Review by The Reading Dutchman -- The Warramunga's War by Greg Kater
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Review by The Reading Dutchman -- The Warramunga's War by Greg Kater
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Warramunga's War" by Greg Kater.]
3 out of 4 stars
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The Warramunga’s War is written by Greg Kater. Greg Kater is an Australian-based author who lived and worked in the Northern Territory of Australia at different periods during his career in the mineral resources industry. His experiences resonate throughout the book with vivid imaginations of untamed lands in Australia.
The book consists of two main parts: a story in North Africa (mainly Egypt) and a story in Australia. The Warramunga’s War starts in Syria where we meet lieutenant James Munro and corporal Jack O’ Brien. They are often referred to as ‘Jamie’ and ‘Jacko'. They meet each other in 1941 during the campaign against the Vichy French. The book follows their journey of developing friendship and adventure.
After winning against the Vichy French in Syria, both men are transferred to Egypt to work with MI6 and gather intelligence for the allied forces. They encounter German agents, female escorts doubling as spies for either side, as well as an unsolved set of murder cases. After the war, the duo travels back to Australia for intelligence work in the Northern Territory. Here they chase two former German agents who are running with a gang wanted for robbing, pillaging and kidnapping across the Northern Territory.
The Warramunga’s War reads comfortably. There is great attention to detail, such as the depiction of a soldier shifting position in order to restore blood circulation. The protagonists are relatable and act natural, constantly bantering with one another. Unfortunately, dialogues of side characters often feel less natural and rather basic. Some nice touches include historical events taking place and being influenced by our protagonists. For example, Rommel’s advance in the desert relies on intelligence from Egypt which Jamie and Jacko try to sabotage. The second part of the book was surprisingly fun to read because of its vivid descriptions of travelling through the Australian wilderness.
Are there some gripes as well? As mentioned, side characters have less personality than the main characters. Another issue is that it often feels like there are no real stakes. You know how the war will end and the good guys often easily win. This does not necessarily reduce the quality of reading, but it is a gripe worth mentioning. Finally, the middle part of the book feels slow compared to the main parts. During the middle part, the adventures in Egypt get a little old and repetitive.
I had a hard time coming up with a score for this book. There were times where The Warramunga’s War shined and there were times where it felt like a drag to read on. Ultimately, the good easily outshines the bad and I will give it a cautious 3 out of 4 stars.
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The Warramunga's War
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3 out of 4 stars
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The Warramunga’s War is written by Greg Kater. Greg Kater is an Australian-based author who lived and worked in the Northern Territory of Australia at different periods during his career in the mineral resources industry. His experiences resonate throughout the book with vivid imaginations of untamed lands in Australia.
The book consists of two main parts: a story in North Africa (mainly Egypt) and a story in Australia. The Warramunga’s War starts in Syria where we meet lieutenant James Munro and corporal Jack O’ Brien. They are often referred to as ‘Jamie’ and ‘Jacko'. They meet each other in 1941 during the campaign against the Vichy French. The book follows their journey of developing friendship and adventure.
After winning against the Vichy French in Syria, both men are transferred to Egypt to work with MI6 and gather intelligence for the allied forces. They encounter German agents, female escorts doubling as spies for either side, as well as an unsolved set of murder cases. After the war, the duo travels back to Australia for intelligence work in the Northern Territory. Here they chase two former German agents who are running with a gang wanted for robbing, pillaging and kidnapping across the Northern Territory.
The Warramunga’s War reads comfortably. There is great attention to detail, such as the depiction of a soldier shifting position in order to restore blood circulation. The protagonists are relatable and act natural, constantly bantering with one another. Unfortunately, dialogues of side characters often feel less natural and rather basic. Some nice touches include historical events taking place and being influenced by our protagonists. For example, Rommel’s advance in the desert relies on intelligence from Egypt which Jamie and Jacko try to sabotage. The second part of the book was surprisingly fun to read because of its vivid descriptions of travelling through the Australian wilderness.
Are there some gripes as well? As mentioned, side characters have less personality than the main characters. Another issue is that it often feels like there are no real stakes. You know how the war will end and the good guys often easily win. This does not necessarily reduce the quality of reading, but it is a gripe worth mentioning. Finally, the middle part of the book feels slow compared to the main parts. During the middle part, the adventures in Egypt get a little old and repetitive.
I had a hard time coming up with a score for this book. There were times where The Warramunga’s War shined and there were times where it felt like a drag to read on. Ultimately, the good easily outshines the bad and I will give it a cautious 3 out of 4 stars.
******
The Warramunga's War
View: on Bookshelves
Like Papersharps's review? Post a comment saying so!
