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When I published “The Valley Walker”, I sent a copy of the manuscript out to Readers Favorite, a company that provides reviews for some of the top gun novelists. Their service is free, but to receive a review within a certain time period a fee must be paid, what they call an “Express Review”.

I was in a big hurry, and dying to hear what somebody would think of it, so I dished it out for a package deal of five express reviews. They’ve all come in, and now I’m looking them over and trying to make sense of it.

The book got three five-star and two four-star ratings. I think that’s good, or at least not bad. Nobody thumbed their nose at it, anyway. I won’t tell you everything they said, but I’ll give you the wrap-up paragraph from each of them.

*****

  1. T. W. Dittmer has created a mystical tale that fluctuates from war story to ancient legend. Just when you are caught up in his story of dragons and ancient magic, he weaves us back into the present reality of criminal investigation and political injustice. More than once I found myself analyzing the symbolic meaning behind the descriptions and the true meaning of the military mantra of “two salt tablets, a canteen of water and push on grunt.”     Rated Four Stars
  2. The Valley Walker is an unusual horror story with twists and turns that will keep the reader eagerly turning the pages. Dittmer draws on people he has met and combines their traits to create his characters. His lead character is particularly interesting. Watch out Stephen King and Dean Koontz! Dittmer has penned a fantastic book chocked full of mysticism, intrigue, a bit of romance and a lot of action.     Rated Five Stars
  3. “Valley Walker” is one of those rare, notable stories that will stay with the reader long after the book ends. It is well-written and well-edited with pace and action par non. The characters of Teri Altro, Bill Mallory, Doolee, beautiful Bao and Ka and all the others are totally believable and three-dimensional, but it is John Walker Michaels’ character that is beyond greatness. Is he a ghost? Is he half-living? There is something unique in the basic story line of a young soldier who turns into much more and readers everywhere will adore this tale of war, drugs, and human beings both good and bad.     Rated Five Stars
  4. The past and the future join together in the “The Valley Walker” in a mystical and very real way. T. W. Dittmer has written a book that takes us from reality deep into the paranormal. I found myself pulled into the story and wanting more. This is a must read for anyone who enjoys reading about war, criminal investigation and political overtones but who also enjoys the paranormal. T. W. Dittmer has provided it all in a well-written and exciting book. “The Valley Walker” is a sure winner.      Rated Five Stars
  5. Apart from the two main protagonists, the characters are perhaps a little flat, such as Jessica, nicknamed Princess, and Bob Mallory, the head of the DITF team. There is more to him than meets the eye, as we discover, but he never quite makes it interesting. But Altro and Walker are masterful creations. Altro is on a life journey. She becomes more human in front of our eyes, while Walker becomes less so. From her self-imposed loneliness, Teri, as she finally allows herself to be, is eventually part of a family. Does the mixture of mysticism with modern crime-fighting methods and twenty-first century politics work? It is neither horror nor paranormal nor straightforward thriller but a shifting combination of all three, with an element of war story too. It is a book that is hard to classify. A slightly challenging read. it’s absorbing, original and thought-provoking.      Rated Four Stars

*****

If you want to read the reviews in their entirety, you can go to their site (Readers Favorite).

I’ve got a lot to think about here, just what all this means to me. The last one, where the reviewer said the other characters were flat is definitely something for me to study on.

Right now, it’s time for more coffee.