Richard Perry enlists in the Army right after grauation from high school. At seventeen, he is shipped off to Vietnam to face the brutal reality of war. Richie gradually comes to know and to depend upon his fellow soldiers and struggles to retain his humanity in the face of the horrors of war. ( )

Reviewed by Steph for TeensReadToo.com

FALLEN ANGELS takes place among the rice fields and swamps of Vietnam.

Teenager Richie Perry is sent to Vietnam when he enlists in the war. For the first time in his life, he is far away from his mom and younger brother, who are back in Harlem, New York. Perry meets many friends along the way, such as Lieutenant Carroll, Peewee, and Monaco. Perry has to not only survive the war, but also the effects of the war -- both physical and emotional.

Walter Dean Myers writes a touching story of a seventeen-year-old boy fighting in a very controversial war. This book gives readers a personal viewpoint of the infamous war that no history book can. Myers creates relatable characters that all readers are sure to love. This real-life, action-packed tale is one to please all readers, regardless of age. ( )

Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers is a historical fiction novel set in Vietnam. It is told from first person point of view by the character Richie Perry, a seventeen year old just out of high school. Perry is from New York City, and he is smart but couldn’t afford college. We view the story from Perry’s eyes as he tries to figure out what he is doing in the middle of a war. Perry is an intellectual and tries to maintain his moral perspective throughout the novel, but understands the difficulty in recognizing the enemy. Perry is a likable and dynamic character, but it is his friend Peewee who steals the story. Myers use of humor through the character of Peewee makes this harsh story easier to read. In the beginning of the novel, the characters are naïve and excited about the prospect of war until they are actually faced with the horrors of it. The novel is about friendship and coming of age during the Vietnam War. It deals with a harsh reality---war. The book gets its title from a prayer that Lieutenant Carroll prays after the death of any of his men. “Lord, let us feel pity for our comrade, and sorrow for ourselves, and all the angel warriors that fall. Let us fear death, but let it not live within us. Protect us, O Lord and be merciful unto us. Amen” ( )

This book was amazing. Walter Dean Myers made me understand how difficult it really is to understand the experiences that soldiers face as they are in combat. Richie was just a boy in an unexplainable war and his deep and troubled feelings are made so real by Myers. ( )

This is a young adult book, but I would not use it or recommend it until high school because of language and violence. I did enjoy it though and with the right reader it would be a good share. ( )