Blood ... Terror ... Insanity. Fallen Angels byWalter Dean Myers recalls the Vietnam War through the eyes of RichardPerry, an African-American soldier.

Perry is 17 and on his way toVietnam, a new place, a new life, a whole new world. He volunteered toserve his country, unlike draftees. Thinking of his home in Harlem, andhis family, though, Perry has second thoughts.

The horridness ofthe war nearly overwhelms him. Death comes knocking at his door, dayafter day, night after night. He endures the same food every day, withlittle sleep and hordes of mosquitoes. Only the support of friends andthe safety of his gun beside him comfort him. He knows what he wants -to go home.

Perry is hurt, but unfortunately the wound is not badenough to send him home. He returns to the same hot, muggy place, andinsanity starts to settle around him. The intense fear of friends dying,burning piles of bodies and the unsettling guilt that he is still alivestart to take a toll on Perry.

This tale of tragedy, action andheroism cannot possibly be summarized adequately. Myers goes into theminds of soldiers with not just facts and dates, but emotions. AlthoughMyers was never in the Vietnam War, he has a strong connection with it;his brother died there. Fallen Angels is respectfully dedicated to hisbrother.

Fallen Angels will reach deep into your soul and giveyou a whole new perspective on the Vietnam War.