Soldier Boys by Dean Hughes

During the Civil War, General William Sherman once said, "War is Hell, war is ugly," Dean Hughes captured that statement in a blood pumping, frightening, and exciting historical fiction, "Soldier Boys". This is the rivoting tale of two boys, both on different sides of the world, yearning to fight in the same war. One, an American, the other, a German and a Nazi. It seems that these two boys couldn't be any more different, but as time passes, they are more like each other than they know.

Soon after the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, young Spencer can't wait to get into the war. After dropping out of high school, he goes into the most grueling training of his life with all hopes of becoming a paratrooper in the prestigious 42nd Airborne division.

On the other side of the world, 15 year old Dieter wanted to prove he was strong. Since a young age, Dieter had been willing to do anything to look brave, even if it meant jumping into a freezing cold lake. His need for bravery sent him head first into the Hitler Youth program. Caught in the same war on different sides, with different ideas about living, these two boys discovered the true pain and suffering of war.

This is one of those books that creates a very clear picture in your mind about the characters, the plot, and the scenarios. This book made me really believe that I was fighting right along Spencer and Dieter in World War 2. I have only read a few novels that showed as much detail as Dean Hughes put into writing "Soldier Boys". He made sure that you would suffer as these boys suffered, you train as they trained, and fight in the same war as they fought in. This book gives new meaning to "War is Hell, War is Ugly," and it will probably entertain readers for many years to come. I would recommend this war novel to anyone who likes realistic fiction novels and books that are about World War 2.