Some of Solzhenitzyn's obituarists said he was a witness rather than a talented author. That's certainly true of Sven Hassel. He writes simply and brutally, in a style that too often tips over into melodramatic shlock-horror. I like Hassel, but the accusations of "Panzerporn" are not unreasonable (the cover art is a good guide). A more sensitive translator would have helped, but the poor quality of the prose forbids five stars.Yet Hassel is one of the few who can present the horror of war from the point of view of men who are neither good nor evil, swept up by the war machine and for whom there is no hope, no dignity and above all no redemption because they were on the wrong side. In his fictionalised memoir of his seven years in the Wehrmacht (1938-45) he rails against the Nazis, but he never apologises and never judges himself.Wheels of Terror is told in a series of largely unconnected episodes. Most powerful for its chilling banality is the firing squad chapter, where Sven and his comrades share a truck with the old soldier and young female telephonist who know they are on their last journey.It's easy - comforting even - to imagine every member of Hitler's war machine as a monster. It's easy to be good when you're on the right side, but Hassel invites you to join his legion of the damned and asks, "What would you do?"
I have been sticking with the same sort of war and fighting genre, and this book has been one of the better ones I have read. Hassel's descriptions of his experiences create a strong view of the horrors of the war, and how it felt for him to be put through it all.Another strong point, and something I rarely feel, was I started to like the characters. You feel happy or sad when his regiment does. It may seem weird, but I was actually supporting the German Soldiers over the Russians.I really enjoyed this book, and I would definitely read the other books Hassel has written
What do You think about Wheels Of Terror (2007)?
I can't quite decide if I should label this one fiction or non-fiction... The author clearly says that he is describing personal experiences, but I do believe he has taken some artistic liberties. As a compromise I'm labeling it as historical, but not non-fictional. The story is a bit of a blur since I read the first two books in the series in a row (and am using this same review for both), but I guess it suffices to say that war is hell indeed and there's no shiny heroics to be found in these books.
—Helmisade
Wheels of Terror should be compulsory reading for all young adults. By reading this you will see the horrors of war up close and personal.In the pages of this masterpiece you will find things that make you laugh,cry,despair and be horrified, An unimaginable roller coaster ride through hell on earth that is modern warfare. Young men taken from an ordinary world and thrown into an extra ordinary environment. These are people such as we pass daily on the highways and byways of our everyday life. But they have been chewed up and spat out by the modern military machine and turned into monsters. Monsters who will kill maim and rape without compunction. Yet these are the same men who can show great empathy and compassion when least expected. If the laid bare facts of war and soldiering terrify you, then read this and be terrified and just maybe you may someday understand what is needed to prevent such situations. The men of the 27th Penal Panzer regiment are liars murderers and thief's. They are highly trained soldiers and killing machines, but above all else they are human beings who have been greatly wronged. An absolute masterpiece that looks deep inside the human psychic.
—Patrick Moloney
