- Paperback: 400 pages
- Publisher: HarperCollins (1 April 2010)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0007278691
- ISBN-13: 978-0007278695
- Product Dimensions: 23.2 x 15.4 x 3.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
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- #88 in Books > History > Military History > World War II > Alamein
Alamein: The turning point of World War Two
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
Praise for Iain Gale:
‘A powerful novel of men at war. A triumph' Bernard Cornwell
‘A treat for every history buff, and a vivid picture of men at war’ Scotland on Sunday
‘An old-fashioned tale of military strategy and valour’ Glasgow Herald
'An involving historical adventure - could Jack Steel be a worthy rival to Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe?' Choice Magazine
'A combination of action and intrigue is supported by colourful characters' Scottish Field
Product Description
Superb war novelist, Iain Gale, moves into the twentieth century and World War Two, telling the story of the eleven days that would change the course of history.
There are some battles that change the course of history: Alamein is one of those.
In October 1942, Britain and its allies were in real difficulties: Germany and its Axis partners seemed to be triumphant everywhere - in Europe, in Russia, in the Atlantic and were now poised to take the Suez Canal. It was in North Africa that the stand was made, that the tide of World War Two began to turn.
It was a battle of strong characters: the famous battle commander Rommel and the relatively untested new British commander, Montgomery, leading men who fought through an extraordinary eleven day battle, in an unforgiving terrain, amid the swirling sandstorms and the desert winds.
Iain Gale, author of the outstanding historical novel Four Days in June on the battle of Waterloo, tells the dramatic story through seven characters, almost all based on real people. Drawn from both sides of the conflict, they include a major from a Scottish brigade, the young lieutenant in the thick of the tank battle, the Australian sergeant with the infantry, the tank commander of the Panzer Division and the charismatic Italian commander of a parachute battalion. Through them and others we see the flow of battle, the strategies, the individual actions and skirmishes, the fear, the determination, the extraordinary courage on both sides.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Iain Gale did a superb job of demonstrating the hope in the characters in "Alamein". However, the characters were not as developed as well as he has done in some of his previous historical novels.
Mr. Gale could have lengthened the book and let us fans get to know the key characters more.
Still, it was a great read for a fan of Mr. Gale's.
Mr. Gale could have lengthened the book and let us fans get to know the key characters more.
Still, it was a great read for a fan of Mr. Gale's.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Iain Gale chooses to present the battle of el Alamein through the eyes of both Allied and Axis protagonists of many different nationalities.
The downside of this is that with so many characters, none can be fully developed. And as one reviewer has noted, the battle is seen in a series of snapshots, hence its overall progress is difficult to keep track of.
But this is perhaps no bad thing; it mirrors what the combatants themselves must have felt, being involved in isolated encounters with no clear information about the unfolding big picture. Further, the reader can empathise with the heroism shown on both sides of the conflict. And the conflict is visceral indeed; the battle scenes are gripping in the best Bernard Cornwell vein.
However, what clinches this novel for me is a factor that is largely absent in writers such as Cornwell - much as I enjoy his work. That factor is a deep sense of tragedy. There's no glory of war here, only senseless loss.
Nothing exemplifies that feeling more than the two scenes which, for me, were the highlight of the book. Firstly, the meeting between British officer Hugh Samwell and the German soldier whom Samwell has (presumably mortally) wounded - men who Samwell realises could have been friends in any other circumstances. And above all, the heartrending portrayal of the gallant Italian Colonel Ruspoli's final battle.
There are better military novels in terms of fast-moving action, excitement and historical narrative - anything by Cornwell would score better here. But few have this book's humanity and poignancy.
The downside of this is that with so many characters, none can be fully developed. And as one reviewer has noted, the battle is seen in a series of snapshots, hence its overall progress is difficult to keep track of.
But this is perhaps no bad thing; it mirrors what the combatants themselves must have felt, being involved in isolated encounters with no clear information about the unfolding big picture. Further, the reader can empathise with the heroism shown on both sides of the conflict. And the conflict is visceral indeed; the battle scenes are gripping in the best Bernard Cornwell vein.
However, what clinches this novel for me is a factor that is largely absent in writers such as Cornwell - much as I enjoy his work. That factor is a deep sense of tragedy. There's no glory of war here, only senseless loss.
Nothing exemplifies that feeling more than the two scenes which, for me, were the highlight of the book. Firstly, the meeting between British officer Hugh Samwell and the German soldier whom Samwell has (presumably mortally) wounded - men who Samwell realises could have been friends in any other circumstances. And above all, the heartrending portrayal of the gallant Italian Colonel Ruspoli's final battle.
There are better military novels in terms of fast-moving action, excitement and historical narrative - anything by Cornwell would score better here. But few have this book's humanity and poignancy.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
An enjoyable read, but the cut and thrust of the overall battle is hard to follow. Some of this is due to the fact that the map printed right at the start shows only a few of the place-names mentioned in the story. If he had shown the starting point of each character on the map, at least I could have fixed them in my mind a bit more clearly and would have had a better idea of their movements. Some characters came across very strongly but others are less well-rounded. Pace, style, dialogue and technical detail are all top-notch.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Fact IS often better than fiction
"Alamein" is a novel based on the famous battle in 1942, often (if inaccurately) called the turning point of World War II. Read more
Published 16 months ago by M. J. Bourne
Alamein - Thoughts
At least it was a different way of looking at the battle (or any battle for that matter). I'm not too sure that it worked for me. Read more
Published on 5 May 2010 by Sqn Ldr Raymond Leach
"Your tiny hand is frozen;let me warm it here in mine"
In the historical note`s Iain Gale say`s the task of the historical novelist is to bring the past to life,to allow his readers to see historic events as if they were happening... Read more
Published on 14 April 2010 by James Eves
Not as good as his others
I pre ordered this book way back in December on the strength of his earlier books but I was a little disappointed with this one. Read more
Published on 13 April 2010 by SJ SMART
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