Title: Iron Pigs
Author: Trent Farce
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1-5245-9040-6
Pages: 116
Genre: Memoir/ History / Military
Reviewed by: CC Thomas
Pacific Book Review Star
Awarded to Books of Excellent Merit
In Iron Pigs, author Trent Farce has written a glimpse back into a painful, yet important, event in American history, as well as his own personal history. Trench was a member of the Second Light-Armored Reconnaissance Battalion of the United States Marine Corps and recounts a mission to Afghanistan during 2009 in this short nonfiction book.
Farce’s chronicling of the incidents during this particular operation are harrowing and realistic and told with that unique soldier’s viewpoint of relating life and death situations as if such things were normal, everyday events. For Farce and with many soldiers, the mortal events are, of course commonplace. For those readers living vicariously through Farce’s words, it is a heartbreaking, chilling and breathtaking account. This story, told from a soldier’s perspective, doesn’t point any fingers or cast any political blame and is kept the trained straight on the facts.
While Farce’s story is a quick read at just over 100 pages, it’s a book which needs to be read slowly. I suggest every few pages, take a break. Closing your eyes and picturing yourself in the same scene will make the events much more poignant and powerful. The book is written in the form of a journal and it’s easy to hear Farce’s voice in your mind as you read, almost as if you’re right there beside him watching all of the action and feeling all the emotions. If you quickly read and gloss over the events, you just would not do the tale justice. While Farce doesn’t feel sorry for himself nor any of his fellow soldiers, readers who aren’t in the military will feel their heart strings tug at the sacrifices our soldiers go through on our behalves. This is not to say emotion is lacking in the book. Farce’s anger and frustration at certain occurrences are well-described and his rage seems palpable, pounding on the pages. While Farce doesn’t describe his heart skipping, the reader will likely have that reaction, whether such an experience is personal or not. Farce’s describing of the day-to-day life is filled with detailed events which also speaks to the brutality of war and the fortitude of the human spirit.
Having just read Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakauer, I couldn’t help but compare the two. While Farce is not Krakauer and this book is not likely to end up on the bestseller’s list, it is just as powerful and thought-provoking. Farce’s work does one thing the other book doesn’t—it gives that personal touch and his experience is keenly felt. For readers who love gritty page-turning accounts of war and military life, Iron Pigs is a read you won’t regret and one which will have you feeling extremely thankful for the courage and tradition of soldiers like Farce.
