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Drake's Battle: The "Electrifying" WW2 Military Espionage Thriller
Something’s rotten in the Third Republic of France.
It’s May 1940 and the British Army is facing annihilation. The Wehrmacht is racing through Europe at lightning speed, and the French seem to have given up the fight.
When Second Lieutenant Tennyson “Ted” Drake is approached by a shadowy British major, he’s handed an impossible to hunt down an enemy agent, codenamed Viper, in the midst of the hellish retreat.
As France burns, Drake must lead his men into the fight of their lives, to uncover a conspiracy that will bring all Allied resistance to its knees…
“An absolutely cracking read… right up there with the best war fiction. Genuinely exceptional ‘set-piece’ battle scenes are utterly thrilling. My heart was in my mouth.”
E. V. Seymour, best-selling author of Final Target and The Patient
“A quick-paced, well-plotted novel…a propulsive, mystery-driven narrative.”
KIRKUS REVIEWS, on Drake’s War
“Absolutely fascinating and highly informative… battles are described in electrifying detail.”
V E H Masters of The Historical Novel Society, on Drake’s War
It’s May 1940 and the British Army is facing annihilation. The Wehrmacht is racing through Europe at lightning speed, and the French seem to have given up the fight.
When Second Lieutenant Tennyson “Ted” Drake is approached by a shadowy British major, he’s handed an impossible to hunt down an enemy agent, codenamed Viper, in the midst of the hellish retreat.
As France burns, Drake must lead his men into the fight of their lives, to uncover a conspiracy that will bring all Allied resistance to its knees…
“An absolutely cracking read… right up there with the best war fiction. Genuinely exceptional ‘set-piece’ battle scenes are utterly thrilling. My heart was in my mouth.”
E. V. Seymour, best-selling author of Final Target and The Patient
“A quick-paced, well-plotted novel…a propulsive, mystery-driven narrative.”
KIRKUS REVIEWS, on Drake’s War
“Absolutely fascinating and highly informative… battles are described in electrifying detail.”
V E H Masters of The Historical Novel Society, on Drake’s War
428 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 28, 2024
11 people are currently reading
2 people want to read
About the author
Gideon Saint
2 books3 followersGideon Saint is the author of the "spellbinding" Drake’s War series of Second World War military espionage thrillers.
Gideon says: "I tried to write the books I wanted to read: espionage, action, adventure, intrigue, and combat - all set on the front lines of the Blitzkrieg campaign in the German invasion of Western Europe. James Bond meets Richard Sharpe in WW2!"
Drake's War and Drake's Battle are now out. Drake's Enemy will follow soon. Put your tin hat on, and enjoy!
Gideon says: "I tried to write the books I wanted to read: espionage, action, adventure, intrigue, and combat - all set on the front lines of the Blitzkrieg campaign in the German invasion of Western Europe. James Bond meets Richard Sharpe in WW2!"
Drake's War and Drake's Battle are now out. Drake's Enemy will follow soon. Put your tin hat on, and enjoy!
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 8, 2026
Gideon Saint creates a highly immersive war atmosphere in Drake’s Battle. The explosions, chaos, fear, and uncertainty of the frontline are described so vividly that I often felt as if I were right in the middle of the fiercest battles on the Eastern Front. In particular, the Battle of Kursk between the Red Army and the SS immediately came to mind; if a novel were to tackle a conflict of that scale with this level of atmospheric skill, it could result in a far more powerful narrative.
However, the novel’s main weakness is that this strong atmosphere rests on a rather thin and simplistic plot. The characters lack depth, the dramatic conflicts unfold predictably, and the story never quite achieves the moral or psychological weight one would expect from a war of such magnitude. As a result, despite its striking scenes, the novel remains a relatively superficial adventure.
In conclusion, Drake’s Battle succeeds in conveying the physical reality of war, but it is limited in terms of the story it wants to tell. It can be gripping for readers who enjoy vivid war atmospheres, but those looking for greater depth may find it lacking.
However, the novel’s main weakness is that this strong atmosphere rests on a rather thin and simplistic plot. The characters lack depth, the dramatic conflicts unfold predictably, and the story never quite achieves the moral or psychological weight one would expect from a war of such magnitude. As a result, despite its striking scenes, the novel remains a relatively superficial adventure.
In conclusion, Drake’s Battle succeeds in conveying the physical reality of war, but it is limited in terms of the story it wants to tell. It can be gripping for readers who enjoy vivid war atmospheres, but those looking for greater depth may find it lacking.
November 28, 2024
Hero of the hour Tennyson Drake has this second installment of the Drakes War Series. I read an early copy and can attest to the fact that its a further rip roaring adventure from the author.
The pace is frenetic and doesn't let up. Its fiction but is closely woven into the actual ad little known events of the time so it will please the history buffs and those who want an adventure set in the period.
It was great fun to read and I could not put it down.
There are lots of books about WW2 but none (other than the first one) that gives the reader so much fun and hair raising adventures. Buy it, Read it. You wont be disappointed.
Where will Drake go next after this?
The pace is frenetic and doesn't let up. Its fiction but is closely woven into the actual ad little known events of the time so it will please the history buffs and those who want an adventure set in the period.
It was great fun to read and I could not put it down.
There are lots of books about WW2 but none (other than the first one) that gives the reader so much fun and hair raising adventures. Buy it, Read it. You wont be disappointed.
Where will Drake go next after this?
December 3, 2024
I think dramatising historical events is a good way to make people learn more about history, and Gideon Saint does this very well. I have read a lot about the Battle of France, and can see that Gideon has put in a lot of research into this book. Well done!
January 12, 2025
great series
Well written book and a great series! This series merges the battlefield with the darker world of intelligence. It does a great job of retelling history while adding the right amount of fiction.
Well written book and a great series! This series merges the battlefield with the darker world of intelligence. It does a great job of retelling history while adding the right amount of fiction.
November 28, 2024
An action-packed ww2 military espionage adventure! Tin hats on!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews