A Gordian Web by Guy Butler
A Book Review by Lenora
Guy Butler is a writer, architect and footie fanatic. Born in Blackpool, he later spent much of his youth in Belfast, where his family had long-established roots. He now lives in Florida and is currently working on the third book in the Spider Trilogy.
A Gordian Web by Guy Butler
Set at the end of the war, during the death throes of the Nazi regime, the book finds the hero of the Polish resistance Czeslaw Orlowski – aka The Spider – hiding out with his wife and family in a farm in West Silesia. With the post-war carving up of Europe already begun, The Spider finds that he will soon be living in Russian Territory and in grave danger. With Stalin’s NKGB hard on his heels he must turn to his old friend Malcolm McClain, star footballer from Blackpool FC, for help. Soon a crack team of SAS operatives are put together and a daring rescue set in motion, a mission that will bring The Spider face to face with his mortal enemy and the living symbol of Nazi evil, Hitler, himself.
I have to say that I am a big fan of historical fiction but I have not read a lot of novels set in World War II. I tend to prefer my historical novels replete with ruffs and corsets and skulduggery in ye old manor house. I was therefore, intrigued to see how I would find this much more contemporary novel, and whether the fact that I had not read the first novel in the series would make a difference.
A Gordian Web is broken up into two sections, the ‘hot extraction’ of The Spider, and then the mission. Butler negotiates the intricacies of end of war/pre Iron-Curtain political manoeuvring well. Espionage and covert operations are the name of the game and there is even a tip of the hat to Ian Fleming/James Bond in the character of Commander James Flemming.
The novel places strong emphasis on the importance of the work of resistance groups, particularly the Polish resistance, in the allies eventual success. Growing up, I always remember a mysterious family friend, an elderly lady, who worked for the Polish Resistance against the Nazi’s. She had been forced to flee to the UK to escape Russian persecution, I found it fascinating to read a book on this subject (coincidentally her daughter was called Jadwiga!)
Another intriguing aspect of the novel is the use of conspiracy theories surrounding Hitler’s last days in the bunker but I will say no more for fear of spoilers.
This is undoubtedly a very ‘blokey’ novel, filled with strapping fellows packing heavy-duty weaponry, rushing all over the place efficiently dispatching evil Nazi’s and dodgy Ruski’s as their patriotic duty in a war-ravaged Europe. There are a few female characters, Jadwiga, Czeslaw‘s wife, but she didn’t seem to have a role other than as a cipher of the Spider’s love of home-life/symbol of what he was fighting for etc. There are a couple of more martial females – sniper Sigler and the Nazi female pilot – but they had quite minor roles. Despite this definite preponderance of testosterone fuelled males (or maybe because of it???) I found myself really enjoying the story.
The narrative is fast paced, dramatic, with lots of close shaves and daring rescues. The characters are clearly drawn, but their psychological motives are not overly explored – the author has created a cast of ‘manly types’ who hold to simple truths such as patriotism (as opposed to the Nazi’s nationalism), honour, and courage; Butlers band of brothers fight for their wives and families and for a peaceful Europe. They hail from all corners of the British Isles: Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and represent all classes in society. At times some of the characters are close to caricatures – Billy Fagin the RAF flying ace with his handlebar moustache – for one, and yet it worked. Perhaps this is because in some ways a novel like this sets clearly defined boundaries – you know who the heroes are and who the bad guys are.
It would definitely help to read the novels in sequence, however there was enough of a recap at the beginning of this novel to allow it to stand alone. So, if you are looking for an action packed war novel, brimming with covert ops and dramatic escapes – where men are men and the Nazi’s are going to get what is coming to them, then I think that you will really enjoy this book – I did.
A Gordian Web by Guy Butler is available on Amazon:
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