Incredibly Dull & Boring
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I agree with the 2nd previous review. The book starts off great as the author explains life in a hard Nazi labour camp and then explains life in training as a soldier to be on the front line against the Russians. But once he goes into battle nothing really happens and it gets really boring and frustrating to read. He's only in battle for two minutes before he's captured and he goes from one place to another and you simply stop caring. The characters are flat and dull, the descriptions of places are almost none existent and it is really difficult to visulise whats happening. If you buy this book you will love it for 20 minutes but then you'll find it extremely difficult to finish the book as its boring.
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A View from the 'Other' Side...
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Very well written and a good introduction to the work of the author. Sven doesn't get bogged down in too much historical detail, but manages to paint a gritty image of life as a German 'tanker'. Nice to read something told from a different perspective. Made me want to go and buy more Hassel books - which I did!
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Boring
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Firstly, I'm an avid reader of WW2 fiction and thought it was about time I started reading Sven Hassel. I thought it might be interesting to get an account, albeit fictional, from the German perspective. The first couple of chapters were good and full of promise, describing the brutal acts carried out in the German penal colonies. However, after that the book began to fall apart. The plot is disjointed, at times feeling like a short story anthology and at other times an autobiography. Each chapter starts with an annoying half-page of prose in italics that bears no relation to the story that follows. The characterisation is poor, so you are left feeling like you don't know the characters and don't care if they live or die. The book is not originally written in English and it shows as the translation is poor.
I finished the book out of sheer determination but found it took enormous willpower to pick the book up each time.
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Shocking testimony to the brutality of war
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Sven Hassel tells this story from his own experiences in this account of life as a member of a penal battalion is certainly not for the faint hearted. A brutal account of life on the 'other' side. A must read for all those interested in getting an understanding of what serving in the German Army was like. Moving, shocking and mesmerising.
I first read this book 20 years ago and have just bought a new copy to read it again such is its impact.
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A true classic!
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Legion of the damned is undoubtably the best book ive ever read. the way Hassel writes this book is graphic and unique.
Its about a doomed German platoon on the eastern front in 1943. Hassel is one of them. This book is definetly not for the squemish as it is very violent. It is so easy to pick up and read, but very hard to put back down!
I would recommend this book to anyone except for the squemish.
Its not just a typical blokes book, but it also has a lot of love and sensitivity.
Go on buy it!
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