Harpoon

Fortress of Malta #1

by Matthew Willis

"A remarkable insight into the doubts and fears of a fighter pilot, contrasting relentless action with cool post-combat de-briefs." Frank Barnard

Never Surrender

Sea Hurricane pilot Edmund Clydesdale, a battle-weary loner with a secret, sets out on a vital convoy to the island of Malta.

Clydesdale is on the brink of becoming an ace. The only trouble is that he shouldn't be.

Blind luck, mistakes and politics have seen him awarded with four of the five kills he needs. As the convoy Operation 'Harpoon' heads into the Western Mediterranean with only a handful of worn-out fighters to protect it, the eyes of the Navy and the press are on him.

And soon, the eyes - and guns - of the enemy will be too.

Six ships carry vital supplies, without which Malta cannot survive the Axis onslaught. The ageing carrier HMS Eagle, with its complement of battered Hawker Sea Hurricanes and their overworked pilots, must face legions of German and Italian bombers, all desperate to send the transports to the bottom of the Mediterranean.

'Harpoon' is the first book in a series chronicling the struggle of the Royal Navy's 'few' to protect the island fortress of Malta in the dark days of 1942.

"Harpoon gets into the cockpit and inside the skin of a WW2 pilot. Willis has written a tale of triumph - and redemption. The author has used his intimate knowledge of the period to serve as a backdrop to a human - and thrilling - war story." Richard Foreman, author of Warsaw.

Matthew Willis grew up near the historic port of Harwich and seaplane station at Felixstowe, developing a lifelong obsession with flying and the sea. He worked as a motorsport journalist and media relations officer before becoming a full time writer in 2011. His books include the epic novels of the Norman Conquest 'An Argument of Blood' and 'A Black Matter for the King' co-written with JA Ironside, and the novelette 'The Battle of Alma'.

113 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 30, 2019

About the author

Matthew Willis is a writer of historical and speculative fiction, and non-fiction. He is the author of the 'Fortress of Malta' series of novellas from Sharpe Books (2019-21) and co-author of the 'Oath and Crown' novels of the Norman Conquest (2017). In 2015 his story Energy was shortlisted for the Bridport short story award.

'Mustang: The Untold Story', a major history of the early variants of the immortal P-51 Mustang fighter, was published in 2021 by Key Books.

Matthew studied Literature and History of Science at the University of Kent, where he wrote an MA thesis on Joseph Conrad and sailed for the University in national competitions. He subsequently worked as a journalist for Autosport and F1 Racing magazines, before switching to a career with the National Health Service.

His first non-fiction book, a history of the Blackburn Skua WW2 naval dive bomber, was published in 2007. He now has nine non fiction books published including the first biography of test pilot Duncan Menzies. He currently lives in Southampton and writes both fiction and non-fiction for a living.

Reviews

[J.A. Ironside · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a soft spot for old aircraft so odds were that this was going to be in my wheelhouse. That said, this is a gripping and character driven story that meditates on the cost of forcing yourself to go into battle against your nature, as well as providing edge-of-your-seat moments of aerial duelling. The MC, Edmund, is struggling with what he feels is an undeserved reputation - almost an ace (in other words, almost five kills.) He is an unlikely hero both as a pilot and as that elite and lauded group that become aerial celebrities. As well as dealing with the petty jealousies of his fellow pilots, he's being buried alive under the propaganda built around this 'false' reputation to the point where he no longer knows who he is. Bear in mind that the average life expectancy for a fighter pilot during the Battle of Britain was just four weeks and that life expectancy didn't increase significantly anywhere else, and you can imagine the huge internal conflict Willis has created here; survivors guilt mixed with identity dissociation in a high stress atmosphere where the individual in question is almost completely isolated. Enter Vickery, a war correspondent and my favourite character, who manages to start unravelling the tangled web of Edmund's personality.

While this book is predominantly about Edmund's search for personal significance there are plenty of intense action scenes, terminology presented almost like poetry while still making it accessible for the layperson and rich historical detail. I read this in one sitting and can't wait for the next one. Highly recommend.

[09/01 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written tale

A well written tale of convoy's to Malta,and the attempt to keep Malta as a bastion against the axis powers. Onwards to the next instalment.

[Mark Moxley-Knapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ordered on a whim, to support a fellow aviation nerd. And was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

The brooding warrior is a cliche, but this novel gets past that and provides a stunning, intriguing story of a pilot headed to Malta in WW2. The characters are interesting and realistic. The action and details are well-researched and help make an exciting story.

A short read, and I'm disappointed that it's over. I'll have to check out some of his other stuff.

[Mr K C Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story that really drew you in, excellent read.

[Debby Taylor-Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written book that transports the reader into the mind and cockpit of a WWII fighter pilot.
Thrust into the high-adrenalin task of protecting both their country’s borders and assets from a remorseless enemy, the stark reality for young pilots (often in their late teens/early twenties) was often not the Gung-ho bravado depicted by Hollywood. Having seen too many of their comrades succumb to enemy fire, most considered themselves undeserving of the accolades foisted upon them. Within Edmund Clydesdale, the book’s main character, the author perfectly captures the ongoing battles between hope, fear and despair experienced by a generation of pilot-heroes.

[Andy Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

The next best person to write about naval fiction, after someone who was actually there (like Alexander Fullerton), is an author whose profession is as a naval historian! This is a novella, so quite short in the great scheme of things, but it packs a lot in and, of course, leaves you wanting more. Clydesdale interacts with real people and while there is a good dose of action, it, unlike other books of this ilk, is not gung-ho. A lot of this comes from the author's efforts to make Clydesdale relatable. Yes, he's a naval fighter pilot in a pivotal moment of history, but he's never completely sure of himself and is very much resigned to the fact that the next day, or the next flight of the day, could be his last. If you feel the need to escape into the Mediterranean for a bit, this is for you. The second book, 'Bastion', is also available, and just as good, and I am one of many waiting for the third volume which promises an Operation Pedestal theme.

[Meagan Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very detailed and well researched piece of historical fiction. But, it is much more. It's been a few days since I finished, but I can't stop thinking about the main character's inner struggle, and how I (as a 30 something mom/teacher) can relate. Exceptional. Will be looking for more of Mr. Willis' work.

[Ali Masterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Not my usual type of book but really enjoyed the characterisation and the action. Technical in places but still very readable, and a storyline that doesn't go quite how you expect.

[P Driffield · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brave Island people

Written from a most unusual view and giving a great insight into the mixed feelings of a pilot attempting to allay his fears.

[James Sundquist · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good little novella full of action and insight, by an author who clearly has a feel for his subject matter. Look forward to reading the next one too.

[John Naylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fictional story based on real historical events.

I found this to be a mismatch at times. The author have a lot of details on certain things and very few on others. I stopped reading to look up certain things a few times. I am sure those with more previous knowledge of World War II might have enjoyed parts if this more than I did.

The story also felt disjointed and the flashbacks didn't help with this. As there are more books in the series they might fill in some of those gaps but this did feel like it skipped what could be important moments or sped through them.

I would suggest that the book is worth reading but it also might lose a few casual readers in places. Those who already have an interest in the period and the technology of the period will probably enjoy it more.

[Joe Borg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had bought this book thinking it was real history not work of fiction.The story deals with an 'ace' but going back to previous eposides in his history I found disjointed . It looked as if there is no begining and end.
Facts intermingled with fiction but no a clear picture emerges .

[John Flick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harpoon

A very interesting novel about an English flyer. He was ar first a flyer unsure of his success. In the end, he found out that he indeed was an ace and was at peace with himself.