Official Review: The Funny Side of War by Mat Vance

Post by **bookowlie** » 11 Aug 2015, 17:37

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Funny Side of War" by Mat Vance.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Soldiers tend to use humor to get through the day. They have a comaraderie that is unmatched and often includes funny, offbeat situations. Mat Vance’s The Funny Side of War: For the Sick and Demented takes an up close and personal look at these lighter moments. The author was in the Army for 6 years, including a total of 27 months deployed in Iraq. His reminiscences provide a glimpse of the ways soldiers act to relieve tension or boredom.

Each chapter zeroes in on a specific topic and includes one or more anecdotes. The reader is taken on a ride through Basic Training, the author’s first duty assignment at Fort Lewis, and then deployment in Iraq. Once the story shifts overseas, things take on a more sober tone. Still, the men engage in hijinks, mainly to take their minds off the fear. During one passage, ammunitions are exploding outside after a mortar attack, so what do they do? They urinate in water bottles, pay one guy a ton of money to drink his own urine, and then all do the Pee-Wee Herman dance. In another section, the platoon’s bored medic asks the author to shoot him repeatedly in the butt with a non-lethal paintball gun. You can’t make this stuff up.

The author has a down-to-earth writing style that is easy to understand. The dialogue is particularly well written. However, I didn’t feel there was anything pulling me forward in the book. The author becomes a bit more introspective in the second half of the book, but the anecdotes still take center stage. The story becomes more absorbing once the setting switches to Iraq. The tension and fear are palpable, even though there are some light-hearted scenes.

Character development is limited to a short backstory of the primary character in an occurrence. The stage is quickly set with a description of the person’s appearance, where he’s from, and a few tidbits about his personality. This was a nice, concise way of introducing a character. The only downside is that characters tend to be discussed in one chapter and then are never brought up again. It was difficult to keep track of who’s who as a result.

The book is narrated by the author in the first person. I didn’t get a good sense of him, even though he is always there as a witness or active participant. The details of the vignettes are front and center while there is often a distant quality about the people. The book often lacks an emotional component, which I found surprising as I expected to care more about the characters.

Drinking to excess is laughed about, even when there are two drunk-driving incidents, including a rollover. It was a little offensive to read that the author was unconscious while his head was bleeding profusely, and then find him joking about his buddy’s drunk driving.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I laughed and was grossed out at times, and thoroughly enjoyed the story. The writing is unflinchingly realistic and the author’s analysis in the latter part of the story is very moving. Soldiers can detach themselves from events they have experienced and may not always have the same reactions as other people. As a result, the lines of what is considered funny vs. inappropriate can get blurred. I was honored to read this set of straightforward, often humorous recollections. I would recommend this book to anyone who has been in the military or enjoys books about military experiences. Besides, any book that contains the phrases “turd nuggets” and “douche bag aura” is worth reading.

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The Funny Side of War
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gali · Post by **gali** » 14 Aug 2015, 13:27

Great review! I am glad you enjoyed the book.

Post by **bookowlie** » 14 Aug 2015, 14:17

Thanks Gali! It was an interesting read. Many times during the story, I felt like I was right there with the author and his war buddies.

Jesska6029 · Post by **Jesska6029** » 14 Aug 2015, 15:02

Great review! This book seems so interesting!

Tanaya · Post by **Tanaya** » 14 Aug 2015, 15:50

I always enjoy how detailed and thorough your reviews are. As everyone else has said: Great review!

Post by **bookowlie** » 14 Aug 2015, 17:15

Thanks Jesska and Tanaya for the kind words.

The only thing I didn't like about the book was how the author seemed detached from the anecdotes he wrote about. It was almost as if he were a reporter who wasn't experiencing this things firsthand. I guess that's a common way soldiers deal with their time in combat.

bluemel4 · Post by **bluemel4** » 14 Aug 2015, 19:23

Great review. I really enjoyed reading it. Wonderful job.

Post by **bookowlie** » 14 Aug 2015, 20:09

Thanks! I got sucked into the author's experiences little by little. By the time I read half of the book, I felt like I was right in the thick of the action in Iraq.

zeldas_lullaby · Post by **zeldas_lullaby** » 15 Aug 2015, 00:24

This is a really colorful, vivid review.

Ah... my brother, (male) cousin, and I were playing Truth or Dare many decades ago, and my cousin actually got my brother to drink his own pee. Thanks for the fond memories, BookOwlie and Mr. Vance! Those were good times.

Levi · Post by **Levi** » 15 Aug 2015, 01:01

@bookowlie Hahahahahahaha I absolutely love this review, especially from you!! You are always so wise and to hear you review this book, with it's "special phrases", makes me feel not so out of place. I am intelligent, and I love books, but I also work at a bike shop and sometimes the author's world and language match my own more than the language I display here. I'm glad to know that "turd nuggets" is okay to say here, and that I am not an alien. I appreciate the author and his service to our country and I understand the detachment that takes place. My grandfather told me many stories, and they also included lots of drinking and many wrecked vehicles, even back then. I will add this to my list!

Post by **bookowlie** » 15 Aug 2015, 10:24

Thanks Zeldas_lullaby and Escapeartist. The special phrases and colorful stories were certainly enjoyable to read. "Turd nuggets" was a new one for me!

zeldas_lullaby · Post by **zeldas_lullaby** » 15 Aug 2015, 23:52

The cover on that book is downright hilarious.

Post by **bookowlie** » 16 Aug 2015, 11:29

zeldas_lullaby wrote:The cover on that book is downright hilarious.

I had to look up the cover on Amazon to refresh my memory, since the cover next to the review is not showing up for me. I agree, it look funny although I am not sure what they're doing.