THE HUNTERS is one of the more insular novels I’ve ever read., insular in that it’s almost entirely about the self-contained world of fighter pilots during the Korean War of the early l950’s. That forgotten war of 60 years ago involved the first air battles between the newly developed American F-86 jets and the Russian MIG’s. They were both in the air to support ground troops. At that time, missiles had not been developed so planes had to get close enough to machine gun and disable the enemy aircraft.The novel centers around Cleve, an “old” (early 30’s) veteran fighter pilot who has an intense camaraderie with his fellow pilots. It’s a world of its own at 40,000 feet and one that is totally involving, if incomprehensible to outsiders. “Friends were always asking him why he stayed in, or telling him he was wasting himself. He had never been able to give an answer.”It has to do with fulfilling himself. “In this war, he was more certain than ever, he would attain himself, as men do who venture past all that is known.” It is a test of bravery, it is the ultimate life-and-death sport, the sensation that mountain-climbers feel as well. Another part of the answer is the loyalty that men feel toward one another, as with all soldiers in all wars. Soldiers have a job to do, their obligations are to one another, and abstract questions about the value of the war is not something they concern themselves with.There are conflicts, though. “He was frequently conscious of not wanting to die. That was not the same as wanting to live. It was a black disease, a fixation that could ultimately corrode the soul.” If a man’s soul becomes “corroded” than he stops taking chances, mostly concerned about making it safely back to the base.Taking chances, though, does not mean jeopardizing the lives of your fellows. It means using all of one’s knowledge and skill to shoot down enemy jets. Anyone who has shot down at least five jets becomes an “ace” and is held in the highest esteem. A brash young pilot, Pell, takes some irresponsible risks and does just that. When confronted by Cleve about risking the lives of others, he always has an excuse to justify his recklessness. His natural talent and skill is undeniable, though, and it impresses his superior officers.He is a challenge to Cleve, especially since his record speaks for itself while Cleve’s successes are few, the lack of them mostly a matter of bad luck. “Bad luck” – not something that impresses anyone. “Pell confronted him with the unreality and diabolical force of a medieval play, the deathlike, grinning angel risen to claim the very souls of men.” Everyone, newcomers and veterans alike, are impressed with Pell’s ace status. But Cleve continues his missions. “It’s a sport. You belong to it. More than that. Finally, it bcomes, I don’t know, a refuge. The sky is the godlike place. If you fly it alone it can be everything.” There is another dimension to the novel as well, one any reader can sympathize with. Time passes, and it becomes harder for Cleve to make friends. They leave, few having his commitment to his craft, and most of them he will never see again. It’s a novel about aging and getting old as well as bravery and skill. Only once does Cleve take a break from this world, a short leave in Tokyo where he talks at length with a young woman who could be a stand-in for the reader. He then returns to his warrior world, After 100 missions he will retire, his goals possibly unmet, but he continues to pursue them. Others obtain the fame that should be his. It’s a tragic view of continuing on even if life is unfair, one that is masterfully depicted by Salter.
Much has already been said here about the precision of Salter's crisp, clean style. It's Hemingway over ice with a splash of bitters. If you love language, you will read every word. Much also has been said about this book as an accurate portrayal of flying and a great novel of warfare.What I would add to all that is how "The Hunters" is a fascinating account of the dynamics within a group of highly trained men who engage in a high-risk occupation. The central character Cleve begins the novel as a well respected flyer, a cut above the rest, and admired by the less experienced men around him. Fiercely independent and reserved, he has a somewhat aloof personal style that makes him all the more respected and even idolized.Enter a younger, hotshot flyer, brash and egotistical, the opposite of Cleve in every respect -- and, we are led to believe, somewhat less than honorable -- who quickly establishes himself as an equal to Cleve, determined to be seen by the commanding officers as superior. The rest of the novel is a psychological study of "grace under pressure" and the eventual failure of Cleve to maintain his position in this hierarchy of men, where the respect of others is the reason for being.This drama of the individual against a closed social order that first praises and then abandons him is compelling from beginning to end. I recommend the book not only to readers looking for well-written accounts of air warfare. Its nuanced portrayal of the shifting dynamics among men in an all-male setting makes it excellent material for gender studies, as well. For another Salter book that picks up some of these same themes and writes about them just as eloquently, read his novel "Solo Faces."
What do You think about The Hunters (1999)?
James Salter's The Hunters is a very good book. Unfortunately, I picked it up just prior to moving, but if my time were mine it would have been read quite quickly. Salter was a previous Air Force pilot and officer, but even still I was surprised to find The Hunters so genuine and free of unrealistic banter. I particularly liked this...Being in a squadron was a digest of life. You were a child when you joined. There was endless opportunity, and everything was new. Gradually, almost unknowingly, the days of painful learning and delight were over; you achieved maturity; and then suddenly you were old, with new faces and relationships that were difficult to recognize rising up quickly all around you, until you found yourself existing practically unwelcome in the midst of them, with all the men you had known and lived with gone and the war little more than unsharable memories of things that had taken place long ago. It was like the last year of college, and the final examinations just over. Everybody was rushing to leave, many of them friends. Most of them you would never see again.... The rooms were being continually filled with strangers, more of them every week. They knew nothing of the past and its holiness. For them, the war began the day of their arrival, and it would be a long time before they were tired of it and going home themselves, those that finished. Cleve searched, but he could not find himself among them. They were all so inexperienced and confident."Its often when you find yourself in the military feeling like this, holding on to those fading memories, and Salter nailed that emotive sense.
—Rich
James Salter's debut novel is miles better than most authors' magnum opera. Beautifully written, emotionally engaging. Knowing a little bit about Salter's service as a fighter pilot in the Korean War, I assume (egotistically) many of Cleve Connell's experiences parallel Salter's own. Perhaps not (view spoiler)[ Connell's encounter with Casey Jones, or the details of his rivalry/antagony with Pell, (hide spoiler)]
—Dave
Set in Korea at the height of the Korean war, the main character Cleve Connell, from the United States, is a mature and experienced jet fighter pilot whose ambition is to engage with, and shoot down as many enemy MIG fighters as he can.The underlying tension evolves slowly but steadily as he tries to cope with an insubordinate who will not follow orders; the frustration of flying missions and seeing no enemy aircraft; the long periods of boredom between flights; the military hierarchy who laud the pilot of any downed MIG and the PR exploitation that follows; the desire to be recognised as an ACE for shooting down five MIGs; the time it takes to complete 100 missions so that he can return to USA.James Slater has crafted a very interesting story that encapsulates all the nuances of military service in a war situation.
—Michael
