by Anthony Conty (Parkville, MD): “Angel Down” by Daniel Kraus has a quirky style that may distract some. It technically consists of one continuous sentence, engaging some and leaving others struggling to take a break, but the action of World War I did not slow down for anyone, so I assume the whirlwind stream of consciousness is by design. Imagine “Saving Private Ryan” years ago.
Since the crew has to euthanize someone instead of saving them, it comes as more of a shock that the being is a heavenly creature, blurring the realistic/fantasy lines in most war literature. We descend into the surreal, as many tales of war violence do. The characters, days, and conflicts start to run together, making it unclear whether you’ll enjoy the story.
The process is long, as they locate a spirit, suffer from in-fighting, and learn about themselves. War is hell, and authors have to come up with new ways to show us that. We experience death, wounds, and the overall bewilderment usually associated with the Great War. Adding the mystical only adds to the soldiers’ confusion about their roles.
Books with a late climax require the utmost patience, and Kraus rewards those who stick with him. You have to buy into the fantastical setting and go along for the ride. Is there really a resolution when we discover an entire world we didn’t acknowledge? If our goal is to illuminate the horrors of war, do we reveal anything new?
If you like a more visceral experience, give “Angel Down” a try. I spent long periods wondering what was going on, but the ending tied things together significantly. In a world where “Saving Private Ryan” has been remembered more than “The Thin Red Line,” we have to remember 1998, when the latter had significant supporters. This is why that happened.
