The Scottish writer, Alistair Maclean, wrote this novel based on the second world war. Although the entire plot is fictitious and the island doesn't even exist, the story takes place within the real historical context of the Dodecanese Campaign - the Allies' campaign to capture the German-held Greek islands in the Aegean Sea in 1943. The story is based on the Battle of Leros, and Leros island's coastal artillery guns - among the largest naval artillery guns used during the World War 2 - that were built and used by the Italians until Italy capitulated in 1943 and subsequently used by the Germans until their defeat.
An entire navy had tried to silence the guns of Navarone and failed. Full-scale attacks had been driven back. Now they were sending in just five men, each one a specialist in dealing death.
Captain Keith Mallory is legendary. The New Zealander is a renowned rock climber and knows how to survive behind enemy lines. His faithful friend (and his good luck charm) Andreas is a Greek resistance fighter has no qualms killing Germans. The young Stevens is proficient in German and Greek is also a great climber, but is afraid of his fear. American Corporal Miller is a demolitions specialist and Brown is known for his saboteur skills. They have 3 days to scale the sheer 400 foot cliffs on the southern side of Navarone, destroy the guns, and get out before the British fleet sails into the Aegean channel to fortify the trapped soldiers. After the climb that almost killed them, the team believes the hardest part of the mission is behind them. But the Navarone fortress proves to be as great of a challenge as the cliffs. They have to choice but to destroy those guns. Many men’s lives are dependent upon their success. And they will die trying to accomplish the mission.
Maclean is the master of narrating thrillers, and I admit it, I love his style of writing!
An entire navy had tried to silence the guns of Navarone and failed. Full-scale attacks had been driven back. Now they were sending in just five men, each one a specialist in dealing death.
Captain Keith Mallory is legendary. The New Zealander is a renowned rock climber and knows how to survive behind enemy lines. His faithful friend (and his good luck charm) Andreas is a Greek resistance fighter has no qualms killing Germans. The young Stevens is proficient in German and Greek is also a great climber, but is afraid of his fear. American Corporal Miller is a demolitions specialist and Brown is known for his saboteur skills. They have 3 days to scale the sheer 400 foot cliffs on the southern side of Navarone, destroy the guns, and get out before the British fleet sails into the Aegean channel to fortify the trapped soldiers. After the climb that almost killed them, the team believes the hardest part of the mission is behind them. But the Navarone fortress proves to be as great of a challenge as the cliffs. They have to choice but to destroy those guns. Many men’s lives are dependent upon their success. And they will die trying to accomplish the mission.
Maclean is the master of narrating thrillers, and I admit it, I love his style of writing!
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