Kirjahaku

A remarkable debut novel, ‘Four Days in June’ is an imaginative but accurate reconstruction of five men – all real figures – five points of view, and four days of one of the world's most famous battles. Four days in June, 1815. Five men, three armies, on the fields of Waterloo. A battle for honour, glory, civilisation. And two great leaders, Napoleon and Wellington, in direct confrontation for the first time, to take their nations to victory. General De Lancey, Wellington's new Quartermaster-General, recently married and yearning for his beautiful wife. Colonel MacDonnell, a Scot who must hold his post to the last man. General Ziethen of the Prussian army, distrustful of the British but vital to their cause. Marshall Ney, mistrusted by Napoleon but revered by the French soldiers. And Napoleon, who must prove his worth as a great warrior for the glory of France. As the battle develops over the four days, it is seen through the very different positions and characters of the front men. From the eve of the battle to its bloody conclusion, there is defiance, desperation and great courage on both sides. Iain Gale, in his first novel, draws the scene, the devastation, the stench of war, with such vitality that, though the outcome is known, the tension of war comes vividly to life.

The first in a stunning new historical adventure series, perfect for all fans of Sharpe. Upper Bavaria, 1704. The British army, triumphant, fresh from victory, stands proudly to attention, ready to fight for honour and glory. Their enemy is Louis XIV of France, a megalomaniac intent on possessing all Europe. Among this proud group of men stands Lieutenant Jack Steel, admired by his men, the finest infantry in Queen Anne's army. Much praised for his courage, his strength, and his loyalty, Steel has come to the attention of his Commander in Chief, the Duke of Marlborough. Tasked with rescuing a letter whose controversial contents could destroy Marlborough, Steel leads his men through the battle of Blenheim, risking death and destruction in the fight for another man's honour. And along the way he is constantly threatened from within by the mellifluous Major Jennings, intent on destroying Steel and all he stands for. The first in a stunning new series featuring Jack Steel, Man of Honour is historical adventure perfect for all fans of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe.

Charismatic hero Jack Steel returns, in a new and perilous adventure. 1708. War rages across the lowlands of Flanders. British soldiers fight ferociously to protect their last remaining fortress in Oudenarde. Their mission is to stop their enemies France and Spain forming a powerful union that could relegate Britain to the sidelines in Europe. Newly married and promoted to the rank of captain, life for Jack Steel has never been better. But now he must go back to where he is needed – on the battlefield. Having already fought some daring campaigns under the Duke of Marlborough, Steel has every reason to be confident. But after a long day of fighting, one of France's finest cavalry regiments ambushes his battered and exhausted Grenadier troops. Taken by surprise, Steel will need a miracle to save them all from annihilation. Brothers in Arms is the third book in the superb Jack Steel series.

The sequel to THE BLACK JACKALS is set in the turmoil of the eastern Mediterranean in 1941, with the Brits struggling to hold their line in Greece against the powerful German and Italian forces. Peter Lamb and his men are halted in their retreat to England and forced to join the British forces holding the pass at Thermopylae. But their tough experiences in France have not prepared The Jackals for the savage hand to hand fighting through the mountains. Lamb’s limited knowledge of command leaves him unsure about how to organise the New Zealand and Greek partisan soldiers who are added to his troop. When they land in Crete, Lamb becomes suspicious of some of the civilians who, on fleeing from Greece, have taken cover with the Jackals. Yet he knows that facing the awesome German paratroopers for the first time, combined with the desperate battle to hold Crete at all costs, will force him to find a way to work alongside any support he is offered. His new troop will be made up of partisans, allied irregulars – including Evelyn Waugh – and Spanish volunteers. JACKALS’ REVENGE paints a brilliant picture of the turbulent theatre of war.

'Wonderfully imaginative' Bernard Cornwell, author of The Last Kingdom. Perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow and Bernard Cornwell. Meet James Keane of the 27th Foot: an ill-disciplined card sharp and ladies' man - and one of the finest soldiers of Wellington's army. Keane's task, assigned directly by Wellington, is the creation of an intelligence unit operating behind the French lines. He and his company are trusted with the secrets of the generals - and viewed with hostile suspicion by regular troops. In a bid to recruit men with uncommon skills, Keane springs soldiers from military jails and liberates them from their regiments. It's up to him to form this band of blackguards into an elite unit. Deep in enemy territory, they must negotiate with dangerous guerilla groups and forge new routes for their army if they are to succeed - and survive. Based on the true activities of the first British military intelligence unit, Keane's Company presents an unusual and fascinating picture of the Peninsular War: a nineteenth-century Dirty Dozen and a worthy companion to Sharpe.

'Wonderfully imaginative' Bernard Cornwell, author of The Last Kingdom. The thrilling second instalment in the series. Perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow and Bernard Cornwell.The Iberian Peninsula, 1809. French troops led by one of Napoleon's best generals are massing on the border. Wellington's outnumbered force needs to pick off the smaller French units if they are to stand their ground. For that they need information, which is where Captain James Keane and his company of reformed scouting officers come in. But it soon becomes apparent that someone high up in Wellington's headquarters is a spy for the French...and Keane's enemies within the army are quick to point the finger. Keane must defend his crew against their accusers - or root out the traitor himself.Keane's Challenge draws a fascinating picture of a disparate group of men brought together in a Peninsular War adventure that sees maverick hero Keane ride again.

The unforgettable story behind the most destructive day in British military history...June, 1916: The Great War is locked in stalemate, deep lines of trenches and barbed wire carved into the French countryside. Sitting in an occupied chateau, General von Soden knows that something cataclysmic is coming. The British have been shelling for days and he is badly under-resourced and outnumbered. A frontal assault is surely imminent, but he has spent two years building an extraordinary series of defences for just that day... Amidst the bombardment the British troops are preparing for the attack. Geoffrey Malins, with his cinematograph, Noel Hodgson writing poetry in his hut, Siegfried Sassoon observing the enemy, Sir Douglas Haig at HQ, waiting for the chance of glory... As the battle lines muster, the full ferocity of war will be unleashed. For those on the Front, as for those in the wider world, nothing will ever be the same again. Based on true stories, cinematic in scope and built around a huge cast, this is a blistering, unforgettable novel that brings home the brutality of war, perfect for fans of Rory Clements, Ben Macintyre and Robert Harris.

A historical adventure chronicling the exploits of the Special Boat Squadron, the seaborne raiders who, by strength and guile, carried out World War Two's most daring covert operations. From this moment on, you and your men, you don't exist. Formed in the darkest hours of the Second World War, as nation after nation fell before the unstoppable Axis advance, the task of the SBS was to strike back at an enemy no army could meet in the field. Trained in sabotage and surveillance, the Special Boat Squadron raided deep behind enemy lines, sowing chaos and capturing much-needed intelligence. Soldiers, adventurers and rogues, their methods were unorthodox, their success rate unprecedented. Operation Anglo, 31 August 1942. Beneath the waves of the Mediterranean, HMS Traveller closes in on the coast of Rhodes. Aboard, eight SBS commandos check their weapons as they prepare to infiltrate and sabotage two Axis bomber fields. Only two of the eight commandos will make it back to alive. Ex-Black Watch Sgt Jim Hunter will be one of the lucky ones, but what he will face next will make Operation Anglo look like a cakewalk. Reviewers on Iain Gale: 'A fast fit fighting yarn that transports you to the deadly hillsides of wartime Crete.' Quentin Letts on SBS 'A powerful novel of men at war. A triumph.' Bernard Cornwell on Four Days in June 'Very exciting.' Daily Telegraph on the Jack Steele series

A historical adventure chronicling the exploits of the Special Boat Squadron, the seaborne raiders who, by strength and guile, carried out World War Two's most daring covert operations.From this moment on, you and your men, you don't exist.Formed in the darkest hours of the Second World War, as nation after nation fell before the unstoppable Axis advance, the task of the SBS was to strike back at an enemy no army could meet in the field. Trained in sabotage and surveillance, the Special Boat Squadron raided deep behind enemy lines, sowing chaos and capturing much-needed intelligence. Soldiers, adventurers and rogues, their methods were unorthodox, their success rate unprecedented.Operation Anglo, 31 August 1942.Beneath the waves of the Mediterranean, HMS Traveller closes in on the coast of Rhodes. Aboard, eight SBS commandos check their weapons as they prepare to infiltrate and sabotage two Axis bomber fields. Only two of the eight commandos will make it back alive. Ex-Black Watch Sgt Jim Hunter will be one of the lucky ones, but what he will face next will make Operation Anglo look like a cakewalk.Reviewers on Iain Gale:'A fast fit fighting yarn that transports you to the deadly hillsides of wartime Crete.' Quentin Letts on SBS 'A powerful novel of men at war. A triumph.' Bernard Cornwell on Four Days in June 'Very exciting.' Daily Telegraph on the Jack Steele series

'Wonderfully imaginative' Bernard Cornwell, author of The Last Kingdom. The third exciting adventure of maverick spy Captain James Keane. Perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow and Bernard Cornwell.The intrepid band of warriors, led by Captain James Keane, have been given their toughest job yet. The Portuguese university city of Coimbra is in ruins. Infiltrating the streets are untrustworthy Spanish guerrilla fighters, local Portuguese out for revenge and rival spies determined to find the famous book of ciphers, hidden in the city and guarded by a dissident Jesuit group. James Keane and his men must prevent the book falling into enemy hands but also to discover which of the guerrilla groups can be trusted. But this means sometimes following their own instincts over Wellington's orders . . . can Keane capture the book without sacrificing his honour, position and reputation?

'Wonderfully imaginative' Bernard Cornwell, author of The Last KingdomBritish Intelligence maverick James Keane goes undercover in Napoleon's Paris for his most daring espionage mission yet. Perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow and Bernard Cornwell.It's 1812, and one man is on the top of the world. Napoleon Bonaparte has enjoyed victories all over Europe and is rebuilding the glorious city of Paris. Meanwhile, his enemies struggle to keep alive the embers of rebellion that still burn at the city's heart. To aid this noble cause, a few British intelligence officers have been smuggled in, and James Keane is one of them.Keane finds himself at once adrift in a world of gambling houses and derelict cemeteries - of ex-Jacobites, disaffected French royalists, Irishmen and Americans, all of them voicing dissension. If Keane is to succeed, a means must be discovered by which to persuade these miscreants to rise against Napoleon's rule, without alerting the endless spies and informers that surround them. Forging alliances between unlikely collaborators proves especially difficult for Keane, whose honourable nature objects so strongly to this double-dealing. But he must persevere, or else lose the golden opportunity to aid in the defeat of the tyrannical French Emperor once and for all.WHAT READERS ARE SAYING 'Enthralling' *****'Full of intrigue' *****'I can't wait for the next in the series' *****