“Heartbreaking…Other authors have gotten the details right, but Myers reaches into the minds of the soldiers…Readers, including those born after the fall of Saigon…will reel from the human consequences of battle.”-Publisher’s Weekly. That’s just one of many great expert reviews for Myers’ book Fallen Angels. The book was great and I would definitely suggest finding time to read it. Even if it means you won’t be able to waste your life away playing video games all night. The book isn’t for everybody, but you teens who like war will love this book. It flows well, is packed with surprises, and gives a good understanding of what the Vietnam war was really like.

The book flows well and is easy to follow. The sequence of events is simple. You could literally know almost nothing about war and still enjoy this story because how well everything is explained. The book isn’t slow, boring, or hard. It’s short and fast paced. There isn’t much downtime between the action. I think the book was pretty fun and exciting, and a lot of that was because of everything that happened that was unexpected.

War is full of surprises, and so is Myers’ book. Every page is like a new day; you never know what is going to happen. For example, “I thought it was cool when the woman stopped just before she reached the dikes and handed one of the kids to a guy from Charlie Company. The GI’s arms and legs flung apart from the impact of the blast. The kid had been mined, and had exploded in his arms” (Myers 231). All the surprises are like a road blocks for the characters to overcome, and they really help to move the story along. If war has 1001 surprises, then this book has 1002. It’ll keep you interested and always wondering; what happens next? And although there are many surprises, the book is also realistic.

Want to know what war is really like? Read this book. It is a good representation of what the Vietnam War was like, both physically and mentally. There are not too many graphic descriptions, but Myers really does a god job of showing how the soldiers react mentally. And he should, because in 1954 he joined the army. So he knows what he’s writing about and is able to make his characters very believable, very human. It’s not at all like one of those stupid unrealistic stories where one person is better than everyone else, or is a hero. And the facts about the Vietnam War are right too. The book is so realistic, it could be true and you’d never know it.

The smooth flow, surprises, and accurate description of the war make this book an excellent choice if you’re looking for something good to read. It’s short, eye opening, and exciting all at the same time. It’s perfect for the teen life. And trust me if you read this, you’ll be glad you did.