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The Warramunga's War
This book is the February 2019 Book of the Month at OnlineBookClub.org! --- The Warramunga’s War is a sweeping narrative of the friendship that forms between a young Australian army officer, Jamie Munro, and an educated half-caste Warramunga aboriginal NCO, Jack ‘Jacko’ O’Brien, during the Syrian campaign against the Vichy French in World War II. Jacko rescues a wounded Jamie after which they are conscripted in Cairo by MI6. Here, Jamie and Jacko learn about the seamy side of war in counterespionage as they track down German spies. The principal fictional characters interact with actual historical figures and events throughout the story. As the desert war escalates to the west of Cairo, the MI6 team confuses the enemy with misleading radio messages using German codes and using local entertainers as undercover agents. On one of his day leaves, Jacko meets a beautiful young Syrian-French girl and a strong romantic bond forms between the two during his time in Cairo. Following the end of the desert war, Jamie and Jacko are assigned to wartime intelligence work in Southeast Asia. After the end of the Pacific war, they initiate the Darwin operations of the CIS, the Commonwealth Investigation Service. On the trail of two suspected wartime German agents, they discover the agents have formed a dangerous criminal gang with an individual they had known during their time in Cairo. The tracking skills of the Warramunga are needed to finally catch up with the murderous gang in Western Australia’s Kimberley region.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
323 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 8, 2019
8 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
About the author
Greg Kater
5 books10 followersGreg Kater is an Australian-based author. He lives in Sanctuary Cove, Gold Coast, Queensland and has recently retired from a 55-year international career in the mineral resources industry. The Warramunga’s Aftermath of War is his second work of historical fiction in a trilogy following his first book, The Warramunga’s War published by Zeus Publications.
In the creation of this latest book, he has drawn on his experiences throughout the Philippine Islands where he lived for eleven years as a mining executive from 1969 to 1980. He has also drawn on his knowledge of history and extensive personal experiences from living and working in the Northern Territory of Australia at different periods during his career.
In the creation of this latest book, he has drawn on his experiences throughout the Philippine Islands where he lived for eleven years as a mining executive from 1969 to 1980. He has also drawn on his knowledge of history and extensive personal experiences from living and working in the Northern Territory of Australia at different periods during his career.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
September 13, 2018
Author, Greg Kater’s first foray into the world of fiction is "The Warramunga’s War." It tells the story, set in World War II and immediately thereafter, of a friendship between a young Australian officer, Jamie Munro and an educated, half-caste Warramunga aboriginal NCO, Jack “Jacko” O’Brien. In the opening scenes the Allies in North Africa are fighting the Vichy French. Jacko rescues a wounded Jamie and later, in Cairo, they are conscripted by British intelligence service, MI6. Soon they are hot the trail of suspected German agents. As the desert war escalates, the MI6 team confuses the enemy with misleading radio messages using German codes and local entertainers as undercover agents. Despite the chaos of war, the author has included a touch of romance as, on one of his day leaves, Jacko meets a beautiful, young Syrian-French girl and a strong romantic bond forms. At the end of the war, Jamie and Jacko are assigned to wartime intelligence work in Southeast Asia. They eventually find themselves in northern Australia and initiate the Darwin operations of the CIS — Commonwealth Investigation Service. Tracking down two suspected wartime German agents, they discover the agents have formed a dangerous criminal gang with someone they’d met in Cairo. With the aid of Jacko’s tracking skills they pursue the gang through arid and unforgiving parts of the Northern Territory and Western Australia. They are soon to discover that brutal savagery is not restricted to wartime.
Unique is how I would describe "The Warramunga’s War." There are untold books about War World II but they usually follow a distinct pattern — gung-ho heroes who can thrust themselves into a hail of bullets and survive, and other stories that we’ve heard time and time again with only cosmetic changes. The first part of this saga is set during the Allies’ North African campaign, first against the Vichy French and later, against Rommel. The scenes and dialogue ring true, no doubt partly because the author Greg Kater, has drawn on his own father’s experiences. But in addition to that, it is clear that he has put meticulous research into the story’s background. The characters are three dimensional, the scenes come alive — you feel you are there, watching the action as it happens. When the narrative moves to Northern Australia again, Kater draws on his own exhaustive experience in the resources industry in parts of Australia that only a limited number of tourists would dare to tread. He clearly has extensive knowledge of the Warramunga tribe. His use of “Pidgin” English for the aboriginal characters’ dialogue is, or at least sounds, spot on. Similarly, his descriptions of outback Australia, the laid back attitude of people in its far flung small towns, the dialogue they use is real. It is clear this book has been professionally edited — alas not something you can take for granted these days — as I didn’t spot one error. In another unique touch, Kater has the characters sing a song which he has written himself — he even includes the music. This is a war story with a difference, a crime novel with a difference, an historical novel with a difference, an adventure story with a difference and I can’t wait for the movie.
Unique is how I would describe "The Warramunga’s War." There are untold books about War World II but they usually follow a distinct pattern — gung-ho heroes who can thrust themselves into a hail of bullets and survive, and other stories that we’ve heard time and time again with only cosmetic changes. The first part of this saga is set during the Allies’ North African campaign, first against the Vichy French and later, against Rommel. The scenes and dialogue ring true, no doubt partly because the author Greg Kater, has drawn on his own father’s experiences. But in addition to that, it is clear that he has put meticulous research into the story’s background. The characters are three dimensional, the scenes come alive — you feel you are there, watching the action as it happens. When the narrative moves to Northern Australia again, Kater draws on his own exhaustive experience in the resources industry in parts of Australia that only a limited number of tourists would dare to tread. He clearly has extensive knowledge of the Warramunga tribe. His use of “Pidgin” English for the aboriginal characters’ dialogue is, or at least sounds, spot on. Similarly, his descriptions of outback Australia, the laid back attitude of people in its far flung small towns, the dialogue they use is real. It is clear this book has been professionally edited — alas not something you can take for granted these days — as I didn’t spot one error. In another unique touch, Kater has the characters sing a song which he has written himself — he even includes the music. This is a war story with a difference, a crime novel with a difference, an historical novel with a difference, an adventure story with a difference and I can’t wait for the movie.
June 26, 2018
I LOVED THIS BOOK WITH A PASSION
it's simple yet lovable. It's very easy to read and has a very light aura to it. All the characters were likable and had strong personalities. The story was set in Syria, Cairo, and Australia respectively and had true to life scenes that were amazing to follow! I loved everything about it!
July 30, 2018
Zap! Zap! Zap! The machine gun bullets thudded into Jamie’s knapsack …’
This novel, the first in a trilogy, follows the friendship that develops between Jamie Munro and Jack ‘Jacko’ O’Brien during the Syrian campaign against the Vichy French in World War II. Both are serving with the Australian Army when the story opens: Jamie is an officer, Jacko is an NCO. Their friendship and then a working partnership begins when Jacko rescues Jamie after he is wounded. Jamie is from New South Wales while Jacko identifies as part-Aboriginal, a Warramunga from the Tennant Creek region.
After Jamie recovers from his injuries, Jacko and Jamie become part of an MI6 team in Cairo. The main objective of this team is to disrupt German operations in the desert west of Cairo. Local entertainers are some of the undercover agents used, misleading radio messages using German codes are sent, and Jacko meets Monique a beautiful young French-Syrian woman.
When the desert war is finished, Jamie and Jacko are assigned to wartime intelligence work in Southeast Asia. Once the Pacific War concludes, Jamie and Jacko are involved in the Darwin operations of the Commonwealth Investigation Service. While on the trail of suspected German agents, they discover a connection with someone they had known in Cairo.
What can I say about this novel? I dislike references to Aboriginal people as ‘half-caste’, although I appreciate that the term may have been considered less offensive in the 1940s than it is now. While I found the story easy to follow, there were quite a few people (and quite a lot of action) to keep track of. I liked that Jacko and Jamie were equally important in the story, which demonstrated very clearly the novel’s central themes of loyalty and mateship.
As soon as I finished, I started reading the second novel in the trilogy, because I wanted to know what would happen next.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
This novel, the first in a trilogy, follows the friendship that develops between Jamie Munro and Jack ‘Jacko’ O’Brien during the Syrian campaign against the Vichy French in World War II. Both are serving with the Australian Army when the story opens: Jamie is an officer, Jacko is an NCO. Their friendship and then a working partnership begins when Jacko rescues Jamie after he is wounded. Jamie is from New South Wales while Jacko identifies as part-Aboriginal, a Warramunga from the Tennant Creek region.
After Jamie recovers from his injuries, Jacko and Jamie become part of an MI6 team in Cairo. The main objective of this team is to disrupt German operations in the desert west of Cairo. Local entertainers are some of the undercover agents used, misleading radio messages using German codes are sent, and Jacko meets Monique a beautiful young French-Syrian woman.
When the desert war is finished, Jamie and Jacko are assigned to wartime intelligence work in Southeast Asia. Once the Pacific War concludes, Jamie and Jacko are involved in the Darwin operations of the Commonwealth Investigation Service. While on the trail of suspected German agents, they discover a connection with someone they had known in Cairo.
What can I say about this novel? I dislike references to Aboriginal people as ‘half-caste’, although I appreciate that the term may have been considered less offensive in the 1940s than it is now. While I found the story easy to follow, there were quite a few people (and quite a lot of action) to keep track of. I liked that Jacko and Jamie were equally important in the story, which demonstrated very clearly the novel’s central themes of loyalty and mateship.
As soon as I finished, I started reading the second novel in the trilogy, because I wanted to know what would happen next.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
August 2, 2018
A brilliant trip back to WW2 in the Middle East \ African border as Rommel is making his push for Egypt. Based on fact passed down by the author's family. Beautiful settings both in Egypt and in Australia, interesting and quirky characters with a good solid plot. A book for everyone not just fans of war fact \ fiction.
March 2, 2019
“I needed some fellows who are not known here and have seen action and it was suggested that I ask General Allen for a couple of men who had distinguished themselves in the Syrian campaign. That’s why you are here.”
Australian army officer, Jamie Munro of the 7th Division should be dead. If it were not for the bravery and the quick thinking of Corporal Jack “Jacko” O’Brien, then he would be. Jamie cannot remember much about what happened after he was hit by shrapnel, but he did know that Jacko carried him away from the danger and all the way to the hospital. For that, Jamie is eternally grateful.
Now that the Syrian campaign against the Vichy French has ended, Jamie and Jacko wonder where they will be conscripted to next. They did not expect to end up in Cairo, working alongside MI6.
They may not be in the direct firing line now, but counterespionage comes with its own set of challenges. Along with Corporal Matthew MacAulay from the 9th Division, they track down the German spies in the area and feed them with misleading information. However, this is a dangerous world, where trust is not so easily won, and danger lurks around every corner.
The hunt for German spies is not the only thing Jamie and Jacko have to worry about. For one of their agents, a young dancer called Farida, has been found dead. Murdered. Major Harold Hardcastle from the Palestine Police Force tells them that Farida is not the only one who has died under such terrible circumstances. MI6 must work with the Palestine Police Force to catch this serial killer, but it is a task that turns out to be easier said than done and it will take them across two continents.
From the war in Syria to the wild outback of Western Australia, The Warramunga’s War, by Greg Kater is the enthralling story of two unlikely soldiers who are thrown together by circumstance and then face unprecedented challenges in the fight against enemy espionage.
The Warramunga’s War is filled with non-stop action, cliff-hanger tension, and characters that seem to leap off the page. With an exciting narrative that is backed up by confident research, Kater is the kind of author that makes historical fiction lovers prick up their ears and take notice.
There was nothing I did not love about the book. The historical backdrop was spectacular. There is enough plot twists to satisfy the hardest of critics. The writing is elegant and engaging, and the story is fabulous. This is the kind of novel you can immerse yourself in and forget about everything else for a couple of hours.
I adored the characterisation of Jacko. His humanity and his bravery were inspiring. His relationship with the beautiful Monique gave this story a moment of peace during times of trouble. Likewise, Jamie is incredibly heroic. His actions are always for the greater good. Jacko and Jamie are an unlikely pair, but they work so well together. It was a pleasure to witness their friendship strengthen throughout the course of this book.
There are several seedy antagonists in this story, and although they do some terribly despicable crimes, Kater strikes the right balance when describing their actions. He goes into just enough detail to make you loathe them, but then he stops so as not to make this book an uncomfortable read. There is a who-done-it mentality to this story regarding the murders, and I have to admit, I missed all the little clues that Kater threw at me!
Kater has researched this time in history with scrupulous care. His attention to detail has to be commended. Kater’s portrayal of Cairo and Australia was wonderful and authentic as well as being luxuriantly detailed — I could almost feel the heat of the midday sun. His portrayal of the people in these two countries during this era was magnificent. This book is an example of historical fiction at its very best.
The Warramunga’s War was everything I hoped it would be and then some. I cannot wait to read book #2 of this remarkable trilogy.
I Highly Recommend.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde.
The Coffee Pot Book Club.
Australian army officer, Jamie Munro of the 7th Division should be dead. If it were not for the bravery and the quick thinking of Corporal Jack “Jacko” O’Brien, then he would be. Jamie cannot remember much about what happened after he was hit by shrapnel, but he did know that Jacko carried him away from the danger and all the way to the hospital. For that, Jamie is eternally grateful.
Now that the Syrian campaign against the Vichy French has ended, Jamie and Jacko wonder where they will be conscripted to next. They did not expect to end up in Cairo, working alongside MI6.
They may not be in the direct firing line now, but counterespionage comes with its own set of challenges. Along with Corporal Matthew MacAulay from the 9th Division, they track down the German spies in the area and feed them with misleading information. However, this is a dangerous world, where trust is not so easily won, and danger lurks around every corner.
The hunt for German spies is not the only thing Jamie and Jacko have to worry about. For one of their agents, a young dancer called Farida, has been found dead. Murdered. Major Harold Hardcastle from the Palestine Police Force tells them that Farida is not the only one who has died under such terrible circumstances. MI6 must work with the Palestine Police Force to catch this serial killer, but it is a task that turns out to be easier said than done and it will take them across two continents.
From the war in Syria to the wild outback of Western Australia, The Warramunga’s War, by Greg Kater is the enthralling story of two unlikely soldiers who are thrown together by circumstance and then face unprecedented challenges in the fight against enemy espionage.
The Warramunga’s War is filled with non-stop action, cliff-hanger tension, and characters that seem to leap off the page. With an exciting narrative that is backed up by confident research, Kater is the kind of author that makes historical fiction lovers prick up their ears and take notice.
There was nothing I did not love about the book. The historical backdrop was spectacular. There is enough plot twists to satisfy the hardest of critics. The writing is elegant and engaging, and the story is fabulous. This is the kind of novel you can immerse yourself in and forget about everything else for a couple of hours.
I adored the characterisation of Jacko. His humanity and his bravery were inspiring. His relationship with the beautiful Monique gave this story a moment of peace during times of trouble. Likewise, Jamie is incredibly heroic. His actions are always for the greater good. Jacko and Jamie are an unlikely pair, but they work so well together. It was a pleasure to witness their friendship strengthen throughout the course of this book.
There are several seedy antagonists in this story, and although they do some terribly despicable crimes, Kater strikes the right balance when describing their actions. He goes into just enough detail to make you loathe them, but then he stops so as not to make this book an uncomfortable read. There is a who-done-it mentality to this story regarding the murders, and I have to admit, I missed all the little clues that Kater threw at me!
Kater has researched this time in history with scrupulous care. His attention to detail has to be commended. Kater’s portrayal of Cairo and Australia was wonderful and authentic as well as being luxuriantly detailed — I could almost feel the heat of the midday sun. His portrayal of the people in these two countries during this era was magnificent. This book is an example of historical fiction at its very best.
The Warramunga’s War was everything I hoped it would be and then some. I cannot wait to read book #2 of this remarkable trilogy.
I Highly Recommend.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde.
The Coffee Pot Book Club.
October 26, 2018
Jamie and Jacko have formed an unlikely alliance. One is an officer in the Australian army, while the other is enlisted, a corporal. When Jacko saves Jamie’s life, little do they know that both of their lives are about take a turn that will leave them both spinning. As World War II rages, the world is caught up in the excitement of trying to figure out what is going to happen and looking for information. For a select few, discovering this information is more dangerous than the average citizen. While many are content to sit in their kitchens reading the news in the papers, a few brave souls are quietly working the different sides of the world to try and uncover any information possible.
Jamie and Jacko are sent to “convalesce” in Egypt. There, they will be working with MI6 to try and uncover information on German spies and those in Egypt who are feeding them the information. But as their friendship deepens, so to does their dependence on each other for survival.
As their wounds heal, the need to move them elsewhere is crucial. They soon find themselves back in Australia, working with the Commonwealth Investigation Service. But they are not destined for quiet desk jobs, and they are very soon wrapped up in another investigation…
If you love World War II historical fiction, then you are going to really enjoy this book! The bonds of friendship that are formed during time of war are not bonds that are easily broken. As the war rages on, the friendship and trust between Jamie and Jacko continues to grow. I really enjoyed reading this book. It was an easy and fun read. Egypt has always held a soft spot for me, so getting back to the pyramids and the Nile was amazing. But Greg Kater did not stop there. He really pulls two stories into one, weaving them together with ease. This book is great for a weekend read if you are looking for a stand out historical fiction.
Jamie and Jacko are sent to “convalesce” in Egypt. There, they will be working with MI6 to try and uncover information on German spies and those in Egypt who are feeding them the information. But as their friendship deepens, so to does their dependence on each other for survival.
As their wounds heal, the need to move them elsewhere is crucial. They soon find themselves back in Australia, working with the Commonwealth Investigation Service. But they are not destined for quiet desk jobs, and they are very soon wrapped up in another investigation…
If you love World War II historical fiction, then you are going to really enjoy this book! The bonds of friendship that are formed during time of war are not bonds that are easily broken. As the war rages on, the friendship and trust between Jamie and Jacko continues to grow. I really enjoyed reading this book. It was an easy and fun read. Egypt has always held a soft spot for me, so getting back to the pyramids and the Nile was amazing. But Greg Kater did not stop there. He really pulls two stories into one, weaving them together with ease. This book is great for a weekend read if you are looking for a stand out historical fiction.
March 5, 2018
I have a weak spot for World War II stories, as my grandfather was in the second wave of the Allied troops landing at Normandy, on D-Day, 1944, and so I jumped at the chance to review this book.
There's an artlessness in the writing of this book (very much a good thing, since I very often lose patience with Obviously Over-Written books), as if it was based off the reminiscences of an old soldier recounting his adventures during The War, and describing the colorful characters and interesting people he encountered during that time. Central to the story is the friendship and loyalty between Jamie, an Australian Army officer and Jacko, a half-Warramunga (an Australian aboriginal tribe) soldier who saves Jamie's life while the both of them are far from home fighting the Vichy French in Syria, Their friendship continues to grow as they serve side by side in British military intelligence in Egypt, during the North African campaign, and then as part of the emerging Australian Information Service, tracking down escaped German war criminals after the German surrender and a former army friend guilty of numerous crimes. The writing strengthens as the action shifts from Egypt to Australia, but this is quiet all right by me, as this is home for the main characters, and I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of Central Australia and the fascinating folk whom the investigators meet while trailing their suspects.
There's a few small editing problems (mostly words oddly used: "footbridge" instead of "gangway" or "gangplank" in some earlier chapters), but it's hardly enough to pull you out of this engaging read. If you like historical fiction with interesting characters, give this one a go!
There's an artlessness in the writing of this book (very much a good thing, since I very often lose patience with Obviously Over-Written books), as if it was based off the reminiscences of an old soldier recounting his adventures during The War, and describing the colorful characters and interesting people he encountered during that time. Central to the story is the friendship and loyalty between Jamie, an Australian Army officer and Jacko, a half-Warramunga (an Australian aboriginal tribe) soldier who saves Jamie's life while the both of them are far from home fighting the Vichy French in Syria, Their friendship continues to grow as they serve side by side in British military intelligence in Egypt, during the North African campaign, and then as part of the emerging Australian Information Service, tracking down escaped German war criminals after the German surrender and a former army friend guilty of numerous crimes. The writing strengthens as the action shifts from Egypt to Australia, but this is quiet all right by me, as this is home for the main characters, and I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of Central Australia and the fascinating folk whom the investigators meet while trailing their suspects.
There's a few small editing problems (mostly words oddly used: "footbridge" instead of "gangway" or "gangplank" in some earlier chapters), but it's hardly enough to pull you out of this engaging read. If you like historical fiction with interesting characters, give this one a go!
May 11, 2019
The story begins with an Australian soldier called Jamie outnumbered in a loan Southbay route in a battle with French soldiers. As he starts to believe he saw his last here is a friendly voice say G day cap and this is when he meets an aborigine Australian named Jack a.k.a. Jacko. With the brilliant diversion Jacko comes up with they almost get out of the battle unscathed. Out of the blue Jamie is not unconscious by the percussion of a surprise bomb and is not unconscious. As he lingers between nothing and a wakeness he feels himself being carried over someone’s shoulder. It will be miles and days later that he finds out his new friend Jacko carry them for days to the hospital he finds himself in when he awakes. He is also surprised to learn that Jacko has been waiting in the lobby of the hospital for him to wake up. When he finally visits Jamie he tells him that they are not only getting a metal, but that they will be promoted to officers even when he is released the colonel for his new orders.
After he is released from the hospital and goes to see the colonel he is told he will be transferred to Cairo to act as a spy for the British government, it is a very cushy post and when he finds out they need one more guy he said just Jack. After all he did save Jamie‘s life.
When they get to Cairo they meet the two other comrades Johnny and Mathew. They learn that they will be living as if all R and R.
This is just the beginning of a very exciting book about war spy dancers British widows and even a romance. There is so much packed into this book you will be spellbound from beginning to end. Anyone who likes Pearl Harbor the movie will love this book this is historical fiction at its best. The author Greg Kater right historical fiction as if he was there. I have never found any discrepancies or mistakes in his books. This is not a quick read, but it is a great read. This is a wonderful book that any historical fiction lover will enjoy. That is why I gave it a five out of five stars.
After he is released from the hospital and goes to see the colonel he is told he will be transferred to Cairo to act as a spy for the British government, it is a very cushy post and when he finds out they need one more guy he said just Jack. After all he did save Jamie‘s life.
When they get to Cairo they meet the two other comrades Johnny and Mathew. They learn that they will be living as if all R and R.
This is just the beginning of a very exciting book about war spy dancers British widows and even a romance. There is so much packed into this book you will be spellbound from beginning to end. Anyone who likes Pearl Harbor the movie will love this book this is historical fiction at its best. The author Greg Kater right historical fiction as if he was there. I have never found any discrepancies or mistakes in his books. This is not a quick read, but it is a great read. This is a wonderful book that any historical fiction lover will enjoy. That is why I gave it a five out of five stars.
November 15, 2022
A War Dance
The opening sequences to this story remind me a little of Ken Follett’s ‘The Key to Rebecca’ and to a lesser extent ‘Eye of the Needle’. Throw in a little bit of Crocodile Dundee because the main characters are Australian and you’ve got the main elements of a war story set in Egypt’s capital Cairo, and later in Australia.
With all the spy skullduggery, a tense subplot involving a serial killer is running in tandem with the main story and is heightening tension in the book. However, despite being a good yarn, I don’t see this tale warranting four or five stars.
All of the drinking in the book is a bit of a bore and the silly use of the French language is overwhelming. The second half of the book where they’re chasing down alleged war criminals is very boring.
The pacing of the book is a little slow although the characterisation rings true. Language like “krauts” is old hat. The Australian lingo is hard to follow in the latter half of the book.
All in all, I’m going to give this book 3 out of five. When one reads the author’s bio it’s easy to see where the story’s origins lie but I feel the story is best with an Australian audience.
The opening sequences to this story remind me a little of Ken Follett’s ‘The Key to Rebecca’ and to a lesser extent ‘Eye of the Needle’. Throw in a little bit of Crocodile Dundee because the main characters are Australian and you’ve got the main elements of a war story set in Egypt’s capital Cairo, and later in Australia.
With all the spy skullduggery, a tense subplot involving a serial killer is running in tandem with the main story and is heightening tension in the book. However, despite being a good yarn, I don’t see this tale warranting four or five stars.
All of the drinking in the book is a bit of a bore and the silly use of the French language is overwhelming. The second half of the book where they’re chasing down alleged war criminals is very boring.
The pacing of the book is a little slow although the characterisation rings true. Language like “krauts” is old hat. The Australian lingo is hard to follow in the latter half of the book.
All in all, I’m going to give this book 3 out of five. When one reads the author’s bio it’s easy to see where the story’s origins lie but I feel the story is best with an Australian audience.
November 4, 2018
From Desert War to Jungle Adventure
The Warramunga’s War is the first installment of a trilogy. Written by Greg Kater, the book follows the story of two Australian Army personnel, James “Jamie” Munro and Jack “Jacko” O’Brien. They first met in 1941 in Syria during the Desert War. After their stint there, the two were assigned as partners in Egypt to do an espionage work for the Allied Forces.
Despite his claims that The Warramunga’s War is his first fiction work, Kater writes so efficiently like a pro. It’s evident that he’s done a thorough research in history for this project as he adeptly incorporates fictitious characters into real people and events. Because of this, I give The Warramunga’s War a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book to readers 15 years old and above.
I can’t wait to read the second and third parts of Kater’s trilogy.
[For more details of my review of this book, please refer to https://nilaeslit.com/2018/11/04/the-...]
The Warramunga’s War is the first installment of a trilogy. Written by Greg Kater, the book follows the story of two Australian Army personnel, James “Jamie” Munro and Jack “Jacko” O’Brien. They first met in 1941 in Syria during the Desert War. After their stint there, the two were assigned as partners in Egypt to do an espionage work for the Allied Forces.
Despite his claims that The Warramunga’s War is his first fiction work, Kater writes so efficiently like a pro. It’s evident that he’s done a thorough research in history for this project as he adeptly incorporates fictitious characters into real people and events. Because of this, I give The Warramunga’s War a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book to readers 15 years old and above.
I can’t wait to read the second and third parts of Kater’s trilogy.
[For more details of my review of this book, please refer to https://nilaeslit.com/2018/11/04/the-...]
April 23, 2022
Very good read, I really enjoyed this book, one thing disturbed my reading is that the author made long dialogs between the characters and tried to tell the story through dialogs which make it sometimes boring. it is more like a TV series script. but still I recommend this story. it is about an Australian spy network in Egypt during the second world war interacting with local women to gather information on the German enemy, then they move to Australia to locate a murderer who was with them in Egypt and fled to Australia to continue his criminal act.
August 6, 2018
When you think of the classic spy novels, what readily comes to mind is Ian Fleming's 007, Graham Green, Jason Bourne series or even the Indiana Jones, to a certain extent, among others and these adventures occur throughout Europe and Asia. This novel takes on one of the most dangerous times of the Twentieth Century, WWII, and creates a realistic story that one begs to question whether such events actually occurred. It is that kind of story.
March 7, 2020
The review will follow soon
June 10, 2020
A good historical read and certainly one that I would recommend if you are interested on getting a different wartime perspective.
March 3, 2026
Set in the WWII era, Jacko and Jamie's story is full of action, daram, anda. dash of romance. The esponage angle especially intrigued me. Theoperations of the CIS in Australia had me glued as well.
February 26, 2019
A very well written book. This author definitely gains an edge over other authors that have written historical fiction. Very easy to read book with plenty of specific details. The Warramunga’s War is the first of a trilogy and I am looking forward to reading the other two books written by Greg Kater.
March 12, 2019
I officially reviewed this book for onlinebookclub.org. You can read it by clicking here: https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...
Thanks for reading!
Thanks for reading!
June 10, 2019
(1) Review by Kister Bless -- The Warramunga's War - OnlineBookClub.org https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...
March 29, 2019
'The Warramunga's War' is a thrilling spy novel that follows Australian officers, Jamie and Jacko, on their adventures in Syria, Cairo, and Australia.
Mr. Kater is a master storyteller and his informative writing transported me back to World War II. He has managed to pack his story with plenty of references of the time without resorting to the information-dump that many other novels are plagued with. I especially loved reading about the secret codes and methods of communication used during World War II.
Although this novel is the first in a series, the story is tied up at the end with none of those pesky cliffhangers. I'm looking forward to continuing the adventures of Jamie and Jacko.
This novel would be great for history and war buffs, and of course for those who enjoy a thrilling spy novel.
Mr. Kater is a master storyteller and his informative writing transported me back to World War II. He has managed to pack his story with plenty of references of the time without resorting to the information-dump that many other novels are plagued with. I especially loved reading about the secret codes and methods of communication used during World War II.
Although this novel is the first in a series, the story is tied up at the end with none of those pesky cliffhangers. I'm looking forward to continuing the adventures of Jamie and Jacko.
This novel would be great for history and war buffs, and of course for those who enjoy a thrilling spy novel.
August 31, 2019
Jack O'Brien and Jamie Munro are two soldiers in the Australian army who just want to survive to see another day. After saving Jamie from death in Syria, the two are shipped to Cairo, where they engage in thrilling and exciting adventure before returning home to Darwin, Australia as part of the CIS.
Greg Kater delivers a strong, decisive start to his series that is sure to win hearts and minds all around. See my full review here: https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...
Greg Kater delivers a strong, decisive start to his series that is sure to win hearts and minds all around. See my full review here: https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...
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May 1, 2018The Story of Warramungas War is set during World War II. It tells the story of two Australian Soldiers that come fast friends after Jacko rescues Jamie who is injured by artillery shells and has to have shrapnel removed from his legs and back. While they are not spies Jamie and Jacko along with another Australian solder work with MI6 in Cairo to find and arrest German spies. They work with various accomplices to local and capture the enemy. As they go along they begin to figure out who they can trust and who they shouldn't trust which makes the book a little more human. Overall the author does a good job. I will say that it moved a little too slowly for my taste. I felt that there were several areas that could have been left out without it affecting the final outcome. Even being on the slow side its a good read and worth the effort.
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