![]() ![]() ![]() Search for: Search Follow Fuldapocalypse Fiction on WordPress. This avoids both of them by throwing one (plausible) German threat after another at the convoy and emphasizing the wear and tear the climate and stress imposes on the sailors. Historical military fiction, at least to me, has had the issue of “it’s going to be either realistically dull and un-dramatic, in which case I’ll read a history book that makes no pretense at narrative, or it’s going to be exaggerated, in which case I’ll read a cheap thriller that doesn’t have to be bound to an existing war.” The feat of squaring the circle cannot be applauded enough. The travails of the convoy, in no small part thanks to the PQ-17 historical experience, are both dramatic and plausible-seeming. Reviews ‘A brilliant, overwhelming piece of descriptive writing.’ Observer ‘A story of exceptional courage which grips the imagination.’ Daily Telegraph ‘It deserves an honourable place among 20th-century war books.’ Daily Mail ‘HMS Ulysses is in the same class as The Cruel Sea. The way MacLean sets a tone is hard to describe, but he succeeds brilliantly. People who know their naval history can look at the obvious parallels between the actions of the book and the ill-fated Convoy PQ-17 (which MacLean served on), but that doesn’t change its effectiveness. ![]() Author Alistair MacLean, a veteran of the Royal Navy in World War II, could draw on a lot of personal experience, and it shows in this masterpiece. A rightful classic, HMS Ulysses is, in my opinion, the greatest naval action novel of all time. ![]()
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