Iron Coffin [Paperback]

John Mannock (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 6, 2004

An electrifying WWII thriller debit-from a former special forces sniper.

Strafed by American bombers, reeling from damage, and with supplies running low, a German U-boat limps along toward the coastal bayous of Louisiana-where the crew's only chance of survival rests in the hands of an isolated group of people who recognize no government and no war.

There, in the heart of the enemy, Nazi gold can buy help. But gold can also buy betrayal...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fans of nautical novels may enjoy this highly technical WWII novel from first-time author Mannock, who takes the unusual approach of casting the crew of a German U-boat as the book's protagonists. Framed by a prologue and an epilogue set in the present, the story begins when a Nazi U-boat assigned to harass Allied shipping comes under attack by U.S. aircraft during a clandestine refueling near Cuba. Crippled, the U-boat heads for the Louisiana bayou, where a clan of greedy Cajun trappers will provide whatever the crew members need-for a price. While the crew repairs their submarine, officer Erich Bock meets and falls in love with Jolene, a young Cajun woman who's about to come of age. Papa Luc, the controlling clan leader and Jolene's prospective husband, emerges as the villain and is one of the few stereotyped characters in the book. Indeed, Mannock has made a concerted effort to break stereotypes here, particularly the stereotype that German officers were all cold, autocratic supporters of Hitler. Although Mannock pads his prose with mundane details, readers will appreciate this book's unusual perspective and true-to-life characters.
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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Signet (January 6, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451211405
• ISBN-13: 978-0451211408
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,153,664 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great WW2 adventure novel, March 1, 2004

By 

John (Redmond, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Iron Coffin (Paperback)

Wow!

The author has gone to great lengths to protray the U-boat crew as protagonists without making the Allied characters into mindless, cruel automatons as lesser skilled authors may have done. This is not a simple task.

Iron Coffin is a great novel and sure to thrill any WW2 or adventure reader. There is great attention to detail and the entire novel rings mainly believable - although I think there may be too much painting of the U-boat officers as excessively anti-Hitler. Perhaps, in hindsight, this was necessary to justify the plot and ending.

Buy this book and read it. You won't be disappointed.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AN EXCELLENT READ, February 2, 2004

By 

A. QUINTERO "mistikquest" (Darien, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Iron Coffin (Paperback)

I did not put this book down for two days. It was impossible. From one chapter to the next, it pulled me in more.

A MUST READ!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unbelievable story!, February 24, 2004

By 

Peter V. Tonsoline (Depew, New York United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Iron Coffin (Paperback)

Wow! That is my best description of an amazing, captivating story. I was intrigued with the jacket cover describing a German U-boat operating in the Gulf during WWII, but never expected the story I read. The characters were so vivid and unique, on both sides, that it was hard not to like any of them. The setting was so well written that I felt myself twisting and turning though the Louisiana bayou. If you enjoy believable action, unforgettable characters, a story that is hard not to enjoy, and good writting, this is a novel for you.