8.6 /10 1 Votes
Country United States Media type Hardcover Originally published May 2009 Page count 600 OCLC 501071580 | 4.3/5 Goodreads Language English Pages 600 Genre War novel | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Publisher El Leon Literary Arts / Atlantic Monthly Press Publication date first edition (May 2009) / revised edition (March 2010) Similar War Novels, Vietnam War books | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War is a novel by American author and decorated Marine Karl Marlantes. It was first published by El Leon Literary Arts in 2009 (in small quantity) and re-issued (and slightly edited) as a major publication of Atlantic Monthly Press on March 23, 2010.
Contents
Marlantes is a graduate of Yale University and a Rhodes Scholar. He was also a highly decorated Marine who served in Vietnam. He was awarded the Navy Cross, the Bronze Star, two Navy Commendation Medals for valor, two Purple Hearts, and ten Air Medals. He spent 30 years working on the novel, which was rejected for publication numerous times.
Plot
The book is set in Vietnam in 1969 and draws from the experiences of Marlantes, who commanded a Marine rifle platoon. The novel presents an unflinching look at the hardships endured by the Marines who waged the war on behalf of America. It concerns the exploits of second lieutenant Waino Mellas, a recent college graduate, and his compatriots in Bravo Company, most of whom are teenagers. "Matterhorn" is the code name for a fire-support base located between Laos and the DMZ. At the beginning of the novel, the Marines build the base, but later they are ordered to abandon it. The latter portions of the novel detail the struggles of Bravo Company to retake the base, which fell into enemy hands after it was abandoned.
Reception
Matterhorn received high praise from many critics. In The New York Times Sebastian Junger called it
one of the most profound and devastating novels ever to come out of Vietnam—or any war.
Matterhorn was Amazon's "Book of the Month" for March 2010, and debuted on the New York Times bestseller list in April 2010. It won the 2011 William E. Colby Award, was ranked #7 Fiction in Time's Best Books of the Year (2010). It was one of the New York Times Notable Books of the Year (2010). It was an ALA Notable Book (2010), won the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award (2011), won the Indies Choice Book Award (Adult Debut, 2011) and won the 2010 John Sargent, Sr. First Novel Prize.
Background
It is probable that the fictional Bravo Company 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division of the novel was Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division. The engagement at "Matterhorn" was probably the attack on "LZ Mack" Hill 484, and Hill 400 on March 1 through March 6 of 1969. With Lima Company 3rd Battalion 4th Marines in reserve (and its battalion commander, Lt. Col. Donald taking charge), two platoons from Charlie Company fought several times to reach and secure the summit, taking 15 or more casualties with at least seven killed in action; including a Canadian Marine, CPL George Victor Jmaeff, acting as platoon sergeant, who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. The author, First Lieutenant Karl Marlantes, who was the Executive Officer of Charlie Company, was also awarded the Navy Cross. Hills 484 and 400 had been occupied at a cost of 20 killed in action, and many wounded, by companies of the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Infantry in September–October 1966 and then abandoned.