War and upheaval are never a scene where one might expect to find eloquently written images of love, fantasy and true friendship. Vivid, intense descriptions of a young man's feelings rapidly brought on by the war, seem to become that of the reader. Through the eyes of the main character, the reader is quick to learn the lessons of life and death with the war as the instructor. The author's skillful writing allows the reader to actually perceive to have the feelings, emotions and actions experinced by the main character; thus making the book most pleasurable and adventuresome!