Dog SoldiersDog Soldiers
Score Classic
What it's about
In the early 1970s, John Converse, a disillusioned American journalist in Vietnam, decides to smuggle three kilos of heroin into California. He gives it to Ray Hicks, a former marine, to deliver to his wife, Marge. Soon, crooked federal agents are hunting them, and the drug deal turns into a nightmare.
Why it's worth reading
It won the National Book Award and is on TIME's list of the 100 best novels. It's a dark, brilliant novel about the Vietnam era.
You'll love it if you liked
The Things They Carried
Blood Meridian
The Honorary ConsulGood to know
It's violent and bleak, with drug use.
By the numbers
- Readers2 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics85 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
On our reserve shelf: it doesn't have enough readers yet for us to rank it alongside the Must-Read 50 pool. We check again every month, and it can still turn up in your 50 once you've read most of our ranked books.
Why it made the list
Reads as
Epic
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Quick answers
Is Dog Soldiers worth reading?
It won the National Book Award and is on TIME's list of the 100 best novels. Its Must-Read Score is 62.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Dog Soldiers about?
In the early 1970s, John Converse, a disillusioned American journalist in Vietnam, decides to smuggle three kilos of heroin into California. He gives it to Ray Hicks, a former marine, to deliver to his wife, Marge. Soon, crooked federal agents are hunting them, and the drug deal turns into a nightmare.
How long does it take to read Dog Soldiers?
About 11 hours (432 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Dog Soldiers won?
National Book Award (Fiction) winner (1975).
What should I read after Dog Soldiers?
If you liked it, try The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien, Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy or The Honorary Consul by Graham Greene.