Author P.T. Deutermann is back with his sixth book in his WWII Navy series. And what an awesome book this is. Using his vast experience from being in the Navy this story grabs you right from the beginning and never lets up. I could not put this book down. It’s a real page-turner that you want to see where it goes.
Bobby ‘Fish’ Steele is a Lieutenant in the US Navy during WWII as a jet fighter. He is awaiting his assignment when Pearl Harbor is bombed. He soon ships out as one of a handful of ‘nuggets’ who have to learn the ropes of battle and being on a warship. He learns quickly and soon the US is taking revenge against the Japanese. After back and forth trips to Pearl Harbor to refuel and restock it’s time for the battle of Midway. Bobby is excited about this and they soon bomb them. But not all is great. Bobby’s plane on a couple of occasions gets shot down and luckily he and his gunner Rooster (how is an awesome character) survive and eventually are rescued (not everyone survives during these trips).
But Bobby and Rooster’s luck is about to run out. While on a ship it is bombed by the Japanese and they are below deck. The are knocked out and when they wake up barely have time to get off the ship, get rafts and get away before the Japanese spot them. They manage to reach on island near the Philippines and have to hide out. They are met with a Priest that speaks English and learn that he is helping to lead a resistance against the Japanese who are also on the island and in the waters near by.
Having to use their skills as Navy men they soon form a plan to take them out. They also learn there is a POW camp near by and form a daring rescue of the men being held. With help from the islands and a tribe they take the fight to the Japanese, leading up to a climatic, exciting finale.
The story is fictional but based on some real life battles that did happen. Author Deutermann has the knowledge and research to write a story that for all we know could have happened. The reader feels like they are right there in the war with the way the book is written with all the technical aspects of the planes and the bombings.
You can pick up The Nugget in stores on Tuesday, October 8th from St. Martin’s Press.
