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David Zimmerman

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The Sandbox Paperback – April 5, 2011

by David Zimmerman (Author)

3.9 29 ratings

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“[A] gripping first novel.” —The New York Times Book Review

Operating Base Cornucopia: a three-hundred-year-old fortress in the remote Iraqi desert where a few dozen soldiers wait for their next assignment, among them Private Toby Durrant, a self-described "broke nobody." Then a deadly ambush touches off events that put Durrant in the middle of a far-reaching conspiracy. Insurgents massing in the nearby hills, a secretive member of military intelligence, an abandoned toy factory and a mysterious, half-feral child—Durrant must figure out the links between them if he's to survive. This blistering look at military life in "the sandbox" of Iraq marks the debut of a major new talent.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"[A] gripping first novel . . . Zimmerman has more in mind than merely getting a hard-luck soldier into trouble. The Sandbox is loaded with an M.R.E. caseful of plot elements, all pulled from Iraq war headlines—lost billions in cash, prisoner interrogations, soldier indiscretions, failed counterinsurgency plans—and all play their part in bringing Toby's story to its terrible conclusion. That every question in this novel interrogates every other is one of its great strengths and will keep you turning the pages of its short chapters, as each weaves the insistent first-person mystery of 'Why me?' with the larger mystery of 'What are we doing here?'"
—The New York Times

“Zimmerman adroitly depicts [Iraq’s] isolated moonscape—a place as liable to produce hallucinations and heat exhaustion as it is to churn up sandstorms that last for days.”
—Los Angeles Times

"Zimmerman's remarkable debut succeeds both as a realistic portrayal of the current Iraq war from the American perspective and as an energetic thriller . . . Zimmerman is a talent to watch."
—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"This fine first novel skillfully portrays both the eternal verities of war as well as the stark differences that each war imposes on the young who do the fighting; like many war novels, it powerfully conveys the message that young soldiers are more honorable than those who put them in harm's way."
—Booklist

About the Author

David Zimmerman was raised in Atlanta, Georgia, by an Army Nurse and an Army JAG officer. After receiving his MFA in creative writing from the University of Alabama, he spent several years living and working in Brazil and Ethiopia. The Sandbox is his first novel.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Soho Press (April 5, 2011)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 156947916X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1569479162
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.8 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.47 x 0.98 x 8.2 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #5,174,806 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #14,136 in Military Thrillers (Books)
- #24,007 in Historical Thrillers (Books)
- #30,815 in War Fiction (Books)

Customer Reviews:
3.9 29 ratings

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3.9 out of 5

29 global ratings

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James S. Brown

Well worth your time

Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2010

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I purchased the Kindle edition of The Sandbox on the recommendation of a friend who knows the author (whom I've never met). I'm glad I did. I have avoided novels and films about the current war(s) for some reason; I guess I feel like more time and distance will allow for a reasonable aesthetic perspective on the literature of the conflicts. The Sandbox is not particularly (overtly) political, though, and while it does a good job of describing the war and life in a tiny, remote base--very credibly from where I'm sitting, thousands miles away from knowing anything what soldiers are going through--it's also a mystery. There's more plot here than I expected.

The plot is also the novel's greatest weakness, as so much of it is unfortunately revealed in a lengthy (and dare I say somewhat contrived) expository conversation late in the novel. If I had to guess, I'd blame this on the editing process and on some marketing decision to shorten the novel. Instead of being shown this part of the story, instead of living it vicariously through the main character, we listen while a lot of the twists and turns are explained in dialogue. It's an expeditious solution to the problem of exposition, but it's not a particularly graceful one.

This is unfortunate, but don't get me wrong: it's not a deal-breaker. The novel is a great read, and it's one that I'll read again. Zimmerman clearly has an excellent ear for dialogue, and it's obvious that he's done his homework. His protagonist is at once an Everyman and a person of unusual character and sensitivity. I read a review (NY Times maybe?) that dinged Zimmerman for some heavy-handed symbolism, and if I'd only read the opening chapters, I might have agreed with it; in the context of the whole novel, though, that criticism just doesn't hold a lot of water.

I'm not ready to declare David Zimmerman the next Tim O'Brien or anything, but The Sandbox is a great read.

5 people found this helpful

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JT

One of the best war novels I've read

Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2011

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It is difficult to believe that the author never wore the uniform, let alone never served in Iraq or Afghanistan. Every bit of description or dialog projects authenticity, grit, realism. Grit, literally: you can feel the powdery sand of Iraq in your mouth after each sandstorm. Unlike most books about Iraq, this novel doesn't preach about corruption but lets it ooze up organically from the characters and plot. With one exception, stereotypes are deftly avoided, though that one--the Intel Captain--is irritating. But he fulfills his function and his lack of depth is only momentarily distracting. Overall, this is not only the best novel I have read about the modern wars in the Middle East--better, for example, than the excellent "Jarhead"--but one of the best war novels, period, rivalling A Midnight Clear , which had the advantage of being based upon a true story. This certainly feels that way, too. I'd sure like to see it made into a movie, as was done so beautifully with Midnight Clear .

One person found this helpful

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Vincent

Impressive First Novel

Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2010

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Zimmerman has put together a very impressive first novel. At first the level of detail and description seemed like overkill but I quickly changed my mind as they do a great job of pulling the reader in.

The environments are illustrated exhaustively and with care. Descriptions of people come off as genuine and vivid. There are bits of humanity thrown in everywhere. They come in the form of visceral personal quips about other soldiers or one-asides with the reader on military culture.

The story clips along nicely and can be a real page turner. I thought some of the plot twists were a bit over elaborate but it's a really solid effort that I ultimately enjoyed reading.

2 people found this helpful

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Jeff the Zombie

Entertaining mystery set in the Iraq War

Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2011

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Nearly everything written about David Zimmerman's debut novel, The Sandbox, is wrong -- from the marketing to the title to the Amazon description. It seems the publisher has decided that this is a war novel, when in reality it is a noir set during the late days of the Iraq war. This may lead to some confused readers -- yes, it takes place in a warzone, and yes its narrator is a soldier, but the crux of the story rests on a central mystery that consumes the protagonist as he tries to unravel it.

The book centers around Toby Durrant, a U.S. private stationed at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Cornucopia, a remote American outpost in Iraq that has recently seen much of its strength reduced in the gradual draw down of U.S. forces. Manned by a skeleton crew, a seemingly random IED attack on the base's commanding officer, leads Durrant down a twisting path that includes his fellow soldiers, the remaining lieutenant, a spooky captain from military intelligence who doesn't seem to have a name, and the Iraqi insurgents.

An entertaining mystery set in a war zone, some of the characters and situations in The Sandbox are on the nose, but overall the book is a brisk and enjoyable read. It may not be the book its publisher sold it as, but it offers an interesting spin on the noir genre.

2 people found this helpful

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Jannet

What happens to Durrant?

Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2022

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This book was a real page turner! It hooks you right in. The two main story lines are entwined but separate. The author does a very good job keeping your attention of both throughout the story. I wished he had made a more concluding ending. But that's just me. I like closure unless there is a sequel.

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Peter L Dales

Great book but a shame he didn't finish it

Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2012

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I thought this book was excellent and realistic. Near the end it got a little
Far fetched. Also, he ended the book without resolution of the main
character. But all said it is well worth the investment in time and money.
I recommend it.

Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2013

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Its like I was there like I felt every emotion. Every explosion. Its truly an amazing story. It must go on.

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