I enjoyed Odyssey: 1970, which was provided by the author as a Member Giveaway. It covers the adventures of young John Cassell, adrift during the latter years of the Vietnam War. Bad cops, bad luck, tough judges, racial confrontations, lost (and found) loves, good dope, and draft worries are just a few of the problems confronting our hero. Having grown up in the 60's, with a low draft lottery number, I can assure you much of the plot, and most of the characters, were familiar and genuine.

I wish I'd read Crossroads: 1969, the first book in the Trilogy, before this one; I'm sure it would have helped me understand Cassell's mindset, and probably made me more sympathetic towards the character early on.

Yes, there were some proofing issues, but I didn't find them distracting - I see worse in the newspaper every day. ( )

Simply put I enjoyed the story. I recommend it to anyone interested in the Viet-Nam era in America. John Cassell is a very good story teller. My own age-of-growing-up is nearly the same as his. He manages to convey the topsy-turvy period in which corporate and political greed managed to turn American mores on their collective head. Nothing was untouched and he manages to convey that. People dispared and became defensive/aggressive. "Fight or flight was more a reality than just behavioral jargon. Cassell manages to illustrate this.

He successfully recreates the drama of Kent State, San Francisco, thumbing rides and tangles with authority. His research seems impeccable. One not a young adult in 1970 may have difficulty with the veracity of that aspect of the story, which while possible begins to distract the critical reader of any other age with its implausibility. His story's hero has more adventures in a year than James Bond in a movie.

The book had one very distracting flaw. It needed a proofreader, editor or publisher who read it before going to print! Had the story not been so accurate, it may not have been read to completion. Many places the reader is distracted trying to unravel an unfamiliar word only to realize the typesetter left off a space between the two intended ones. In a few places a word seemed simply dropped from a sentence. The author's efforts at writing were cheated of their full effect by this. I had to work hard at times to keep this from overshadowing the story. ( )

A great book, don't let the size of it scare you...once you start reading it becomes hard to put it down. ( )

John W. Cassell writes with a passion that is unsurpassed by most. His works are awe-inspiring and gripping, and never leave you empty. I am never disappointed in his novels... ( )