The Dogs Of War - A Novel

The Dogs of War (1974) is a war novel by Frederick Forsyth chronicling a company of European mercenary soldiers hired by a British industrialist to depose the government of the fictional African country of Zangaro. An eponymous film was released in 1980, based upon the novel and directed by John Irvin. The movie was filmed on location in Belize. The mercenary protagonists, like the protagonist in the author's earlier novel The Day of the Jackal (1971), are professional killers — ruthless, violent men, heroic only in the loosest sense of the word. Thus, they are anti-heroes. Initially introduced as simply killers, as the novel progresses they are gradually shown to have a relatively moral mercenary code which they abide to, however as Shannon tries to explain to his younger lover at one point, it is difficult for civilians to understand this. The story details a geologist's mineral discovery, and the preparations for the attack: soldier recruitment, training, reconnaissance, and the coup d'état logistics (buying weapons, transport, payment). Like most of Forsyth's work, the novel is more about the protagonists' occupational tradecraft than their characters. The Dogs of War title is a term from line 270, scene 1, Act III of the play Julius Caesar (1599), by William Shakespeare: Cry, 'Havoc!', and let slip the dogs of war. Novelist Forsyth draws upon his journalistic experiences in reporting the 1970 Biafran War between Biafra and Nigeria; though fictional, the Central African 'Republic of Zangaro', is based upon Equatorial Guinea, a former Spanish colony.[1] The novel's dedication to five men named Giorgio, Christian, Schlee, Big Marc and Black Johnny and "the others in the unmarked graves" concludes: "at least we tried" — clearly alludes to Forsyth's time in Biafra; the dark tone and cynical plot of the story stem from the same source.

Book in near mint condition, the only flaw on the book is slight, very light spotting on top . Dust Jacket is in very good condition, very light shelf wear to top and bottom spine, small tear at left, front, top and a 2.00 number in ink, (see pictures). Spine shows fading. Dj not clipped with &7.95 price. A very desirable copy.

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