Short little listen to show my father-in-law how Hoopla works. It was an okay story, engaging enough, may have caused some drowsiness, which when driving isn't optimal. ( )

Nostalgia led me to read this short story, simply because my mother read many Nelson DeMille novels. Now I know why she did.

DeMille was an infantry platoon leader in Vietnam who earned a Bronze Star, and his story about soldiers going out on a patrol through enemy territory during their last month of service put me right in the elephant grass and napalm-bombed areas with them.

The soldiers' objective is to report back on enemy troop movements and locations, but they lose both radio operators and radios to sniper fire. Readers soon learn that a Vietnamese female is the person who's picking them off one by one, and the soldiers have no alternative but to head for a pickup point and, hopefully, safety.

The cat-and-mouse game this woman plays with these men kept me glued to the pages of this swiftly moving story, and its ending is honest even though it may exasperate those who insist that their reading has absolutely no loose ends.

Now I'm going to have to choose one of DeMille's novels to read. Thanks, Mom. Even from the grave, you're adding to my to-be-read pile! ( )

Very good, but just not my cup of tea. ( )

The premise of the story was interesting enough, however, many of the events during this LRRP patrol would never have taken place. For instance, LRRP troops communicate with hand signals and members would never ask for a roll call (twice) or call out to other team members during a patrol, especially when surrounded by the enemy in Laos. Ten team members also seems extreme during a LRRP outing - they usually travel with five members. I'm thinking that Mr. DeMille called upon his past experience as an officer of an infantry unit when he was in Vietnam - when the actions described would have sufficed.

The characters in this short story were only names without any back story to any of them, so when killed, it's only another name removed from the list of team members and no emotions.. It also ends abruptly, I expected it to continue for a bit to let readers know how successful the body recovery mission was.

f you have a spare hour, then Rendezvous is still worth reading...readers can follow the ten member LRRP team through the jungles of Laos and see how they fare against a very good female sniper, who just wants to have fun.

John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel ( )

Short story (1 hour listen) about a combat patrol in Vietnam. Suspenseful and exciting as the patrol is followed by a female sniper. One by one, they are picked off...until the end. ( )