Two Titles Completed from my To Be Read Stack: Iron Coffins and The Fix

The two titles that I read during my Christmas Break are Iron Coffins: A Personal Account of the German U-Boat Battles of World War II and Burn Notice: The Fix.

The rest of my literary time was spent working on lessons for One Second After, some reading/editing for MindFlights, critting for Elysian Fields and, of course, writing Blood Sword, sequel to Flank Hawk.

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Iron Coffins was a gift from my brother. I've read a number of WW II naval accounts, one about submarines but from a U.S. Commander's POV years ago. This one was from Commander Herbert A. Werner (the author's) perspective. He does an excellent job portraying the dangers, struggles, successes, and ultimate doom of the German U-Boat fleet through his firsthand account.

Those who've studied the history of WW II will recognized the advances of allied forces as well as the breaking of the German codes, and how that worked to decimate the German Wolfpacks.

A very interesting and enlightening read in many levels. Reading it, I even found myself hoping for Werner's success in sinking Allied shipping--an odd occurrence, to be sure. But that can be considered a measure indicating how well-written the narrative of his experiences on the U-Boats was.

Anyone who enjoys tales or the history of World War II, or ever saw and enjoyed the film, Das Boot (The Boat), would enjoy this read.

The other novel I read was The Fix, originally a gift from me to my wife. The Fix is more than a novelized version of an episode (because it isn't) and stands well on its own. However, fans of the Burn Notice series, especially those who like Sam Axe, will gain more insight into his sources and a bit more on the sometimes animosity between he and Fiona. There is more sexual tension between Michael and Fiona than is often portrayed in the series, and the action occurs along the lines of events of the first season or so.

It's well worth picking up and reading, even if you've never seen an episode of Burn Notice but like well-written action and mystery.