Partisans by Alistair MacLean

This is one of the books by Alistair MacLean that I had not read. But having read it I find it as good as the other books by the author. The stage of this story is in the Balkans at the time the Partisan were fighting for freedom. Now I must admit I am not good at history and so will not like to explain the situation lest I expose the extent of my ignorance.

The central figure is a Major Peter Peterson (from the Royal Yugoslav Army) who has 2 helpers and is supposed to be taking a coded message into the mountains where the Partisans are about. The message is about a final attack on the Partisans. There are uneasy alliances between the Italians, Germans and Cetniks. It appears that no one trusts their so called allies. The party going into the mountains is made up of strange people. Young pair of twins who are newly trained radio operators, a young lady with a guide/bodyguard who is joining the British Officer manning the radio operations are being escorted by the Major.

Along the way it appears that the Italians have sent spies after them but it is not clear what is their reason and what they wish to achieve. Maybe they wish to find some information or to kill them. An Italian officer catches up with them and apparently wishes to see if the message being carried by the Major has not been switched or tampered with. At once point they are captured by what they think are the Cetniks and held in a remote chateau. Here all discuss their personal views about the war and what they have learnt. This appears to be the turning point and suddenly you find out who every one really is. The suspense as usual is well maintained well into the final chapters of the book. The pace is fair and the move is from boat to truck, from sea to land and up the mountains. The weather for some reasons is again winter and snowing heavily. I assume the winter cold and heavy snow makes for menacing scenario.

I enjoyed reading and it is lighter reading than some of the more popular books of Alistair MacLean such as Guns of Navarone but it is up to the usual standard.