I will admit that I've read very little Vietnam War fiction but Fallen Angels was every bit as chaotic, intense and brutal as I expected. The story follows Richie Perry, a kid from Harlem who joins the Army after graduating high school because he knows he can't afford to go to college and he wants to see the world. His squad is a cast of characters, each with their own flaws that make them entirely human and believable. I liked how honest they were with each other and that they didn't all love each other. By the end, there's a basic respect between them because of the hell they've been through together but they don't all get along. Myers nails the uncertainty of never knowing who the enemy is, if the villager you're talking to is going to turn around and kill you as soon as they get a chance. And the constant concern that Perry and the others have that it's worth it are compounded by a superior who is clearly using them for advancement opportunities. There's nothing heroic about the war for anyone in Perry's group, they're all just trying to survive and get back home. Perry's transition from a naive kid to a tired, battle weary soldier is quick, brutal and difficult but the relationships he forges form a bright spot in an otherwise hellish situation. It's a rough read but a good one.