friends. Buck gets permission to escort the body home and then gets into trouble when he threatens some National Guard troops who are to be part of the funeral service. As a result, he loses the rear job and is transferred to the 75th Ranger Group and returned to Vietnam, going out on 5-man patrols in the A Shau to find the enemy. When he is wounded a 3rd time, the war finally ends for him.

The final chapters in this book show a side of returning war veterans that few see or know about - even in today's wars. Buck resorts to drinking Bourbon and getting smashed daily to forget the emotional pain he'd experienced. During his first hospital stay, he became smitten with a nurse, who also took a liking to him. She'd do anything for him. Their time together upon his return to "The World" turned into a disaster because he couldn't stay sober. There is a happy ending, however, as Buck tames his demons.

The story flows well, it's well edited, and difficult for me to believe that this is a fiction novel. The author's written word and attention to detail and expressed emotions, especially during the battle scenes, can't be made up. I'm certain he wrote from personal experience. This is a great story to learn more about what "grunts" experienced in I Corps during the Vietnam War. Not much had changed over the years, and every Vietnam Vet will be able to relate to the incidents within the story. Highly recommended! Great job Mr. DeStafanis!… (més)

What a perfect follow-up to Melody Hill! It is hard to believe that The Gomorrah Principle was written first and then followed by Melody Hill. Author, Rick DeStefanis did a wonderful job in marrying these two books together as a series. In this story, Brady Nash joins the Army and volunteers for Vietnam and eventually joins the SOG team out of Danang - the same team that his step-brother belonged to in his earlier tour. Brady is seeking retribution on the CIA leader of the team whom he is sure killed his brother.

Soon he finds that he's discovered and the CIA agent is hell bent on killing Brady too...but first, he needs to get his hands on the incriminating evidence that Brady has to discredit what the team is doing - killing innocent Vietnamese locals. It isn't long before Brady finds himself as the target and is wounded during an ambush. Brady survives and pulls a fast one to get out of the country and away from the SOG team.

The author switches back and forth between Melody Hill, Nashville, where his girlfriend hits it big and Vietnam as he did with Melody Hill. Finally, the CIA learns that Brady is alive in the U.S. and they bring the fight to the hills of Tennessee - to Brady's backyard. The story is engaging and difficult to put down. I highly recommend both books in the series - they are stand alone stories, but work well as a two-book series. Kudos Mr. DeStefanis!

John Podlaski, author
"Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel" and "When Can I Stop Running?"… (més)

Melody Hill is the first book I've read from Rick DeStefanis and I enjoyed it immensely. The story begins in Melody Hill, TN where readers are introduced to Duff Coleridge and his family - Mama, Lacey and step brother, Brady in the days before Duff leaves for Vietnam in early 1967. Duff and his friend, Jimmy, are placed with the same company which operates in the Central Highlands. The humping was never ending in the mountains, and when Duff hears of an opening in the LRRP's, he volunteers himself and Jimmy. Both are accepted and teamed up as snipers. During his second mission, Duff becomes a hero by saving the rest of the unit when he stays behind to cover the unit's withdrawal to safety. Duff's marksmanship was superb - a skill he honed while growing up in the mountains of TN - allowed him to take down several enemy fighters during the stand-off. The Army awarded him a Silver Star for a task that he didn't think was heroic. It was just the right thing to do.

It isn't long before the SOG unit hears about Duff and they convince him to join their ranks. The missions are top secret and usually include local militia and police forces. However, all is not like it appears...there's a spy in their midst and some of the American's are dabbing in the black market. Duff falls in love with a French/Vietnamese who works for the South Vietnamese Government. Duff agrees to go under cover and help to identify those responsible for the many atrocities occurring during the missions. Duff is soon found out and finds his life in danger. He'd uncovered documented proof to prosecute the guilty parties - and must do everything possible to expose them. However, his only friend and backer is the girl he wants to marry and take home. Things get dicey and Duff finds a big target on his back.

The suspense will keep readers busy well into the night. I have to say that I was disappointed with the ending as many questions were still unanswered. Discovering that Melody Hill is a prequel to one of Rick's earlier books, I didn't hesitate to purchase it and will begin reading it when I finish this review. I highly recommend this book as it is not only about the Vietnam War - it is also about good vs. evil and true love..

Kudos Mr. DeSteffanis!

John Podlaski, author
"Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel" and "When Can I Stop Running?"… (més)

The late 1960s was a tumultuous time in American history. The Vietnam war was in full swing and several young men went off to war and didn’t return. One of those men was Duff Cowan who left behind evidence suggesting that he was part of a secret operation and his death may have been a homicide. Two of the people affected by his death were his sister Lacey and his best friend Brady Nash. Despite Lacey’s protests, Brady enlists in the army and heads to Vietnam to find the men responsible for Duff’s death.

Brady becomes one of the best snipers in the Vietnam and works his way into the secret organization that cost Duff his life. Little by little Brady discovers that not everything is as it seems and it’s hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys. Brady finds himself involved in a world of spies, double agents and he sees that the lines between good and evil are blurred.

The Gomorrah Principle by Rick DeStefanis is more than a war-time thriller. This is also a story about love, friendship, loyalty and morality. I’ll admit right away that I’m not a big reader of war stories but Rick DeStefanis had me hooked from the start. The beginning of the story focuses on Brady and you get to learn about his feelings towards Duff and Lacey. Then we find out about what happened to one of the people who went away to war and came back. At this point you feel like you know Brady personally and you’re concerned for him as he goes on a journey that he feels he has to take.

The Gomorrah Principle is a masterpiece with strong characters and an exciting storyline. I enjoyed how Brady worries about loosing his humanity as he has to start killing people and how he still hopes that some day he can go home and have a normal life with Lacey. I liked that we also got to hear Lacey’s story in this book, I felt it added more depth to an already complex story. A good war story should also be about the people soldiers leave behind and this one gets into how Lacey is affected by Brady’s absence.

Another thing I liked about this book is how it shows that people on both sides of the war have their own agenda and everyone is a shade of grey. In one of my favorite scenes a Vietnamese woman says that this is a civil war and America should not be here. She goes on to say she is leaving the country because she is not sure she can trust anyone on either side of the conflict. I loved that this story looked at the war from the Vietnamese perspective as well as the American prespective.This novel leaves nothing out showing how the soldiers in the war felt and how the people effected by it felt. We also get a vivid description of what it’s like being a soldier under attack. Rick DeStefanis spent time in the armed forces and describes the fighting in vivid detail from his own experience. Even if you don’t like war stories you should read this book anyway because it’s a good story period.… (més)