Fives and Twenty-Fives

More about the book

The novel follows the experiences of Marines in Iraq serving in a combat engineer company. Their mission is to repair craters left by roadside bombs to ensure safe passage for both military personnel and local civilians. Although they are not on the front lines, their work carries significant risk, as each crater may conceal another explosive device. Lieutenant Donovan struggles with a lack of trust from his subordinates, while Doc Pleasant, a medic, undergoes a transformation after his battlefield experiences, losing his initial enthusiasm for military service. Kateb, known as Dodge, is an Iraqi interpreter whose love for American culture contrasts sharply with his disdain for the actions of Americans in his country. Upon returning home, each character grapples with the lingering effects of their past and faces new challenges as they attempt to find their place in a world that feels foreign to them, and in a society that seems indifferent to their struggles.