The Steel Wave - A Novel of World War II

Zusatztext “The indelible panorama [Jeff] Shaara paints . . . draws us into the horror and heroism of war.”— Pittsburgh Post-Gazette “Magnificent . . . Intense! compelling! and thoroughly researched! this is much more than just an excellent historical novel.”— Library Journal “Pounding with fierce action and human drama! and packed with accurately rendered history! The Steel Wave is an eye-opening reminder of the bitterly high price that combat soldiers have always been called upon to pay.”— St. Petersburg Times “In this great! often moving novel of conflict! [Jeff] Shaara channels the roiling experiences of men in the midst of a tumultuous enterprise whose outcome was by no means certain.”— St. Louis Post-Dispatch “Stirring . . . Shaara [is the] master of the war novel.”— Chicago Tribune Informationen zum Autor Jeff Shaara Klappentext General Dwight Eisenhower commands a diverse army that must destroy Hitler's European fortress. On the coast of France, German commander Erwin Rommel prepares for the coming invasion, as the Führer thwarts the strategies Rommel knows will succeed. Meanwhile, Sergeant Jesse Adams, a veteran of the 82nd Airborne, parachutes with his men behind German lines. And as the invasion force surges toward the beaches of Normandy, Private Tom Thorne of the 29th Infantry Division faces the horrifying prospect of fighting his way ashore on Omaha Beach, a stretch of coast more heavily defended than the Allied commanders anticipate. From G.I. to general, The Steel Wave carries us through the war's most crucial juncture, the invasion that altered the flow of the war and, ultimately, changed history.1. THE COMMANDO At Sea, Bay of the Seine January 25, 1944 The air underwater was foul and wet, five men pulling against the thinning oxygen. He sat erect, his back painfully pressed against a coil of wire, part of the electrical system of the craft. She was an X-5 class midget submarine, designed to deliver a magnetic mine or similar explosive device, something to be attached to the bottom of an enemy ship. They were stealthy, of course, no blip on anyone’s radar screen, so the British navy had used them on raids all along the coastline, from Norway to the Mediterranean, usually with enormous risk to both the subs and their small crews. But tonight the sub was not armed, and where explosives had once been stored she now carried three passengers and their equipment. He tried to stretch his back—no room—and twisted his shoulders instead, working out the kinks. The air was growing worse, thin and acrid, bitter smells of oil and wet cloth. There were no dry places in the small sub, every surface had a slick coating of oily grease or water, mostly condensation. The engine made a low hum, deadened by the steel of the bulkhead, the sub lurching slowly from side to side, held now by long low waves that rolled silently toward the beaches. “Suit up, lads.” The voice was low, a croak from the lieutenant. He knew the order was coming, yanked hard at his small duffel bag, and retrieved it from the tight gap beneath his feet. Inside were all the tools he would need for the mission. The first priority was unrolling the tight spool of the rubber suit, a single piece, zipped open down the front. There was little room to stand, and he fought to slide the thin rubber over his legs, working his feet downward, pushing. He slid the suit beneath his bottom, pushed his arms into the narrow sleeves, freed his fingers, gave one loud grunt, and pulled the suit up over his shoulders. The others were grunting as he was, straining in the tight space, backs and arms bent low, each man forcing himself into his taut suit. He tried to relax, leaning back against the bulkhead, and took a breath, sour air filling his mouth, took another, felt his chest heave in a futile gasp. He was sweating, worse inside...

Product details

• Authors: Jeff Shaara
• Publisher: Ballantine
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 19.05.2009
• EAN: 9780345461407
• ISBN: 978-0-345-46140-7
• No. of pages: 544
• Dimensions: 132 mm x 203 mm x 29 mm
• Series: World War II; World War II
• Subject: Fiction > Narrative literature