Review: TASK FORCE INTREPID: HIGHWAY TO HELL by D.R. Tharp
D.R. Tharp's Task Force Intrepid: Highway to Hell is a solid read. It is a little rough around the edges, and understandably so--as an author, I know how rough a first-time publication is, regardless of how much effort one puts into it--but at the end of the day, it was an enjoyable read.
Highway to Hell revolves around Willem Kruger, a Rhodesian forced to emigrate from his native land when the government fell and the nation became Zimbabwe. He settles on a farm in Kansas, but Tharp quickly reveals that Kruger is still very much a warrior, acting as an independent contractor for a CIA front company. His mission: assist rebel forces in Liberia attempting to overthrow President Charles Taylor. Kruger and his partner, former DEVGRU operator Rob, quickly find themselves over their heads and embroiled in a bloody jungle conflict that ends at the titular highway to Hell.
Tharp's strongpoint is his action, by far. He knows the nuances of written violence and it shows in his action scenes, as well as in one particular scene where Tharp provides medical attention to a fallen fighter. Also noteworthy is the personification of Kruger, which, while done sparsely, was done well. Kruger is the archetypical man without a country, and it shows in his attitude. He is a hard man but it doesn't take much to sense his world-weariness. Kruger quickly stands out from the rest of the characters.
Where Highway to Hell misses is the personification of the other characters. They deserved fleshing out, but aside from their written dialects, it was hard to distinguish one character from another, aside from Kruger and Rob. There were some grammatical errors that an editor could have easily smoothed out, which is by no means a sleight against Tharp or the book: again, speaking as an author, it happens to all of us. I think the big thing was the characterization, and that I could see that the plot would be extended beyond the confines of a novella.
All in all, though, Highway to Hell is a solid read. I would give it 3.5 stars if I could (which would bring its aggregate score to 70%, which it deserves, and not 60%) but three out of five will have to do. I would recommend it to other military enthusiasts, and I look forward to reading Tharp's next work.
You can purchase Task Force Intrepid: Highway to Hell for the Amazon Kindle here.
Highway to Hell revolves around Willem Kruger, a Rhodesian forced to emigrate from his native land when the government fell and the nation became Zimbabwe. He settles on a farm in Kansas, but Tharp quickly reveals that Kruger is still very much a warrior, acting as an independent contractor for a CIA front company. His mission: assist rebel forces in Liberia attempting to overthrow President Charles Taylor. Kruger and his partner, former DEVGRU operator Rob, quickly find themselves over their heads and embroiled in a bloody jungle conflict that ends at the titular highway to Hell.
Tharp's strongpoint is his action, by far. He knows the nuances of written violence and it shows in his action scenes, as well as in one particular scene where Tharp provides medical attention to a fallen fighter. Also noteworthy is the personification of Kruger, which, while done sparsely, was done well. Kruger is the archetypical man without a country, and it shows in his attitude. He is a hard man but it doesn't take much to sense his world-weariness. Kruger quickly stands out from the rest of the characters.
Where Highway to Hell misses is the personification of the other characters. They deserved fleshing out, but aside from their written dialects, it was hard to distinguish one character from another, aside from Kruger and Rob. There were some grammatical errors that an editor could have easily smoothed out, which is by no means a sleight against Tharp or the book: again, speaking as an author, it happens to all of us. I think the big thing was the characterization, and that I could see that the plot would be extended beyond the confines of a novella.
All in all, though, Highway to Hell is a solid read. I would give it 3.5 stars if I could (which would bring its aggregate score to 70%, which it deserves, and not 60%) but three out of five will have to do. I would recommend it to other military enthusiasts, and I look forward to reading Tharp's next work.
You can purchase Task Force Intrepid: Highway to Hell for the Amazon Kindle here.
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