Just got done, excellent

Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2022

My favorite parts of this book had to do with Jackson MacKenzie's time with his horses--and even going on to the Olympics! The description of his early military service plus time at West Point all rang true. The author spends time verifying facts and making this story as true to real life as possible. The book gives a glimpse into military culture that allows someone from the outside to understand it more fully. Some of the battle scenes (Korea) were relatively graphic so be forewarned but if you've ever watched the nightly news or some popular movies you can handle it.

The Uptown Writer

Eli Britt

Reviewed in Italy on May 16, 2021

I am reading this series of books, "The Jackson MacKenzie Chronicles", the third book in this saga is about a 17-year-old young man who after basic training in the army, takes part in the Korean War, his desire to serve his country it is as great as his courage.

The narrative is not limited only to the phases and wartime events of the War in Korea and also addresses the themes of a Young soldier who finds himself facing the hell of war, in his first baptism of fire and blood on the battlefield, and of his ethics as a soldier.

Serving Your Country with Honor and Courage. Be Prepared. The book addresses this theme at 360 degrees by describing the journey of this enterprising young man, deeply marked by what he experienced on his skin during his service in Korea, the boy will have to grow up quickly to face the difficulties and obstacles that will arise along his way.

The protagonist will be put to the test from an early age, the impact of the war in Korea has been devastating, life has not been kind to him ... snatching away his dearest affections ... A new challenge presents itself, and the young Jackson J MacKenzie, intelligent and with natural talents, will have to give all of himself to achieve his goals, with his determination and his courage.

Well written book, never heavy to read and with very precise events and dates, From Korea to Vietnam (in the near future), at West Point, many important topics are touched on ... which I find so current even today.
This book is able to grab attention and guide you through the chapters of the book by living between the lines of the pages ... while reading I have very often felt part of what my eyes were reading, great. It was like being there.

An excellent book that cannot be missing in the library, of those who, like me, have a passion for conflicts of that historical period.
You can read it all in one breath, don't miss it.
I can't wait to read this Author's next book.

Military Writers Society of America Review
The Jackson MacKenzie Chronicles: Forged in Fire and Blood by Angel Giacomo is a gripping novel about seventeen-year-old Jackson MacKenzie, raised in a military family, who enlists in the Army in December 1951. However, the story begins on April 1, 1985, when Jackson is working on his godfather’s farm. Without giving away a crucial part of the drama, Jackson is severely injured and in his struggle for survival, has a flashback to that day in 1951 and the succeeding years of his life.

Readers will follow the resilient young man through his tour of duty in Korea, where he exhibits extraordinary intelligence and the ability to strategize and lead others. Jackson garners the attention of his superior officers, who recognize his unique talents and leadership abilities. Despite being wounded in combat and suffering deep personal losses, MacKenzie grows in maturity beyond his chronological years. He achieves rank increases as quickly as he qualifies for them and ultimately an appointment to West Point, one of his ultimate goals. What he faces at West Point is, in some aspects, similar to what he experienced in the army, except for the vindictive hazing. Jackson handles the power-crazed retaliation perpetrated against him with the same regimental bearing and steadfastness typical of great leaders.

In the words of General Douglas MacArthur, "A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent."

Author Giacomo has the talent to insert the reader onto the battlefield and into the heart and mind of a young man as he faces unique challenges throughout his life both in service to his country and in civilian life. If you enjoy historical fiction, you will love this book.

Review by Nancy Panko (February 2022)

Reviewed by Tom Gauthier for Readers' Favorite

Opening with the now-retired military protagonist, Jackson Joseph MacKenzie, suffering from a potentially deadly snakebite, Forged in Fire and Blood is a flashback to his extraordinary career, from the teenage soldier in combat in Korea to his appointment to the U. S. Military Academy at West Point. We meet MacKenzie's entire family, also serving and who are mostly senior officers. Angel Giacomo has written a story that delightfully comes at you like drinking water from a fire hose. Picture Audie Murphy partnered with Forrest Gump in a staccato-paced delivery of action, wounds, decorations, return to action, and an improbable but plausible series of interactions with commanders at high levels. That being said, it is not a comic book. Forged in Fire and Blood is a no-holds-barred crawl through the muck of Korean War combat, overlaid with the coming-of-age of young Jackson, delivered in shocking event after shocking event. We follow the struggles and decisions of this boy who builds his own identity under the loving shadow of heroic parents and relatives.

Forged in Fire and Blood is a veteran's book, a soldier's book, delivered at a pace reflective of Drill Sergeant's command or battlefield maneuver orders. Succinct, no wasted words or emotions. Angel Giacomo tells this story with the pulsating cadence of a marching unit, mixing the action with the mental struggles of a boy forced into manhood as the title foretells. Giacomo does not waste words on long descriptions of characters or detailed technical explanations, yet never leaves you in the dark as to who they are or what's being used. This is a full-out attack on the action, the wounds, the decorations, and each time they return to action. The interactions of young MacKenzie with commanders at high levels seem improbable from a veteran's point of view, but fully plausible in the context written.

As a veteran, trained by the very generation of soldiers pictured in this story, I could feel, smell, and taste everything Giacomo wrote. My very real bias came from the fact that I served in Combat Intelligence and my "final examination exercise" in school was the simulation of manning the CP of a unit about to come under attack by the Communist Chinese in Seoul, Korea, receiving the same reports from the field in the same sequence over a twenty-four-hour period. Though I missed MacKenzie's war by six years, Angel Giacomo delivered memories that took me back sixty-four years. Giacomo's Forged in Fire and Blood is militarily correct, humanly sensitive, skillfully written, and pure pleasure for this old veteran to read. My recommendation of his work could not be higher.