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Kingmaker
Wealth. Power. Glory. Revenge. When it feels like the world is against you, can anyone be trusted?
April 1940. Norway has fallen under the Nazi blitzkrieg. Only a small British force stands between Hitler's SS and the ultimate prize... but a hidden enemy has other plans in motion, plans that threaten to derail both sides' plans.
Lieutenant Harry King is in trouble again. Haunted by his past and consumed by alcohol, he stands to lose the only thing he has left - his rank. When he is saved from his fate by a mysterious officer and sent on a seemingly simple errand, things start to go horribly wrong and King soon becomes the only person who can stop his new enemies.
Dragged into a hair-raising world of conspiracy and betrayal, King must choose between his duty, love and revenge. In a heart-pounding race across the frozen tundra, mountains and fjords, can he survive against the odds and prevent disaster? Can he recover a mysterious missing cargo that holds the key to success? Will he uncover the truth and unmask the traitor at the heart of his world?
Kingmaker is a gripping adventure based around the forgotten history of the early Second World War, and will appeal to all readers of action thrillers, spy stories, crime and mysteries as well as military and historical novels.
April 1940. Norway has fallen under the Nazi blitzkrieg. Only a small British force stands between Hitler's SS and the ultimate prize... but a hidden enemy has other plans in motion, plans that threaten to derail both sides' plans.
Lieutenant Harry King is in trouble again. Haunted by his past and consumed by alcohol, he stands to lose the only thing he has left - his rank. When he is saved from his fate by a mysterious officer and sent on a seemingly simple errand, things start to go horribly wrong and King soon becomes the only person who can stop his new enemies.
Dragged into a hair-raising world of conspiracy and betrayal, King must choose between his duty, love and revenge. In a heart-pounding race across the frozen tundra, mountains and fjords, can he survive against the odds and prevent disaster? Can he recover a mysterious missing cargo that holds the key to success? Will he uncover the truth and unmask the traitor at the heart of his world?
Kingmaker is a gripping adventure based around the forgotten history of the early Second World War, and will appeal to all readers of action thrillers, spy stories, crime and mysteries as well as military and historical novels.
428 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2016
5 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 8, 2016
Kingmaker is ninety-four chapters of what becomes a tale that weaves it's plot smoothly into one amazing tale.
Pederson is following a fat old man who is on a promise with a girl of 'ill-repute'. The old mans wife is dead and all he wants is two sweet arms around him because he's lonely.
Blomqvist is a banker and the information he has shared with Pederson that evening will result in the deaths of both himself and the girl.
Second Lieutenant Harry King is in front of his boss on the charge of being drunk and disorderly, two years ago his father was killed and Kings mind hasn't quite come to terms with that fact.
Instead of the dressing down he was expecting, his life takes a turn that takes Harry out of his comfort zone and he learns a few facts of truth.
Historical facts and Hydes own imagination turn this novel into a brutal, bloody and brilliant read. My favorite character other than King has to be Anje, Small and beautiful, but gutsy and tough. These two make a good team.
This is a cleverly written tale, set in 1940 it could quite easily be another more modern time. King is a kind of Jack Reacher character, but with layers of mystery and murder, revenge and a bit more besides, this story is very meaty.
Exciting and intriguing Adrian Hyde has created a character that I do hope will return. Along with his tough exterior King is a soft and loving man, and this is not shown that often in some novels, so it makes quite a change.
Kingmaker is detailed, fascinating and taut and is one I highly recommend.
Pederson is following a fat old man who is on a promise with a girl of 'ill-repute'. The old mans wife is dead and all he wants is two sweet arms around him because he's lonely.
Blomqvist is a banker and the information he has shared with Pederson that evening will result in the deaths of both himself and the girl.
Second Lieutenant Harry King is in front of his boss on the charge of being drunk and disorderly, two years ago his father was killed and Kings mind hasn't quite come to terms with that fact.
Instead of the dressing down he was expecting, his life takes a turn that takes Harry out of his comfort zone and he learns a few facts of truth.
Historical facts and Hydes own imagination turn this novel into a brutal, bloody and brilliant read. My favorite character other than King has to be Anje, Small and beautiful, but gutsy and tough. These two make a good team.
This is a cleverly written tale, set in 1940 it could quite easily be another more modern time. King is a kind of Jack Reacher character, but with layers of mystery and murder, revenge and a bit more besides, this story is very meaty.
Exciting and intriguing Adrian Hyde has created a character that I do hope will return. Along with his tough exterior King is a soft and loving man, and this is not shown that often in some novels, so it makes quite a change.
Kingmaker is detailed, fascinating and taut and is one I highly recommend.
October 12, 2016
A good writer does his research well and he/she keeps his audience guessing till the end. Adrian Hyde has perfected this art. While at first you may find the chaos of the war unnerving, Adrian deftly weaves a plot through history.
I'm astounded at how well he turns the tables just when you think that you have figured everything out. There is even a bit of romance in the book. All in all.... If you love stories that honor the lives of people who fought in World War II then this is the book for you. It is a refreshing reminder that there were good people on either side of the War. Just as there were bad people hidden in plain sight!
I'm astounded at how well he turns the tables just when you think that you have figured everything out. There is even a bit of romance in the book. All in all.... If you love stories that honor the lives of people who fought in World War II then this is the book for you. It is a refreshing reminder that there were good people on either side of the War. Just as there were bad people hidden in plain sight!
January 10, 2017
Kingmaker is an exciting read and captivating thriller that you just cannot put down. What secret plot is being planned in Norway during WWII? Norwegian King Haakon refuses to comply with the Nazi Regime, but the politician Quisling is only too willing to work under the occupation and command of Nazi Germany. Harry King, Lieutenant in the British Army, seeks revenge on the killer of his father. There is a traitor in their midst and only one man to stop the traitor, even if it costs him his life: Harry King.
The book opens with a coldblooded murder on a banker. Why he needed to be killed is not clear. We first set eyes on British Lieutenant Harry King shortly before his appearance at a Summary Hearing due to his drunk and disorderly behaviour. Harry fears his luck has finally run out when of the three men deciding his fate he recognizes the one that hates him most: Major Hardwicke. Little does it matter that the old family friend of Harry's father, Captain Collins is also present, Harry has to face the consequences of his alcohol induced conduct. That Harry has recurring nightmares in which he relives his father's death in their burning house, when he was unable to save him, is a circumstance that will do little if anything to save him.
However, the third man present is Colonel Munro who whisks Harry away for a secret Intelligence job. King's skills as a mechanic are needed for a special transport of vehicles in cooperation with the Norwegian Dragoons, the Norwegian Army loyal to King Haakon. On his mission Harry King takes with him his friend, Sergeant Hall. As they prepare to meet one Pederson of the Norwegian Dragoons, Colonel Munro warns Harry to not trust the man. We, the readers, suspect the feeling might be correct, as we have witnessed Pedersen kill the banker at the start of the book. Norwegian interpreter Lieutenant Anja Christensen is to accompany Hall and King, much against King's wishes, and he has difficulty hiding his resentment to her presence.
Meanwhile the Nazis are scheming with Quisling but there are also Nazis following plans of their own. Among them the exceptionally cruel SS officer Wolff with his "infamous temper" who enjoys torturing people. There are two German Nazi Officers, Captain Fuchs and Captain Becker, each with his own agenda but both fearing Wolff and his excessive behaviour. Fuchs hates Wolff and he shivers to think what Wolff would do to him the moment he no longer needs him. What is it the Nazis are after apart from capturing King Haakon to prevent him from fleeing Norway? Then there is the Norwegian Pederson who is hiding a dark secret whilst scheming with both the Nazis and the British: this is the man Harry is ordered to work for and he is not too happy about it.
Harry, Hall and Anja walk right into a trap, enabling Pedersen to escape with a cargo he is desperate to keep secret. Harry is furious because he holds Pedersen responsible for the slaughter of his team, the men he is responsible for. Were Harry and his team being used, sacrificed for some devious scheme of Pedersen's? What did the cargo contain and why is it worth killing for, is it a secret "worth dying for" ? Follow Harry King on his dangerous path to discover the truth, to find the one responsible for his father's death and to seek out the traitor called Taranis whose identity is yet unknown. According to Wolff, Taranis has arrived in Norway under perfect cover as "the Norwegians remained oblivious to the traitors in their midst." Will Harry King get his revenge, will he come to know who is responsible for his father's death and have a chance at capturing Taranis or will he die trying?
Kingmaker is an intriguing, fascinating and captivating read. There are gruesome details and a few instances of torture, which I hate to imagine and read about, but just when you think 'No more!', it stops. Most of all it is an adventurous novel, set against beautiful but occupied Norway in WWII. The historical events are accurately described and form the background for Harry King's search for his father's killer, for the traitor in their midst. The story is well written and the protagonists are easy to connect with - or to hate. Although I also hate to think about the horrors of WWII and the poor people who died under torture. I enjoyed reading this novel as it is an exciting thriller.
Read the full review on my website: https://www.bitsaboutbooks.net/kingma...
The book opens with a coldblooded murder on a banker. Why he needed to be killed is not clear. We first set eyes on British Lieutenant Harry King shortly before his appearance at a Summary Hearing due to his drunk and disorderly behaviour. Harry fears his luck has finally run out when of the three men deciding his fate he recognizes the one that hates him most: Major Hardwicke. Little does it matter that the old family friend of Harry's father, Captain Collins is also present, Harry has to face the consequences of his alcohol induced conduct. That Harry has recurring nightmares in which he relives his father's death in their burning house, when he was unable to save him, is a circumstance that will do little if anything to save him.
However, the third man present is Colonel Munro who whisks Harry away for a secret Intelligence job. King's skills as a mechanic are needed for a special transport of vehicles in cooperation with the Norwegian Dragoons, the Norwegian Army loyal to King Haakon. On his mission Harry King takes with him his friend, Sergeant Hall. As they prepare to meet one Pederson of the Norwegian Dragoons, Colonel Munro warns Harry to not trust the man. We, the readers, suspect the feeling might be correct, as we have witnessed Pedersen kill the banker at the start of the book. Norwegian interpreter Lieutenant Anja Christensen is to accompany Hall and King, much against King's wishes, and he has difficulty hiding his resentment to her presence.
Meanwhile the Nazis are scheming with Quisling but there are also Nazis following plans of their own. Among them the exceptionally cruel SS officer Wolff with his "infamous temper" who enjoys torturing people. There are two German Nazi Officers, Captain Fuchs and Captain Becker, each with his own agenda but both fearing Wolff and his excessive behaviour. Fuchs hates Wolff and he shivers to think what Wolff would do to him the moment he no longer needs him. What is it the Nazis are after apart from capturing King Haakon to prevent him from fleeing Norway? Then there is the Norwegian Pederson who is hiding a dark secret whilst scheming with both the Nazis and the British: this is the man Harry is ordered to work for and he is not too happy about it.
Harry, Hall and Anja walk right into a trap, enabling Pedersen to escape with a cargo he is desperate to keep secret. Harry is furious because he holds Pedersen responsible for the slaughter of his team, the men he is responsible for. Were Harry and his team being used, sacrificed for some devious scheme of Pedersen's? What did the cargo contain and why is it worth killing for, is it a secret "worth dying for" ? Follow Harry King on his dangerous path to discover the truth, to find the one responsible for his father's death and to seek out the traitor called Taranis whose identity is yet unknown. According to Wolff, Taranis has arrived in Norway under perfect cover as "the Norwegians remained oblivious to the traitors in their midst." Will Harry King get his revenge, will he come to know who is responsible for his father's death and have a chance at capturing Taranis or will he die trying?
Kingmaker is an intriguing, fascinating and captivating read. There are gruesome details and a few instances of torture, which I hate to imagine and read about, but just when you think 'No more!', it stops. Most of all it is an adventurous novel, set against beautiful but occupied Norway in WWII. The historical events are accurately described and form the background for Harry King's search for his father's killer, for the traitor in their midst. The story is well written and the protagonists are easy to connect with - or to hate. Although I also hate to think about the horrors of WWII and the poor people who died under torture. I enjoyed reading this novel as it is an exciting thriller.
Read the full review on my website: https://www.bitsaboutbooks.net/kingma...
November 8, 2016
I rarely read historical novels, preferring to read modern day romances and gritty crime dramas. But one reason that I decided to start this blog was to broaden my reading tastes, and so once I had read the blurb about Kingmaker, I was eager to learn more and, so thought that I would give it a go... and I am so very glad that I did.
Kingmaker is an exceptional debut novel from Adrian Hyde. It is well researched, well written and thoroughly unputdownable. I loved this book. At the very beginning we watch an overweigh banker and a lady of ill repute, as they mend their way slowly to their borrowed lodgings, knowing that something bad is going to happen. We know this fact as we are seeing the events through the eyes of Pederson, a character who we will soon slowly learn more about as the novel progresses. This opening to the novel is both shocking and entertaining, I couldn't turn the pages quickly enough to find out what would happen next, and this set the pace for the entire story.
The beginning of the book draws you instantly into the world as it was during the Second World War. I became immersed in this world, it was so real to me. It was very obvious that the author had done his research and that the facts surrounding the World War 2 were used as the backbone to the story. This in turn made the story more raw and authentic. The antihero of the story is that of Lieutenant Harry King, and I adored this character because he is not your average hero. He has his many faults and has a vulnerability to him that makes you warm to him even more. I really did want to reach into the book, so that I could enter his world and sit and have a drink with him.
This story has it all; murder, betrayal. villains, romance; which creates a whirlwind of a read. Although heavily dominated by men, there is the welcome addition of Anja, a solider and interpreter who joins Harry in his quest, although at first this is much to his annoyance. She is a strong and independent woman and she was certainly a force to be reckoned with and held her own against Harry and his team of men.
This novel is also full of twists and turns right up to the very last page. I was thoroughly entertained and I am really looking forward to finding out what the handsome and roguish Harry gets up to in his next adventure.
Kingmaker is an exceptional debut novel from Adrian Hyde. It is well researched, well written and thoroughly unputdownable. I loved this book. At the very beginning we watch an overweigh banker and a lady of ill repute, as they mend their way slowly to their borrowed lodgings, knowing that something bad is going to happen. We know this fact as we are seeing the events through the eyes of Pederson, a character who we will soon slowly learn more about as the novel progresses. This opening to the novel is both shocking and entertaining, I couldn't turn the pages quickly enough to find out what would happen next, and this set the pace for the entire story.
The beginning of the book draws you instantly into the world as it was during the Second World War. I became immersed in this world, it was so real to me. It was very obvious that the author had done his research and that the facts surrounding the World War 2 were used as the backbone to the story. This in turn made the story more raw and authentic. The antihero of the story is that of Lieutenant Harry King, and I adored this character because he is not your average hero. He has his many faults and has a vulnerability to him that makes you warm to him even more. I really did want to reach into the book, so that I could enter his world and sit and have a drink with him.
This story has it all; murder, betrayal. villains, romance; which creates a whirlwind of a read. Although heavily dominated by men, there is the welcome addition of Anja, a solider and interpreter who joins Harry in his quest, although at first this is much to his annoyance. She is a strong and independent woman and she was certainly a force to be reckoned with and held her own against Harry and his team of men.
This novel is also full of twists and turns right up to the very last page. I was thoroughly entertained and I am really looking forward to finding out what the handsome and roguish Harry gets up to in his next adventure.
December 28, 2016
This novel is seriously impressive, set during the second World War, it is a mix of factual events and the wonderful imagination of author Adrian Hyde. The majority of the story takes place in Norway after 1940 and the start of the German invasion. There is far more going on than first meets the eye with the assassination of a prominent Norwegian Banker and an English Lieutenant on the brink of being kicked out of the British army, being transferred to a covert unit under another officer's command.
What an absolutely belting story which has been seamlessly worked together to give an action packed riveting read. Lieutenant Harry King is quite a formidable character which I liked straight away, I do tend to like the good guys which have a troubled past and too hard to live with present. It makes them better to root after to succeed. He is a bit of a swoon after guy too which I am sure will get a following in future novels. Of course back in the 1940's women's involvement in front line war matters was extremely rare so the inclusion of Anja, a Norwegian interpreter, was very much a welcome addition to the story and gave the element of a little romance amongst the ranks.
This is a novel of traitors, greed and power by people in positions to take advantage of situations for their own advancement, with no respect for loss of human life. The contrasts of the beautiful but unforgiving winter scenes in the Norwegian mountains were breath taking, with the vivid descriptions by Adrian Hyde enhancing every moment so that they will stay with me for a very long time. A novel that will make perfect reading for historians of the second World War, anyone loving an adventure story and even a little romance. An all round brilliant book, which I thoroughly enjoyed every minute.
I wish to thank Adrian Hyde for a copy of this novel which I have chosen to review.
What an absolutely belting story which has been seamlessly worked together to give an action packed riveting read. Lieutenant Harry King is quite a formidable character which I liked straight away, I do tend to like the good guys which have a troubled past and too hard to live with present. It makes them better to root after to succeed. He is a bit of a swoon after guy too which I am sure will get a following in future novels. Of course back in the 1940's women's involvement in front line war matters was extremely rare so the inclusion of Anja, a Norwegian interpreter, was very much a welcome addition to the story and gave the element of a little romance amongst the ranks.
This is a novel of traitors, greed and power by people in positions to take advantage of situations for their own advancement, with no respect for loss of human life. The contrasts of the beautiful but unforgiving winter scenes in the Norwegian mountains were breath taking, with the vivid descriptions by Adrian Hyde enhancing every moment so that they will stay with me for a very long time. A novel that will make perfect reading for historians of the second World War, anyone loving an adventure story and even a little romance. An all round brilliant book, which I thoroughly enjoyed every minute.
I wish to thank Adrian Hyde for a copy of this novel which I have chosen to review.
January 26, 2018
King
Through my enjoyed this story. It provided a little insight into the events in Norway at the time. King is a excellent character. Would be interested if this is to be series of a stand alone.
Through my enjoyed this story. It provided a little insight into the events in Norway at the time. King is a excellent character. Would be interested if this is to be series of a stand alone.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews