The Guns of Navarone

The guns of Navarone hovered menacingly over the narrow strait between the islands of Navarone and Kheros, ready to obliterate and Allied ship that dared to cross those waters. And on the island of Kheros twelve-hundred British soldiers waited. They waited for death to come in the form of a German attack due in a few days. It is up to a select team of commandos to break into the fort of Navarone and silence the German guns forever, and ensure the British forces’ safety. The Guns of Navarone by the master of action and suspense is an exciting read.

The Guns of Navarone – Book Review:

Guns of Navarone is a 1957 novel by Alistair MacLean about a team of Allied commandos. Led by New Zealand mountaineer and former Olympic Athlete Keith Mallory, they embark on a dangerous mission. They must destroy two massive guns on the Greek island of Navarone, held by the Germans. The guns are blocking the Allied advance through the Aegean Sea and have already claimed the lives of hundreds of allied troops. But there is more.

On the nearby island of Kheros, the only one in the area occupied by the allies, are twelve-hundred British soldiers. The Germans are due to attack and massacre them in a few days. The Royal Navy decides to send a fleet to rescue them. But to do that, the fleet must pass through a channel of water guarded by the guns of Navarone. Sending the fleet in for the rescue is murder, and the twelve-hundred men must die, unless Mallory’s team can sabotage and silence the guns in time.

The team, apart from Mallory, consists of four other members. Number 1 is Corporal Dusty Miller, an American demolitions expert and a wisecracking American. No. 2 is Lieutenant Andy Stevens, a young and idealist British Royal Marine. Number 3 is Andrea Stavros, a Greek resistance fighter and a charismatic patriot. And Number 4 is Casey Brown, an expert engineer and radio operator.

They must first travel to Navarone, which is heavily guarded by the enemy. The only way they can enter undetected is by climbing the southern cliff of Navarone. That patch has almost no security, because it is impossible to climb it. If and when they scale it, they must find a way to enter the town and later the fort of Navarone, undetected, and reach the guns. And after they have destroyed the guns, they must then escape from the island before the enemy can capture them. The team faces several challenges on their mission, including betrayal by a team member, and they must use all their skills and resources to overcome them.

The Guns of Navarone is one of Alistair MacLean’s most famous novels, and for a good reason. It is fast-paced, and full of suspense. It does not contain and James Bond-ish fight scenes that require an unnatural amount of coincidence. And neither does it contain any unwanted heroines whom the hero falls in love with at the end.

It has the crisp professionalism of a Sherlock Holmes story, the action of a James Bond novel, and Alistair MacLean’s writing style. The book is historically accurate, and it provides a realistic portrayal of the challenges faced by Allied soldiers during World War II.

If you are a fan of adventure novels, then you will certainly enjoy The Guns of Navarone. Although personally I prefer a couple of MacLean’s other novels over this, I must admit that The Guns of Navarone is up there with the best. It is a classic tale of courage, determination, and sacrifice, and it is sure to leave you breathless. Overall, The Guns of Navarone is a classic adventure novel that is sure to entertain readers of all ages.

About the Author:

Alistair MacLean was born in 1922. He grew up in the Scottish Highlands. His father was a Scot minister. In 1941, when he was eighteen years old, he joined the Royal Navy. For two and a half years, he served aboard a cruiser; it later gave him the background and idea to write his first novel, an outstanding documentary of war at sea – the bestseller HMS Ulysses. After World War II, he applied for and received an English Honours degree at Glasgow University, after which he became a school master. In 1983, he received a D.Litt. from the same university.

His writing skills landed him the title of one of the top-ten bestselling authors in the world, and the top selling Briton, by 1970. Currently he is recognized as one of the outstanding writers of the 20^th Century. His most popular novels The Guns of Navarone, Where Eagles Dare, Fear is the Key, and Ice Station Zebra have been turned into films. Apart from these, he wrote twenty-five bestsellers which have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. Alistair MacLean died in 1987 at his home in Switzerland.

Outro:

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