Sympathy for the Devil

I would give this 25 stars if I could. It is one of the best-written books I have ever read. Nothing I have ever read has pulled me into the horror, absurdity, and exhiliaration--yes, that's right--of war more than this book. And it's not just that the author writes great action scenes; he also surprises you with turns of phrase and psychological insights that have you shaking your head in wonder. I read this because George Pelecanos recommended the follow-up book in this series as one of the best police novels he had ever read, but the lead character starts out here, in the midst of Vietnam in the months around the end of the Johnson presidency and the beginning of Nixon. There's no real plot here, except wondering who will come out show more alive. But the episodes pile one on top of the other, with no wasted words and no wrong ones, until the effect is awe-inspiring. This novel won't make you love war, unless perhaps you do already, but it will make you sympathize with characters who feel like the worst that can happen is you die--and then all your worries are over. Besides the war itself, this book also provides the most memorable description of how the protagonist, a Green Beret, feels completely out of place when he returns home after his tour of duty. This is a book you must read. show less

Full review to follow, but this is a great Vietnam War novel that is up there with Matterhorn and The Things They Carried
All written by authors who experienced the conflict.

This has become one of my favorite books of any genre, and it is certainly one of the best Vietnam novels ever.