Vanguard of Valor

Meticulously researched and deftly constructed, Vanguard of Valor is a compilation of combat engagements in Afghanistan that transcends similar narratives. This is by virtue of the painstaking attention to immersion, notably the inclusion of video, graphics, and sound bytes that drive home the human element in the conflict, and reminds us that, while technology plays a vital role on the battlefield, history should focus on the men and women participating in the event. Please read this if you have any interest in Afghanistan, US Army battlefield narratives, or multmedia presentation in iBooks.

A fantastic read on the iPad - what a great download! The story is fascinating and draws the reader in. But the extras are what earns this five stars. From pop up maps, diagrams, audio interview, video and more, I felt like I was not merely given an interpretation of events but sharing in the background material underlying the story. These enhancements are wonderful, because they aim to provide information and not overwhelm the story with "flash". You can choose as much or as little as you want.

I read the PDF version earlier and then learned of the enhanced version. The collection is extremely well done - and the the enhanced version brings reading military history to a new level with fly through terrain, descriptive timelined maps, weapon descriptions and embedded photographs. Exceptionally well done!,