Runner by Milar Larsen (Lance Jensen)

Runner (1975) by Milar Larsen (Lance Jensen)

Lance Jensen (aka Milar Larsen) was a decorated World War II paratrooper (11th Airborne) who had four published books—two under the pen name of Milar Larsen and two more under his real name. His experience as a paratrooper in Europe comes through in every detail of Runner. This book does an amazing job of placing the reader in the frozen forests of France and Belgium during Nazi occupation. 

Our main character is 18-year old Jefferson Wainwright, a green recruit just arrived in the European battle theater prior to the Battle of the Bulge. It is through his eyes that we experience what separates this book and makes it unique: Sergeant Jay Runner, a full blood Dakota Sioux who doesn’t suffer fools, even when they are in command. 

Runner is larger than life, bigoted, and seems to have stepped right out of the 19th century. He still lives according to Native American traditions and when his Army outfit is decimated in an attack and he is ordered to surrender, Runner refuses and heads out on his own with young Wainwright in tow. The remainder of the book is the story of their nightmare journey through the winter wastelands of war as Runner engenders a reputation as a supernatural ghost-like being who hunts the Germans down using techniques from his heritage while destroying supply depots and generally doing everything in his power to disrupt the Nazi efforts. 

It is also the story of how Wainwright brings a degree of humanity and civility to Runner and how Runner makes a man out of the young boy from Ohio. The friendship and sacrifices made are emotional and honestly earned. Runner is not an action-packed adventure, though it has some great action set-pieces; it is a literary work of deep characterization and a detailed account of a time and place during wartime. 

I originally read this book as a 13-year old. It was given to me by a neighbor who was a rabid devourer of Mack Bolan and was constantly reading some kind of men's adventure book. He gave it to me with the qualifier that Runner was "perhaps the finest book I've ever read." I see in retrospect that it had a depth he was unaccustomed to in his regular reading habits. 46 years later I'm inclined to agree with him; this is a truly fine book and worthy of the effort of hunting down.

Over time Lance Jensen and the novel Runner have slipped into complete obscurity. That's a shame as this book packs a satisfying emotional wallop over the course of its journey, punctuated by solid action and depth of character. 

Highly recommended. 

Review by Steve Carroll