Soldier's Play

Rating:
Summary: A powerful WW2 drama
Review: "A Soldier's Play," by Charles Fuller, was presented by the Negro Ensemble Company in New York City in 1981, and went on to win a Pulitzer Prize. A film version, retitled "A Soldier's Story," was directed by Norman Jewison. This play takes place in 1944 (during World War II) at Fort Neal, Louisiana. Fuller takes us into an all-Black unit, commanded by a white officer, in the segregated army.

The play begins with the murder of one of its principal characters: Tech/Sergeant Vernon Waters, by an unknown killer. Waters' story is recreated in flashbacks; the play is essentially the story behind the investigation into the crime. The situation on the base, which is already hot with racial tension, intensifies when an African-American officer is assigned to the case.

Fuller has taken an explosive combination of elements and from them fashioned a truly gripping piece of dramatic art. Suspense, vivid dialogue, memorable characters, and penetrating insights all combine to make this a truly remarkable play. This is also one of those excellent plays which also succeeds as a text for readers.

This is a compelling look at the tensions and controversies surrounding the segregated army. Fuller is particularly effective at demonstrating the corrosive effects of racism on both Blacks and whites. Waters is one of the most powerfully tragic figures in all of American drama. I highly recommend "A Soldier's Play"; it is one of the great literary works about military life.

Rating:
Summary: Two thumbs up for A Soldiers Play by Devin Wright
Review: A Great murder mystery for those who are intrigued by mysteries and other themes such as suspense, betrayal, and loyalty. For people who are not into mysteries. This novel has a combination of mysteries and actual historical events which took place such as World War I which took place during the late 1914's and the Ku Klux Klan . The first page of the play has a hook which draws you further into in the book and makes you want to read more and find out "who done it."
This book could also be compared to "The Murder on the Orient Express" by Agatha Christie with the same story line and events but with different setting and plot.
BUT!!!! Even though the play has many good scenes it would have been better if acted out rather than to have been read. It also gets somewhat boring and confusing towards the end because you might have for gotten but everything comes together during the last few pages. I found the book to be a page turner with new clues, hints and evidence in each page, and I would give it four out of five stars because it has a good plot and storyline.