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ciecheesemeister wrote: ↑16 Nov 2019, 11:45 I enjoyed the interactions between the characters. Reading about the suffering of the civilians caught in the crossfire between the U.S. forces and the Viet Cong was painful, but I can't say that it was a "least favorite" part of the book because I think it is absolutely necessary for people to know the horrors of war. Perhaps if more people read books like this one, fewer would be quite so gung-ho about getting involved in wars.

DC Brown wrote: ↑14 Nov 2019, 02:20

djr6090 wrote: ↑09 Nov 2019, 08:40 I liked that the author could show the action onboard the Navy vessels without using profanity. As I recall, the language of the day was sprinkled liberally with vulgarities. The interaction and the accents animated the actors. I also liked that he showed the perspective of the enemy occasionally. But I disliked the scene where Zach watched the village being incinerated by Naval bombardment. But my least favorite part was in the parts of the book where we are reminded of the extent of the American chemical warfare against the Vietnamese.

I noticed that when Zach first got on the Hawke there was some salty language. Fortunately, the author must have felt that one example of that was enough!! I loved the way he was able to spell out the accents of the various players. My least favorite part was the aftermath. I remember some of that. Public opinion was against anyone who had worn a uniform, whether they served in 'Nam or not.

Ferdinand_otieno wrote: ↑01 Nov 2019, 03:40 My favorite part of the book was reading through the long rivalry between jarheads and squids was presented. I had heard about this rivalry, but the author made me experience it through the book. My least favorite part of the story was the horrors of war and the conspiracy aimed at denying veterans their pensions.
What was your favorite and least favorite part of the story?

B Creech wrote: ↑12 Nov 2019, 13:36 Having lived during the time of the Viet Nam War sometimes it is hard for me to separate actual facts from the book! I saw Viet Nam vets come home, many of them broken in body and spirit. I can say my least favorite part of the book was the way the characters were treated by the VA - it was a reality for those I knew and cared about that had served this country during such a terrible time. I know my ex-husband and his brother would not go to the VA for healthcare in later years because they were not treated right during their military terms. I also remember seeing homeless Viet Nam vets riding around our little town in Ohio in wheelchairs with American flags on their chairs and most people would walk past them without even nodding their heads or smiling at them! They were homeless because they were denied their benefits even though they were in wheelchairs due to being injured in the war. Yes, the way the VA treated them in the book was definitely my least favorite part!

Everydayadventure15 wrote: ↑22 Nov 2019, 08:50 My favorite parts were the descriptions of culture in the PI and the relationship between Zach and Tally. My least favorite part was the heavily accented dialogue in the first chapters and the way that Zach died. It was sad what the loss of hope drove him to do.

Fazzier wrote: ↑16 Nov 2019, 06:01 My favorite aspect was the author's explanation of various naval terms. Terms like NCO's, EOT, and CIC, among others, made learn more about navy and how it works. My least favorite part was unconventional omission of commas where I thought they would me more appropriate. That, however, is a matter of a reader's taste and preference.

Everydayadventure15 wrote: ↑22 Nov 2019, 08:50 My favorite parts were the descriptions of culture in the PI and the relationship between Zach and Tally. My least favorite part was the heavily accented dialogue in the first chapters and the way that Zach died. It was sad what the loss of hope drove him to do.