A Harlem Boy named Perry decides joining the army since his dream of going to college, collapsed. He meets Peewee that becomes his best friend; Peewee is kind of a dreamer. They are posted up in Nam fighting against Vietcongs, Perry and his friend Peewee are always dodging death. They are sent to small villages around Nam to help women and sometimes finding Vietcongs hide there. Perry was trained but never told how it would feel to kill a Vietnamese soldier no older then himself.
The setting Vietnam fits well with Fallen Angels because it is about survival. For example, Perry is on patrol and he sees a Vietcong in front of just a couple of feet away. The Vietcong aims at Perry, Perry thinks it’s a dream click, click, click the Vietcong’s gun is jammed. “Don’t move! I screamed at him. “Don’t move!”(180) So the Vietcong runs towards Perry and swings the gun at him but Perry blocks it and pushes him to the floor, Aims at the Vietcong’s head with an M-16 TA! TA! TA! Sergeant Simpson runs towards Perry to stop him from shooting anymore. Then Perry relies there is nothing of his head left but pink and tissue. The author does a great job describing in detail making you able to visualize what is happening.
Fallen Angels is for readers who are into action packed books, fast pace and with a little gore. However this is not for readers with weak stomachs because there is graphic description of some disturbing things. Fallen Angels is similar to the Soldier Boys by Dean Hughes because they both are action packed and fast paced. Once the reader picks this book they won’t want to put it down for nothing.