4 out of 4 stars
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Review of "The Warramunga’s War" by Greg Kater
by Britty01, May 25, 2018
The historical fiction entitled “The Warramunga’s War" by Greg Kater, contains 304 pages in the paperback edition published January 12, 2018.
This is the first of a trilogy. Jamie Munro and Corporal Jack ‘Jacko’ meet up in the midst of the final gun battle at Damour in 1941 where Lieutenant James Munro and a fellow officer are under attack by members of the Vichy French. After the end of the Syrian Campaign James and Jack are transferred to Cairo, Egypt where they work with M16 and are trained to follow German agents.
I enjoyed the interaction of the fictional characters and actual historical events of World War II and found the in-depth description of the streets, people, dancers and what they wore to be fascinating. It really bought the book to life for me and was easy to imagine the scene. This was not an easy book to put down and there was action, intrigue and suspense at every turn.
There were several women, many of these being dancers, who were either working with the British, Italians or Germans. Jamie and Jack got to know some of these women and other operatives who would help them in their efforts to gather information that would aid the Allies. Their goal was to search for clues and find out how to crack the codes the Germans were using in their transmissions as well as neutralizing the enemy agents.
It appeared to me that the author had done extensive research, inspired from his father’s experiences during World War II, in the writing of this novel. The actual historical events and timing was accurate. The attack on Pearl Harbor was mentioned, also an explanation of how the widows of the British officers stationed in Cairo were stranded there as planes were being used for the war effort. The city was a placed used by many officers recovering from injuries so it was fairly easy for Jamie and Jacko to move around without arousing too much suspicion. The wireless operations, ammunitions, guns and equipment uncovered during these raids were carefully described.
Cairo was brimming with people from all over the world during this period of history, not surprisingly there was also a lot of crime. An additional plot that added to the intrigue was an unsolved spate of murders.
One particular part of the story that I enjoyed was a visit to the Pyramids at Giza. A French/Syrian girl gives Jacko a tour of the area and explained the history of the Great Pyramid built by Pharaoh Khufu. I also enjoyed the descriptions of the 12 acre gardens of a sumptuous home on the West Bank of the river Nile where Jacko, Jamie, Johnny & Matt spent Christmas, the holiday traditions of the host family, and the mix of people from parts around the world. The blend of everyday life and the intrigue of espionage and counter espionage kept me engaged throughout the book.
Rommel’s troops are prevented from reaching the sea port of Alexandria and once the operation ends, Jamie and Jacko return to Australia. Here they learn that a band of thieves have been terrorizing the locals and have kidnapped three women. One of them, they suspect is a murderer. Jacko utilizes all of his skills as a Warramunga. His sister is also an integral part of them rescuing the women and capturing the criminals. They return to the Warramunga people where they are hailed as heroes. A description of the corroboree held in celebration was also very detailed and added to the quality of this novel.
Overall I felt this book had all the elements of a great piece of historical fiction, accurate historical facts, murder, intrigue, and a touch of romance. I enjoyed the author’s humor and the colloquial expressions used. The characters were well developed. I felt the book was well edited. For this reason I gave it 4 out of 4.
I would definitely recommend this to those who enjoy history, and reading historical fiction. I would not recommend it for young teenagers due to the adult content. Some may not find the dialog between the main characters of interest if they solely want a war story.
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The Warramunga's War
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