In the aftermath of the Japanese attack on Burma in 1942, tens of thousands of British colonists and their Indian and Chinese servants were forced into a desperate flight to safety towards India.
Facing monsoon rains, leeches and a host of unpleasant tropical diseases on their march through the jungle, they died by the score along the treacherous tracks.
Coming to the rescue of a particularly imperiled party of refugees was Gyles Mackrell, a 53-year-old Royal Air Force veteran-turned-tea plantation owner in India, and his herd of 20 elephants.
While this is a tale of great heroism that deserves to be retold, the author unfortunately narrates it at such a leisurely pace, one sometimes doesn't feel exhilarated by Mackrell's daring exploits.
Also, Martin - who is best known for his fictional detective books - tends to flesh out what he's gleaned from Mackrell's personal diaries with plenty of conjecture about his subject's innermost thoughts, which at times feels slightly contrived.
Nevertheless, those with a fondness for wartime adventure stories should find this a satisfying read.
* Hugo Berger
