A novel of the black markets of the South Vietnamese city of Da Nang during the Vietnam War, based on the author's experiences as a self-described South Korean mercenary on the side of the South Vietnamese, this is a Vietnam War novel like no other, truly one that sees the war from all sides. Scenes of battle are breathtakingly well told. The plot is thick with intrigue and complex subplots. But ultimately The Shadow of Arms is a novel of the human condition rather than of the exploits and losses of one side or the other in war.

Hwang, Sŏg-yŏng, 1943-

Sŏg-yŏng Hwang

Sok-yong, Hwang

First Seven Stories Press paperback edition, New York, 2014

A Seven Stories Press First edition, New York, 2013

United States, United States of America

1, 2014

obscured text on back cover.

A Young Corporal Serving In The Korean Armed Forces During The Vietnam War Is Transferred To The Allied Forces' Criminal Investigation Division In Da Nang. His Assignment Is To Keep An Eye On The Black Market That Is Flourishing In The Country, Feeding On The Us Dollars Pouring Into An Imperialist War. In The Thick Web Of Black Market Dealings, Ideals And Ambitions Cross And Collide. Two Vietnamese Brothers Find Themselves On Opposing Sides Of The War. A Korean Beauty Hopes To Buy Herself A New Life. The Young Corporal Struggles To Remain Indifferent To A War That Doesn't Directly Concern Him, In The Hope That He Will Be Able To Forget All That He Has Seen And Done When He Returns Home. Trafficking, Blackmail, Profiteering, And Hoarding Are Set Alongside The Atrocities And Brutalities Of A Hellish War, Making Hwang Sok-yong's The Shadow Of Arms Different From Other Vietnam War Novels, His Voice The Wry And Compassionate One Of A Universal Noncombatant-- Hwang Sok-yong ; Translated By Chun Kyung-ja. Originally Published In French As Mugi-úi-kúnúl. Includes Bibliographical References.

"A young corporal serving in the Korean armed forces during the Vietnam War is transferred to the Allied Forces' Criminal Investigation Division in Da Nang. His assignment is to keep an eye on the black market that is flourishing in the country, feeding on the US dollars pouring into an imperialist war. In the thick web of black market dealings, ideals and ambitions cross and collide. Two Vietnamese brothers find themselves on opposing sides of the war. A Korean beauty hopes to buy herself a new life. The young corporal struggles to remain indifferent to a war that doesn't directly concern him, in the hope that he will be able to forget all that he has seen and done when he returns home. Trafficking, blackmail, profiteering, and hoarding are set alongside the atrocities and brutalities of a hellish war, making Hwang Sok-yong's The Shadow of Arms different from other Vietnam War novels, his voice the wry and compassionate one of a universal noncombatant"-- Provided by publisher

575 pages ; 23 cm
Originally published in French as Mugi-úi-kúnúl
Includes bibliographical references

2024-11-05