Review: Back to Serve by CW3 Cesare Giannetti

Author and decorated veteran CW3 Cesare Giannetti U.S. Army (Ret.) draws readers into a fascinating crucible of loyalty, war, family, and self-determination in Back to Serve: Return of a Soldier.

Written as a fictional memoir of the similarly-named Captain Nico Corretti, the novel no doubt reflects the author’s own experience, but it is intriguingly woven together with the elements of a thriller. It is unusual for a military story to begin with the protagonist retiring from service, but Captain Corretti’s respite is short-lived, as his loyalty and willingness to sacrifice are endless. With a mother who died when he was young, and a hard-nosed cop from the Bronx for a father, he was built tough, stubborn, and unflappable.

Though he is planning to move his wife and twin boys from New York to Florida for their next chapter of life, a mysterious encounter at a bar hints that his intelligence work is far from done. Giannetti’s story moves slowly, acting more as a vehicle for self-reflection and reminiscence than an action-packed thriller, so the book does lean more towards memoir than novel at times, though there is plenty of excitement – moments of erotic temptation and covert meetings in libraries, not to mention a deadly Soviet agent who has specifically chosen him as a target for symbolic retribution against all American soldiers.

The author’s ability to tap into deep emotions comes as no surprise, given his other work, but it is interesting to see those powers of intimacy turned toward a piece of historical fiction, albeit one informed by his own service. While understanding the author’s personal history adds flavor to this fiction, it is far from necessary to appreciate this story; the immersive language and military background of the author makes the reading experience three-dimensional and delightfully vivid.

There are some striking passages of prose boasting narrative flair and splashy descriptions throughout, however, the tone is generally declarative and straightforward, with a heavy reliance on internal monologuing from Nico. The prose has a tendency to over-explain, with the first-person narration carefully describing the emotional state of characters, as well as their reactions to events. This is particularly true in the dialogue, where the author doesn’t allow readers to draw too many of their own connections, and instead explains in detail the significance or meaning of almost every exchange. The conversations themselves are somewhat stilted as well, achieving their intended purpose, but sometimes losing a note of authenticity along the way.

There are also some sloppy moments of grammar and spelling to adjust, and some issues of believability, such as the cliché villains, which creates a nearly satirical edge to the conflict of the story when suspense is needed. The characterization of women is also quite superficial, and there is a general lack of depth to secondary characters. However, the novel’s rare mixture of the author’s lived experience and military thriller makes the book a uniquely compelling and fun read overall – an enticing blend of recent history, behind-the-scenes military insight, conspiratorial drama, and thrilling spycraft.