Synopses & Reviews
From Fobbit author David Abrams, Brave Deeds is a compelling novel of war, brotherhood, and America. Spanning eight hours, the novel follows a squad of six AWOL soldiers as they attempt to cross war-torn Baghdad on foot to attend the funeral of their leader, Staff Sergeant Rafe Morgan. Cut off from all communication with their company headquarters back on the base, they find themselves struggling to survive in an inhospitable landscape. As the men make their way to the funeral, they recall the most ancient of warriors while portraying a cross section of twenty-first-century America — sometimes strong, sometimes weak, but subject to the same human flaws as all of us.
Drew is reliable in the field but unfaithful at home. Cheever, overweight and whining, is a friend to no one — least of all himself. Specialist Olijandro, or O, is distracted by dangerous romantic thoughts of his ex-wife. Fish’s propensity for violence is what drew him to the military and could be a catalyst for the day’s events. Park is the quiet one, but his quick thinking may make him the day’s hero. And platoon commander Dmitri "Arrow" Arogapoulos is stalwart, yet troubled with questions about his own identity and sexuality. As the six march across Baghdad, their complicated histories, hopes, and fears are told in a chorus of voices that merge into a powerful portrait of the modern war zone and the deepest concerns of us all, military and civilian alike. Moving, thoughtful, funny, and smart, Brave Deeds is a gripping story of combat and perseverance, and an important addition to the oeuvre of contemporary war fiction.
Review
"The satirical verve of Mr. Abrams’s first novel, Fobbit (2012), has been compared with Joseph Heller’s Catch 22. Like Fobbit... Brave Deeds... draws on the author’s twenty years as an Army journalist." Tobias Grey, Wall Street Journal (5 Soldiers-Turned-Authors to Know)
Review
"Brave Deeds perfectly captures the strange mixture of camaraderie, humor, beauty and brutality experienced by men at war. It reads like a fever dream, like unvarnished documentary truth, and sometimes like both at once." Phil Klay, National Book Award-winning author of Redeployment
Review
"In one very full, very messed up and hair-raising day, Brave Deeds delivers everything we could ever ask for in a novel, no less than birth, death, and all points in between. David Abrams has written a flat-out brilliant book of the Iraq War, one that reads like a compact version of the Odyssey or Going After Cacciato. Soldiers on a journey — it's one of humankind’s oldest stories, and Abrams has given us the latest dispatch from the field, to stunning effect." Ben Fountain, author of Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk
Review
"Describing the soldiers' perilous journey while filling in details of their backgrounds and the military situation in Iraq, this excellent novel is believable, dramatic, and also quite funny." Library Journal (Starred Review)
Synopsis
From Fobbit author David Abrams, Brave Deeds is a powerful novel of war, brotherhood, and America. Spanning eight hours, the novel follows a squad of six AWOL soldiers as they attempt to cross war-torn Baghdad on foot to attend the funeral of their leader, Staff Sergeant Rafe Morgan. In an inhospitable landscape, these men recall the most ancient of warriors while portraying a cross section of twenty-first century Americasometimes strong, sometimes weak, but subject to the same human flaws as all of us.
Drew is reliable in the field, but unfaithful at home. Cheever, overweight and whining, is a friend to no one least of all, himself. Specialist Olijandro, or O, is distracted by dangerous romantic thoughts of his ex-wife. Fish s propensity for violence is what drew him to the military and could be a catalyst for the day s events. Park is the quiet one, but his quick thinking may make him the day s hero. And platoon commander Dmitri Arrow Arogapoulos, is stalwart, yet troubled with questions about his own identity and sexuality. As the six march across Baghdad, their complicated histories, hopes, and fears are told in a chorus of voices that merge into a powerful portrait of the modern war zone and the deepest concerns of us all, military and civilian alike. Moving, thoughtful, funny, and smart, Brave Deeds is a gripping story of combat and of brotherhood, and an important addition to the oeuvre of contemporary war fiction."
About the Author
David Abrams served in the U.S. Army for twenty years, and was deployed to Iraq in 2005 as part of a public affairs team. His stories have appeared in Esquire, Narrative, and other literary magazines.