Vows to the Fallen: O'Toole

I must confess something, I'm not a big fan of Historical Fiction, I bought this book motivated by the contest organized by the Author, but boy oh boy! This book slapped me on the face.Vows To The Fallen it's a incredible narration based in a real life story, the Author masters the narrative, it's like sometimes you are reading the personal journal of Lieutenant/Captain Patrick "Terror" O'Toole!The plot is full of action, good decisions, bad choices and some heartbreaking situations. A real page turner.Can I say that my absolutely favorite character is Captain Mutt/Ship Shape???Highly Recommended!!

An uncle I never had the honor of knowing was among the brave young men who gave their all in WWII. He was killed during the battle for Leyte Gulf as he took the place of a fallen gunner's mate on the destroyer escort Samuel B. Roberts and continued to feed and fire the over heated gun at the Japanese ships. He did this knowing the gun would likely explode and kill him, but also knowing that if he didn't, the Japanese ships would keep coming and destroy the remaining US fleet defending Leyte Gulf. Larry Laswell in Vows to the Fallen I feel captured the essence of naval duty during WWII and the what I imagine were the interactions of the sailors and officers with enough reference to the families back home for the readers to feel the heart-wrenching grief those families must have felt upon hearing their brave boys would not come home again. I'm glad I read this book before the first, The Marathon Watch, for I feel it gave me the insight of the younger O'Toole and the history of the Farnley to help me have a more in-depth understanding of the story line of book one. Both books are very well written, intriguing depictions of characters, naval battles and challenges beyond the war.

Patrick O’Toole came from a family of fishermen and sailors. He’d always known that the navy was his destiny. Raised by a stern grandfather, he also had to live with doubts that he was ‘adequate’ to the tasks before him. He joined the navy just in time for World War 2, but when a ship is sunk by the Japanese when he’s officer of the deck, his doubts intensify, and he becomes even more driven and determined to do better.Vows to the Fallen by Larry Laswell is military fiction at its finest. It chronicles the saga of Patrick O’Toole during some of the most momentous and horrific sea battles of the Pacific as the Allies tried to beat back the Japanese fleet. The action is so rich in detail, the acrid smell of gun powder and blood will sting your nose, and the cries of the wounded and dying will haunt your dreams. Laswell writes about war as it is; not the stylized version you see on the screen, but the dirty, bloody reality that those who go to war experience.If you’ve never read war fiction, start with this one. If you’re a fan of the genre, put this on your list to read next.

I don't often give five stars, but this book deserves it. Mr. Laswell did a wonderful job of telling a story. There is a good mixture of humor, action, history and military strategy. There is even a sprinkling of romance. The story needs to be told. My favorite character was Ship Shape. He added a side to the story that brought laughter and joy. The only fault I will mention is the editing. There were regular misplaced or misused words that had me pause trying to figure out what happened. It almost seems like a spell-checker was used instead of beta-readers or a qualified editor. Other than that minor issue, I feel anyone will enjoy this wonderful story. Good job, Larry!

The old USMC Colonel again. This book should be required reading for all officers of all branches of the service. This book is actually a prequel to the first book in the Marathon watch series. Four great naval actions are recounted. If your father or grandfather, during WWII, was in the USN you will gain some insight into the training and brotherhood forged by young men who answered the call to serve their country, and yes, for many to die so you can enjoy the freedoms we enjoy to and into the future. Larry Laswell is a master story teller and now one of my favorite authors. The Marathon Watch series is a must read!

Being a sailer during Vietnam, I have alway looked for books that told some good sea stories. I enjoyed following a shiny new officer with guts to buck the system. O'Toole does exactly that. The author tells the store of the Navy's change in tactics with destroyers. What a yarn!

I'm old enough to be considered an old man, and for many years I have read loads of books of various types, which qualifies me to say that this book is really, really great. It is so powerfully written, so riveting, and so enjoyable that I rate it among the best books I've ever read, which places it among such good company as Larry McMurtry's "Lonesome Dove," James Michener's "Centennial," Herman Wouk's "Winds of War," and Alex Haley's "Roots." From my perspective that's some downright powerful company.Others at this website have already covered what the book is about, so all I'll do is rave over how much I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more work by Mr. Laswell. I''m a tough evaluator, but "Vows to the Fallen" would have been my first five-star rating on Amazon except for the occasional misplaced or missing or redundant word and O'Toole's too frequent self-flagellation over his perceived shortcomings, but none of this is pervasive enough to reduce the enjoyment level of the book. If I could, I would give it four and a half stars. Thank you, Mr. Laswell, and I hope you continue to produce such enjoyable work.

This story describes life and action on U.S. Navy destroyers in the early parts of WW2. I enjoyed the book and recommend it To those interested in all aspects of destroyer warfare in WW2. Also interesting insights into Command.

One truly brilliant book, along with The Marathon Watch it ranks among the best WW2 narratives ever written. If like me you are a fanatic for naval history then this series is one that joins the best. All praise to Larry Laswelll for his attention to detail and the inclusion of some humour.

I read this after reading the Marathon Watch. It explains the history behind the main characters and how they fit in with the Marathon Watch. I read both in one sitting each, I just got engrossed with the action and wanted to know what happened next. I thoroughly recommend both books and will wait impatiently for the next one/s.

Well written piece of history. Grips you from the start and brings a lump to your throat. Must read and looking forward to further works from this writer