Amongst My Enemies

Aug 31, 2012 Olga rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

I've never read any spy novels before now so when Mr. Brown contacted me asking to review Amongst My Enemies I was happy to explore this new-to-me genre, especially since his writing credits were encouraging. I'm glad to say the book did not disappoint.
Amongst My Enemies is a tightly-woven thriller with practically non-stop action and characters who are easy to care about or dislike. As I read and saw how different threads of the story were coming together I began to enjoy the book even more an...more I've never read any spy novels before now so when Mr. Brown contacted me asking to review Amongst My Enemies I was happy to explore this new-to-me genre, especially since his writing credits were encouraging. I'm glad to say the book did not disappoint.
Amongst My Enemies is a tightly-woven thriller with practically non-stop action and characters who are easy to care about or dislike. As I read and saw how different threads of the story were coming together I began to enjoy the book even more and soon I didn't want to put it down - I wanted to see if the bad guys were going to get what they deserved and of course if Randall would have the guts to get the girl. There was a point when I though I knew what was going to happen (the short paragraph before chapter 1 spoiled that secret) and although I was right about the outcome the "how" took me by surprise. I did not expect the story to take the turn it did and that is always a good sign. That was just one of the many twists and turns and although I grew to anticipate them they did not become less satisfying.
There was a lot of action in this book and I'm pleased to say that those scenes were done well and were balanced with more low-key scenes that allowed for character development. It was fun to watch the spunky Leslie boss Michael around, or try to anyway, and seeing the antagonists during relative down time made them more human, if not less evil.
As engaging as the book is the copy I received is in dire need of a thorough proof-reading - the awkward punctuation, missing spaces between words and descriptions that repeated word for word time after time didn't do the novel any favors. Had a careful copy-editor gone through the manuscript and eliminated all the distractions I would have given the book a higher rating. And one more thing that has nothing to do with proof-reading but it ruffles my feathers because everyone, including NPR, does it: why is it always "the Ukraine"? It's one country, not a collection of states or territories, so just like Uganda, Uruguay and Uzbekistan it doesn't get a "the". It's just "Ukraine"! I'm from there, I know.
If you enjoy spy novels with compelling characters and a fast-moving plot I'm sure you'll like this book, especially if it gets a little TLC in the copy-editing department.

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Sep 11, 2012 Albert rated it 5 of 5 stars

Point of View: This author does well to bring out Randall's viewpoint. Through the eyes and thoughts of Randall you will lose yourself in his world.

Voice: Things are not as they seem. At least this is what I drew from the story another reader may decide on another. I think this author has suspicions of everything and everyone.

Character Development: We meet many memorable characters both good and not-so-good and yes evil. The author does a superb job of bringing these characters to life in a book...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Martha Cheves rated it 5 of 5 stars

Amongst My Enemies – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; A Book and A Dish; Think With Your Taste Buds

Four months ago, their B-17 took off into a clear, Italian sky for the long leg north to Berlin. They hit their marks and dropped their bombs, but before they could make the big turn west, the German flank guns found them. A B-17 is a tough bird and Lieutenant Jensen, their pilot, fought hard to keep it in the air as they lumbered north and east, out of control. The smoke...more Amongst My Enemies – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; A Book and A Dish; Think With Your Taste Buds

Four months ago, their B-17 took off into a clear, Italian sky for the long leg north to Berlin. They hit their marks and dropped their bombs, but before they could make the big turn west, the German flank guns found them. A B-17 is a tough bird and Lieutenant Jensen, their pilot, fought hard to keep it in the air as they lumbered north and east, out of control. The smoke and flames got worse and worse inside, until the plan went into a steep dive. Mike and Eddie clawed their way to a side door and bailed out, but they were the only ones who made it. They came down in a muddy wheat field somewhere in East Prussia. Long columns of refugees choked the roads heading west, desperate to stay ahead of the Russians. Discarded furniture, mattresses, pianos, steamer trunks, and suitcases lay strewn along the roadside. He and Eddie found some civilian clothes and it was easy for them to blend in – not that it mattered. Two days later, they were stopped by a German Military Police roadblock, and the joke was on them. The Germans weren’t looking for American airmen. They were looking for strong backs to dig tank traps and clear rubble. Instead of a POW camp or being thrown against the closest wall and shot as spies, they were dragooned into a forced labor battalion headed north to Konigsberg.

It’s 1945 and the world is at war. Michael Randall and Eddie Hodge were Americans who found themselves in a world of trouble as they and their fellow prisoners were huddled together in an old truck bed trying to keep from freezing. Michael knew it was just a matter of time before their German watchdog Stolz would demand they leave the truck to start the day’s work. As Michael looked at Eddie he knew it would just be a matter of time before his life would be ended one way or another. He would either die due to the gangrene that had started eating away at his feet and legs or be shot by Stolz for not carrying his load of the work. Eddie’s solution was for Michael to find a way to put him out of his misery, which with a heavy heart, he did. Now he had to live with his guilt and his promise to not let those responsible get away with what they had done. This promise became the heart of Michael’s existence. He would make them pay and pay dearly.

Amongst My Enemies takes you on a tour of the world as Michael is put into a position that provides for his rescue from his capturers just before their vessel is attacked in Swedish waters. Before dying Eddie had also made Michael promise to visit his father and sister in South Carolina to explain to them what really happened and why. But his real promise came into place when a Charleston newspaper stated that Admiral Eric Bruckner was coming to New York. That simply wasn’t possible. Admiral Bruckner was the one who put Michael in a life boat before taking his U-boat back out into deep waters. He was also on board the U-boat when it was attacked and sunk. Proving this became Michael’s beginning of self-recovery and keeping his promise to Eddie. He just didn’t know what trouble he was about to step into.

Michael’s travels take him back to the coast of Sweden as he and a small group search for the sunken U-boat expose the imposter. This will bring the Russians in as they try to destroy the find preventing the world from knowing about their infiltration into other countries defense systems. It will bring in the Germans who had stripped the U-boat and loaded it with gold, jewels and art work that had been collected throughout the war. Will Michael be strong and smart enough to succeed? Will the Germans recover the loot inside the boat? Or will the Russians blow it all to keep their ruse running?

I’m not a fan of war stories and seriously thought about having my friend who sometimes helps me read this book and do the review. Glad I didn’t. The more I read, the more I wanted to read. It held my attention to the very end. Great book!

Review Stir, Laugh, Repeat at Amazon.com
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Apr 15, 2012 Jim rated it 5 of 5 stars

Overall: 4 1/2 stars

Plot/Storyline: 4 1/2 stars

In the closing weeks of World War II, German U-boat U-582 slipped into the Baltic Sea on a top-secret mission for the second-most powerful man in Nazi Germany. The boat was never heard from again. When the U-boat's captain turned up a few years later as an up-and-coming NATO official, American Michael Randall smelled a rat, since he had witnessed the U-boat go down with all hands. Soon, Randall was involved in an operation that would attract attenti...more

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Mar 28, 2012 Ally rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: wv-reviews

(Review by Jon C. Oliver for Word Vagabond)

In the closing days of WWII in Europe, Mike Randall and Eddie Hodge, door gunners on a B-17, are shot down over Berlin. Because they dress themselves in stolen civilian clothes, they are mistaken for peasants and assigned to a forced labor camp in Konigsberg, East Prussia, instead of a POW camp. Hodge’s feet become frost bitten in the frigid weather and he becomes too ill to work. With the help of Randall and Stolz, the German overseer, Hodge commits su...more (Review by Jon C. Oliver for Word Vagabond)

In the closing days of WWII in Europe, Mike Randall and Eddie Hodge, door gunners on a B-17, are shot down over Berlin. Because they dress themselves in stolen civilian clothes, they are mistaken for peasants and assigned to a forced labor camp in Konigsberg, East Prussia, instead of a POW camp. Hodge’s feet become frost bitten in the frigid weather and he becomes too ill to work. With the help of Randall and Stolz, the German overseer, Hodge commits suicide to avoid the worse fate of being left to die at the side of the road. Randall promises to look up Eddie’s father and sister and tell them what happened.

In the port city of Konigsberg, Randall finds an opportunity to escape by stowing away on a U-boat while loading crates of mysterious cargo as the part of a work detail. The SS kill the other laborers and Mike is safe for now in the former torpedo room of the U-boat. When, Bruckner, the U-boat’s captain, takes a couple of men to the bow torpedo room to inspect their cargo, Mike is discovered. Bruckner comes to like the young American airman and determines to let him go. In the Kattegat Straits between Jutland and Sweden, Bruckner surfaces his U-boat and sets Mike free in a rubber raft. This is an unfortunate maneuver for Bruckner because, before he can get his U-boat underwater, it is sunk by an RAF hunter-killer bomber. Mike looks on with horror as his new friend and his crew are blown up and sunk.

Einer Person, the captain of a Swedish fishing boat, The Brunnhilde, rescues Mike from the cold unforgiving waters off the coast of Sweden and takes him into his home. Mike is nursed back to health and spends the next six years in the small fishing port of Trellestad, working as a crewman on The Brunnhilde. When Mike decides it is time to return to the States to look up Hodge’s father and sister, Einer informs Mike that he has a substantial amount of money that has been saved for him as his wages from crewing The Brunnhilde. After a trip to the American Embassy in Stockholm, Mike departs for the United States.

Mike makes his way to Rock Creek, SC where Eddie’s father, Earl, and sister, Leslie, operate an oyster boat. While duck hunting, Mike finds the opportunity to tell Earl what happened to his son. He finds it more difficult to bring the subject up with Leslie. Mike stays on in Rock Creek because he sees that Earl needs help operating the oyster boat. His guilt over surviving when Eddie doesn’t prevents Mike from acting on his increasing affection for Leslie; even as they work more closely together on the boat when Earl needs to take a break. There is a tense status quo between them.

This is broken when Earl draws Mike’s attention to an article in the Charleston newspaper about West German Admiral Erich Bruckner’s trip to NYC as the new head of NATO’s naval intelligence and war planning section. The article claims that Bruckner spent four years in a brutal Soviet labor camp after his U-boat was sunk in the Baltic. Mike has to go to New York to confirm the identity of this West German admiral. Not surprisingly, when Mike gets the opportunity to get close to the admiral, he knows that it is not the real Erich Bruckner and that he has to convince the authorities that this Bruckner is an imposter. No one in authority will listen to Mike and he knows the only way he can prove his story is to return to Sweden and find the wreckage of U-582, Bruckner’s U-boat. With the help of some people who do believe him: a retired Jewish NYC detective, two Massad divers and Leslie; Mike heads back to Sweden and enlists the help of Einer and The Brunnhilde. Complicating their search is MVD, the Russian secret service, which is running the fake Admiral Bruckner as a mole, and Kruger, an assassin who works for Martin Borman, supposed recipient of the mysterious cargo on U-582. At the close of the war in Europe, Borman had made it to Bolivia and a hideout high in the Andes. Mike and his crew overcome the odds and locate and recover the sunken U-boat and its cargo.

While the Russians take care of the bogus Admiral Bruckner, Mike takes his time going to Bolivia to tie up the loose end, Martin Borman.

The timeline for this story is from the mid-1940s to the early 1950s. In that time you get to know Mike well. His pain with the events after he and his friend, Eddie, are shot down over Germany and Eddie’s subsequent suicide; his recovery as he works for six years with his rescuers in Sweden; and his struggles dealing with his feelings for Eddie’s sister, complicated by his guilt over surviving while Eddie didn’t.

Sometimes you want to give Mike a swift kick and tell him to move on with Leslie; to start living his life. Then the Bogus Bruckner makes his appearance and the story takes on a whole new dimension. The narrative picks up dramatically and is enhanced by several edge-of-the-seat moments climaxing as three forces race for the missing U-boat: the Russians to save the integrity of their mole; the German’s, in the form of Borman’s henchman, Kruger, to salvage their treasure; and, Mike and his crew to expose the dangerous faux Bruckner with his access to all of NATO’s naval secrets. The action sequences are very well done and kept me reading when I should have been doing other things.

The exposition is very good, description is excellent, and the narrative moves at a nice pace, particularly in the second half of the book.

This was the first book by Mr. Brown that I have read; it will not be the last.(less)

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Feb 25, 2012 Donna Brown rated it 4 of 5 stars

Amongst My Enemies wouldn't be my usual choice of reading matter but I already had The Undertaker in my reading pile when William F. Brown contacted me about this one and everything I'd heard about that had been good so I thought 'Take a chance!' - after all, it's nice to try something new every now and again. (Incidentally, since then I have reviewed The Undertaker - you can see my review here).

Amongst My Enemies tells the story of American Mike Randall, who survived World War II but was left w...more Amongst My Enemies wouldn't be my usual choice of reading matter but I already had The Undertaker in my reading pile when William F. Brown contacted me about this one and everything I'd heard about that had been good so I thought 'Take a chance!' - after all, it's nice to try something new every now and again. (Incidentally, since then I have reviewed The Undertaker - you can see my review here).

Amongst My Enemies tells the story of American Mike Randall, who survived World War II but was left with both secrets and nightmares to carry with him. Several years later, he has the opportunity to approach the man who saved his life - Bruckner - but finds that this acclaimed war hero is not the man he is claiming to be. Randall ends up knee deep in violence, death threats and a greed laden conspiracy that extends further than he could have ever imagined.

One thing that struck me is that Amongst My Enemies has a darker feel to it than The Undertaker (which is probably to be expected given the subject matter and the historical setting of the book) and I found myself impressed with Brown's ability to produce two books that were very different in tone but still provided a similar level of action and excitement. There are lots of twists and turns in Amongst My Enemies, meaning you're never really sure what's happening until you're near the end of the book, although you'll probably try and valiantly hazard guesses all the way through.

I don't read many action and adventure or espionage novels so this was certainly something different for me. While Brown's The Undertaker still has the edge in my mind, this is a well written book with plenty to offer and if you're interested in trying a different style of thriller or something with a little bit of a historical edge to it, I'd definitely say you should give this a whirl!

Originally published on Book Bags and Cat Naps. I received a copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review. I did not receive any additional compensation. All opinions are my own.(less)

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Feb 24, 2012 Star (The Bibliophilic Book Blog) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Amongst My Enemies is a well-researched and detailed novel of World War II and its aftermath. Mike Randall was a US pilot who was shot down over Germany. He and his friend, Eddie, were taken as POWs and made work slave labor along with other prisoners. His chance to escape comes when he is loading boxes and boxes of items upon a retrofitted U-boat and stows away. The captain, a very decent man who has been outraged and repulsed by the workings of his country sets him free near the coast of Swede...more

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Jan 26, 2012 Jennifer Zuna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Inside an old German U-Boat rusting on the bottom of the Baltic are millions in gold bars, stolen art, and a secret that could tear NATO apart. The only one who knows the truth is Mike Randall, a battle-scarred American who survived four months in the frozen Hell of northern Germany at the end of the war. When he does speak up, he puts a target on his own forehead, one which the Russians, the West Germans, the U-boat's former owners, the Israeli Mossad, and even his own government quickly take a...more

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Jan 19, 2012 Wendy Hines rated it 5 of 5 stars

Mike Randall's bomber went down in Germany during the war. He and his friend Eddie survive for months as slave labor in the freezing battle scarred land. Eventually, Eddie succumbs to frostbite, and Mike is more determined than ever to survive. He promised Eddie he would visit his family and let them know what really happened, and he aims to keep it.

A high ranking officer of the 3rd Reich purloins an old U-boat to haul millions of dollars’ worth of artifacts and gold for his own personal reasons...more Mike Randall's bomber went down in Germany during the war. He and his friend Eddie survive for months as slave labor in the freezing battle scarred land. Eventually, Eddie succumbs to frostbite, and Mike is more determined than ever to survive. He promised Eddie he would visit his family and let them know what really happened, and he aims to keep it.

A high ranking officer of the 3rd Reich purloins an old U-boat to haul millions of dollars’ worth of artifacts and gold for his own personal reasons. Fortunately for Mike, he escapes his labor truck and stows away on the submarine before it leaves. The captain finds him, a German who doesn't agree with the politics but wants to stay alive, and he gives Mike mercy - food, shelter, warmth. He also puts Mike on a black rubber raft near the shores of Sweden, neutral territory where Mike can eventually find his way home. But while Mike was on the raft, the U-boat, surfaced, is bombed by overhead jets. There are no survivors.

Mike spends time in Sweden then eventually makes his way home to America, to Eddie's house. There, he falls in love with Eddie's sister Leslie, even though he doesn't pursue the relationship. After all he has been through; he can't imagine pulling anyone else into his nightmares. Then, something surprising happens. The captain of the U-boat Mike was on is touring and making a stop in New York. Mike was sure he was dead, so he immediately wants to go see him and to thank him for his chance.
When Mike confronts the man, he acts surprised. Mike is sure that it is an imposter. With the help of Manny, a retired police detective, Mike divulges what he knows. But before they can investigate, there is an attempt on Mike's life. Not sure what is going on, Manny implores Mike that he needs to go back to Sweden and find the U-boat.

Mike can't even remember where the U-boat went down; just a vague idea. With Leslie and Manny with him though, he decides to give it a shot. Will he live long enough to find it? With some wanting gold, some wanting proof that there is a spy inside NATO and some just wanting Mike and his friends dead, there is a lot of ducking and conniving to outsmart them, but will they? How high of a cost are they willing to pay?

Amongst My Enemies is an intelligent, powerful and thought-provoking adventure. A tale rich in history unfolds, leaving the reader begging for more. Brown's characters are compelling, sharp and authentic. From freezing Germany to bustling New York to the fishing wharves of Sweden, Brown takes the reader on an unforgettable journey. Suspense, murder, romance, heart-pumping action scenes and spectacular writing, Amongst My Enemies is one of the best old-fashioned adventures I've had the pleasure to read. Definitely pick this one up!
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Jan 14, 2012 Book Him Danno rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, books-sent-by-author-publisher-for

This is a great story about after WW II and human condition. We are introduced to Mike Randall, the unlikely hero of the story, and we are taken on his journey to right the wrongs created by the war. The author has created a very broken man who you feel for and only want him to find peace. You also meet other amazing characters from the SS Officer Heinz Kruger to the old Viking Einar Person. When the story starts we see Mike and his best friend Eddie working in the bitter cold forced labor camps...more This is a great story about after WW II and human condition. We are introduced to Mike Randall, the unlikely hero of the story, and we are taken on his journey to right the wrongs created by the war. The author has created a very broken man who you feel for and only want him to find peace. You also meet other amazing characters from the SS Officer Heinz Kruger to the old Viking Einar Person. When the story starts we see Mike and his best friend Eddie working in the bitter cold forced labor camps in Konigsber, slowly dying. After Eddie's death, Mike vows revenge for his best friend. We read how Mike escapes and ends up on a U-Boat where the adventure begins. After years of Mike struggling with survivor's guilt, he finally goes back to the United States to Eddie's home and there we meet two very lovable characters. Eddie's good Old Southern Dad and his very outspoken sister Leslie. Mike helps the family out and slowly falls in love with Leslie, but than a turn of events take him away from Leslie and off to NYC. At this point in the book I was worried it would turn into a romance, but thankfully the author stays true to the characters and Mike is still trying to deal with his survival guilt.

When Mike arrives in New York City, the action picks up and the author makes sure you don't want to put the book down. We are again introduced to several characters but this is when the book start to feel really modern with the chase and escape scenes. After doing my own research I learned everything the author wrote was true to the time. I had no idea in WWII silencers were used on pistols. Amazing what you can learn when reading a book of fiction.

The adventures continue to Sweden and the search for the U-Boat. Everyone is after the boat and its treasure it might hold. I personally feel this is where it is easy to get a little bored as the author jumped back and forth between several different characters. Even good books have their slow parts and the jumping back and forth between Mike, his story, and than to the Russians slowed the pace of the book down a little. Again the author brings us one the most evil characters in this book, the SS Officer Heinz Kruger, who even scared me and I wasn't sure who would live and who would die. At some points in the book I wanted to yell at Mike and say "How can you not tell he's evil?!"

The book ends with Mike taking his revenge and the reader can only hope he finally found his peace and can become a new man.

This book was a fast paced thriller and kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. I couldn't put it down so if you are someone who loves intrigue, fast paced adventures this novel is perfect for you. I completely enjoyed this read from beginning to end and I'm grateful I had the chance to read it. I can't wait to read more from this author.

Thanks Heidi for this great review.
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Jan 04, 2012 Viviane Crystal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Mike Randall is an American pilot shot down during World War II over Northern Germany, treated mercilessly as a German POW to do labor in conditions where one wondered whether one would freeze or starve to death first. While there, his buddy is dying and Mike makes a choice that will haunt him for the rest of his days. As if that were not enough, he is taken on a job and stows away on a ship carrying valuables stolen by the Germans from the captured and murdered Jews. A German officer allows Mik...more Mike Randall is an American pilot shot down during World War II over Northern Germany, treated mercilessly as a German POW to do labor in conditions where one wondered whether one would freeze or starve to death first. While there, his buddy is dying and Mike makes a choice that will haunt him for the rest of his days. As if that were not enough, he is taken on a job and stows away on a ship carrying valuables stolen by the Germans from the captured and murdered Jews. A German officer allows Mike to go free but what follows literally minutes after he is placed in a boat to go ashore is a burden that causes Mike to have a physical and mental breakdown! War is indeed hell for Mike Randall!

After being cared for by a kind Swedish family, Mike years later sees a news story that he knows he must follow-up on - the identification of a German officer who is not who he says he is. Not to spoil the story, a journey begins in New York and continues in Germany that involves an American detective, former German military who are hidden but ever-plotting, Russians who are looking to guarantee the spread of Communism, and numerous other sharks who will maim and kill just like all the others to guarantee their own wealth and power.

No, this is not just another war story! William Brown takes the reader to the heights and dregs of the human condition, giving glimpses to the motives and relationships that are ruled by head and heart, sometimes but not always balanced or whole. On the other hand, there are many characters who understand what Mike has endured and why he must bring some type of closure to the past and perhaps redeem the ghosts that haunt him on a daily basis. He surprisingly is drawn into a relationship with a spunky female whom he fears because of his secret that she doesn't know, but even there the author credibly leads them into a compassionate and passionate place.

This is a story that speeds along like a Ken Follett or Eric Ludlum novel of old. For those who love adventure, thrills, and mystery with a tinge of romance, this novel will leave you breathless and wanting more from this skillful writer. Splendidly written!(less)

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Jan 02, 2012 Debra Martin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Michael Randall definitely did not come through the war unscathed. When his bomber was shot down, only he and his best friend Eddie Hodge survive the crash. They don’t get very far before they are captured and sent to a frigid submarine port of Konigsberg as slave laborers. Beaten and starved on a daily basis, Eddie doesn’t last long in this harsh environment. Michael vows his death will not be in vain and embarks on a harrowing journey when he stows away on a German U-boat. What happens on that...more

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May 21, 2012 Blood Rose Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

This Review was originally posted on my book review website
I have not ventured into too many WWII/Cold war based novels and after reading this book I do not know why I do not read them more often. This book had me invested in the first chapter. Brown really knows how to draw the reader in with the description, that you actually feel the cold, heat and fear of the character and the surrounding scenery. Mike and Eddie's story is heartbreaking and like I said above the first chapter really drew me...more This Review was originally posted on my book review website
I have not ventured into too many WWII/Cold war based novels and after reading this book I do not know why I do not read them more often. This book had me invested in the first chapter. Brown really knows how to draw the reader in with the description, that you actually feel the cold, heat and fear of the character and the surrounding scenery. Mike and Eddie's story is heartbreaking and like I said above the first chapter really drew me in and Brown was able to keep me very entertained and interested, it did not quit after a great start.

The character development was really well done, you get a sense of who Michael is and surprisingly Nazi Heinz Kruger as well. I was really happy that Brown took the time to allow the reader to get into Kruger's head, as he is a very interesting character. I actually think that it is Kruger as the villain that really makes this book for me. His cold, calculation and takes vast amount of enjoyment in killing and he is disappointed that the war is ending because it afforded him access to lots of victims and less questions about his methods. Brown does an excellent job of describing Kruger's emotions and face as he is killing shows him as a true psychopath and just makes him such an interesting character. Kruger really made this book for me. Michael was portrayed as an All-American hero who saw and did things that he would like to, but never will forget. Michael feels cursed and that all the people that died around him it was his fault. This is a big burden to carry around with him and it hinder his reintegration into a normal life. I think this is an aspect that many soldier that return from war face, as it becomes a question for them why them and not me (and Michael asks himself this many times). I appreciate that Brown has done research on both the PTSD of soldiers and sociopath/psychopath aspects

This book has everything that you would want from a book based in this era, U-boats, guns, gold, stolen treasure and of course Nazis. All of this combines to make a really good thriller novel. I do wish there were a few more twist and turns within this novel and a little more suspense, but i think all in all the novel has everything one can ask for thriller.

This was a really good thriller novels and has reopened me up to reading books from this era (which my husband with love, as it means I will get more of these types of books and they are his preference). I think if you are looking to get into the thriller genre in this era that this book would be a great place to start as it does not over whelm you with historical facts and relies on description instead. There is no doubt that I would read another book by Brown, as i really enjoyed Amongst My Enemies.

Enjoy!!!!(less)

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Jan 11, 2012 Heidi rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a great story about after WW II and human condition. We are introduced to Mike Randall, the unlikely hero of the story, and we are taken on his journey to right the wrongs created by the war. The author has created a very broken man who you feel for and only want him to find peace. The author creates amazing characters from the SS Officer Heinz Kruger to the old Viking Einar Person. When the story starts we see Mike and his best friend Eddie working in the bitter cold forced labor camps...more This is a great story about after WW II and human condition. We are introduced to Mike Randall, the unlikely hero of the story, and we are taken on his journey to right the wrongs created by the war. The author has created a very broken man who you feel for and only want him to find peace. The author creates amazing characters from the SS Officer Heinz Kruger to the old Viking Einar Person. When the story starts we see Mike and his best friend Eddie working in the bitter cold forced labor camps in Konigsber slowly dying. After the death of Eddie, Mike vows revenge for the death of his best friend. We read how Mike escapes and ends up on a U-Boat with the adventure just beginning. After years of Mikes struggle with survivor's guilt, he finally goes back to the United States to Eddie's home and there we meet two very lovable characters. Eddie's good Old Southern Dad and his very outspoken sister Leslie. Mike helps the family out and slowly falls in love with Leslie but when a turn of event take him away from Leslie and off to NYC. At this point in the book I was worried it would turn into a romance book but thankfully the author stays true the the characters and Mike is still trying to deal with his survival guilt.
When Mike arrives in New York City, the action picks up and the author makes sure you don't want to put the book down. We are again introduced to several characters but this is when the book start to feel really modern with the chase and escapes scenes. After doing my own research I learned everything the author wrote was true to the time. I had no idea in WWII silencers were used on pistols. Amazing what you can learn when reading a book of fiction.
The adventures continue to Sweden and the search for the U-Boat. Everyone is after the boat and its treasure it might hold. I personally feel this is where it is easy to get a little tied on up the authors jumping back and forth between several different characters. Even good books have their slow parts and the jumping back and forth between Mike and his story and than to the Russians slowed the pace of the book down a little. Again the author brings us one the most evil characters in this book, the SS Officer Heinz Kruger, who even scared me and I wasn't sure who would live and who would die. At some points in the book I wanted to yell at Mike and say "How can you not tell he is evil?!"
The book ends with Mike taking his revenge and the reader can only hope he finally found his peace and can become a new man.

This book was a fast paced thriller and kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. I couldn't put it down so if you are someone who loves intrigue, fast paced adventures this novel is perfect for you. This book was something I completely enjoyed from beginning to end and I am grateful I had the chance to read it. I can't wait to read more from this author.(less)

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Jan 07, 2012 Kathy Martin rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a very suspenseful, edge-of-your seat thriller about the closing days of World War II and the political chaos the followed it. Mike Randall was a gunner on a B-17 until the plane was shot down over northern Germany with only he and his friend Eddie as survivors. They were sent to do forced labor in Konigsberg. Eddie develops gangrene and begs Mike to find a way to let him kill himself after invoking a promise that Mike go to Eddie's family after the war to let them know what happened. T...more This was a very suspenseful, edge-of-your seat thriller about the closing days of World War II and the political chaos the followed it. Mike Randall was a gunner on a B-17 until the plane was shot down over northern Germany with only he and his friend Eddie as survivors. They were sent to do forced labor in Konigsberg. Eddie develops gangrene and begs Mike to find a way to let him kill himself after invoking a promise that Mike go to Eddie's family after the war to let them know what happened. The descriptions of their hardships were so realistic that I felt I was their with them.

Shortly after Eddie's death Mike gets conscripted to load crates and boxes into a German U-boat and manages to stow away in the compartment with the crates. It seems the sub has been chosen by Martin Bormann as one of his treasure ships as he scrambles to get wealth out of Germany to South America. When the Captain finds Mike and realizes what is planned for his boat, he formulates a desperate plan. They aren't going to follow orders. They put Mike in a rubber boat and set him toward the shore of Sweden. But shortly thereafter, British bombers discover and sink the submarine. Mike is rescued by Swedish fishermen and spends three years in Sweden getting over the trauma of the war.

He returns to the United States and goes to visit Eddie's family. He is accepted as a family member by Eddie's father and his sister Leslie who has managed to grow up while Mike was recovering. Mike works there and begins a relationship with Leslie but he is determined to get revenge for the actions at the end of the war. When he sees a newspaper article saying that the U-boat captain who set him free survived the accident and is now a major player in the new NATO, Mike has to go to New York to see him.

That really throws a kink into everyone's plans because it isn't his captain. The Russians have set this guy up as an agent. Mike and Leslie quickly get involved with the new Israeli spies, the Russians, and the exiled Germans who want their loot back.

The story is told from a variety of viewpoints including Mike's, Martin Bormann's, his "strong right arm" and psychopath Heinz Kruger, and Verentsov, the Russian in charge of the change of admirals. Most of them converge off the coast of Sweden in the search for the sunken U-boat filled with treasure.

The story was exciting and engaging and really reminded me of some of the books written by Alistair MacLean that I read years ago. There was also a strong Tom Clancy feel in the machinations of the various spies (but without Clancy's techno-jargon) and character who was an ordinary guy who needs to survive in a arena that is foreign to him. Mike was an interesting character - an ordinary man who goes to extra-ordinary ends to get what he feels is justice.

If you are looking for a Cold War thriller, this one was very engaging. (less)

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Jan 20, 2012 Russell Phillips rated it 4 of 5 stars

The book starts with Mike Randall, a door gunner on an American bomber who has been shot down over Germany and forced to work. He and his friend Eddie are the only members of the bomber's crew to have survived, but Eddie doesn't survive the war.

After the war, Mike goes to see Eddie's sister and father, as he'd promised. A chance newspaper story sees him going to New York, where a series of events starts that put him in the middle of a complex plot involving ex Nazis, the Soviet MVD and the Israe...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Nancy Steinle gummel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, military, spy, thriller

Amongst my enemies by Bill Brown is a nice surprise. You can just imagine yourself as one of the participants. The story starts off with two surviving members of a shot down B-29 bomber in a forced laborious detail. Mike Randall eventually escapes by hiding on a German u-boat. He ends up in Sweden and is taken in by a boat captain while he recovers. Mike finds himself back in America with the SS Nazis after him. He returns to Sweden to solve the mystery of the sunken u-boat with the Nazis and th...more

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Feb 04, 2012 Tracey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Amongst My Enemies is the second novel I've read from author William F. Brown, and I was eager to review it based on how much I enjoyed his previous novel The Undertaker, giving it 4 stars.

It was clear from the front cover alone that this novel was going to be different, however I didn't quite expect that it would be so different from The Undertaker that it could almost have been written by a different author.

Sometimes an author will stick to the same genre, time period, subject matter, plot me...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Jim A rated it 4 of 5 stars

Every now and again one of the freebies for Kindle turns out to be a book I really enjoy. This is one of those books.

This novel reminds me a little of the work of Robert Ludlum, Alistair MacLean, and Jack Higgins. Cold War intrigue, a little suspense and a token of revenge. All in all, a pretty good novel by William Brown.

While the Prologue, recounting the two wars Israel fought in its first eight years of existence, leaves no surprise as to what happens to the treasure, the path to that point...more

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Feb 23, 2012 Kim (Bookishly Me) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, thriller

Mike Randall ends up in the hands of the Germans after his bomber goes down. He and his friend Eddie survive the crash but Eddie does not survive the war. After several months Mike takes a chance and hides in a U-boat to try and get out of the hell he's been in. He's found on the U-boat but the captain lets him go at the coast of (neutral) Sweden. But before the captain and his crew are able to return to the safety of the sea they get hit twice by a English bomber and are lost. And so is the car...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Matt Laduke rated it 5 of 5 stars

Another great book by William F. Brown. The hero of the story is a WW II Soldier who will not rest until he rights some of the wrongs he suffered at the end of the war. Armed with knowledge that would dispurt the correupt plans of man, he is wanted dead by multiple nations. The story was a easy read that kept me entertained.

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Jan 08, 2013 Monique rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm rounding up. This was an action-packed and exciting thriller. I put life on hold to finish it. If he keeps writing, I'll keep reading because his books are a great escape. This isn't mind-altering prose, just lots of fun.

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Nov 04, 2012 Lynn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Great read. Story of Germany, Hitler, U-Boats loaded with Gold and sunk in the Baltic sea. Story of intrigue and one man's quest for survival and redemption.
Once you start reading, you can't put it down.

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Oct 05, 2012 Doreen Dalesandro marked it as to-read

Shelves: historical-fiction, owned-kindle, thriller

Kindle freebie, 10/5/12

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Feb 21, 2012 Donna (Girl Who Reads) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: suspense-thrillers, for-review

It was a good post WWII/Cold War Era spy novel. I liked The Undertaker better. Full review at Girl Who Reads

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Jan 17, 2013 Greg rated it 2 of 5 stars

Disjointed plot became irritating. Quit 65% of the way through.

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May 15, 2013 Tony added it

May 14, 2013 Anne Carpenter added it

Shelves: read-in-2012, kindle

May 03, 2013 Adriana marked it as purchased

May 02, 2013 Kim is currently reading it

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