Sunrise over Fallujah.

In 2003 18-year-old Robin Perry, a recent enlistee, is sent to Baghdad to participate in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Skilled narrator Jackson portrays Robin as excited and unsure, colloquial with his peers and respectful of his officers. He gives each of the soldiers a recognizable persona, emphasizing their geographical and cultural differences. The black-humored banter between the young men and women during tense missions and homesick downtime sounds authentic. Street-smart Jonesy is especially memorable singing the blues, and Marla is irreverent, tough, and funny. As plans and combat missions go awry and snipers sabotage the squad, Robin’s confusion, horror, and grief seem most poignant. Myers’ potent and vivid portrait of the realities of war pulls out all the stops.