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Brotherhood In War & Peace: A Historical Fiction Novel of War, College Life and Lifelong Friendship
From Vietnam jungles to frat house basements, the bonds are forged in firefights and laughter.
When fraternity brothers David Bentler and Lance Sharp reconnect after forty years, their letters open a window between two worlds—one shaped by the chaos and sacrifice of war, the other by the carefree mischief of college life in late-1970s Missouri.
Through alternating chapters of humor and heartbreak, Brotherhood in War & A Historical Fiction Novel of War, College Life, and Lifelong Friendships traces the parallel journeys of young men bound by loyalty—whether in combat or on campus.
As Lance relives the battles that changed him forever, David reflects on the laughter, rebellion, and meaning found during their Pi Kap years. Together, their stories reveal how courage, compassion, and brotherhood are forged in very different ways—but endure across time, distance, and circumstance.
Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and the vibrant energy of 1970s college life, this character-driven historical fiction novel explores identity, sacrifice, and the lifelong impact of friendship.
Funny, poignant, and deeply human, this music-infused novel—soundtracked by the timeless anthems of Styx—captures the spirit of a generation and the unbreakable bonds that define it.
Perfect for readers who
• Historical fiction and Vietnam War novels
• Emotional stories of friendship, loyalty, and brotherhood
• Character-driven literary fiction
• Coming-of-age journeys and college life stories
• Thought-provoking novels about identity, sacrifice, and survival
A powerful story of who we are in youth, who we become through hardship, and the friendships that carry us through it all.
When fraternity brothers David Bentler and Lance Sharp reconnect after forty years, their letters open a window between two worlds—one shaped by the chaos and sacrifice of war, the other by the carefree mischief of college life in late-1970s Missouri.
Through alternating chapters of humor and heartbreak, Brotherhood in War & A Historical Fiction Novel of War, College Life, and Lifelong Friendships traces the parallel journeys of young men bound by loyalty—whether in combat or on campus.
As Lance relives the battles that changed him forever, David reflects on the laughter, rebellion, and meaning found during their Pi Kap years. Together, their stories reveal how courage, compassion, and brotherhood are forged in very different ways—but endure across time, distance, and circumstance.
Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and the vibrant energy of 1970s college life, this character-driven historical fiction novel explores identity, sacrifice, and the lifelong impact of friendship.
Funny, poignant, and deeply human, this music-infused novel—soundtracked by the timeless anthems of Styx—captures the spirit of a generation and the unbreakable bonds that define it.
Perfect for readers who
• Historical fiction and Vietnam War novels
• Emotional stories of friendship, loyalty, and brotherhood
• Character-driven literary fiction
• Coming-of-age journeys and college life stories
• Thought-provoking novels about identity, sacrifice, and survival
A powerful story of who we are in youth, who we become through hardship, and the friendships that carry us through it all.
191 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 7, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 9, 2026
This book was written by my fraternity brother, David Bentler and I was very eager to read it! It tells the tale of a mutual fraternity brother, Lance, who was a Vietnam veteran and his stories from the war. It is also the tale of the goings on at the fictional fraternity Pi Kappa Theta that is based on our fraternity at Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman State) in Kirksville, Missouri.
David always respected Lance because of his service and wanted to learn more about his time overseas. I also knew Lance and had a lot of respect for him. During the Vietnam war many lives were thrown into chaos because of the draft. (I still have my draft card and also have much respect for those that served.) So David started to write Lance and said that if Lance would relate some of his war stories then David would relate some of the stories of what was happening at the fraternity. Lance had been away from the fraternity for a while and was a proud alumni and enjoyed hearing some of the current happenings so they agreed to correspond.
The book alternates chapters between fraternity shenanigans and Lance's time in the war. While the chapters about the fraternity are entertaining and funny, the chapters about Lance and what was happening to him and his platoon in Vietnam were sobering, suspenseful and dark. I found my heart racing at times as Lance was being pursued by the Viet Cong.
The back and forth between chapters shows two different worlds and the different forms of brotherhood, from the bonds that are formed in the fraternity to the bonds formed between the men in Lance's platoon during war. The book shows the contrast and similarities of the two different brotherhoods and how those bonds last a lifetime.
While the book is historical fiction, many of the characters are based on real people and while some names are fictional, some are not. I really enjoyed reading this book as I could tell who all the characters were and was around for some of the "events" David relates to Lance in the chapters about the fraternity. It brought back many good memories about my time there and had me chuckling. While most people won't be able to relate to this book like I do, it is still a quick entertaining read and the Vietnam chapters are very poignant.
I enjoyed reading this very much.
David always respected Lance because of his service and wanted to learn more about his time overseas. I also knew Lance and had a lot of respect for him. During the Vietnam war many lives were thrown into chaos because of the draft. (I still have my draft card and also have much respect for those that served.) So David started to write Lance and said that if Lance would relate some of his war stories then David would relate some of the stories of what was happening at the fraternity. Lance had been away from the fraternity for a while and was a proud alumni and enjoyed hearing some of the current happenings so they agreed to correspond.
The book alternates chapters between fraternity shenanigans and Lance's time in the war. While the chapters about the fraternity are entertaining and funny, the chapters about Lance and what was happening to him and his platoon in Vietnam were sobering, suspenseful and dark. I found my heart racing at times as Lance was being pursued by the Viet Cong.
The back and forth between chapters shows two different worlds and the different forms of brotherhood, from the bonds that are formed in the fraternity to the bonds formed between the men in Lance's platoon during war. The book shows the contrast and similarities of the two different brotherhoods and how those bonds last a lifetime.
While the book is historical fiction, many of the characters are based on real people and while some names are fictional, some are not. I really enjoyed reading this book as I could tell who all the characters were and was around for some of the "events" David relates to Lance in the chapters about the fraternity. It brought back many good memories about my time there and had me chuckling. While most people won't be able to relate to this book like I do, it is still a quick entertaining read and the Vietnam chapters are very poignant.
I enjoyed reading this very much.
June 21, 2026
Amazing debut by a first time author!!
This book brilliantly wraps together two seemingly unrelated stories and eventually ends in a heartwarming climax. Looking forward to Mr Bentler’s next offering!
This book brilliantly wraps together two seemingly unrelated stories and eventually ends in a heartwarming climax. Looking forward to Mr Bentler’s next offering!
April 30, 2026
A fun read because I knew a few of the characters in real life. The author portrayed them beautifully. A touching read because of the friendships and their maintenance through life. A painful read because of what the Vietnam War did to the near generation ahead of us, the author included. Also, a fun read because of the companion soundtrack! A must-read for any child of the late 60s/early 70s.
May 12, 2026
Iowa Doug
Really entertaining book. The story of Lance in Vietnam was a page turner full of suspense. The contrast between what was happening to Lance and what was going on at his fraternity back home was an interesting twist. Great book, I recommend it.
Really entertaining book. The story of Lance in Vietnam was a page turner full of suspense. The contrast between what was happening to Lance and what was going on at his fraternity back home was an interesting twist. Great book, I recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews