Fallen Angels

[litjunkie]

I just started this novel yesterday. I wondered if anyone had read it. It seems to be a pretty easy and quick read. The unfortunate, but inevitable part, is that I've hit the first death with only 40 pages read. It's inevitable because it's about Vietnam. Although some of the language is offensive, I like the characterizations depicted in the novel because they seem to be pretty accurate in that most military men that I know use the type of "name-calling" evident in the novel. Unfortunately, it does also lend itself to stereotyping in that it seems to only be portraying one view of the military man thus far. Has anyone read it and if so, what do you think?

[Ivan Karamazov]

I read it a few years ago in the eighth grade and I recently graduated highschool; along with Watership Down, it was the first of the larger-sized books I ever read. I loved it, but I probably would get a lot more out of it if I read it today. As I remember it had a great story, lots of action. The ending is fitting, I don't exactly remember why (and if I did, I wouldn't spoil it for ya), but I know remember the scene vividly, along with many others.

I think it might be important to keep in mind that the book is portraying not only troops, but troops fighting in a vastly unpopular war and against a truly fierce enemy. As for your apprehensions about getting one view of the military man, I wouldn't worry about it at all. The characters have more sides to them which you'll begin to discover.

There is obviously a lot more to this book than I can relate here, for its depth and for my own lack thereof with regard to memory. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, anyhow.


Humbly,

Ivan.

[litjunkie]

I loved it. It had extensive realism in all of its descriptions of combat. I found them very hard to read because of the realism, but the realism is also the exact reason that I found the novel of such value. It really gave me deeper insight into the experiences that these men and women faced and gave me a better understanding of why and how it altered their lives forever...