Author:Lawrence M. Gold

Publisher: Grass Valley Publishing

ASIN: ‎ B0C35VVL56

On the very first page of this novel, the central protagonist, the UC graduate 33-year-old Benjamin Reese, is introduced to us. On joining the US Army, Reese accepts a job as a military dog handler. Assigned to a tour of duty in Kandahar, Afghanistan, accompanied by his dog, Zeke, Reese undertakes several missions to remove or safely detonate Incendiary Explosive Devices (IEDs). Recovering in hospital from an IED that explodes in Reese’s and Zeke’s face, when PTSD overwhelms Reese, both he and Zeke are flown home, only to encounter even more challenges on the home front, in terms of their recovery and restoring of a sense of well-being. However, the close camaraderie between the two help them to track down the murderer of a student who has foiled the police, in the thrilling finale to this inspiring book.

Gold’s knowledge of dog handling in the army provides valuable insights into the role of dog handler, as well as into the nature of military dogs themselves, for whom Gold has a great deal of respect. The empathy with which he handles his characters elicits a great deal of support from the reader. The inseparable bond between human trainer and working dog is described with compassion. The balance of carefully described context and lively direct speech make the story come alive and real. Gold’s intolerance of drugs comes out strongly in the story, epitomized by Reese’s outspoken detestation of them, especially after his younger sister died from a fentanyl OD and a friendship with a fellow soldier came to a fatal end, due to his young friend’s abuse of heroin laced with fentanyl.

Gold’s sense of humor emerges in his sharing of Zeke’s thoughts on matters, as sensed by Reese, such as when he bites an officer who is being verbally aggressive and physically threatening towards him: “Mighty tasty, if you ask me.” The first-class treatment received by both wounded man and dog, when wounded by the explosion of an IED, should prove to be reassuring for anyone connected to the military. The Dog’s Code of Honor: A Novel is a great read for any dog lover, whether old or young. The language is graphic at times, which suits the army setting, but which also means that the work is, unfortunately, unlikely to be regarded as suitable for a school library.