“The Judas Battalion” eBook was published in 2017 (original paper edition published in 1983) and was written by Peter MacAlan. Mr. MacAlan published seven novels.

I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence and Mature Language. The story is set during 1944. The primary character is Charlie Collins, a British soldier.

The Germans have formed an SS unit, the Britisches Freikorps, made up of British POWs. The Germans plan to use the unit to build tension between the British and the Russians. To highlight their existence, Hitler plans to use the unit as a special honor guard at his birthday celebration.

The British see this as an opportunity to kill Hitler and shorten the war. They find Collins in jail doing time for mutiny. He is only 4 months into a twelve year sentence and he has a bleak outlook for the future. He is approached with a wild plan to get him into Germany and into the British SS unit.

Collins takes the assignment even though it sounds like a suicide mission. He is completely on his own and goes though one misadventure after another in his attempt to reach Germany and find his way into the SS unit. Along the way the meets and falls in love with a German woman who is part of the growing resistance within Germany.

Will Collins be able to carry out his assignation mission? Will he be able to escape Germany and take the woman he has fallen in love with to safety?

I enjoyed the 7 hours I spent reading this 303 page World War II Fiction novel. Even though it was published more than 30 years ago, it still reads well. The characters were interesting and they plot had a few twists along the way. The cover art is OK. I give this novel a 4 out of 5.

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(I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)

I was interested in reading this story because of its historical references and plot to assassinate Hitler, but it was not as exciting as I would have expected.

For me, it read quite slowly. I understand that it was important to build background and set up the plot, but it wasn't until two thirds of the way into the book that any real action started.

The set up and character development could have been quicker and more intriguing. Instead, however, it seemed to drag on and became a bit tedious.

But, when the action started, it was very good. The real historical figures, groups and incidents were interesting. And the assassination attempt, and set up leading to it, were exciting.

I wasn't happy with the very end though, because I wanted to know what happened to the main characters, especially Collins and Lottie Geis who were intriguing.

I do like that, as a sort of postscript to the book, the author gave us the history of what happened to Hitler and his associates just months after the date of this story.

Would I recommend the book? Yes, to someone who was extremely interested in history and with the disclaimer that it's real slow in the beginning but, if you stick with it, it gets better.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1892421548

Solid and Pacey WW2 Thriller

Originally written in the 1970s this novel doesn’t show any age in its new release by Endeavour Press. It’s a pacey, page turning thriller with some solid historical research behind it.

The story revolves around NCO thirty-year-old Charlie Collins who is serving his fourth month of twelve years in the Military Detention Barracks in Colchester. He is recruited by British intelligence into a plan to assassinate Adolf Hitler by infiltrating a British agent into the Nazi British Free Corps.

MacAlan has obviously researched into the history of the British Free Corps which was a unit of the Waffen SS during World War II consisting of British and Dominion prisoners of war who had been recruited by the Nazis.

With a strong historical basis the author cranks up the tension as the book speedily moves to its climax. Well worth a read.

The Judas Battalion by Peter MacAlan

This is described as Historical Fiction, Mystery and Thriller and to a certain degree it ticks all boxes, but perhaps less a mystery.

I loved the main protagonist Charlie Collins and particularly liked the way his character was portrayed by outlining the reasons for his 12 year sentence of imprisonment. No James Bond here but a well-constructed, well-written narrative with plenty of historical fact and historical figures (i.e. Churchill) to underpin and secure the plot.

Clearly the aim of Operation Hagon did not succeed and that fact kept me thinking, how could Collins succeed giving the true facts. I need not have worried, the story and the ending were more than satisfactory.

If you like books like Frederick Forsyth and Robert Ludlum, I would be amazed if you did not enjoy this.

I was given an ARC of this book by NetGalley via my Kindle in return for an honest review.