In the Face of the Foe: The Jock Mitchell Collection (The Jock Mitchell Adventures Book 3)

This is an engaging and thought-provoking story filled with suspense, loss, and tragedy. Taking place in Poland during World War 2, the story focuses on Lance Corporal Richard “Jock” Mitchell, a Scottish prisoner-of-war, who is forced to abandon his family and garden, to live in tough, inhumane conditions under the watch of German soldiers for years. Jock is sent on an intelligence mission with Hyde under disguises within Nazi territory, and they discover Intel on gold exports. Under a new secret mission, Jock, Hyde, and some prisoners team up. They are successful in their gold-stealing mission, but only Hyde knows where the gold is hidden. Tragedy strikes, and Jock and his friends are left to fend for themselves in a cruel and hostile world. Filled with rage and blinding fury at the injustice the Germans exhibit towards them, coupled with the mystery of the hidden gold, Jock and his friends decide to take revenge on their Nazi foes in their own way. What they encounter in their rage-fueled mission is bound to keep readers glued to their seats until the very end. The author’s writing style is meticulous, compelling, and leaves an indelible experience for enthused readers. The depiction of the horrors of war, as indicated by hunger, bloodshed, disease, and apathy, is so picturesque. The atmosphere created by the book’s context is somber, highlighting the tragedy of one of the world’s most tragic eras. This book is easily referenced to Dante Alighieri's “Inferno,” likening the incredible torments and horrors that occupants of hell go through to the everyday living of these prisoners-of-war. I admire the brotherliness and solidarity the prisoners of war have for each other. Despite the hardships, pain, and suffering they encounter, they are not without banter. They share jokes, hymns, encouragements, and aid to each other when necessary, while battling their personal battles within and without. The character traits and developments are incredible, especially those of the protagonist. Jock is good-natured and reliable, easily making acquaintances with Poles and Germans such as Konrad, despite the language barrier. He is most trustworthy and favored among his comrades, and even German Colonel Brooks entrusts him on missions. Jock is also compassionate and always protects the weak and the innocent, such as when he saves Lionel and two little girls from death. I also cannot help but notice that he is sanguine enough to share the gold-looting experience with other prisoners-of-war. Hyde is by far a one-of-a-kind character, who elicits mixed thoughts and feelings in Jock from the very start. He is adventurous, witty, humorous, very courageous, and a risk-taker. His actions during the gold-looting adventure are forever engraved in Jock’s heart and truly have indelible consequences in Jock’s life. Overall, I am impressed with the book’s historical insights. I think the ending of the book is well-justified. A question that still lingers in my mind is the intentions of Robbie Hyde when he chooses to hide the gold bars. I do not have any dislikes to offer about the book, nor did I encounter any grammatical errors while reading. This book is well-written and excellently edited. I also think Jock’s Ayrshire-accented tongue, albeit heavy, is very comprehensible to readers and gets better as each chapter progresses. This also applies to the presence of German and Russian vocabularies in the book. I am impressed by the power, emotional intensity, and complexity in the book’s context and style, and therefore do not hesitate to rate it a perfect 5 stars. I absolutely love this book and will not hesitate to read it again, when I can. I recommend this book to adult readers who are interested in historical fiction that has gory and heart-wrenching depictions of war. Readers’ discretion is advised, due to the presence of profanity.