Once an Eagle: A Novel
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4.6 • 75 Ratings
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- $29.99
Publisher Description
Once an Eagle is the story of one special man, a soldier named Sam Damon, and his adversary over a lifetime, fellow officer Courtney Massengale. Damon is a professional who puts duty, honor, and the men he commands above self-interest. Massengale, however, brilliantly advances his career by making the right connections behind the lines and in Washington’s corridors of power.
Beginning in the French countryside during the Great War, the conflict between these adversaries solidifies in the isolated garrison life marking peacetime, intensifies in the deadly Pacific jungles of World War II, and reaches its treacherous conclusion in the last major battleground of the Cold War—Vietnam.
A study in character and values, courage, nobility, honesty, and selflessness, here is an unforgettable story about a man who embodies the best in our nation—and in us all.
Customer Reviews
Great
Great book and narration
Absolutely Miserable From Start to Finish
This is one of the worst books I’ve ever forced myself to finish. It’s painfully long, endlessly repetitive, and filled with flat, preachy characters who don’t resemble real people in any military era. The pacing is atrocious, the dialogue is wooden, and the moral lessons are hammered so hard they lose all meaning. I kept waiting for it to get better — it never did. Overrated, outdated, and a complete waste of time. Save yourself the suffering.
In the top five books I’ve ever read
“Once an Eagle” is a masterwork exploring honor and duty through two contrasting officers: Sam Damon and Courtney Massengale. Damon represents selfless service - a leader who puts his soldiers first, sacrifices personal advancement for principle, and embodies integrity even when it costs him everything. Massengale is his opposite: ambitious, self-serving, using military service for personal gain. Myrer’s novel asks the crucial question: What are you serving - something greater than yourself, or your own ambition? Through combat and peacetime, the book reveals how character under pressure defines true leadership. A timeless reminder that honor and duty aren’t abstract ideals, but choices with real consequences.
I’m actually at a loss for words for the person who put one star. There was so many quotable moments in this text. If you could not find something about human character, that was good in this book, I’m afraid your IQ is probably less than my shoe size.