Author Chris Glatte https://chrisglatte.com published the novel “Tark’s Ticks Dark Valley” in 2021. Mr. Glatte has published a dozen novels with this being the fifth in his Tark’s Ticks series. This novel was released in early November.

I categorize this book as ‘R’ as it contains violence, mature language, and mature situations. This novel continues the story of Lieutenant Tarkington and the men of the Alamo Scouts.

The Scouts have been sent on a reconnaissance mission in Eastern Papau New Guinea. While flying over the mountains towards the village of Wau, their C-47 is shot down. The survivors must use their jungle skills to find their way to Wau before the Scouts can continue on their mission.

Once at Wau, they are commandeered by the local Australian Army general. The Japanese are approaching, and the skills of the Alamo Scouts are needed. This delays their mission as they work with Australian Army and New Guinea Volunteer Rifles (NGVR) personnel. They must find the approaching Japanese forces and slow them down if possible. Otherwise, the Allies risk losing Wau and its airfield.

When an American pilot is shot down and captured by the Japanese, the Scouts must launch a quick attack to rescue him. They must contend with poor weather, dense jungle, and an overwhelming number of Japanese troops.

I thoroughly enjoyed the 7 hours I spent reading this 328-page WWII thriller. While I am more a student of the European Theater in WWII, I enjoyed this novel. Even though it is the fifth in the series, it reads very well on its own. I will certainly be looking for future publications by this author. I like the chosen cover art. I rate this book as a 5 out of 5.

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For a number of reasons, it took me some time to get absorbed by the book. The technical details didn't ring quite true, particularly about the aircraft and weapon systems.
However, the diverse main characters are believable and have some depth. The book can, in many ways, be considered to follow the tradition of a 'Gripping Yarn'. It will appeal to a wide spectrum of readers who enjoy wartime action, blood & guts, and heroic exploits.

I'm not sure why I chose this, but I liked it. Glatte's Ticks series is highly rated, and I can see why now -- this being my first novel by the author. I may have to circle back to the others.

Thanks very much for the free review copy!!