Author: Gareth Crocker

Title: Finding Jack

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

After the death of his wife and daughter, Fletcher Carson enlisted in the armed forces because he had nothing left to live for and going to Vietnam seemed slightly more useful than suicide. It could be argued that wading through the jungle fighting an unwinnable war was a slow form of suicide, but at least Fletcher's skill as a sniper helps save U.S. lives.

He's part of a platoon known as the "Fat Lady" thanks to their weapons specialist's habit of humming a hymn every time they survive a firefight. ("Because Vietnam ain't over, baby . . . until the Fat Lady sings! Hoohah!")

It's the final days of that awful conflict, and Fletcher's unit is feeling the strain. Too many men are dying. They've lost any hope of coming out victorious—they're just praying they come out alive. They're used to finding booby-traps, body parts, and any number of horrors in the jungle . . . but they never expected to see a dog. A golden retriever, no less.

They (eventually) name him Jack.

The author tells us, ". . . it's estimated that some four thousand dogs were sent to serve in Vietnam. It's believed they saved the lives of more than ten thousand soldiers. Fewer than two hundred dogs made it home." Those dogs deserve a tribute. Hopefully someday they'll get one more worthy of their sacrifice than this.

On some level, Finding Jack is probably meant to be an uplifting tale about the bond between man and dog. Sadly, it just doesn't work. The story lurches along like it's slogging through quicksand. Cliches are thick as fleas. Profanity and violence are about what you'd expect from a war story. Author Crocker can't seem to find his voice; the style is awkward and disengaged. He writes about Jack as if the Lab was a saint wearing a dog suit. I'm a dog lover myself, but all that perfection seems more suited to a eulogy than a novel.

The high point of the book—at least, that's what it's supposed to be—is reminiscent of the old A-Team television series, only rather less plausible. It's difficult to stay caught up in a dramatic rescue attempt when coincidences outnumber enemy soldiers.

Crocker does deserve kudos for his delineation of the various members of the platoon. There is no difficulty keeping track of who's who, which could have been tricky with so many characters to follow.

In the interest of full and fair reporting, I should state that some readers apparently love this book. I've seen descriptions calling it touching, heartwarming, a must-read, and so on. I'm glad they enjoyed it. I wish I could say the same.

My advice? Give this one a pass. If you crave a good war story, read Laura Hillenbrand's Unbroken. For a heartwrenching dog story, stick with classics like Old Yeller or Where the Red Fern Grows. I just wouldn't bother with Finding Jack.