The Gatecrashers

Nicholas Everard Saga #9

by Alexander Fullerton

Nick Everard and his son Paul return in this final chapter of the Everard saga. Paul commands a state-of-the-art midget submarine, sent to sneak up on the formidable German battleship Tirpitz and lay explosive charges. It's one step away from a suicide mission, but Paul must try—for if he fails, his father Nick's escort of an Arctic convoy hardly stands a chance.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

348 pages, Paperback

First published February 7, 2002

About the author

Alexander Fullerton (1924–2008) was a British author of naval and other fiction. Born in 1924 in Suffolk and brought up in France, he was a cadet during the years 1938-1941 at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth from the age of thirteen. He went to sea serving first in the battleship Queen Elizabeth in the Mediterranean, and spent the rest of the war at sea - mostly under it, in submarines.

Fullerton's first novel SURFACE! sold over 500,000 copies. Then he worked on the 9-volume Nicholas Everard series that made his reputation.

Series:
* Nicholas Everard Saga
* Rosie Ewing

Source: Wikipedia

Reviews

[Colin Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The final instalment in the Evarard saga. Jack has been shot while trying to escape from a POW camp, Book 8, Sir Nicholas finds himself as the Captain of a Cruiser on convoy duty in the Arctic while his son Paul is training for a mini submarine attack in a Norwegian. The usual mix of action and bravado. Unfortunately the writing ended up being somewhat pedantic and laboured instead of portraying the excitement and fear of the desperate actions being depicted. The novel did end up with a brief summary of the Everard fortunes after the war where some stories have a habit of leaving the reader up in the air.

I ended up pleased that this was the last book in the series.

[Stephen Kimber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Page turners with merit

This review is for all 9 books in the series, which stretches across 2 world wars and focuses on three key members of the Everard family. The chatacters are well enough drawn and one cannot be surprised at their aristocratic background - it would seem too miraculous to put working class characters in positions of responsibility and ultimately leadership. So the Baronet Nick Everard very soon becomes a destroyer captain, then a cruiser captain and ulimately the commodore of military escorts to Atlantic convoys in WW2. His son to a Russian post revolution countess, Paul, becomes a submariner of note in the second war and his other son, allegedly a half brother but in reality his and his father's wife's love child, Jack, becomes an opponent in Nick's rather complicated family structure. Fullerton knows how to create tension and this last book excels in that area.

[william k german · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everard Books

I completed the series, in sequence, and enjoyed them overall with a 4 star rating. They provide a window to the history of the sailors and officers of the Royal Navy during two world sea wars. God bless them for their boundless courage and sacrafice. The overall effort to detail and the technology of the era deserves 5 stars. Books 8 and 9 may be a story taken too far, but I loved reading them all. US Navy vet with mates in HMS Nottingham

[David Hamel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everards to the last with all their individual trials and triumphs!

I thoroughly enjoyed this entire series...Alexander Fullerton with his own wartime experience fills this final novel in the series with pulse pounding excitement from start to finish.The somewhat unusual way he ties up all loose ends in the end is quite well done...you will not be disappointed!

[Charles Nordstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book wraps up a must read series for historical fiction fans. At about the 2/3 mark the author does vary his story telling methodology somewhat which, for me, mildly disrupted the reading rhythm I liked about his books. However, in the end, this minor change made excellent sense and made the ending of the book even better. I recommend this book and this whole series.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last book of the Nick Everard series and I've read them all over the last few months. Stumbled onto this accidentally and so happy I did. Great naval action spanning 2 world wars. Recommend this for all historical fiction buffs who like fast paced action. 4 stars for the series.

[Gerald E Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really exciting read

This book has the ability to hold the reader enthralled page after page. It appears that the writer has experience of this kind of warfare since the action is easy to follow and even predict. Excellent!
Ll

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Astonishing Account

An illuminated read, full of detail. Particularly enjoyed the pragmatic attitude of the characters on their own vulnerability and the portrayal of sheer guts by very brave individuals.

[7$MartyQ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just an incredible read

I never k.'re the stories of X crafts. These crewmen who were willing to try anything to defeat the Nazis, and with grim determination did just that.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the trip into life for a submariner in WWII, especially on this critical mission. War often brings out the very best as well as the very worst in humanity. We survive under adversity.

[Bronsont · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice closing of the series.

[Mick Bird · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting final

I was expecting to see that Nick may not make it, but as history tells us many sailors lost their lives attempting to get supplies to Russia.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read.

[ricky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good

I did enjoy this book and it all ended as perhaps expected but it was a shame that he got such an inglorious end.

[Donna Herrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

What makes the Everards so inspiring is the depth of their determination to carry out their mission

[clinton Littlefield]

Almost toooooooo much action. Made me tired. Great read. Very interesting series. May have to reread several older books in the series.