Before First Light

Special Force Orca #21

by Anthony Molloy, Paul Scott (Illustrator), Brenda Molloy (Editor)

As part of the D Day counter-invasion measures the German Navy had formed a covert fleet of thirty six U-boats known as the Landwirte Group, crewed by the best Germany had to offer, seasoned U Boat men, veterans of the Battle of the Atlantic their task was to attack Allied shipping supporting the invasion. To disrupt the vital supplies that would mean success or failure, life or death for thousands of men. Who should lead the fight against such a mighty force, who could be called upon to stop this submerged menace? Who could possibly cope when the Nazis had the invasion fleet’s recognition call sign, only one man; Commodore Alexander Barr. On the morning of 6 June 1944, these 36 Type VIICs U Boats responded from their bomb proof concrete bunkers in North West France. But what if this was only a ruse, what if the Nazis had a war-changing ace up their sleeves, what if they actually wanted hundreds of thousands of Allied soldiers ashore in France. Had Special Force ‘Orca’ stumbled on their secret by accident, what surprise did the huge ice cave in the frozen wastes of the Arctic contain? What or who was ‘Thule’ and what deadly dangers did that evocative codename conceal?

192 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 14, 2016

Reviews

[Neil · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is book 21 in the 'Special Force Orca' series. The D-Day landings have just taken place, but do the Germans have a surprise up their sleeve? If the landings couldn't be stopped, what about the supply lines between England and Northern France? A force of U-boats is waiting in the wings to disrupt these latest convoys ferrying much needed supplies. Commodore Barr, as usual finds himself in the thick of things. This part of the storyline I found believable, but the areas dealing with 'Thule' seemed to stretch the imagination somewhat. Nevertheless if you suspend belief, it all makes for a good story.

Most of my favourite characters appear somewhere during the tale. The editing seems to be slipping again, but after so many books in the series it is not really that surprising. On the whole, it is still I series that I am enjoying.