Initiation

[Hannalore]

My favourite part about the initiation is how Martin played slapsies with the chief. It is an interesting scene to read.

[Nuel Ukah]

When he played slapsies with the chief was probably the funniest part. It seemed like such a ridiculous game, but the chief obviously took it very seriously!

Hahaha... You are so right. A very funny scene indeed.

[Prisallen]

I chuckled at the redundant threats of bodily harm. Palmer to Zack:
“Okay, Martin. You’re projectile man on the starboard gun. Any questions? No? Okay, just don’t drop any rounds. If you blow us all up, I’ll have to kill you.”

Yes, that is a good one!! Although I have to admit I didn't recognize it until you mentioned it!!!

I had forgotten it as well! Palmer was an interesting character anyway; always doing his job well but waiting impatiently to fight the Marines.

[Erin Dydek]

Zach seemed to get more initiation hazing through nicknames than anything else...farm boy, Vermont boy, chicken f***er (was probably the worst), and green-a** boot. Those seemed pretty typical to what you see in movies but the slapsies with the captain was pretty funny and unexpected.

[Chelsey Coles]

I chuckled at the redundant threats of bodily harm. Palmer to Zack:
“Okay, Martin. You’re projectile man on the starboard gun. Any questions? No? Okay, just don’t drop any rounds. If you blow us all up, I’ll have to kill you.”

Lol yes that was a good one! I enjoyed it too. It took me a moment. I was like... wait, what?

[ciecheesemeister]

I agree with the rest of you. The game of "slapsies" with the chief was a fun moment. Zack held his own.

[Jeremie Mondejar]

I thought, no one would ever dare to fight with the chief. Most of the deck apes, snipes and others don't like the cheif, but Zach dare to fight. I guess, through that, the cheif likes him, though he was still called 'chicken f'.

[LyorBoone]

When he played slapsies with the chief was probably the funniest part. It seemed like such a ridiculous game, but the chief obviously took it very seriously!

I second that, finding the name of the game quite funny. In elementary school, I remember children playing the same game under the title of "Slaps." The mentioning of all the strategies that went into the scene brought back memories, and the way the captain took the game so seriously, it give the characters a charming quality befitting of children. It's an excellent contrasting of an environment full of soldiers that haven't seen war to the inevitable horrors they will soon encounter.

[wordslinger42]

I thought it wasn’t too bad of an initiation, really. It could have been a lot worse. My dad was a sergeant in the Army way back when and the jokes they pulled on new people were out there. I thought he got off quite easily except maybe his hand slap game and a few curse words thrown at him.

I also thought that the initiation was pretty mild, much more so than I expected it to be!

[Urbashi Basu]

My favorite is Martin playing 'slapsies' with chief McCoy.

[Nkoo]

one of my favourite parts was when he played slapsies with the Chief. The Chief's disposition at that game left me in stitches. I like the way the author injected humor into the book.

[joshfee77]

Martin playing slapsies with the chief was definitely hilarious, especially with how seriously the chief took the game.

[La Cabra]

The slap game was unpredictable to say in the least. I would've expected an initiation to involve some drunk singing or something, but a slap game? I didn't see that coming. And the author made it really funny too.

[Kanda_theGreat]

The game of slapsies was my perfect definition of dramatic irony. The chief's manner of handling the whole incident immensely contributed to the degree of humour.

[austenfan]

Sometimes initiation can be of a violent nature and so the silly aspect of theirs was fun.