Author: Douglas Daniel
Title: Diggers
Genre: Fantasy
ASIN: B004WOY34O
‘In the Tunnel Infantry, the only thing you can’t be afraid of is the dark.’

So this is another of those books that I never would have picked up if not for the Kindle. As it is, part of my free-splurge (which still hasn’t ended yet!) was to pick up this little novella (17k words I think) to help fill up the Fantasy category of my Kindle. I picked it up because was free and because I thought I had read it before.

I have not read this book before and I’m not surprised by that. But only because military books are not really my style. But this is the second of its kind I’ve read and thoroughly enjoyed.

It brings home the grim realities of war and seems to use the tried and tested formula of grim, grizzled veterans alongside fresh, green, squeaky clean noobs who need to learn what war is all about before they are of any value to the mission. And of course they are in positions of authority.

The fact that this is a formula I recognise takes nothing away from how good the novella is. I thoroughly enjoyed Daniel’s writing style, his attention to detail and his unwillingness to shy away from just how nasty war can be. Friends die. Orders are made with narry a worry for those on the receiving end who may never see their homes again. That’s just how it is. The fact that there were fantasy elements involved only managed to make it a deal better.

For a quick, easy read, feel reassured that you can pick this one up; so long as you don’t want to be in a light, fluffy, kissing-baby-bunnies-on-the-nose kinda mood when you’re done. Because you won’t be. Huffing and puffing with relief your part in the war is over? Sure. 😉

Incidentally; I do also believe this book was self published, which does much to give me help for self-pubbed works out there. Keep it up Douglas!