The novel also reflects on the legacy of the Vietnam War on the American veterans who fought in it. The novel shows how many veterans struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, homelessness, unemployment, alienation, and stigma.
The novel also shows how some veterans tried to rebuild their lives after the war by finding new careers, families, or causes.
The Adaptations
Word of Honor has been adapted into two different media forms: a television miniseries and a Chinese web series.
The Television Miniseries
In 2003, Word of Honor was adapted into a two-part television miniseries by TNT. The miniseries starred Don Johnson as Benjamin Tyson, Jeanne Tripplehorn as Marcy Tyson, Sharon Lawrence as Karen Harper, John Heard as Vincent Corva, and Arliss Howard as Steven Brandt. The miniseries was directed by Robert Markowitz and written by Leslie Greif and Cynthia Whitcomb.
The miniseries followed the plot of the novel closely, with some minor changes and omissions. The miniseries received mixed reviews from critics and viewers, who praised the performances of the cast but criticized the pacing, the dialogue, and the production values.
The miniseries was nominated for two Emmy Awards: Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special and Outstanding Single Camera Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or a Movie.
The Chinese Web Series
In 2021, Word of Honor was adapted into a 36-episode Chinese web series by Youku. The web series starred Zhang Zhehan as Zhou Zishu, Gong Jun as Wen Kexing, Zhou Ye as Gu Xiang, Ma Wenyuan as Cheng Ling, and Sun Xiuyuan as Ye Baiyi. The web series was directed by Cheng Zhichao and written by Xiao Chu.
The web series was loosely based on the novel Faraway Wanderers <天涯客> by Priest, which was inspired by Word of Honor. The web series changed the setting from Vietnam to ancient China and added elements of wuxia (martial arts fantasy) and BL (boys’ love).
The web series followed the story of Zhou Zishu, a former leader of a secret organization who quits his job and tries to live a peaceful life. He meets Wen Kexing, a mischievous and mysterious man who claims to be his friend. Together, they get involved in a series of adventures and mysteries that involve a legendary treasure, a hidden sect, and a powerful enemy.
