Soft Targets

by Benjamin Inks

War upends lives. An aspiring paratrooper wants to be hazed…a bored squad creates an urban legend…an Army sergeant falls in love with a Marine Corps officer…. Soft Targets is a collection of short stories linked by themes of identity, camaraderie, vulnerability, and loss. They examine the stories we tell about war, and how conflict shapes us as individuals and as a society. A profoundly human journey, Inks shows us the wounds, both seen and unseen, soldiers collect along the way. In the end, we’re all soft targets.

Genres: Anthologies, Fiction

204 pages, Paperback

Published May 17, 2023

About the author

A Purple Heart recipient, Benjamin served three years in the Army and has worked an odd array of jobs—private investigator, personal trainer, peer recovery at a crisis receiving center. So far, the highlight of his résumé was teaching literature as a grad student at George Mason University.

Follow him on Instagram @Inks__Thinks

Reviews

[Emilie Knudsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Careful, clever, and precise, Soft Targets configures an arc of military short stories that move from the first blush of training to the mental fallout of serving. Inks’ prose is occupied with the philosophical and the nature of man. Each story he spins is done with clarity and purity of form. Beautiful work!

[KB · Rating 5 out of 5]

The engaging stories in Soft Targets provide a reader with an illuminating window into the varied facets of existence for a modern American military veteran. The character of the entries ranges from humorous to heart-wrenching, and each is written with the obvious authenticity of experience.
Characters and settings change from one story to the next, but the components are grouped in such a manner that the whole can be interpreted as representing a prototypical soldier's journey, from the eager optimism of a young recruit through to the fears and doubts of a combat-wounded survivor.

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think there's an important distinction to be made here: this isn't a collection of stories about soldiers so much as it's a collection of stories about people who are soldiers. Similarly, Inks is a veteran, but I think it's important to know he's a writer who's also a veteran. These stories demonstrate, while he was serving in the military, he was observing his world with the depth of perception and thought of a writer in conflict.

I think comparisons to Tim O'Brien are fair. Inks isn't writing about the nature of war so much as he's writing about the nature of living with it, all aspects of the before, during, and after. This is a book of stories about people and how war affects us.

I found many of these stories deeply affecting. "Learning to Be You" is maybe the best piece of literature I've read this year, and "Love in the Time of Combat Injuries" is as close as you can get to a romantic comedy in a veteran's hospital while maintaining authenticity.

Authenticity is important, too. These are stories by a veteran who not only lived the life of the soldier but lives it still. Its authenticity is evident in the book's every pore and unmistakable in its inspiration; these stories are unlike any you're likely to read elsewhere.

Furthermore, Inks calls into question the very idea of "veteran," not to disrespect the title but to lift it up. Inks ponders whether "soldier" is something someone becomes or if it's something they've always been and always will be. He explores what that means in scale, from the very intimate to the societal and cultural to the cosmic.

There are a lot of deep, heavy thoughts in this book, and I think its physical size betrays its material weight. At the same time, stories like "Jack Fleming Lives!" and "American Nesting Dolls" offer some levity while exploring the nature of storytelling in regards to the stories soldiers tell themselves. Are they even true? Or do they obscure the truth for the sake of coping? I think Tim O'Brien would have a lot to say about that.

If you're looking for some military fiction that will provoke deep thoughts and move your humanity in ways you are either craving (even if you aren't a soldier) or have never actually experienced (especially if you're not a soldier), Soft Targets is a good bet. For my money, Soft Targets gives me such a humanizing and normalizing view of soldiers that we so rarely get. We see them without their weapons and body armor. We see them, and we connect with them, and we feel for them, and we love them for who, not what, they are.

[Leeya Mehta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Benjamin Inks really gets to the point with these stories. He wastes no space, and has an interesting style, mixing what is research, observation, history and anecdote into these very short pieces that show a philosophical openness and much courage. I read it as auto-fiction - and I found the observations fascinating, like what Afghan children play with in a kitchen with their mother. Juxtaposed experiences of Americans and Afghans in such tight spaces allows for some degree of collapsing of the walls of country and experience. The devastating closeness of us all. And the power of war to bring us together and drive us into the dirt. Deeply affecting.

[Sean Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is essential reading for everyone who knows a wounded veteran. Here within are fabulous accounts of modern soldier survival that is more realism than fable. The life trajectory of an unnamed narrator bookends this collection. Each story shows a different slice of the military experience, each narrative navigating through the epitome of a masculine wasteland scared with the experiences of wounded vets. This book indeed aims to touch the softest target in all of us. And let me tell you, it does hit home and will leave a mark on your heat.

[Mick Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soft Targets by Benjamin Inks is a masterclass in storytelling that cuts to the bone with honesty, wit, and emotional depth. This collection of short stories doesn’t just depict the lives of soldiers—it humanizes them, revealing the quiet courage, absurdity, and heartbreak that come with service. Inks, a veteran himself, writes with rare authenticity and lyrical precision, making each story feel lived-in and unforgettable. A powerful, compassionate, and deeply resonant read—this book doesn’t just deserve five stars, it earns every one.

[Scott Schluter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting stories. It's been a long time since I served so some of the jargon wasn't familiar. It reminded me what I was fortunate (?) enough to miss; my unit wasn't called to Desert Shield or Storm because we still had Hueys. I was 35k/68N, it changed during my training. I bet this book would be helpful to anyone that served in combat; there are others out there that feel like you do.

[Tab Urban · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book from Goodreads and entered solely by looking at the cover. I wasn't expecting military stories. However , I did enjoy this small glimpse into military life and how it goes when you are back in civilian life. The part about how no human is born knowing how to be a person and look around to find an identity really spoke to me .

[Tommy Sheffield · Rating 5 out of 5]

A strong piece of military writing up there with The Things They Carried and The Yellow Birds in what it shows to readers who have never been in a war zone, who have never known that danger, and who have never taken it home with them - Inks is a visionary.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like with many combat related books, as a Veteran, I had to read this in chunks. I found the stories simple and profound yet accessible and relatable in ways I’m still processing. A very worthwhile purchase for me.

[Linda Donohue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having spent 24 years in the military, I can appreciate his stories. I enjoyed his cat story and how his mother sent him cat food in Afghanistan. He writes with a good sense of humor and seriousness. He is an author worth watching! I received “Soft Targets” as a Goodreads giveaway. Thank you!

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

A talented storyteller, Benjamin Inks really brings a new perspective and emotion to his stories. I highly recommend this collection.

[Steven Ridgely · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely understand how a soldier goes back to normally living after the military.