Fallen Angels

Rating:
Summary: Definitely Worth the Read
Review: Fallen Angels - A Look at What Life Really Means

Walter Dean Myers' Fallen Angels is a well-written tale of not only the tragedies of the Vietnam War and of the experiences of the typical black American soldier, but also an open-minded view of the realities of precious life and courageous death. The main character in the book, Richard Perry, is a young man fresh out of a high school in Harlem. When dreams of going to college and playing basketball don't turn out as he'd planned, Perry joins the army, and is sent to the front line in Vietnam. The rest of the story describes his life in the army: his arrival in the foreign country, the meeting of his squad, and the building of friendships and camaraderie. The dialogue between the soldiers is realistic, sometimes grotesque, and often humorous. Myers also vividly depicts the battles Perry fights in, using exquisite language so to bring the reader into the battle itself with the soldiers. He uses his expertise to show the pain felt by Perry and his friends. I do not mean physical pain alone, but pain of the aching heart and wandering mind, the tired body and longing soul. One example of such description is found after one particular battle when Perry says, " I had stood trembling in fear and waiting, and had run in near panic for the choppers and hoped and prayed for a few minutes more of life" (Myers 141). Another example is found during another battle, when Perry tries desperately to think of other things besides the war he is in. He remembers his Harlem home, saying, " It would be day and the park would be filled with kids, their screaming and laughter would slide along the light beams into the helter skelter world of monkey bars and swings" ( 246). For me, this book is one of great power and insight. It brought me deeper into the world we live in, a world of prejudice, violence, and love. It took me back to days before my time, teaching me about world history, as well as the story of a most interesting human being. One of the things I think I enjoy the most about this book is its display of humanity found in the depths of war. The feelings shared by Perry about his family and his life back in the World show compassion most people would probably not expect from a trained soldier. The story is like an elongated parable, teaching the reader a new sense of morality about warfare and violence. I'm not saying that these things are moral in themselves, but rather that love, tenderness and virtue can be found behind the scenes in the hearts of the men who fight in a war. It is for this reason that I highly disagree with the reviewer from Topeka, Kansas, who leads readers of his review to believe that he threw his copy of the book away because it was so bad. While it may not always be historically accurate by way of the use of guns or grenades, it is after all a work of fiction, and so is expected to quaver in its depiction of the war. It is an excellent piece of work; a product both entertaining and educational to read. I highly recommend you take the time and read Fallen Angels.

Rating:
Summary: Fallen Angels
Review: Fallen Angels, by Walter Dean Myers, is one of the best books I have read in a long time. Of course, if you are not "into" war books then Fallen Angels might not be for you, but then again this book is not really focused on the war aspects of the Vietnam conflict; rather, Fallen Angels centers around the mental and psychological affects of being a witness to the atrocities and everyday happenings in Vietnam on a young soldier named Perry, and the friendships that develop between him and the other soldiers in his squad. The author (Walter Dean Myers) uses explicit details and crude vocabulary to portray the situations that Perry is forced to be a player in, ranging from introspective conversations in his tent to the overwhelming, violent encounters with the Vietcong. The interaction between the soldiers is often shown to be brief and harsh. They have foul mouths, they call names; just like real soldiers. The realism that this Walter Dean Myers gives the characters in this story is outstanding. A brief summary of this story would be this: after being rejected from college, Richard Perry volunteers for the Army. He is only 18, and he is a black man living in a still very prejudiced world. Vietnam is very different from Harlem and Perry struggles with not knowing what is going on with his family back home. He questions the reasons for the seemingly aimless destruction going on all around him. The author follows the events of a series of months and the skirmishes and incidents that occur during this span and their affects upon the morale and psyche of the squad. All of the characters in the book are suffering, and the way that Walter Dean Myers describes the different scenarios induces guilt in the reader for being an American. I like the way that Myers does not dehumanize the enemy. The characters in the book remark on how they wonder what the Vietcong are really like and if they have families and such. Perry is appalled after witnessing the proud presentation of a dead Vietcong soldier by some other members of his squad as some sort of trophy. The book is written as a political platform and accomplishes this purpose well. I very much disagree with the review written by Joe A. McDaniels which stated that "the book is overly descriptive, making it long and a drag to read. There is not enough battle scenes to interest battle enthusiasts either". Mr. McDaniels might not have been able to appreciate the vivid language or the depths of Myers' delve into the mind of a soldier but I certainly did, and I imagine that many other readers would agree with me on that. I highly recommend Fallen Angels.

Rating:
Summary: Fallen Angels Review
Review: I vehemently feel that this is an extraordinary piece of literature and would highly recommend reading Fallen Angels. I agree with another reader's review when he says that he wasn't sure about whether or not he would like it but once he started reading he discovered it was the best war book he had ever read. In my personal experience with the book, I was assigned to read it for school and put it off. I started reading it in class one day because an assignment on the book was due at the end of the period. For the next two days, until I had read Fallen Angels, this gripping book would not let me put it down. Fallen Angels is a book about the Vietnam War, and a very good book. Walter Dean Myers uses strong language and description that allows readers to be in the war while reading. Myers uses a mixture of action and strong description and imagery, such as, "His boots were unlaced and he was walking with a limp. The medic was just helping him into a jeep when he got hit the second time," to keep the story interesting but moving along. There is also graphic language present throughout the book, but it just makes the story even more real. Myers also employs similes and metaphors as an adequate means of description. For example, "The chopper came down and we handed up Lieutenant Carroll. A burnt offering." Fallen Angels also contains wonderful characterizations. Perry, the narrator, is an impoverished kid just out of high school that isn't sure why he is in the war. Peewee, who becomes Perry's closest friend, is a funny guy who tries to block out things with humor but becomes more exposed to his own feelings as the war goes on. We meet a get to know a few other important but less significant characters as well. Myers usage of vocabulary helps us to feel as if we are in Vietnam with the men. He uses many Vietnam War terms such as "Charlie," "hooch," and "Cong." Myers also uses strong descriptive words in the story. I agree with another reader's review when he says that he wasn't sure about whether or not he would like it but once he started reading he discovered it was the best war book he had ever read. Fallen Angels opens with Perry on a plane to Vietnam. He has enlisted to help his family with financial problems. Perry meets Peewee and befriends him and the other members of Alpha Squad. A man in their squad dies, and they all wonder about the war. Soon it becomes apparent that while everyone has different feelings about why they are at war, everyone realizes that they will kill to save themselves. Alpha Squad has many pacification missions and firefights throughout the story. The men band together and for the most part become friends. The black soldiers wonder why they seem to have the riskier assignments. Many of the men don't know why they came to war. In every firefight, the men blindly fire in the direction of the enemy. Fear drives them to pump round after round of ammunition into a dead enemy or a spot where an enemy might be. For many of the men, fear is the only thing that keep the men going. The men in Fallen Angels go through many hard times together but most of them survive. The story is like a tornado tearing through someone's home and changing his or her whole life. Well, Fallen Angels may not cause that drastic of a change but is an enjoyable read and will make readers think about it for a while.

Rating:
Summary: Mental and Physical Struggles of War
Review: Contrary to other's beliefs, Fallen Angels, was an excellent book. Walter Dean Myers does a terrific job describing what the Vietnam War was like for American soldiers. The main character, Richard Perry, grew up on the poor streets of Harlem. He enlists in the Army after graduating high school so that he can make some money for his family. His trip to Vietnam shows the personal struggles that come with such a war. Perry has to learn to kill as a way of survival. He and his friends have to cope with hardships through laughs, despair, hatred, and sheer horror. The author, Myers, successfully portrays how these wars have more than just one element of battle. During Vietnam, it was man versus himself, man versus nature, and man versus man. The battle scenes make the reader feel like they are there with Perry, fighting his own feelings and the Vietcong at the same time. The brilliant descriptions of the grenades and active mines can be imagined like the brightest fireworks displays. These scenes of death and despair are horrendous. At one time Perry and his friends were patrolling a cemetery and end up sleeping in fresh graves all night. Walter Dean Myers does a great job describing war and human nature in Fallen Angels. The book focuses on the sacrifice and death of the young men fighting the war. At times it will give you a feeling of relief, and at other times it will make you seethe with anger. Walter Dean Myers magnificently describes the struggles, mentally and physically, that the soldiers endure during times of war.

Rating:
Summary: this book is worth the time and effort
Review: I read this book a few years ago and was quite amazed and moved by it. It is so hard to get an accurate portaryal of the evenst surrounding the vietnam war. As a teenager who is interested in this time period (the music, culture, politics) i was so happy to read this book. The book is so telling about all human nature that i think everyone should read this book, its that beneficial. So, please read this book so we can avoid this in the future.

Rating:
Summary: Fallen Angels
Review: Fallen Angels; a novel about Vietnam, written by Walter Dean Myers. This is a story about a young man who goes to Vietnam to fight. This young man represents Myers, and is used to show his experiences and thoughts about the war. Myers goes into great detail with his experiences and feelings of the war. He shows his confusion and disagreement with the United States involvement in the fighting. He also brings in his anti-racist points of view as well. There are a few battle scenes that catch your attention, and are very descriptive. Although this book is an interesting account of Myers experiences and opinions of the war it struggles to show the reality of the war. He puts aside the real reasons for the war, (the attempt to stop communism) to show the gruesome manslaughter and the worthless sacrifice of young men. The book is overly descriptive making it long and a drag to read. There is not enough battle scenes to interest battle enthusiasts either.

Rating:
Summary: Fallen Angels can't sink much lower
Review: I can't for the life of me understand all these reviews--5 stars indeed! Even the reviews on the cover make this out to be a magnificent book. What rubbish! I find it pretty disgusting when an author makes glaring technical mistakes--its a distraction and only goes to remind one that Walter Dean Myers sits at his desk pretty well, but didn't even have the professionalism to check out simple and important details before writing. Makes the whole thing out for what it is--contrived blather not worth the $7. Don't be fooled by this rip off--if you can overlook American soldiers caarrying ".60 caliber" machine guns and .50 caliber machine guns door mounted on Hueys, then by all means go ahead. Otherwise, save you money, or you can fish my copy out of the trash!

Rating:
Summary: good
Review: This is a good book and worth reading.

Rating:
Summary: Fallen Angels
Review: Eighteen year old Richie Perry has enlisted in the Army during Vietnam in order to be able to send money home to his mother and brother. He has a medical excuse which prevents from being in active combat. Unfortunately, his medical file does not follow him to Vietnam. Perry is placed in a squadron with soldiers not much older than he, and together they must face life, death, killing and destruction, all while trying to stay alive amidst grenades, active mines and the Vietcong. This book is a powerful look at the fear which encompassed the soldiers during this terrible war. You will cry with Richie as he sees fellow soldiers killed senselessly and you will be scared with him as he waits, quietly for Vietcong soldiers to pass by without seeing him. Walter Dean Myers brings the young fighting men to life in this inspiring novel of courage and honor.

Rating:
Summary: Worthy of our respect
Review: I believe that this book is one of the most touching stories I have ever read. I am 22 now and through high school I read it at least once a year. It follows the life of young men thrown into the conflict of the Vietnam War. Their lives are changed through loss, love, and kinship. They not only have to deal with the thought of dying but they also deal with our own people back home not respecting them. This story touched me because the common person was the main focus and racism didn't matter. They saw through petty differences to save each others sanity.