Book excerpt: In the midst of chaos, fear, distrust and hatred inherent to war, a fragile love blossoms and remains nurtured on a mutual promise. A U.S. Marine is swept up into battle, then far away, back to his homeland to suffer his physical wounds and anguish in his personal defeats, as his lover is swept away in her country's dubious victory of 'The People', who perpetrate countless executions against the intelligentsia and those that sided with America. Amer-Asians who are a disgrace to the homogeneity and assumed purity of Vietnam, are marginalized, shunned and remain as scorned social outcasts. Ai steals away on an un-seaworthy boat, enduring being hijacked and left to die by pirates, on a tiny island. Rescued, she makes her way to America and at last comes face to face with the man whose countenance love and promise maintained her desire and gave her strength to find him.