In Command

Donald Cameron Naval Thriller #8

by Philip McCutchan

World War Two. The South Atlantic Ocean.

Placed in command of the tiny corvette, HM Briar, Donald Cameron is given the unenviable task of blocking a powerful Japanese fleet as the make their way towards the vulnerable Falkland Islands.

Briar must blow up the narrow passage at Cape Horn to prevent more Japanese naval attacks on British territory.

Given Briar’s size and lack of resources, this truly is a David vs Goliath mission and Cameron must utilise all his strategic knowledge to achieve the seemingly impossible.

Travelling west from Africa, U-boats dog their journey west, and in the Falklands Japanese bombers attack from snow-filled skies.

Then, after two enemy cruisers escape the Briar’s trap, Cameron has a deadly choice: slip away and hide until the Japanese leave or stay and fight — one corvette against powerful, heavily gunned cruisers.

With the freezing weather hampering their efforts even further, Cameron’s quickly depleting crew must be willing to risk everything to protect their territory.

The odds are against him, but running away is not Cameron’s style …

In Command is a compelling and nail-biting naval thriller. It is the eighth book in the Donald Cameron series and was previously published as Cameron in Command

Praise for Philip McCutchan

"A nautical war buffs feast...[McCutchan] keeps an authorita-tive hand on the wheel and his descriptions of battles at sea ring with laconic truth." — The New York Times Book Review

"His character conflicts are well organised." — Daily Telegraph

"A most exciting successor to his first novel — and it is just as rugged." — The Times

Philip McCutchanEndeavour Press is the UK's leading independent digital publisher. For more information on our titles please sign up to our newsletter at www.endeavourpress.com. Each week you will receive updates on free and discounted ebooks. Follow us on Twitter: @EndeavourPress and on Facebook via http://on.fb.me/1HweQV7. We are always interested in hearing from our readers. Endeavour Press believes that the future is now.

195 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

aka Robert Conington Galway, Duncan MacNeil

Philip McCutchan (1920-1996) grew up in the naval atmosphere of Portsmouth Dockyard and developed a lifetime's interest in the sea. Military history was an early interest resulting in several fiction books, from amongst his large output, about the British Army and its campaigns, especially in the last 150 years.

Reviews

[John Rosenberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somebody’s gotta figure this shit out - and sometimes that somebody is you!

[Andrew Riess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing Stops Cameron

Wow! Another high seas adventure. I found this story to be interesting and thrilling. Nothing here like any story that I have ever read.

[Paul J. Petersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

McCutchan writes a good story, and this is another. His detail makes you identify the personalities of each character and the WWII action takes you to a theater that you weren't expecting. This is not the first McCutchan book I have read and his detail extends to slang and terminology I suspect was common at the time, so I assume that this isn't a problem for some history buffs, but it is somewhat of a distraction for an American reader.

[Brian Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb tale of incredible sacrifice

I really enjoyed the latest tale in the series. Sent on an almost suicidal mission to prevent lop a Japanese assault on the Falkland Islands, HMS Briar and her crew face incredible hardship as the tiny corvette go into action, hardly daring to hope they'll survive. Brilliant action scenes and incredible sacrifice means a definite 5 star read.

[Don Brenner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keeps going on and on

This is the story of Donald Cameron's first command of Royal Navy corvette. How his crew And he respond to a special operation and how they overcome averse conditions in the South Atlantic.

[Mr Michael R Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Research?

I enjoyed the 8th instalment of Donald Cameron’s war but Japanese trying to enter the Atlantic via the islands and waterways around the tip of South America. OK I know it’s fiction but….
On to #9 and looking forward to it

[Jeff Pinnock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Navel conflict ww2

This series is the best of navel war books I have read and I have read many I heartily recommend it to all interested in this genre

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable, if slightly unlikely, naval story.

[MR BARRY COPLAND · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good description of life at sea during WW2

[John Purvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

“In Command” eBook was published in 2015 (the paper edition was originally published in 1983) and was authored by Philip McCutchan. Mr. McCutchan wrote 45 novels about the Navy. This is the 8th of 14 novels in his “Donald Cameron RNVR” series.

I received a galley of this novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I categorize this novel as ‘PG’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The setting of this World War II era Thriller novel is a British corvette, the HM Briar. While the newly appointed Captain of the HM Briar, Lieutenant Commander Cameron is the primary character, the view points of several crew members are included.

The Briar is being sent to the Falkland Islands, then on to the channels north of Cape Horn (the southern tip of South America). Intelligence indicates that the Japanese Navy will be sneaking a force through those channels. Once through, they will attack and occupy the Falkland Islands.

The British have little forces to spare to stop the Japanese. The Briar is being set with Army Engineers to blast closed the narrow channel to block the Japanese. The Briar and her crew dodge Japanese aircraft and ships in the frigid, narrow quarters of the channels. The plan is to set the Army Engineers with some of the Briar crew ashore so that they can place charges to block the Japanese. The Briar crew must not only battle the Japanese, but the fowl weather around Cape Horn as well.

I enjoyed the 4 hours spent reading this 150 page novel. This was a relatively short read, but did a good job of describing the perils of war. Even though I had not read prior books in the series, this novel read well on its own. It was a good WWII action Thriller. I look forward to read others in this series. I give this novel a 4.5 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.

Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at http://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.

[Barbara Mutch]

Just started reading this as background research for my next book, which will be set partly during World War 2. I will have to describe naval scenes so this book, plus the classic, The Cruel Sea, will be hugely useful to get the atmosphere right

[Chris Bohl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The series excites

These yarns keep you engrossed and filled with anticipation. As the ships rivets strain; the reader is riveted on the action. Lots of excitement and adventure. Absolutely worth the read .

[William K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast Read

Excellent read, former members of the military will certainly find this book entertaining and believable. Tough situation for new Commander.

[James Holliday · Rating 5 out of 5]

I

I enjoy the author's work. His imagination for a good war story is very good. The way he weaves the events so as not to be to obvious is refreshing.