About:
The Ariadne Objective: The Underground War to Rescue Crete from the Nazis by Wes Davis is a non-fiction book about English spies fighting to save the island of Crete and block Germany’s march to the East.
My rating for The Ariadne Objective – 5
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Thoughts:
The Ariadne Objective by Wes Davis takes place during the time when German military might seemed unstoppable. Hitler and his generals decided the Crete, the most populous and largest of the Greek Islands, would be the perfect foothold to start Germany’s invasion of the Middle East.
Enter the English Special Operations Executive, (SOE) a covert military organization of including many unconventional intelligence officers conducting audacious and aggressive operations worthy of Hollywood finest. When we think of special operations we think of highly specialized, well trained, muscled, professional soldiers. The guys from the SEO are writers, scholars academics and even archaeologists who became amateur soldiers due to circumstances.
This story is from their perspectives.
The cast of characters could not be invented by the most prolific author: John Pendlebury- an archeologist with a glass eye and a swordstick; future Times of London reporter Sandy Rendel ; Patrick Leigh Fermor – a classist and a writer who will find his future fame for his prolific and popular travel books; and last but not least Xan Fielding – future translator of French books including Bridge over the River Kwai and Planet of the Apes .
Dropped into occupied Crete, these spies plan a daring operation to kidnap the island’s German commander and bring him, through torturous terrain crawling with German soldiers, to Egypt and then to England.
The Ariadne Objective reads like a first rate World War II spy novel which could only be the product of the author’s fevered imagination. The fact the this book is non-fiction, with all the colorful characters, humor and fantastic adventures makes it all the better.
Buy this book in paper or electronic format*
More Recommended World War II books on Man of la BookStore
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Disclaimer: I got this book for free
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This sounds like an excellent book along the lines of Operation Mincemeat. I need to read it.