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Commando #2
Operation Bedlam
July, 1941. The resistance cell led by Andre Bouchard has been crushed by the malevolent Johann Faust and his unit of partisan-hunters. Concerned over strained relations with de Gaulle's Free French government, Churchill orders a rescue mission to save those few partisans still alive. The Commandos learn Bouchard has been captured by Faust and imprisoned in the SS officer's headquarters. Aided by the mysterious and deadly British secret agent John Robert Smythe, the Commandos hatch an audacious plan to drive straight into the heart of occupied Calais and rescue Bouchard. But when an accident forces the team to leave men behind, will Sergeant McTeague follow orders and abandon them to their fate? Or will he cut his way into the heart of Calais once more, determined to rescue his brothers-in-arms no matter the cost? With machine guns and rifles, pistols and hand grenades, knives and even their bare hands, the men of 3 Commando will do whatever it takes to see the mission through. Operation Bedlam is the second in a series of military action - adventure novels written in the spirit of classic war movies and wartime adventure pulp fiction.
- GenresWorld War II
145 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 7, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 13, 2021
Well worth the read for any military fiction fans
March 12, 2014
I read the first novel in the series -- Arrowhead -- last year and was thoroughly entertained. So I just picked up the sequel Bedlam. Where Arrowhead is a lighter tale where readers are introduced to the cast of characters and type of missions 3 Commando will see in the series, COMMANDO: Operation Bedlam throws the British soldiers into the lions den. The novel starts off with a French partisan resistance cell being crushed by Johan Faust, a resistance hunter and a leader in the SS. Faust and his men capture Andre Bouchard, better known as the Butcher of Calais, and Faust has some big plans for the Butcher.
The No. 3 Commandos, led by Lt. Price and anchored by the stoic and somewhat dour Corporal Lynch, the giant Scotsman Sergeant McTeague and the rest of their unit, are sent back to France to rescue what is left of Bouchard's resistance cell and to bring them back to England to recover and regroup. When they get there, however, it becomes obvious that they need to also go and save the Butcher of Calais from Faust and his minions. The mission goes sideways and the commandos and remaining resistance fighters will be lucky if anyone leaves France alive.
It's a very dark story, but still in a fun, enjoyable way. War is always full of horrors and that shines a little more brightly in Bedlam than in Arrowhead. The stakes are higher, the Germans are more competent, and the deck is stacked against the commandos. When a mission goes belly up, the participants are just hoping to survive. And that plays out in this novel and in a very real way. Readers shouldn't expect to get too attached as their favorite may or may not survive by the end of the book. Of course, that's easier said than done considering how well Badelaire writes his characters. Sometimes you just can't help but have a favorite.
Speaking of favorites, I was stoked to see that Sgt. McTeague got a bigger role in Bedlam. When I first read Arrowhead he quickly became one of my favorite characters. A large, strong Scotsman with a bit of a potty mouth and the fighting prowess to back it up. He's a badass in every sense of the word and if the COMMANDO series ever gets turned into a movie, I'm pushing for Ray Stevenson to play McTeague.
Readers will also be introduced to John Robert Smythe, an English spy that goes along with the commandos, to help with their mission before blending in with the crowd and going off on his own mission. He's a fun character, one that stands out from the very soldiery demeanor of the commandos, but is no less dangerous. He's got the spy swag of James Bond mixed with the master of disguise of Sherlock Holmes. He's a cool character and I hope to see more of him in subsequent novels.
And like I said in my review of Arrowhead, it's clear that Badelaire knows his stuff, especially when it comes to WWII arms and ammunition. It's nearly impossible to go more than a few paragraphs without the name of a gun or tank or grenade appearing. And Badelaire gives great detail in the how the firearms work and look without it being over-explanatory or dull. Nothing feels out of place, and everything feels authentic to the time. He knows his history and it shows.
I recommend this for folks who love pulp novels, especially set in World War II. It's a quick read, full of bloody violence and gun action.
The No. 3 Commandos, led by Lt. Price and anchored by the stoic and somewhat dour Corporal Lynch, the giant Scotsman Sergeant McTeague and the rest of their unit, are sent back to France to rescue what is left of Bouchard's resistance cell and to bring them back to England to recover and regroup. When they get there, however, it becomes obvious that they need to also go and save the Butcher of Calais from Faust and his minions. The mission goes sideways and the commandos and remaining resistance fighters will be lucky if anyone leaves France alive.
It's a very dark story, but still in a fun, enjoyable way. War is always full of horrors and that shines a little more brightly in Bedlam than in Arrowhead. The stakes are higher, the Germans are more competent, and the deck is stacked against the commandos. When a mission goes belly up, the participants are just hoping to survive. And that plays out in this novel and in a very real way. Readers shouldn't expect to get too attached as their favorite may or may not survive by the end of the book. Of course, that's easier said than done considering how well Badelaire writes his characters. Sometimes you just can't help but have a favorite.
Speaking of favorites, I was stoked to see that Sgt. McTeague got a bigger role in Bedlam. When I first read Arrowhead he quickly became one of my favorite characters. A large, strong Scotsman with a bit of a potty mouth and the fighting prowess to back it up. He's a badass in every sense of the word and if the COMMANDO series ever gets turned into a movie, I'm pushing for Ray Stevenson to play McTeague.
Readers will also be introduced to John Robert Smythe, an English spy that goes along with the commandos, to help with their mission before blending in with the crowd and going off on his own mission. He's a fun character, one that stands out from the very soldiery demeanor of the commandos, but is no less dangerous. He's got the spy swag of James Bond mixed with the master of disguise of Sherlock Holmes. He's a cool character and I hope to see more of him in subsequent novels.
And like I said in my review of Arrowhead, it's clear that Badelaire knows his stuff, especially when it comes to WWII arms and ammunition. It's nearly impossible to go more than a few paragraphs without the name of a gun or tank or grenade appearing. And Badelaire gives great detail in the how the firearms work and look without it being over-explanatory or dull. Nothing feels out of place, and everything feels authentic to the time. He knows his history and it shows.
I recommend this for folks who love pulp novels, especially set in World War II. It's a quick read, full of bloody violence and gun action.
October 5, 2016
An exciting read giving a rollercoaster of emotions.
Another exciting book from Jack Badelaire that sends the reader on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. This book shows, that behind every mission in wartime, there is heartache and elation in equal measure and that the "good guys" don't always make it back unscathed.
Another exciting book from Jack Badelaire that sends the reader on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. This book shows, that behind every mission in wartime, there is heartache and elation in equal measure and that the "good guys" don't always make it back unscathed.
August 3, 2016
If you like movies like Where Eagles Dare or The Guns of Navarone, you owe it to yourself to read the Commando series.
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April 4, 2019best war book up to date i know its fiction, but the use of researched data inserted gives it a bit reality.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews