Review by Self-Publishing Review (starred review)
While much has been written and said about the Vietnam War from those who lived through it, Boot: A Sorta Novel of Vietnam by Charles Templeton is an undeniably unique and surreal reflection on that troubled time in history. A linguistic triumph about a military failure, the book is a truly unusual tale from the semi-trustworthy perspective of George Orwell Hill, a singular grunt among the mass of young soldiers sent to Southeast Asia in the 1960s.
Spanning years of service in Vietnam, this is not a typical fictionalized memoir from a veteran; conversations and events that feel all too real are interspersed with streams of consciousness, fantasies, allegorical dreams, and poetic strokes of language that make it easy for readers to immerse in this world of memory. From George's awkward stab at romance before shipping out to his wild night in Olongapo City with his battle brothers, this is a non-stop ride of inside jokes, uncouth comrades, military jargon and rivetingly real prose. It isn't a plot-driven story, but one that centers on relatable, three-dimensional characters - normal people thrown into the extraordinary situation of an uncertain war.
One of the more unique aspects of this book is that it isn't purely told from the perspective of an American Marine jarhead; brief asides and snapshot scenes also help show things from the other side, from other powerless grunts on the Vietnamese end of this conflict. These occasional interruptions are palate cleansers from the rough-and-tumble writing style depicting American soldiers, while also framing the greater conflict with a wide and thought-provoking perspective. Templeton shows multiple sides of the issues, smoothly moving through time and space to provide a more honest and complete picture than is normally found in novels on the subject.
Seeing some characters as aged and haunted veterans is a critical reminder and comment on the American military. However, coupled with subtle social critiques and well-deserved questions is underlying pride and nostalgia for his own years of service. Much of the power in this book comes from the author's personal experience and recollection of such events, considering his time as a helicopter chief during the late 1960s.
The more laid-back interactions and crowded scenes of banter between the troops are well-paced and intimate, showing a clear understanding for the tone and attitude of Marines in the field. The secondary characters are rambunctious and daring, incorrigible and clever with their odd nicknames, keeping their guns cleaned and their wits sharp. As a result, there doesn't need to be constant military-style action for this prose to feel packed and exciting. This is an author who can consistently capture authentic patterns of speech, and tap into that rare frequency of raw truth in dialogue.
Aside from the journalistic details, military procedure and perpetual verbal sparring, the complexity of writing vacillates between embellished and prosaic. Some descriptions and passages read like poetry on the page, forcing readers to slow down and interpret what the author is trying to express, while other sections have dozens of declarative sentences in a row, with little space for a single adjective to breathe. For that reason, certain chapters feel more functional than anything else, progressing the plot but doing little for the mood and flow of the narrative.
Those issues aside, Boot is a brash and unabashed peek behind the shadowy curtains of the Vietnam War, fearlessly touching on issues of race, loyalty, morality, violence, and the legacy of war.
