Synopsis: Rambo is a young man who wanders aimlessly over the land. He is a "drifter". Rambo was in Vietnam, he enlisted to get to a better unit than he would have if he had been drafted. For his services over there he got the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Teasle is an older man who lives a quite life in his jerkwater town Madison, Kentucky. He is the Sheriff there. Teasle was in Korea. For his services over there he got the Distinguished Service Medal.
The Problem is: When these two clash into each other, neither will back down and a war starts in the heart of America.
My Opinion: The general story is known from the movie
First Blood but the book (on which the movie is based - not vice versa) contains some important differences. For example: The story in the books takes place relatively shortly after John's return from Nam. And in opposition to the movie Teasle isn't the redneck, but both are very stubborn people who are embossed by their life's experiences. The book always switches the perspective from Rambo to Teasle and again to Rambo und one isn't as biased towards Rambo as one is in the movie. That also due to the fact that Rambo wreaks havoc in the book - none of the people who follow John to the ravine will return home alive.
The book is easy to read and it's always clear what is happening and where it is happening. I liked it.
It's a Long Road - Dan Hill
It's a long road
When you're on your own
And it hurts when
They tear your dreams apart
And every new town
Just seems to bring you down
Trying to find peace of mind
Can break your heart
It's a real war
Right outside your front door I tell ya
Out where they'll kill ya
You could use a friend
Where the road is
That's the place for me
Where I'm me in my own space
Where I'm free that's the place
I wanna be
'Cause the road is long yeah
Each step is only the beginning
No breaks just heartaches
Oh man is anybody winning
It's a long road
And it's hard as hell
Tell me what do you do
To survive
When they draw first blood
That's just the start of it
Day and night you gotta fight
To keep alive
It's a long road ...
