The Hunter From the Woods by Robert McCammon

Having read Robert McCammon’s outstanding WWII/adventure/thriller/werewolf/spy novel The Wolf's Hour earlier this month I knew I had to find and read the “sequel” as soon as possible.  The character of Michael Gallatin and his story was just so rich with possibilities that I was thrilled to discover there was another book.  And, still, to this day, I have yet to read a disappointing book by Robert McCammon.

This book is not another novel, however. It is a collection of 6 stories, all very much connected to one another (as well as with the original novel) but each depicting a different episode in Michael’s intriguing life.  Essentially all six stories fill in his background, mostly taking place during the war itself and just prior to the current events of the first novel. The second story here, ‘The Man From London’ is fairly short but serves to illustrate how Michael is recruited by the British Secret Service for his unique talents. Three of the stories are fairly long, novellas really, and were easily my favorites due to the depth that the longer form allows the author to take the plot and the character. In addition, the answer to a burning, unanswered question from the original novel is answered in the last story of this book.

A definite must-read for McCammon fans. 

The Wolf's Hour by Robert R. McCammon

Robert McCammon has always provided me with great entertainment and this time around was no exception.  This is primarily a World War II spy novel wherein Michael Gallatin is on a mission to support the allied D-Day invasion by preventing a Nazi gas warfare scheme.  It’s a clever plot filled with adrenaline-charged action at every turn.  On its own, it would be a very nice thriller but the fact that Michael is also a werewolf makes this one a keeper.

In the hands of a lesser author I would be concerned that combining a werewolf story with a WWII spy novel would come across as hokey at best.  But in McCammon’s hands, it reads superbly.  Michael’s werewolf origin story is told through a series of lengthy flashback sections that not only stand on their own but provide some excellent emotional scenes that tie in well to the events of the spy story. It all works well together and despite its length (over 600 paperback small print pages in my copy) I polished it off quickly, fully absorbed every step of the way.

This is a stand-alone novel but thankfully, McCammon provided some additional material for us in the form of inter-linked short stories collected in a volume entitled, The Hunter from the Woods.  I made room on my shelves for that one as well just as soon as I closed the cover on this book. 

Jackdaws by Ken Follett

Whenever I read a Ken Follett novel, I expect a lot.  Not every book I’ve read by him has been outstanding but most have and so I always hope for one of those.  This one certainly qualifies.

It’s a story that takes place during the ten days just prior to the D-Day landings in 1944 during WWII.  The French resistance is in full gear, expecting the imminent invasion, even if they don’t know the exact date.  The SOE (Special Operations Executive) in London has determined to support the French resistance in its efforts to sabotage a key target which, in turn, will greatly aid the success of the invasion.  The Gestapo HQ in Paris in the square at Sainte-Cécile, also houses the critical telephonic communications hub.  If that were to be taken out of commission, then critical communications to those defending against the invasion forces would be severely impacted.

We follow along with Felicity “Flick” Clairet as she builds a team to infiltrate and destroy the communications hub.  She chooses all women (Code name: "Jackdaws") so that they can pose as a cleaning crew and make it easier to withstand close scrutiny.  Recruitment proves difficult and she must settle for inexperienced women with very little time to train.  Most of them are misfits in one fashion or another – comparisons to the Dirty Dozen are not inaccurate.

One mark of an excellent thriller story is the quality of the primary antagonist and here, the character of Major Dieter Franck, working on Field Marshal Rommel’s staff, is a wonderfully drawn bad guy.  He is extremely dedicated to his task of finding Flick and stopping her mission, and while he can be deliciously evil in his effective torture techniques, he also demonstrates admirable traits of intelligence and dogged determination.  

The pacing here is perfect.  A nice buildup of intrigue and emotion and stressful intensity interspersed with danger as well as softly romantic moments.  The pages keep turning despite whatever else might be going on in your life that would drag you away from reading further.  The danger is real, and not all characters survive but the ending is deeply satisfying.

Highly recommended.

The Enemy by Wirt Williams

The year is 1943 and Lieutenant (j.g.) Peter Taylor serves as the Communications officer aboard the Destroyer U.S.S. Dee whose mission is to hunt for and destroy German subs in the Atlantic. The novel is told from his first-person perspective and chock full of shipboard life over a two-month mission.  As they hunt the elusive enemy subs, readers learn a lot about the way the ship operates, about the key members of the crew and above all what it means to wait. Indeed, a major theme of the novel is what it’s like to wait interminably for military action and the toll it takes on a person. Fortunately, the author is adept at demonstrating the effects of this without subjecting readers to it. He avoids lengthy info dumps of technobabble in favor of having the characters interact in interesting ways. That and the first person perspective serves to make an interesting story about the long boring periods of Navy ship life.

This is the author’s first novel and given the amount of accurate details, it’s not surprising to discover that he served on a similar ship with a similar mission himself, specifically as an Ensign aboard the USS Decatur, hunting German subs in the North Atlantic. Write what you know. The novel was first published in 1951, so the experience was fairly fresh for him. Some readers will prefer to have more action in the form of actual sub battles but considering that the real drama and apprehension lies in a potential contact with a sub or group of subs and then not knowing what will happen next. Is the "Enemy" really just the German subs or is it also perhaps the men themselves, fighting against the survival instinct, fear, or the nature of the hunt?

I was pleasantly surprised by this one and I certainly learned a lot. I experienced the impact of that “I was there” feeling I always hope for in a book like this. I’m glad I took a chance on it.

Fancy Anders Goes to War by Max Allan Collins

In 1942 Los Angeles, a young socialite named Fancy Anders finds herself in charge of her father’s famous detective agency when he is called back to active duty. She is only supposed to be a caretaker of the agency, routing incoming cases to other agencies. But when a young female worker named Rose at Amalgamated Aircraft, who had been chosen to pose as a model for a new line of patriotic posters is found dead, Fancy’s suspicions are aroused. Was it an accidental death or was she murdered? Fancy goes undercover at the factory, working as a riveter alongside a diverse group of other women, to get to the bottom of it. But as the story moves along, Fancy (and we readers) soon come to realize there is far more going on here than a simple murder mystery, likely with massive consequences.

Fancy Anders is a great new character and building her into this novella form is a real treat. It’s a tight, lean story and serves well to not only set up Fancy as a well-rounded character but also provides an interesting detective yarn in a cool historical setting. As always, Collins’ proves adept at interweaving a good plot with historical figures including, in this case, no less than FDR. 

This is the first novella of three (so far) to feature the adventurous tomboy. She has classical Hollywood beauty mixed with a keen intelligence and over-the-top confidence. Sort of a combination of Phryne Fisher and Nancy Drew. Comparisons to Brenda Starr and Max Allan Collins’ own Ms. Tree would not be out of line. But she is also smart enough to know she doesn’t have the street savvy to go it alone so makes good use of friends and confidants, including LA homicide cop, Rick Hinder. She’s no wallflower to be sure, having lived an adventurous life already. 

The novella reads like a prose version of a graphic novel and indeed, there is a wonderful illustration at the beginning of each chapter by artist/illustrator Fay Dalton, known for her James Bond folio work and Titan’s Hard Case Crime graphic novels. The entire package is a wonderful combination of retro noir art in all its forms.

Can’t wait to read more of Fancy Anders!

70,000 to 1 by Quentin Reynolds

On May 21, 1943, Gordon Manuel was serving  as bombardier aboard a B-17E and was shot down by a Japanese night fighter. He bailed out over the island of New Briton, the only survivor. His leg was broken, and he had few supplies. He did have a .45 but only five bullets. He would be stranded there for almost nine months, evading the hordes of Japanese forces on the island. This book is a fictionalized account of his true story, told from his first-person perspective.

The author, Quentin Reynolds, was an American journalist and World War II war correspondent. The book was first published in 1946, using the same sort of language the GI’s used, meaning a bit coarse for that era but pretty mild by today's standards. The first few chapters read much like a Robinson Crusoe story, with Manuel figuring out how to find food, water, and shelter and to care for his broken leg. Eventually he befriends an island native who speaks a sort of pidgin English and ultimately takes him back to his home village where he is well cared for. The natives dislike the Japanese presence on their island so are happy to protect Manuel and even scout out Japanese locations. By the end they are even finding other downed airmen and bringing them back to Manuel so they can organize a rescue.

If you’re going into this one expecting a Rambo-style plot with one man fighting his way through groups of Japanese soldiers with cool tactics and edge-of-your-seat suspense, then you will need to look elsewhere. I remember just two times when Manuel was even close to the enemy and both turned out to be anti-climactic. This despite several mentions that he has been living just 100 yards from an enemy encampment for much of the time. It is, however, an interesting read, partly because it is based on an actual event. Anytime a man can get shot down and survive for nine months on an enemy-controlled island is bound to be of interest. Additionally, Manuel’s first-person perspective of his adventures is told in a plain-language style that endears him to the reader and you can’t help but want him to succeed.

H.M.S. Ulysses by Alistair MacLean

From the year 1941 until the end of World War II, Alistair Maclean served in the Royal Navy with the ranks of Ordinary Seaman, Able Seaman, and Leading Torpedo Operator. This experience served him well when he launched his writing career with his debut novel, “H.M.S. Ulysses” in 1955, considered by many to be his best. Of course, he went on to great acclaim and a distinguished bestseller career despite the fact that he claimed never to have enjoyed writing but did it merely as a source of income.

This novel features the HMS Ulysses, a light cruiser that is among the best armed and fastest ships in the British Navy. The story begins in the aftermath of a mutiny born of an overworked and exhausted crew. Senior Navy officers have decided to let her prove herself by sending her out on yet another mission: to escort a critical convoy of 32 ships through the treacherous Arctic Sea to Russian allies in Murmansk. Along the way, they face extreme challenges in the form of unusually harsh Arctic storms, German ships, packs of U-boats, as well as repeated air attacks. 

A number of interesting characters populate HMS Ulysses, not the least of which is her Captain, a man suffering the advanced stages of TB but who nevertheless symbolizes the good luck of the ship’s past missions and any hope to survive this one. Few crew members are motivated by concepts such as honor, courage, etc. but rather it is their resilience that pushes them to hero status. There is a fair amount of technical jargon, but MacLean’s prose is filled with vivid descriptions of the harsh environment, the raw feeling of utter loneliness, and the crew’s growing exhaustion and desperation. This is a marvelous depiction of wartime naval operations, and a stunning portrayal of how men can push past the bounds of endurance.

Sheba by Jack Higgins

Henry Patterson first published ‘The Seven Pillars of Hell’ in 1963 under his Hugh Marlowe pseudonym. It was then revised and re-released in 1994 as ‘Sheba’ under his much more familiar pseudonym of Jack Higgins. It was written fairly early in his career (the 9th novel published out of over 75).

The story revolves around an early Nazi plot to blow up the Suez Canal at about the same time as the invasion of Poland. The plan would greatly hinder much of the logistical support that their foes would likely count on should they form a coalition against Nazi aggression.  That’s the big picture going on behind the scenes. However most of the story itself is centered around an American archeologist named Gavin Kane who finds himself helping a woman try to locate her missing husband in the desert of Southern Arabia. During their adventures, they locate a lost Temple of Sheba as well as encounter the group of Nazis who are planning the bombing of the Canal.

This sounds like a good pulpy Indiana Jones adventure style plot, and it is. Lost treasures, nefarious Nazi plots, tie-ins to an ancient Roman general, a touch of romance, and plenty of action-oriented fights and daring escapes combine to make this a fun ride. This is a stand-alone novel, unlike so much of Jack Higgins’ work so if you’re thinking about trying him out, this is a pretty good place to start.

Second Generation by Howard Fast

Another page-turner by Howard Fast. Following up the first book in the series, (The Immigrants), as the title would imply, this is about the children of the Lavette family, particularly Barbara, that takes center stage this time. She makes for a good protagonist because she has trouble deciding what to do with her life and therefore tries everything under the sun. The novel takes place during the depression-era 1930s and on through World War II, so there is plenty of adventure to attract her, including several lengthy trips to foreign countries as part of her budding writing and journalism career.

But it’s not all about the younger set. There is still plenty of drama for the first generation to go through as well, particularly Dan, the main protagonist of book one. Additionally, I was surprised to see the turn that his first wife, the aristocratic Jean took, turning from a rather boilerplate character into a really interesting one.

This series continues to be a well-done portrayal of a family saga of immigrants wrestling with the tumultuous events of America in the 20th century.  Some seek wealth or power while others seek purpose in life. Some achieve their goals while others miss the mark. Some lives are cut short. But always, the plot remains unpredictable.

Happily, there are several more books in the series, as I’ve become attached to the characters and am anxious to see what happens next. For me that's just about the highest praise I can offer.

The Bridge by Manfred Gregor

Near the end of WWII, a desperate Nazi party attempted to shore up the German army by forming the ‘Volkssturm’, a national militia of those not already serving in the military. Many 16-year-old boys, who were members of the Hitler Youth, were strategically placed at key locations to prevent the Allied advance. Seven such boys are the focus of this novel, all childhood friends, rounded up in a small village and ordered to defend a bridge at all costs from the oncoming Americans who are only twenty miles away. 

I haven’t read many WWII novels from the German point of view but this one makes it clear that people are people, no matter their nationality. While these boys want to follow orders, their fears are as real as anybody else’s. With the advantage of history we know these young men are likely doomed and indeed, the novel unfolds in much the same way as the Battle of the Alamo. The author includes flashbacks for each of the boys so we get to know them pretty well. They become individuals with personalities, flaws, and dreams. That makes it all the harder when they eventually fall one by one.  The battle action is intense and the boys put up a good fight, establishing machine gun nests, surprise traps, and even using bazookas to take out a couple of American tanks. When they are reinforced by another group of Volkssturm, this time a group of ten men all over 60 years old, those men take one look at the situation and promptly desert, knowing the war is in reality already over.

The author is Gregor Dorfmeister, writing under the pen name of Manfred Gregor. This novel, published by Avon in 1958, is largely autobiographical as the author was himself a 16-year-old member of the Volkssturm, assigned to defend a bridge against American tanks. He survived to tell the tale but the experience of seeing Americans as well as his own buddies killed in combat turned him into an anti-war pacifist. This is reflected in the novel which highlights the futility of the bridge defense effort. If you’re looking for a realistic portrayal of a last stand scenario in WW2, this is a good one.

Force 10 From Navarone by Alistair MacLean

As far as I know, this is the only Alistair MacLean novel that is a sequel, a follow-on to "The Guns of Navarone".  But, strangely, it’s a sequel to the movie version of that novel rather than the novel itself and consequently a little bit confusing given the changes to the characters.

This book picks up immediately after the events of the first (movie version).  And I do mean “immediately”.  Perhaps 10 minutes have passed and the survivors of that first mission, (Captain Keith Mallory and Corporal Dusty Miller) now on the rescue boat, are told to turn back to shore in order to take on a new mission.  They recruit their Greek comrade Andrea Stavros for the mission, code named “Force 10”. This time around, together with three redshirts British Royal Marine Commandos, they parachute into Nazi-occupied Yugoslavia.  Their mission: to aid the Yugoslav Partisans in their battle against the Nazi German occupiers.  Of course this is an Alistair MacLean novel so there is a hidden mission, hidden even from the British Commandos.

Aside from the slight confusion of this being a sequel to the movie version of a prior novel, it is actually a pretty decent read. There is more confusion however, due to multiple layers of deception.  The main characters act as double agents…and then triple agents and sometimes the characters themselves are unsure of who to trust.  It does, however, all make sense…as long as you can follow it all.

Bottom line:  not quite as good as Guns of Navarone but still worth reading, especially for MacLean fans.

The Guns of Navarone by Alistair MacLean

During World War II, five men are recruited to achieve the impossible:  destroy a German fortress that threatens Allied Naval operations in the Aegean Sea and prevents over 1,200 isolated British soldiers from being rescued. These five men are all experts at various specialties required by the commando operation, including demolitions, engineering, and most provocatively, mountain climbing since access to the fortress is impossible without scaling a sheer cliff face.

Even though the Greek island of Navarone does not actually exist, the story takes place within the real historical context of the “Dodecanese Campaign”, (specifically the Battle of Leros), the Allies' attempt to capture the German-held Greek islands in the Aegean Sea in 1943. Only the second novel by Alistair Maclean, this 1957 World War II novel has been considered a classic of the genre for decades now.  These days, of course, stories or movies about a handful of talented men, each with specific specialties, teaming up to pull off a near-impossible task are a dime a dozen but I dare say many of them owe quite a bit to this book.  In 1961, a classic film was produced staring Gregory Peck, David Niven and Anthony Quinn, among others.

I’ve read a number of Alistair MacLean books over the years and usually find them OK, but notice they do tend towards the “slow-burn” style, taking quite a while to build to their climax.  This one, however, kept me riveted throughout.  It’s easy to see why this has become a classic: excellent characters, plenty of edge-of-your-seat suspense, and wonderful pacing.  MacLean didn’t believe in much of a wrap-up after the major climax and this one is no exception.  The big story payoff was literally on the last page of the book.

I’m very glad I finally got around to reading this one, and now have my sights set on the sequel, [book:Force 10 from Navarone|149608].  I’m also planning to see the Guns of Navarone film this week so as to fill another hole in my WWII film history.