Since I was also 18 in 1970, like the main characters in the book, I really enjoyed and related to their story. The references to music they played and the banter of that era brought back many memories. Having the Draft numer 44, I definitely related to the angst the young guys experienced. The story was good and the relationships were well described. Although it may give some insight into that era, I'm not sure how well people that didn't live through the Vietnam era will relate to the story. That said, anyone that is curious about those times should read it.

I received my copy in a librarything.com giveaway. ( )

I was very interested in reading this book. It dealt with a time that I remember so well. I was in college when the Vietnam draft lottery was held and the days prior to the drawing are really clear in my mind. I thought the author did a decent job of building suspense and describing the feel of that time. The war caused so many problems in the U.S. and I think Mr. Lax conveyed that. The characters, however, were lacking. I never developed any relationship with the main character, Casey, and the men with whom he lived were no more than caricatures. The two main females, Helen and Jennifer, were also not well defined. I believe the book had a great deal of potential but never quite lived up to it. ( )

I was interested in this book because of a family history connection: my father came to Canada as a draft dodger, so I thought this novel about a group of boys waiting through the uncomfortable lead-up to the Vietnam draft drawing might shed some light on what things were like at the time. The story didn't draw me in immediately: it was hard to feel an automatic connection to a group of college-age guys hanging out, drinking and smoking, and generally interacting in the way of teenaged boys. I was especially troubled by the protagonist's girlfriend; there was no reason for their relationship beyond the physical, and yet he stayed with her because she was hot even after she said that she wouldn't wait for him if he got drafted and went to Vietnam. Ugh. But gradually the story won me over. I came to like the protagonist after all, and the moment in time slowly came to life. There were the awkward encounters with returned soldiers who were no longer quite themselves, and the uncertainty of what to do if one's own name was drawn: was it more cowardly to run away, or to go overseas to fight in a war that you didn't believe in at all? Everything built up sort of quietly, sort of subtly, but I came away feeling like I had read something powerful. ( )

I had high hopes for this book about the impact of the possibility of being drafted into the army during the time of the war in Vietnam. I was, however, left disappointed. It isn't a particularly bad novel. I just didn't connect with any of the characters. There's a distinct lack of any real story and I found I had no real desire to turn the pages. All in all, a bland and disappointing book. ( )

I did not enjoy this book, though it improved towards the ending. Disjointed, not engaging. I did not feel much empathy for the characters - which is suprisingly given the situation they are in. ( )