comment on language / style

This story was written in 1978. There is a distinct knowledge the author portrays when writing about the Marines and the surrounding villagers. For the most part, the language is simple and easy to read and the story is told in the same manner. There are parts of the book where the Marines communicate with heavy war slang, so the author provided a source section in the back of the book that explains each slang word used.

The story is filled with history of Vietnam and it's surrounding villages and rivers. The descriptions are rich and fully explanatory in the ways of the people of Vietnam.