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The Valley
An intricate mystery unfolds against the backdrop of the Afghanistan war in this former Army Captain's gripping portrait of a fighting division holding a remote outpost.
"You're going up the Valley."
Black didn't know its name, but he knew it lay deeper and higher than any other place Americans had ventured. You had to travel through a network of interlinked valleys, past all the other remote American outposts, just to get to its mouth. Everything about the place was myth and rumor, but one fact was clear: There were many valleys in the mountains of Afghanistan, and most were hard places where people died hard deaths. But there was only one Valley. It was the farthest, and the hardest, and the worst.
When Black, a deskbound admin officer, is sent up the Valley to investigate a warning shot fired by a near-forgotten platoon, he can only see it as the final bureaucratic insult in a short and unhappy Army career. What he doesn't know is that the warning shot was not the worst crime in the Valley before his arrival, and his investigation will not only disturb the platoon's dark secrets but launch a shattering personal odyssey of obsession and discovery.
The Valley is a mind-bending mystery and a riveting tour de force that announces John Renehan as a great American storyteller.
"You're going up the Valley."
Black didn't know its name, but he knew it lay deeper and higher than any other place Americans had ventured. You had to travel through a network of interlinked valleys, past all the other remote American outposts, just to get to its mouth. Everything about the place was myth and rumor, but one fact was clear: There were many valleys in the mountains of Afghanistan, and most were hard places where people died hard deaths. But there was only one Valley. It was the farthest, and the hardest, and the worst.
When Black, a deskbound admin officer, is sent up the Valley to investigate a warning shot fired by a near-forgotten platoon, he can only see it as the final bureaucratic insult in a short and unhappy Army career. What he doesn't know is that the warning shot was not the worst crime in the Valley before his arrival, and his investigation will not only disturb the platoon's dark secrets but launch a shattering personal odyssey of obsession and discovery.
The Valley is a mind-bending mystery and a riveting tour de force that announces John Renehan as a great American storyteller.
464 pages, Paperback
First published March 10, 2015
22 people are currently reading
1247 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
January 10, 2015
When I received a copy of The Valley by John Renehan, I almost did not read it, and that would have been my error. Renehen has created a fantastic, in depth, and at times suspenseful look at the men who put their lives on the line to maintain a fragile balance at a remote outpost in Afghanistan. I highly recommend The Valley and look forward to reading more works from this author.
February 8, 2019
I take no pleasure in giving bad reviews to new authors, however, this one hinges way too much on sequels while it's been talked about like a standalone novel. It isn't. Plot threads are left loose, character background is deliberately cryptic, and it all builds up to present a series mythology that seems too grand for the books grimy, down-to-earth tones and too Tom Clancy and I could frankly not care less.
Granted, it's a really cool genre cross: essentially a noir set in an army outpost way out in no man's land, and it showcases the army's makeshift architectures I initially came for. Further, its opening chapter does an engrossing job of introducing its protagonist in shadowy and ghostly tones. But story-wise I found some of the key turns baffling and some narrative sleight-of-hand manipulative.
Granted, it's a really cool genre cross: essentially a noir set in an army outpost way out in no man's land, and it showcases the army's makeshift architectures I initially came for. Further, its opening chapter does an engrossing job of introducing its protagonist in shadowy and ghostly tones. But story-wise I found some of the key turns baffling and some narrative sleight-of-hand manipulative.
June 30, 2018
Flashes of brilliance, especially with. regard to "fog of war" descriptions of battle scenes, but the story itself is convoluted and confusing. Lots of sections begin with "He" and you don't find out for many paragraphs which "he" is involved; many implications that a resolution has been determined by the main protagonist, just not shared with the reader. The final parts which are supposed to clarify seem to only further confuse. Not sure why the WSJ picked this as a book of the year, it would not have made my list. Noticed during a recent visit to a closeout bookseller that their were quite a few copies of this one in the remainder bin so I guess I am not the only one disappointed.
February 5, 2016
This book wasn't what I was expecting. I hadn't previously read any fiction relating to the Iraq or Afghanistan wars, but my (perhaps incorrect) impression from book reviews is that they tend to be overwritten, MFA program kind of stuff. So I was pleasantly surprised when this turned out to be a very well-written mystery that happens to be set on a US Army combat outpost in eastern Afghanistan. Renehan really captures the atmosphere of the army: the soldiers are recognizable types without being stereotypes, and he nails the way soldiers talk. I thought the hostility that the enlisted soldiers and NCOs show towards the officers was exaggerated, but not so much so that it was unbelievable. The battle scene--which plays out almost entirely over the radio--is terrifying.
Renehan also develops the story in an oblique, Chandler-esque (or maybe even Gene Wolfe-ian) style--something's happened in the main character's past which is never fully revealed, the minor incident which he's been sent out to the outpost to investigate turns out to have little relevance to the real mystery, strange references and phrases keep cropping up heighten which the tension. And the chapter (only a page and half) in which the main character comes face-to-face with the true villain is one of the creepiest things I think I've ever read.
(minor gripes and spoilers follow)
The problem with concocting a mysterious atmosphere is that you either have to risk annoying your readers by forcing them figure it all out on their own, or you finally sit down and explain everything, which risks spoiling the effect. JH mostly opts for the latter, which in a way is a mercy because the plot gets so convoluted that I don't think I ever would have disentangled it on my own. That said, I didn't think the whole backstory of outpost Xanadu was really believable, even within the parameters of the book, so I was mildly disappointed with that element of the denouement. And the character of the Monk rests on a eye-rollingly unbelievable coincidence. I also had a problem with the block of heroin. When the main character is preparing for his mission, a (very believably rendered) crusty old I-don't-give-a-[bleep]-about-the-rules NCO acquaintance of his hands him a block of heroin (this is Afghanistan, after all) and tells him to give it to the Afghan village elder as a sign of respect. This, he says, will show the elder that you're a man to be reckoned with, that you've got pull. When I read this, I thought, "That is monumentally bad advice," and I thought it seemed strange that our apparently level-headed hero didn't recognize it as such. However, I also couldn't wait to see what happened. So, our hero meets with the elder, hands him the heroin, and, sure enough, the elder goes ballistic. Well, what did he expect? It wasn't until a chapter or two later that I realized that JH wanted the reader to wonder what had gone wrong, to wonder why on earth the elder got so mad, and to realize that its a clue to The Mystery. It's a great set-up, but the payoff just wasn't right. (Also, several times in the book it's remarked that the Taliban don't tolerate heroin production. Does JH not read the news?)
Some of the reviews of _The Valley_ that I've read have tried to see a broader message in it: this is what happens when we send out young soldiers to faraway places and entangle them in the conflicts of the inscrutable local population. This seems wrong to me: the local population, as portrayed in the book, is pretty simple: there are the inhabitants of the Valley, and the Taliban. If JH were really interested in portraying Afghan complexity, he would have populated his Valley with a patchwork of families and sub-tribes, all with shifting political allegiances and who fought on different sides in the 1980s and 90s. (And the mystery could have been something that happened 3 rotations ago.) I also thought that the character of the Afghan child bent on revenge and who speaks in a grating faux-Kipling style was overdone. But the other (minor) Afghan characters were portrayed in a manner I found sympathetic and believable.
Renehan also develops the story in an oblique, Chandler-esque (or maybe even Gene Wolfe-ian) style--something's happened in the main character's past which is never fully revealed, the minor incident which he's been sent out to the outpost to investigate turns out to have little relevance to the real mystery, strange references and phrases keep cropping up heighten which the tension. And the chapter (only a page and half) in which the main character comes face-to-face with the true villain is one of the creepiest things I think I've ever read.
(minor gripes and spoilers follow)
The problem with concocting a mysterious atmosphere is that you either have to risk annoying your readers by forcing them figure it all out on their own, or you finally sit down and explain everything, which risks spoiling the effect. JH mostly opts for the latter, which in a way is a mercy because the plot gets so convoluted that I don't think I ever would have disentangled it on my own. That said, I didn't think the whole backstory of outpost Xanadu was really believable, even within the parameters of the book, so I was mildly disappointed with that element of the denouement. And the character of the Monk rests on a eye-rollingly unbelievable coincidence. I also had a problem with the block of heroin. When the main character is preparing for his mission, a (very believably rendered) crusty old I-don't-give-a-[bleep]-about-the-rules NCO acquaintance of his hands him a block of heroin (this is Afghanistan, after all) and tells him to give it to the Afghan village elder as a sign of respect. This, he says, will show the elder that you're a man to be reckoned with, that you've got pull. When I read this, I thought, "That is monumentally bad advice," and I thought it seemed strange that our apparently level-headed hero didn't recognize it as such. However, I also couldn't wait to see what happened. So, our hero meets with the elder, hands him the heroin, and, sure enough, the elder goes ballistic. Well, what did he expect? It wasn't until a chapter or two later that I realized that JH wanted the reader to wonder what had gone wrong, to wonder why on earth the elder got so mad, and to realize that its a clue to The Mystery. It's a great set-up, but the payoff just wasn't right. (Also, several times in the book it's remarked that the Taliban don't tolerate heroin production. Does JH not read the news?)
Some of the reviews of _The Valley_ that I've read have tried to see a broader message in it: this is what happens when we send out young soldiers to faraway places and entangle them in the conflicts of the inscrutable local population. This seems wrong to me: the local population, as portrayed in the book, is pretty simple: there are the inhabitants of the Valley, and the Taliban. If JH were really interested in portraying Afghan complexity, he would have populated his Valley with a patchwork of families and sub-tribes, all with shifting political allegiances and who fought on different sides in the 1980s and 90s. (And the mystery could have been something that happened 3 rotations ago.) I also thought that the character of the Afghan child bent on revenge and who speaks in a grating faux-Kipling style was overdone. But the other (minor) Afghan characters were portrayed in a manner I found sympathetic and believable.
March 29, 2017
I know very little about the war in Afghanistan. This book moved me much further than the learning curve, further than I wanted to go in many ways. It seems highly realistic in its military detail, less so in its story and least so in the writing. Far from a bad book, I just hoped it would be perfect.
This is the story of Lt. Black who is sent from his desk job to investigate an incident where warning shots were fired at a group of Afghan villagers during an altercation with US troops. And so my biggest issue with the story itself. Lt. Black is a desk jockey pure and simple. He's never been on the front lines at all, never been in a battle. Yet he is chosen to go to a very active battle area to investigate what starts as a foolish sounding complaint: that someone fired a warning shot over the heads of Afghan locals striking the home of the chief. Other than fleshing out the complaint, this is hardly investigated at all. The shot goat from the night before the warning shots is investigated as are other things, but not much about the warning shots.
Black spends a bit of time wandering around learning the ropes, a requirement for one unfamiliar with fighting in Afghanistan. Then suddenly, in a series of Holmesian deductions, he begins to make huge leaps in logic, leaps I didn't see coming, nor, would I think, would any reader. From the point that a meeting with a local chief goes bad, Black becomes a master detective as well as super brave super soldier.
There are other troubling things in the structure here. There is a flash-to an Afghan fighter that serves no purpose at all. As I read, I had to look back to figure out who this even was much less why this character was there. Then there is the issue of pace. From the middle of the book to the end, the book tries to sustain a breakneck pace that eventually exhausts the reader rather than thrilling him. The one sentence paragraph style is so over-used that I needed caffeine to get from page to page.
The ending has a "tied up with a bow" quality that also leaves pieces unanswered. I hope (and believe) these shortcomings are all a function of a first book and nothing more. Renehan has potential as a teller of war stories and perhaps a lot more.
This is the story of Lt. Black who is sent from his desk job to investigate an incident where warning shots were fired at a group of Afghan villagers during an altercation with US troops. And so my biggest issue with the story itself. Lt. Black is a desk jockey pure and simple. He's never been on the front lines at all, never been in a battle. Yet he is chosen to go to a very active battle area to investigate what starts as a foolish sounding complaint: that someone fired a warning shot over the heads of Afghan locals striking the home of the chief. Other than fleshing out the complaint, this is hardly investigated at all. The shot goat from the night before the warning shots is investigated as are other things, but not much about the warning shots.
Black spends a bit of time wandering around learning the ropes, a requirement for one unfamiliar with fighting in Afghanistan. Then suddenly, in a series of Holmesian deductions, he begins to make huge leaps in logic, leaps I didn't see coming, nor, would I think, would any reader. From the point that a meeting with a local chief goes bad, Black becomes a master detective as well as super brave super soldier.
There are other troubling things in the structure here. There is a flash-to an Afghan fighter that serves no purpose at all. As I read, I had to look back to figure out who this even was much less why this character was there. Then there is the issue of pace. From the middle of the book to the end, the book tries to sustain a breakneck pace that eventually exhausts the reader rather than thrilling him. The one sentence paragraph style is so over-used that I needed caffeine to get from page to page.
The ending has a "tied up with a bow" quality that also leaves pieces unanswered. I hope (and believe) these shortcomings are all a function of a first book and nothing more. Renehan has potential as a teller of war stories and perhaps a lot more.
September 22, 2020
I picked up this book for $1.00 at Dollar Tree. It was worth forty times that. It was extraordinary. I had a terrible time putting it down. Terrific blend of mystery, investigation, spy and war story.
The Valley was a long ribbon of ever narrowing gorge leading to the Pakistan border. The furthest outpost from the FOB Omaha was known as Vega and was manned by a platoon under almost constant fire. It was supplied weekly and Lt. Black, relegated to administrative desk duties for some as yet unspecified violation of Army tradition or protocol, has been randomly assigned to investigate a case of a warning shot that had killed a farmer's goat. Black is universally despised by the rest of the troops. His commander, Lt. Colonel Gayley wasn't a bad commander, as things went. He was classic army and Black's description is priceless:
True, the beating bureaucratic heart of the Army had a slobbering crush on officers like Gayley. Somewhere in a lab at West Point his instructors had mixed him in a bowl. whipping into him the precise proportions of accountability. flawless attention to detail. chipper optimism, and bold cooperativeness. folding in a hardy tolerance for paperwork and a relentless professional ambition, with a dash of tanned physical perfection for flavor. They had tried and failed many times before, but when they poured Gayley into the mold and pulled him from the oven, they saw what they'd made and cried, 'That's it!' its' then hugged one another and drank reasonable amounts of sparkling cider to celebrate.
He was a little of everything and a little of nothing. He yelled at the right people, didn't yell at the wrong people, didn't fail in his duties, didn't cause surprises or embarrassments. He was just so.
When Black arrives at Vega, he's met with hostility. The soldiers know Black doesn't have a clue what they go through almost on a daily basis. He thinks the 5-16 is bullshit. They know it's bullshit Just the day before his arrival, a new soldier had lagged just a few feet behind his squad on patrol in the fog and disappeared, to reappear the next day, ball-less, intestines hanging out, tied to a tree in front of the outpost, and alive. But he didn't cry out because he knew anyone who came to help would be shot by snipers in the hills overlooking their post. And they know the villagers they are there to help participate and help the Taliban. Shades of Vietnam. It's all so fucked up.
But.... so they all think.
Note: The attack on COP Vega bears a striking resemblance to a real event, the attack on COP Keating in 2009. Renehan has referred to it as well as Jake Tapper's book a bout COP Keating. (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...) or Red Platoon by a Medal of Honor winner who was there. (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...)
For a summary of that battle see https://mohmuseum.org/copkeating/. Who builds a base at the bottom of a valley surrounded by mountains?
The Valley was a long ribbon of ever narrowing gorge leading to the Pakistan border. The furthest outpost from the FOB Omaha was known as Vega and was manned by a platoon under almost constant fire. It was supplied weekly and Lt. Black, relegated to administrative desk duties for some as yet unspecified violation of Army tradition or protocol, has been randomly assigned to investigate a case of a warning shot that had killed a farmer's goat. Black is universally despised by the rest of the troops. His commander, Lt. Colonel Gayley wasn't a bad commander, as things went. He was classic army and Black's description is priceless:
True, the beating bureaucratic heart of the Army had a slobbering crush on officers like Gayley. Somewhere in a lab at West Point his instructors had mixed him in a bowl. whipping into him the precise proportions of accountability. flawless attention to detail. chipper optimism, and bold cooperativeness. folding in a hardy tolerance for paperwork and a relentless professional ambition, with a dash of tanned physical perfection for flavor. They had tried and failed many times before, but when they poured Gayley into the mold and pulled him from the oven, they saw what they'd made and cried, 'That's it!' its' then hugged one another and drank reasonable amounts of sparkling cider to celebrate.
He was a little of everything and a little of nothing. He yelled at the right people, didn't yell at the wrong people, didn't fail in his duties, didn't cause surprises or embarrassments. He was just so.
When Black arrives at Vega, he's met with hostility. The soldiers know Black doesn't have a clue what they go through almost on a daily basis. He thinks the 5-16 is bullshit. They know it's bullshit Just the day before his arrival, a new soldier had lagged just a few feet behind his squad on patrol in the fog and disappeared, to reappear the next day, ball-less, intestines hanging out, tied to a tree in front of the outpost, and alive. But he didn't cry out because he knew anyone who came to help would be shot by snipers in the hills overlooking their post. And they know the villagers they are there to help participate and help the Taliban. Shades of Vietnam. It's all so fucked up.
But.... so they all think.
Note: The attack on COP Vega bears a striking resemblance to a real event, the attack on COP Keating in 2009. Renehan has referred to it as well as Jake Tapper's book a bout COP Keating. (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...) or Red Platoon by a Medal of Honor winner who was there. (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...)
For a summary of that battle see https://mohmuseum.org/copkeating/. Who builds a base at the bottom of a valley surrounded by mountains?
July 25, 2015
This reads more like a detective mystery than a war novel and it's a good read. We have a 2dLT in the rear with the gear, the Battalion S-1, who is assigned a low level investigation. He is an infantry officer who has gotten into some trouble and is all set to get out of the Army. It's such a waste of time too- the bureaucracy and the CYA mentality at work. Some warning shots were fired at some Afghan civilians. He has to leave the safety and security of the FOB for a remote combat outpost on the border with Pakistan that has a bad reputation for nastiness. His plan is get there and get it done and get out. But once he gets there he is met with such hostility he quickly figures out something is very wrong at this COP. The simple investigation morphs into a quest to find out what is going down. His attempts to find out who he can trust as he conducts his investigation keep you turning the pages. It's what you figure might be at the root of the problem but it's more. The author does a good job of keeping the plot flowing butI was very confused at the end as to who was on first and what exactly happened. Still a good read.
March 12, 2016
3.5
The Valley is more of a mystery story than a military tale. So if you're a fan of mystery, then you should give this a try.
Lieutenant Black is about to embark a mission in which will put him into many trials. A mission in which he will need to trust his instincts and go with his conscious is advising him to do. There are times in which laws are written put it doesn't make them right. He will questioned these. A dilemma of being the perfect solider or a true hero. As Black is caught into an enigma in a remotest valley of Afghanistan, he will need to make his own decisions.
Let me say, I was in awe in how well written this book is. It felt so real. Like you were there with Lieutenant Black. You felt hostile, confused and scared. You didn't know what Black would do. Is he going to follow the book or is he going to trust his instincts? It was chaotic. What was the truth? What was he supposed to do?
Overall, I really enjoyed following Black's journey. He was a good character to cheer for. Follow him in this adventure, it's a good story to read.
http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2016...
The Valley is more of a mystery story than a military tale. So if you're a fan of mystery, then you should give this a try.
Lieutenant Black is about to embark a mission in which will put him into many trials. A mission in which he will need to trust his instincts and go with his conscious is advising him to do. There are times in which laws are written put it doesn't make them right. He will questioned these. A dilemma of being the perfect solider or a true hero. As Black is caught into an enigma in a remotest valley of Afghanistan, he will need to make his own decisions.
Let me say, I was in awe in how well written this book is. It felt so real. Like you were there with Lieutenant Black. You felt hostile, confused and scared. You didn't know what Black would do. Is he going to follow the book or is he going to trust his instincts? It was chaotic. What was the truth? What was he supposed to do?
Overall, I really enjoyed following Black's journey. He was a good character to cheer for. Follow him in this adventure, it's a good story to read.
http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2016...
December 22, 2024
Don’t be fouled by the low rating .. this is an amazing story of a valley of death in Afghanistan
“He sat back against the wall, regarding Black. He spoke in a low voice.
“You don’t know what this place is.”
“What’s that mean?”
“It means the Devil is in this valley, sir. And he will get his.”
He gestured with his chin toward Black’s notebook.
“So you write what you wanna write in your little book, and go back to the FOB and come back with your majors and colonels. They know where to find me if they wanna come here and get me.”
He picked up his video game controller.
“I’ll be dead anyway, so it won’t matter for shit.”
Excerpt From
The Valley
John Renehan
This material may be protected by copyright.
“He sat back against the wall, regarding Black. He spoke in a low voice.
“You don’t know what this place is.”
“What’s that mean?”
“It means the Devil is in this valley, sir. And he will get his.”
He gestured with his chin toward Black’s notebook.
“So you write what you wanna write in your little book, and go back to the FOB and come back with your majors and colonels. They know where to find me if they wanna come here and get me.”
He picked up his video game controller.
“I’ll be dead anyway, so it won’t matter for shit.”
Excerpt From
The Valley
John Renehan
This material may be protected by copyright.
April 24, 2015
This book was a mystery, thriller, and war story wrapped in to one great novel! Set in Afghanistan, I thought it gave a realistic view of how difficult it must be to be in the army in such a dangerous land. It was like Tim O'brien's Vietnam book, The Things They Carried, in that there were some great action sequences; yet, the author here took liberties to allow for Lt. Black, the central character, to go in and out a stream-of-consciousness "fog". Don't want to give any spoilers, so pick up this book!
April 3, 2015
There are some books that you read and look up at the clock and can't believe how much time has passed and how much you have read. There are also some books that you read and look up at the clock and can't believe that you have only read 3 pages and an hour has passed. This book belongs to the latter. I thought this book had no idea what it wanted to be and I barely had the patience to finish. I kept hoping for a big payoff. Never happened.
August 21, 2021
Lieutenant Black is serving with the U.S. Army in Afghanistan. Following an incident whilst on active service, he is now a deskbound “pen-pusher”, full of self-loathing and recrimination, and giving serious consideration to his future in the army. He is then sent from Forward Operating Base Omaha, situated on one of the country’s eastern plains, to Combat Outpost Vega, which is manned by an all but forgotten platoon. His mission is to investigate the shooting of a goat, and a subsequent warning shot fired into a house, in a small remote village in the mountains. COP Vega is located in The Valley, high up in the mountains of Nuristan; its real name is not known, but it is regarded as the most remote, and the toughest location for the army to control. It also has a strategic importance because it leads to a secret route into Pakistan. The Valley can be reached only by an arduous and dangerous six-hour journey through a complex series of inter-locking valleys, and so Lt. Black’s journey there, on a supply convoy which stops only very briefly at Vega to offload supplies before returning to base, gives him a real sense of how difficult his mission is likely to be. In this hard-to-control region five languages and many sub-dialects are spoken so, even with the services of an interpreter, communication with the locals is often difficult.
It very quickly becomes clear to Black, a man with his own secrets and anxieties, that this is going to be much more than a routine investigation into a relatively minor incident. Immediate obfuscation from the soldiers, combined with resistance to his questioning, demonstrates that he is going to find it extremely difficult to know who can be trusted and who is telling the truth. As result of his relentless search for the truth, secrets are exposed and lives, including his own, are put at risk.
I found that the story took time to engage my interest fully. The first hundred and eighty pages were rather slow, and I had to work at persevering: an important influence which kept me reading was the author’s convincing and compelling descriptions of the people and the landscape of Afghanistan. However, following an incident involving the village chief, the storytelling really picked up pace and it then became much more difficult to put the book down because, like Black, I wanted the mystery to be solved! There were times when I found it difficult to follow the very complex plotting (which remained complicated and obscure to the end!), but I got enough of the gist of it to encourage me to keep on reading! There were also times when I found some of the lengthy, and very detailed, descriptions of weapons and military tactics rather tedious – but this will, I’m sure, be a fascinating part of the story for those who are interested in this subject.
Considering the fact that I am not a huge fan of novels about war and the military (and this could explain why I didn’t always “get” some of the intricacies of the plot!), I did appreciate and enjoy a number of aspects in this story – which often reminded me of Lord of the Flies, but with a cast of adult characters! The psychologically reflective musings and observations of the main character, and the many complex inter-personal relationships which were described, were an important part of this appreciation. I also thought that it offered a remarkable insight into the lives of the troops who daily face death and mutilation, with little hope of speedy support in the event of a serious, prolonged attack.
The author very credibly captured the complexity of the diplomatic sensitivity required when negotiating relationships with the local population who carry their own, long-term history of inter-tribal feuds and invasions by foreigners. The settling of old scores is at least as important as defeating invaders, hence the difficulties experienced by any occupying troops in understanding the “rules”, and in being able to plan any effective strategies. As the chief of the village told Black – "all invaders want this beautiful land, the Greeks, Alexander, the British, the Russians – and now the Taliban. They all try to occupy it, and they all fail. The Valley belongs to God, and the local people are responsible for keeping it for him."
I think I hardly need say that reading the chief's words, whilst simultaneously watching the unfolding events in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of British and American troops, contributed to why I found this an extremely powerful, poignant, and disturbing story to read.
It very quickly becomes clear to Black, a man with his own secrets and anxieties, that this is going to be much more than a routine investigation into a relatively minor incident. Immediate obfuscation from the soldiers, combined with resistance to his questioning, demonstrates that he is going to find it extremely difficult to know who can be trusted and who is telling the truth. As result of his relentless search for the truth, secrets are exposed and lives, including his own, are put at risk.
I found that the story took time to engage my interest fully. The first hundred and eighty pages were rather slow, and I had to work at persevering: an important influence which kept me reading was the author’s convincing and compelling descriptions of the people and the landscape of Afghanistan. However, following an incident involving the village chief, the storytelling really picked up pace and it then became much more difficult to put the book down because, like Black, I wanted the mystery to be solved! There were times when I found it difficult to follow the very complex plotting (which remained complicated and obscure to the end!), but I got enough of the gist of it to encourage me to keep on reading! There were also times when I found some of the lengthy, and very detailed, descriptions of weapons and military tactics rather tedious – but this will, I’m sure, be a fascinating part of the story for those who are interested in this subject.
Considering the fact that I am not a huge fan of novels about war and the military (and this could explain why I didn’t always “get” some of the intricacies of the plot!), I did appreciate and enjoy a number of aspects in this story – which often reminded me of Lord of the Flies, but with a cast of adult characters! The psychologically reflective musings and observations of the main character, and the many complex inter-personal relationships which were described, were an important part of this appreciation. I also thought that it offered a remarkable insight into the lives of the troops who daily face death and mutilation, with little hope of speedy support in the event of a serious, prolonged attack.
The author very credibly captured the complexity of the diplomatic sensitivity required when negotiating relationships with the local population who carry their own, long-term history of inter-tribal feuds and invasions by foreigners. The settling of old scores is at least as important as defeating invaders, hence the difficulties experienced by any occupying troops in understanding the “rules”, and in being able to plan any effective strategies. As the chief of the village told Black – "all invaders want this beautiful land, the Greeks, Alexander, the British, the Russians – and now the Taliban. They all try to occupy it, and they all fail. The Valley belongs to God, and the local people are responsible for keeping it for him."
I think I hardly need say that reading the chief's words, whilst simultaneously watching the unfolding events in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of British and American troops, contributed to why I found this an extremely powerful, poignant, and disturbing story to read.
July 8, 2023
Something rotten in Afghanistan.
I have to admit this was kind of dissenpointment.
I thought that I am holding in my hands another great war book like It is a quiet on the eastern front, platoon, hamburger Hill, the deer hunter and such. None of this!
I got wishy washy story of a Leutnant Black ( a character without past ) who is send to investigate some kind of local complaint at the army base Vega far and far away somewhere in some God foshaken valley somewhere near Pakistani borders.
I still have to read the book of James Caldwell The whrillwind about Afghanistan and about what did actually happened there.
My only info about Afghanistan are from the pen of Khalid Hossaini and his books the kite runner and thousand splendid Suns.
I dont know if this was intention of the author ,but the whole book with exception of the massive attack on the Vega army base ( initiated because of info of 10 year old girl ! ) was nothing but boooring.
The characters Leutnant Black, Sergeant Kaine, and all others with exception of " Wizard " and Eddie The translator are dull and not really interesting.
I dont know if is worthy to read four hundred page book only for about only fifty pages of text is worth it ?
I let the reader to decide on that.
I have to admit this was kind of dissenpointment.
I thought that I am holding in my hands another great war book like It is a quiet on the eastern front, platoon, hamburger Hill, the deer hunter and such. None of this!
I got wishy washy story of a Leutnant Black ( a character without past ) who is send to investigate some kind of local complaint at the army base Vega far and far away somewhere in some God foshaken valley somewhere near Pakistani borders.
I still have to read the book of James Caldwell The whrillwind about Afghanistan and about what did actually happened there.
My only info about Afghanistan are from the pen of Khalid Hossaini and his books the kite runner and thousand splendid Suns.
I dont know if this was intention of the author ,but the whole book with exception of the massive attack on the Vega army base ( initiated because of info of 10 year old girl ! ) was nothing but boooring.
The characters Leutnant Black, Sergeant Kaine, and all others with exception of " Wizard " and Eddie The translator are dull and not really interesting.
I dont know if is worthy to read four hundred page book only for about only fifty pages of text is worth it ?
I let the reader to decide on that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2019
Black is a lieutenant that hasn't seen any combat. In his office duties, Black is determining whether he should remain in the military or not when he receives a case in a remote base high up in the mountains of Afghanistan. Black has to investigate an incident that involves some of the soldiers on the base and some locals from a nearby village.
Black has a week to investigate before an envoy will deliver supplies and pick him up to return to his posh life on the base. What should be a simple investigation turns into a week of eye-opening pronouncements.
I'm not sure what I was expecting from this book, but a military thriller was not it. The story kept me engaged, but I have to say that there are a lot of characters that I had to keep up with and I wasn't sure, in the end, whether I cared enough about any of them. In fact, there is a pretty big reveal at the end, and it fell flat for me because I couldn't recall the guy that they mentioned!
I feel that given the ending, this may end up being a series of some kind, but I may be wrong. Definitely some insight into what it feels like to be at an isolated post in a foreign country while at war.
Black has a week to investigate before an envoy will deliver supplies and pick him up to return to his posh life on the base. What should be a simple investigation turns into a week of eye-opening pronouncements.
I'm not sure what I was expecting from this book, but a military thriller was not it. The story kept me engaged, but I have to say that there are a lot of characters that I had to keep up with and I wasn't sure, in the end, whether I cared enough about any of them. In fact, there is a pretty big reveal at the end, and it fell flat for me because I couldn't recall the guy that they mentioned!
I feel that given the ending, this may end up being a series of some kind, but I may be wrong. Definitely some insight into what it feels like to be at an isolated post in a foreign country while at war.
February 9, 2022
Well, I'm that odd female who really enjoys war movies and novels and The Valley was an excellent read! I don't have any experience in the military myself, other than as a Navy wife (and daughter). But Renehan's info says that he is a veteran of Iraq, so I trust him to really try to make things seem as authentic as possible. From the very beginning, this book caught my interest and held it. There was a lot of action and a few good plot twists along the way. If you enjoy war books, you should read this one.
Read
August 12, 2018Not really my genre.
July 13, 2019
This was pretty good. Lots of twists and turns and not knowing who can be trusted or who is out to get you. Just about the time you think it starts to becomes clear, you are thrown another twist.
October 8, 2019
A really great mash-up of a war novel and a detective novel. Also the best depiction I've read yet of how it feels to be a junior officer in a deployed unit.
May 15, 2019
Authentic. I've been there and this is like being there. Well done.
September 30, 2016
In Afghanistan, Lieutenant Black is dispatched from the relatively secure and administrative environment of Forward Operating Base Omaha to investigate a complaint at Combat Outpost Vega up the valley to the north. The Valley is basically a detective novel in a war zone, or combat noir.
What Black investigates is an allegation that the infantry unit at Vega used excessive force in calming the villagers during a tense visit. Nobody was killed or injured during the excessive force incident. Black knows he will not get a friendly reception since he is basically a desk soldier being sent to interrogate soldiers who are spending every day fighting for their lives about a trivial incident. But the reaction Black gets is more than chilly. It is disrespectful, evasive, and venomous. Through a painful series of interviews, a disastrous visit to the village, and glimpses of the commander’s personal possessions, Black becomes convinced that there is more than meets the eye at Vega.
Where The Valley soars is in its dark atmosphere, detailed military authenticity, and its careful ratcheting up of the tension surrounding the unknown mischief at Vega. Black is not a conventional hero. There’s a reason he’s been doomed to a desk job, although we’re not sure why. He is cynical and almost friendless. He appears to have a casual attitude about drugs, which is not impressive in an officer. But the men he’s charged to investigate are even worse: an insubordinate gang of sullen hotheads running Vega like a cross between Lord of the Flies and Kurtz’s station in Heart of Darkness.
Renehan manages to create true suspense and curiosity in the reader’s mind about what Black will uncover, and what will happen when he finds out the truth. This makes The Valley worth the time to read.
The book also gives an on-the-ground flavor for being forward deployed in Afghanistan, which is essential to understand as an American, a taxpayer, and a voter 15 years into the war. To be frank, it is amazing how little time and attention has been given by the news media and presidential candidates to discuss the vital subject of America’s involvement in Afghanistan.
A small, minor note: it was tricky to keep mental track of the fictional COP Vega in relation to the village, the “Meadows,” the supply route, and the different observation points described in the book. A one-page map in the front would have been helpful to understand what the characters had to go through to get from one point to another.
The first four-fifths of the book was great, but it became choppy and implausible toward the end. It felt like the author, even at the end, didn’t want to come right out and say what happened, so we kept being fed crumbs and riddles. That was annoying. Don’t get me wrong, there is an explanation and conclusion, but it’s broken up across too many different scenes and characters throughout the final pages. The ending is somewhat happy; for such a dark book with a cynical main character, that struck me as inconsistent.
But I would still highly recommend this book to anybody who likes thrillers, mysteries, crime, or military fiction.
What Black investigates is an allegation that the infantry unit at Vega used excessive force in calming the villagers during a tense visit. Nobody was killed or injured during the excessive force incident. Black knows he will not get a friendly reception since he is basically a desk soldier being sent to interrogate soldiers who are spending every day fighting for their lives about a trivial incident. But the reaction Black gets is more than chilly. It is disrespectful, evasive, and venomous. Through a painful series of interviews, a disastrous visit to the village, and glimpses of the commander’s personal possessions, Black becomes convinced that there is more than meets the eye at Vega.
Where The Valley soars is in its dark atmosphere, detailed military authenticity, and its careful ratcheting up of the tension surrounding the unknown mischief at Vega. Black is not a conventional hero. There’s a reason he’s been doomed to a desk job, although we’re not sure why. He is cynical and almost friendless. He appears to have a casual attitude about drugs, which is not impressive in an officer. But the men he’s charged to investigate are even worse: an insubordinate gang of sullen hotheads running Vega like a cross between Lord of the Flies and Kurtz’s station in Heart of Darkness.
Renehan manages to create true suspense and curiosity in the reader’s mind about what Black will uncover, and what will happen when he finds out the truth. This makes The Valley worth the time to read.
The book also gives an on-the-ground flavor for being forward deployed in Afghanistan, which is essential to understand as an American, a taxpayer, and a voter 15 years into the war. To be frank, it is amazing how little time and attention has been given by the news media and presidential candidates to discuss the vital subject of America’s involvement in Afghanistan.
A small, minor note: it was tricky to keep mental track of the fictional COP Vega in relation to the village, the “Meadows,” the supply route, and the different observation points described in the book. A one-page map in the front would have been helpful to understand what the characters had to go through to get from one point to another.
The first four-fifths of the book was great, but it became choppy and implausible toward the end. It felt like the author, even at the end, didn’t want to come right out and say what happened, so we kept being fed crumbs and riddles. That was annoying. Don’t get me wrong, there is an explanation and conclusion, but it’s broken up across too many different scenes and characters throughout the final pages. The ending is somewhat happy; for such a dark book with a cynical main character, that struck me as inconsistent.
But I would still highly recommend this book to anybody who likes thrillers, mysteries, crime, or military fiction.
February 7, 2015
Shock and awe! Shock, initially, because I'm still surprised I picked up a war/troops/man book to start with. Awe because I actually liked it! Lieutenant Black finds himself sent to The Valley, an area where the heaviest fighting is. Things there are not what they seem and Black finds himself caught up in the mystery of what actually happened in the village of Darreh Sin. The language is coarse as would be the case in an all male battalion, but when it seems to be a natural part of the story rather that just gratuitous cussing I am okay with it. What bothered me about this book is that the closer to the ending I got, when the author generally gives you a few more clues so you can start to unravel the mystery, author John Renehan closes up and the secret becomes tighter and more confusing. By the end I was puzzled and not sure that I still understand the ending. But because a book outside my usual genre kept me reading I have to give it 4 stars.
July 27, 2015
The Valley is an Iraq war story, in which a young lieutenant is sent from his desk job in Iraq to a remote frontier outpost to investigate a seemingly minor act of misconduct. He encounters a hostile reception, and soon realizes the problems at the base are greater than the one he is investigating. The book is notable for its depiction of army life in the ever-changing and confusing Iraq cauldron, and for its laconic soldier dialogue. I found the plot to be unnecessarily murky, though, and the action parts were exaggerated beyond belief. I'm sure that much of the book is based on Renehan's personal experience, and he probably amped it up with the action parts to appeal to a wider audience. That's too bad, at least from my point of view, because his writing is good enough that if he had just written what he saw, the result would have been more informative.
March 22, 2015
Although the character of Lietenant Black has the makings of a series of books about this military detective, there wasn't enough pace or intrigue in the story to capture my imagination. Some of the writing style was opaque and accompanied with - to me, a reader with no insight into military life - a lot of military jargon, huge chunks of the book failed to make sense. I did however get a sense of the menace and beauty of Afghanistan, which made it marginally more interesting to read.
Reviewed following receipt of an advance reading copy via a Goodreads first reads giveaway.
Reviewed following receipt of an advance reading copy via a Goodreads first reads giveaway.
May 5, 2015
This is a niche book that will be enjoyed by people with a military background and particularly those who served in the Middle East in recent years. I see very little crossover appeal outside of that group. The story involves a man named Black who is sent in to investigate possible wrongdoing at an outpost close to enemy lines. Lots of military terminology makes it difficult for someone like myself who has never been in the military.
September 1, 2022
On my second reading of this it still stands up well. However.... the ending feels much more rushed this time around. It felt like he had to tie up the loose ends. The first 95% of the book however is gripping. Truly a great read. If only the ending was a bit more fluid.
March 28, 2016
Latrine graffiti:
"Today is the last day of the rest of your life"
"Chuck Norris can leave a message before the beep"
First novel. A "General's Daughter" without the sex or humor parts, in Afghanistan.
"Today is the last day of the rest of your life"
"Chuck Norris can leave a message before the beep"
First novel. A "General's Daughter" without the sex or humor parts, in Afghanistan.
April 5, 2015
A different view of Afghanistan
A somewhat muddled novel that was hard to follow but at the same time very interesting.
Thought provoking and dark.
A somewhat muddled novel that was hard to follow but at the same time very interesting.
Thought provoking and dark.
July 4, 2020
Lieutenant Black is a desk worker for the US military in Afghanistan when he gets an assignment to investigate a local complaint in a remote area called the Valley. The complaint seems largely baseless; allegedly, a soldier shot into the air briefly. But it's still enough to qualify for an investigation, and so Black is sent from his post and back into the field. Once he gets there, things get even more complicated: the soldiers are evasive, the sergeants are hostile, and the commanding officer is nowhere to be found. Hating his task and himself, Black investigates, and finds things are not exactly what they seem.
The story has the form of a classic pulp noir told within the chain of command and fog of war that comes with army-based stories. In that sense, Renehan does a really good job using the setting to its best benefit, really drawing out the sense that Black is in a hostile environment that resents his presence, on a number of levels. It takes a fair amount of time to develop, with at least the first third of the book questioning whether there's anything actually wrong, or Black is just second guessing himself and digging a deeper hole. The initial sense that he's out of depth is well-established, and doesn't really let off.
Admittedly, the pay-off could work a little better. It feels some of it is withheld to set up an implied sequel, and still the last portion of the book is overladen with exposition. I'm pretty sure I lost track of some of the mysteries, or at least didn't understand their relevance when revealed (admittedly, that may be more my problem than Renehan's). The characters weren't particularly interesting, but it did keep me reading. Given that this is not a genre I generally turn to, that's a more impressive feat than it sounds. For a first effort in particular, this is a really good book.
The story has the form of a classic pulp noir told within the chain of command and fog of war that comes with army-based stories. In that sense, Renehan does a really good job using the setting to its best benefit, really drawing out the sense that Black is in a hostile environment that resents his presence, on a number of levels. It takes a fair amount of time to develop, with at least the first third of the book questioning whether there's anything actually wrong, or Black is just second guessing himself and digging a deeper hole. The initial sense that he's out of depth is well-established, and doesn't really let off.
Admittedly, the pay-off could work a little better. It feels some of it is withheld to set up an implied sequel, and still the last portion of the book is overladen with exposition. I'm pretty sure I lost track of some of the mysteries, or at least didn't understand their relevance when revealed (admittedly, that may be more my problem than Renehan's). The characters weren't particularly interesting, but it did keep me reading. Given that this is not a genre I generally turn to, that's a more impressive feat than it sounds. For a first effort in particular, this is a really good book.
February 6, 2017
With a title like The Valley you horor readers may think that this was a Bentley Little novel written under a pen name. Nah, this is a novel I learned about from a facebook post by Steal Team 666 author Weston Ochse. Now Weston is a man who served in country and when he praised the book I became interested. Little side note. This is why it is good to support the book-o-sphere by talking about and reviewing the books that you like. This novel would not have been on my radar any other way.
The Valley is a mystery thriller, set against the back drop of the never ending military occupation of Afghanistan. Written by a former intfintry man turned Lawyer the Valley is from what I am told a realistic look at the occupation wrapped in a thriller. Sounded cool to me. This books has more detective novel tropes than war novels ones. That is what makes it interesting.
I suppose it is bot a murder mystery as the investigation that Lt. Black is sent to do is a not a murder. A platoon at a remote outpost is at the heart of this story. A goat at a remote village was killed this has potential to destabilize the remote Valley that gives the novel it's name.. No one in the book seems to mind that goat was shot, it was a warning shot and a tribe's dead goat is what sends Lt. Black in to action. Keep in mind he has not left base in a long time, and being sent to investigate something as seemingly trivial just seems like a waste of time. There is of course more going on.
I am trusting that this setting is accurate, the accuracy of the world seems to be there but what do I know. Considering the praise of those who have lived in country I will buy it. The mystery is not about something as simple or standard as a murder. the mystery is complex but it also highlights many of the confusions that come from the culture clash caused by military occupation.
The writing is very good, the prose is simple but driving. Stylized over written prose would work against a story like this. Not to say it is poorly written. Renehan is an excellent writer who unfolds the story close to perfection. The mystery stays intact through 3/4 of the book but we get enough clues to be interested, confused and ultimately paid off.
As a war novel this work is not preachy infact everything it says about the occupation is do very subtly, so don't think Platoon this is more like a mystery that just so happens to be set against the back drop of America's longest engagement on foreign soil. your political feelings wont factor in most readers judgement of this book.
The Valley is a mystery thriller, set against the back drop of the never ending military occupation of Afghanistan. Written by a former intfintry man turned Lawyer the Valley is from what I am told a realistic look at the occupation wrapped in a thriller. Sounded cool to me. This books has more detective novel tropes than war novels ones. That is what makes it interesting.
I suppose it is bot a murder mystery as the investigation that Lt. Black is sent to do is a not a murder. A platoon at a remote outpost is at the heart of this story. A goat at a remote village was killed this has potential to destabilize the remote Valley that gives the novel it's name.. No one in the book seems to mind that goat was shot, it was a warning shot and a tribe's dead goat is what sends Lt. Black in to action. Keep in mind he has not left base in a long time, and being sent to investigate something as seemingly trivial just seems like a waste of time. There is of course more going on.
I am trusting that this setting is accurate, the accuracy of the world seems to be there but what do I know. Considering the praise of those who have lived in country I will buy it. The mystery is not about something as simple or standard as a murder. the mystery is complex but it also highlights many of the confusions that come from the culture clash caused by military occupation.
The writing is very good, the prose is simple but driving. Stylized over written prose would work against a story like this. Not to say it is poorly written. Renehan is an excellent writer who unfolds the story close to perfection. The mystery stays intact through 3/4 of the book but we get enough clues to be interested, confused and ultimately paid off.
As a war novel this work is not preachy infact everything it says about the occupation is do very subtly, so don't think Platoon this is more like a mystery that just so happens to be set against the back drop of America's longest engagement on foreign soil. your political feelings wont factor in most readers judgement of this book.
June 8, 2018
This novel is for active military and veterans. John encourages civilians to read his book, but I don't believe they will have the gut feeling; the reality of serving. Doesn't matter what branch. Anyone who has served overseas, whether in Viet Nam, Afghanistan, or Iraq, knows the discipline. L.T. Black experiences today what many of us dealt with years ago. His description of GIs lets me compare to people we knew. during active duty. LC Gayley reminded me of Major Major in "MASH." His roundabout way of explaining what Black was commissioned to do in the field was typical. I'm sure military will agree his genuine ignorance became a reality. But, he couldn't have figured out the circumstances of the murder(s). Without good, determined communication with NCOs, he never could have broadened his perspective of what really happened. The author says the novel is based on fiction only. I know John Renehan has experiences that helped him write a good novel.
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