Tin Soldiers

Whether you lived through the Vietnam War era and the widespread protests against the war, or not, you will feel immersed in that time period reading Tin Soldiers. Wat Tyler’s roles as a Vietnam veteran, journalist, and university lecturer produce a complex, engaging character., and the settings and time-appropriate details add interest. Author David Chadwick occasionally lapses into British English descriptors which might initially puzzle American readers. But then, the book was published in England. Overall, it’s an enjoyable read.

I received a digital Advance Reader’s Copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

A terrific debut, very well written, and a compelling story - what more could you ask for? I really enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to seeing what else David Chadwick has up his sleeve.

Tin Soldiers is set in and around New York during the Vietnam War, featuring a veteran turned National Guard volunteer and journalist. It gives a good sense of the period and the political and social tensions. I would have preferred more nuanced characterisation, but if you like a strongly plotted, pacy story it's a good read.

An excellent story, very well written and well plotted. Engaging characters with an unusual storyline, set during the Vietnam war.
A very good debut, and an author I will look out for in future, to see what he writes next. A pacy, compelling narrative, making for an enjoyable read. Highly recommended.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book.

This splendid thriller is set in 1970 when anti-Vietnam war protests were escalating following the USA's unlawful invasion of Cambodia. It's stylish and slick, echoing the hard-boiled crime genre introduced by Dashiell Hammett in Black Mask magazine in 1929.
David Chadwick's four decades as a journalist and his work as a media advisor to the UK Cabinet Office have clearly provided an excellent apprenticeship for writing top notch fiction.
The plot is complex and original, and provides an evocative historical context to imagined events. It points a finger at corruption both in government and military as well as dangerous biomedical research. It's engrossing and addictive and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.