Cano's novel is a superb portrayal of the Chicano experience of the war. A community with a long tradition of military service, Mexican Americans in both Korea and Viet Nam were forced to test their patriotism against a brutal and senseless war. Cano's characters suggest that young Chicanos served in Southeast Asia for many different reasons. His character Jesse Peña, who reportedly deserted to the Viet Cong because he viewed them as poor people of color like himself, is one of the great figures of U.S. literature about the war (in the tradition of Cacciato and others). This is an enjoyable read and a significant literary and historical document.