The story of the First World War is almost always told through the eyes of men in the trenches. But there was another war, just as cruel - the war at sea. And among the men who fought it few were more heroic than the officers and crews of the navy's secret fleet of Mystery Ships. A Combat of Devils is a gripping tale of reckless courage, based on the real-life exploits of seamen who fought back against the marauding U-boats. Early summer 1915. Britain's sea routes are a killing zone for the Kaiser's submarines. The Royal Navy's Special Service deploys a new weapon; cargo vessels carrying hidden guns, crewed by volunteers who offer themselves as bait to lure the enemy into a trap. After an heroic action, Julian La Salle is given command of Freya, a trading schooner converted to a Mystery Ship and sent to hunt down a submarine prowling the sea lanes off Ushant. With him is a young American, Merrick Granger a survivor from the Lusitania who volunteers for the war to escape a painful past. La Salle and Granger become particular friends, bonding closer after their ship is torpedoed off the French coast and they, with two other survivors, take refuge at the home of di Fario, a boatyard owner and veteran of the Franco-Prussian war. Di Fario lives with his daughter, Laurentine, to whom Granger and La Salle - in different ways - are attracted. When the wreck of Freya is found on a reef, La Salle hits on an audacious idea to strike at the U-boat. It is a desperate and possibly suicidal plan but di Fario, haunted by a tragic secret, is determined to be part of it and so too, is his daughter. Driven by love, Laurentine is plunged into the horror of war in a way none of them could have foreseen.
A Combat of Devils
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Gervase Webb
Format:Paperback
Dovkants clearly knows and loves the sea and those who sail on her; this book certainly stands comparison with O'Brian and the other masters of the nautical in that respect. But he's also a great, natural storyteller, and with the raw material he has here, the resulting story is gripping. The Great War has seen plenty of books, from Faulks to Morpurgo, but most of them have concentrated on the land war. Dovkants takes us into uncharted waters with the little-documented but fascinating war that was fought around the coast of Britain.
The descriptive passages are engrossing; one can hear, smell and feel the action. The plot is very neatly wound, and overall the book is gripping. You'll devour it in a day, and then go back and reread it. And then you'll be wanting to read Dovkants' next book. Let's hope there is one! This, his first, is the sign of some very good work to come.
The descriptive passages are engrossing; one can hear, smell and feel the action. The plot is very neatly wound, and overall the book is gripping. You'll devour it in a day, and then go back and reread it. And then you'll be wanting to read Dovkants' next book. Let's hope there is one! This, his first, is the sign of some very good work to come.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By gwyn
Format:Paperback
A brilliant book! I chose it because I love reading about wars but was totally captivated by the sailing and boat aspect. La Salle is a fascinating character and certainly keeps you guessing all the way through the story. The plot is exciting and really keeps you intrigued to the end. The author's understanding of female idiosyncrasies is unusual for a man but very sensitively dealt with, so it's not just a book for the boys! I can't wait for the next book by KD.
by Gwyn Smith
by Gwyn Smith
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I found this book very enjoyable, story line leads you to read more, and a good plot, not all about boats so a good read for all.
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