Tuesday 20 September 2016

I am still here!

I've been very un-active this summer. A combination of very hot weather making it too hard to get off my deckchair, heavy involvement with a new grand-daughter, and MrsJ's insistence that the caravan needs more exercise  than previous years have all eaten away the time. That and an attempt to list the books I wish to dispose of is taking longer than I thought.

However, while away in the van I have been catching up with the contents of my Kindle reading thing, and would like to bring your attention to an author you may not know of, who has the start of an interesting series on the go.

He is Andy Johnson, an ex-guardsman, privately published and available through Amazon Books.

The first of his books is "Seelowe Nord", and is a fictional account of an alternative invasion of the UK by Hitler's troops, taking place on the Yorkshire coast in the Filey/Bridlington/Scarborough area.We are introduced to a number of participants, both real historical figures and fictional characters, from privates to higher command. Even Churchill's 'Secret Army' of resistance fighters get a mention. A reasonable read with some good wargame inspiration, I won't go into detail in case it gets spoilt for you,

The second of his titles is really a prequel to the above, and carries many of the characters through earlier actions of the war. "Thunder In May" is the story of 1940, from the invasion of Belgium and the assault on Ebn Emaul* through to the final boat leaving Dunkirk after the evacuation. As mentioned above, we are given the story of many of the participants of the first book, from both British and German forces. Andy Johnson has very cleverly joined his fiction with real events of the time in a believable way. No spoilers here, as you know how it ended.

The third book, which I have only just discovered, is 'Crucible Of Fate', and seems to cover the Overlord operation. I haven't read it yet, but if it is as gripping (read all through in one go, late to bed) type of stuff as the others I shall enjoy it.

Check them out, you won't be dissapointed.