This adventure of war begins in the jungles of Vietnam and develops into late 1968 and early 1969. The author leads us to a military base known as Matterhorn, which is located in the mountains of the distance province Quang. There, a young lieutenant is determined to become a commander of his company, attempting to promote his political future. This leads him to sustain a rivalry with a few of his companions and convert the war into one about personal ambitions. Without falling into simplistic and demagogic plans, Marlantes produces a shockingly impactful novel that not only touches on the horror of way, but also the pursuit of power, courage, cowardice, and compassion.