Into the Fire

In this dark, gritty portrayal of Americans at war in Afghanistan, Yenne serves up buckets of blood, gore and tragedy in this not-for-the-squeamish novel about four National Guardsmen sent to fight. Justin is a lazy California surfer dude flunking out of college. Jimmy Ray is a black Georgia auto mechanic suppressing a lot of anger. Luis is a Colorado Hispanic chasing the American dream. And Cindy is an Iowa schoolteacher who never thought she’d be sent to war. Within days of arriving in Afghanistan, all four are involved in bloody, chaotic combat that will forever change their lives. Justin and Jimmy Ray’s friendship is forged by battle. Luis displays an uncanny talent for tracking the Taliban, and Cindy discovers courage she never knew she had. Three of them make it home, and Yenne offers no tenderness in their homecoming. Loaded with exciting and graphic battlefield action, Yenne’s portrayal of men and women in combat is authentic down to the smell of explosives and the stink of sweat and fear. (Dec.)