The Fighting Temeraire: An enthralling submarine crisis-mission

by John Winton

A heart-pounding Cold War naval thriller! Perfect for fans of Clive Cussler, John Wingate, Duncan Harding and Douglas Reeman.

Will a reckless spy operation end in tragedy for a British submarine crew?

The Black Sea, 1970

When Commander Daniel Tennant is tasked with leading a British Polaris submarine into a clandestine spy mission in the Russian-controlled Black Sea, he knows it’s a mission bordering on the insane.

Though she’s named after an illustrious warship from history, HMS Temeraire is a modern craft in every sense, loaded with controversial nuclear missiles.

But after a vicious encounter with the enemy, Temeraire is not only left sunk and crippled, but at the epicentre of a potentially massive international incident.

Stranded at the bottom of the sea, Danny strives to keep his crew’s morale intact – but as temperature and tempers rise aboard the stricken craft, the prospect of escape begins to look less likely by the hour.

And when a callous personal betrayal comes to light, Danny finds himself put to the test in more ways than one…

Is Temeraire set to become an iron coffin? Or can a perilous escape plan offer her crew a glimmer of hope?

And if they make it to the surface, will their lives ever be the same again?

Set in one of history’s most frightening eras, THE FIGHTING TEMERAIRE is an exciting military thriller with themes of loyalty and accountability.

‘If there is any author today writing about the Navy with anything approaching John Winton’s authority, conviction and wit, it would come as a considerable surprise to me’ — Alistair MacLean

Genres: War, Novels, Fiction

300 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 6, 2023

About the author

A former officer in the Royal Navy, John Pratt was the author of a variety of fiction and non-fiction works published under the pen name John Winton. Pratt also served for 14 years as an obituarist for The Daily Telegraph.

Reviews

[Paul Rickard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Initially I was not going to read this novel - how ridiculous a plot a Polaris Sub entering the Black Sea on a reconnaissance mission! What was the author thinking of?
Then the penny on this dim brain dropped.
The story line highlighted once again the parlous state of our armed forces.
There was no other Sub available!!!And the lordships wanted the task doing…
For whatever reasons….
The story line proceeded a pace - a page turner….highlighting the thin line of UK forces and our continued reliance on our US allies…
A splendid read..

[Ethan S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed Sam Willis’s book. He clearly has a deep knowledge of the era and the nautical side, along with a talent for writing naval battle scenes. Willis uses the painting and the ship to journey through nearly 100 years of British Naval history and it’s quite successful.

[Jason Turcotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this book several times. Great book that taps into the cold war thinking and challenges of the times.

[Julian Spenceley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having worked on a Polaris boat, I was very impressed with the realism and true to life aspects of the story.

[Simon Alford · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fave.