4 out of 4 stars
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The Warramunga's War, written by Greg Kater, is the first novel in a trilogy. It's a historical fiction about war and espionage. Lieutenant James Munro and Corporal Jack O'Brien were among the Australian troops that fought against the Nazi Vichy French in Syria and Lebanon. Shortly after the end of the Syrian Campaign, James and Jack were promoted and transferred to Egypt to be part of the army's intelligence agency in Cairo. Now in Egypt, their mission, with the aid of other operatives, is to detect and neutralize the German agents who are in contact with Rommel, the commander of the Afrika Korps.
Cairo is a place full of agents attached to the Germans, Italians, British, and others, and these operatives are all working desperately to find out battle plans and other secrets to give to their masters. Operating in such an insecure location, will James and Jack succeed in this mission? Having some interesting twists, this book's plot is solid and fast paced, and set in the 1940s, the narrative features spies, mysterious crime, and adventures. Written in the third-person point of view, it explores the themes of the essence of teamwork, dedication, determination, and love.
Being suspenseful and absorbing, the tale is well written, easy to read, and full of fascinating historical details. Excitingly, it gives a fair account of the Egyptian pyramids, Sphinx, and other structures at Giza. No less, the historical setting is excellent, and the narration is compelling. It's filled with a lot of riveting action scenes. Frankly, I had a great time reading the story. Besides, what makes it more captivating is Greg's sharp writing and gentle humor. I like the way he teamed his characters to achieve a common goal, and I commend him for his vast knowledge of the military and famous wars.
In addition, the characters are unique, exciting, and well developed particularly the focal characters, James and Jack. They are high-spirited and full of fun, and I enjoyed reading about them. The dialogues are realistic and can easily grip readers. A bit of romance is in the story, and intriguingly, a guitar music sheet is included in the book. Some readers who are music fans may love this extra. For certain, the text was professionally edited because I noticed just one grammatical error.
Lastly, this book is balanced since it consists of enthralling and sufficient conversations, action, and narration. It's engaging and worthwhile. Moreover, I couldn't find any fault with the novel and hence, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. Undoubtedly, it will be a feast for fans of historical fiction blended with mystery and romance.
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The Warramunga's War
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