Four classic, highly-acclaimed war novels by four military veterans, back in print for the first time in over sixty years and collected in one ebook edition for the first time ever.
Beyond Defeat by Hans Werner Richter
“More powerful by far than All Quiet on the Western Front and much more frightening.” Minneapolis Star-Tribune
The daring, brutal and moving tale of a young, enlisted German soldier who hates Hitler and yet must fight for his country. He is eventually captured by the Americans in the bloody battle at Cassino and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp in the Missouri. Within the barbed wire, the camp is run by fervent Nazis who rule by terror and horrific violence while the disinterested Americans do nothing…
The novel was inspired by author Hans Werner Richter’s (1908 – 1993) own experiences as a German POW. He went on the write several critically-acclaimed novels and non-fiction books.
“Not since All Quiet on the Western Front has there been such a moving story of what it was like to be a German soldier.” Rapid City Journal
The Freebooters by Robert Wernick
A long-lost, World War II literary classic in the dark, satirical tradition of Catch-22 and M*A*S*H. When The Freebooters was released in 1949, the San Francisco Chronicle declared it “the best American war novel to arise so far.”
Three GIs are “Task Force Sisyphus,” a special WWII intelligence unit assigned to eradicate and report on any remnants of fascism still lingering in the battle-scarred aftermath of Allied military victories. But their behind-the-lines reports are largely ignored by the pompous brass, so the off-beat trio use their mission as an excuse to find romance, profit and amusement as they follow the onward march of war from North Africa to France…and to an unexpectedly harrowing conclusion.
“An extremely well-written, brilliant, book….set against the background of army conniving and corruption.” The Saturday Review
The Glory Jumpers by Delano Stagg
Saving Private Ryan meets The Dirty Dozen in this long-lost, epic war novel.
Eleven American prisoners from an Army Stockade are freed for a dangerous mission: parachute behind enemy lines in advance of the Normandy invasion and secure a vital bridge in a remote village until the troops arrive. The men include the sadistic Sergent Mungo, the cruel Sergeant Nolan, the idealistic Dana, the beatnik romantic Cadillac, and the brutal hillbillies Reb and Swampy. Outnumbered and outgunned, they must battle their own hatreds and personal demons while facing relentless enemy attacks to prevent the German column from reaching the beach before the invasion.
“Realistically depicts combat rather than the blood-and-guts battle-porn that lesser writers indulged in.” The Neglected Book Page
“Delano Stagg” was the pseudonym for Mel R. Sabre and Paul Eiden, both of whom saw combat as paratroop non-coms during WWII. Their joint decorations included the Purple Heart, two Silver Stars, and a Bronze Star.
Pieces of the Game by Lee Gifford
“This novel kicks total ass. Pieces of the Game is like a deep-water, Clive Cussler treasure hunt crossed with The Great Escape, with enough intrigue and action to rival both.” Paperback Warrior
Shortly before the U.S. and Filipino forces surrendered to the Japanese on May 6, 1942, they dumped all of Manilla’s silver pesos, valued at $8 million, into the deep water south of Caballo Bay. The Japanese want the fortune, so they force seven American POWs to dive into the cold depths to help recover it…or face torture and death. One man survives to tell the tale but that harrowing adventure is only the prelude to the rest of his story, set long after the war is over, when he returns to Manilla to face an old, ruthless enemy.
Delano Stagg, Hans Werner Richter, Lee Gifford, Robert Wernick /
Anthologies, Historical, Military Fiction
