Killing Rommel

Like some other readers have stated in their reviews, I enjoy Pressfield's writing immensely, but this book took a bit to get started for me. I was never a huge fan of the WW2 exploits in the North African theatre of war, until I read Panzer Battles by Von Mellinthin. That reading helped me to appreciate this well researched novel. Killing Rommel is a fairly quick read. I am not as much of an Anglophile as some are. The language that is used can be a bit distracting but that is how they talk.Check it out for a summer day or a rainy weekend.

The short line on Steven Pressfield's new book: the best. It almost hurts to write that because I've hung to Gates of Fire for a decade at the top of my best books ever list, a list that includes books from a wide genre, Victor Hugo to Stephen King, Tom Clancy to Par Lagerkvist, Mark Helprin to Howard Fast and everywhere in between. Pressfield's characters captured me from the first pages, and this tale of honor among men refused to let me put the book down. If you are a Pressfield fan, this book will not disappoint you on any level. If you are new to Mr. Pressfield, this book will encourage you to read his others.

I am particularly fond of historical novels because I consider them a painless way to learn history. Mr. Pressfield has never failed to teach his readers all the details within the historical context in which he writes, in this case, about the little known Long Range Desert Group, the LRDG, the predecessor to Special Forces as we know them in the modern era.

The story is simple: the memoir of a LRDG lieutenant who is part of a mission to kill Field Marshall Rommel and thereby disrupt the Axis control of North Africa and its hold on oil assets in the Middle East during World War II. The characters are noteworthy: average men with simple vocations who rise above their commonality in extraordinary circumstances by committing themselves to a mission simply because it was their job. The prose is crisp and fast and the story moves quickly and with intensity.

That is the short of it: great story with great characters that is impossible to put down until you've finished the final page. Scrupulously researched like all Pressfield books and packed with the type of action that would draw viewers to the big screen in droves. Hollywood cannot let this one pass. That's the short of it. If you need more, please continue .....

Steven Pressfield is a literary risk-taker: he started with a mystical golf journey, moved into the realm of ancient Greek history and now finds himself in the blistering deserts of North Africa surrounded by Rommel's Africa Corp. The common thread: ordinary men are capable of uncommon deeds when their purpose is fixed and their hearts are committed. Pressfield has told his stories as a fictional character, as a mythical woman, as a real historical character and now as Everyman in the guise of Lt. Chapman, "Chap" who finds himself in the middle of an unthinkable mission to cut off the head of the snake, to kill arguably the most dynamic military mind of modern warfare, Field Marshall Erwin Rommel.

As I journeyed through Mr. Pressfield's ancient histories, I was always very comfortable with his prose. It immersed me into a world, ancient and distant from my own. His prose is part of his genius as it captures the flavor of his historical era. Killing Rommel is his best writing yet. Mr. Pressfield has even elected to use the `s' in place of the `z' as is common in the King's English, "civilisation," for example instead of "civilization;" "tire" becomes "tyre." The choice of words and sentence structure help set the mood of the book by thrusting the reader into the 1940's. The reader becomes a part of the story.

From start to finish, our narrator emphasizes the character of Rommel, chivalrous and honorable. Despite Rommel's admirable personal qualities, the Allies are convinced that without him, the Axis struggle in North Africa will collapse, hence Churchill's directive to kill Rommel. I will not reveal any of the many twists that Mr. Pressfield has crafted, but when I finished the book, I held the same respect for the Desert Fox that was shared by Eisenhower, Patton, Montgomery and the members of the LRDG, heroes all. Within hours after finishing the book, I found myself contemplating how the German Republic could have produced two, such diverse characters at each end of the proverbial spectrum as Erwin Rommel and Adolf Hitler. How could one wage war with regret and honor while the other directed the murder of millions of innocent people? Intentionally or not, Mr. Pressfield elicited these questions from me as I read this book. While there is no answer, the future requires us to ask ourselves such questions as we reflect on our past.

You probably already know that Rommel was not killed by the LRDG or any other group of Allies. The pursuit and the encounter however will make this harrowing journey through the desert more than worthwhile.

I am a slow reader. A solid 80% of the books I read are novels. Only once in my life have I ever sat and read a book from cover to cover with no breaks. One Friday evening in 1971 while in pilot training in Georgia, I opened The Exorcist and didn't put it down until early the next morning, scared witless I might add. Thirty-seven years later, older and wiser, I did the same thing with Killing Rommel; I devoured it in a single night. This time when I put the book down, I felt pride to be able to call myself a true brother-in-arms to soldiers past, present and future.

Four decades ago while still a senior in college, I read Armageddon by Leon Uris. That is the only novel I have ever used a magic marker on. Within the last month, I had that old 1963 copy out and found exactly the passages I was looking for thanks to that blue marker. Last week, once again, I broke out a marker and wielded it for the first time in 40 years while I read Killing Rommel. I sensed early on that this is a special book. I was right. In what is certainly a profound, autobiographical conviction, Mr. Pressfield has Chap's 'dear friend and brother-in-law' include these words in Chap's eulogy, "Literature was his religion. He believed in the written word, in the soul-to-soul communion between writer and reader that takes place in the silence between the covers of a book."

American historian and philosopher Will Durant once said, "We Americans are the best informed people on earth as to the events of the last twenty-four hours; we are the not the best informed as to the events of the last sixty centuries." For a decade now, Steven Pressfield has given us a very entertaining way to play catch up. We need to thank him and exploit his efforts. Mr. Pressfield believes in the written word.

Just prior to a hip replacement, I ordered a Roku box for entertainment during recuperation. It took a full nine days to get here, but was well worth the effort. Installation was easy once we determined that we had to moved the HDMI cable between the Roku and DVD instead of using the red/yellow/white cable. Quality is excellent on Samsung 750 series TV via ATT wireless. Movies show full screen. Many of the movies in my Queue are not streaming, so hope Netflix will get along on that soon. A great addition to the AV library for the 21st century.

This is another great Pressfield book and the story line about the Rat Patrol, Rommel, and WWII how could I go wrong. The reader is given a very authentic ride through the North African part of WWII. Can not recommend this book more to the any student of the war. It is not a full blown "novel" as much as an illumination of the war and how it was fought. Great book!

As an author, Steven Pressfield was specifically recommended to me by a friend in uniform and especially this title. While tracking down a copy of “Killing Rommel” I sampled Pressfield’s other writings about Alexander and his campaign in Afghanistan – “The Afghan Campaign”. I was frankly left with some anxiety about the handling of such historical subject matter, knowing both as an historian and a reenactor/living historian how easily anachronisms sneak in overtime and the over two thousand years since that campaign might allow a lot of anachronisms to do just that. I have to accept the clear evidence that the author did a lot of research but my own study of the campaign did not alleviate my concerns.
By comparison, I know much more about the British-German war in North Africa, discovering David Stirling and the SAS in my early teens (The Phantom Major), as well as Popski’’s Private Army, and the Long Range Desert Group. These were in addition, of course, to the numerous histories and memoirs from the British 8th Army, the Afrika Korps, and accounts of the associated air and naval campaigns. In “Killing Rommel”, the author quickly put to rest any and all concerns, effectively capturing and recreating the tone of many of the British Army memoirs I’ve read over the years. Perhaps a British reader might sniff out that he is a Yank writing about the British war in North Africa, but I couldn’t catch him out.
As is evident from the title, as in the actual desert campaign the Desert Fox is a looming presence and his appearance when it comes is delicious reading. It also serves as a welcome pause to the gritty hard work that was the war in the desert for all the armies when the environment could be more lethal than the enemy. Pressfield delivers an exciting tale without ignoring the boring bits in between the moments of panic, giving you the meticulous planning that made it possible to fight in the desert. I even picked up some pointers and details that I had either overlooked or forgotten - in my book that’s great war fiction!

Killing Rommel is the latest effort from the noted historical fiction author, Steven Pressfield. This fast paced book is different than most of Pressfield's titles which normally focus on ancient warfare. As the title suggests, this story is set during World War II. The story is treated as a first hand account of a British officer, Lt. Chapman, who is attached to the British Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) who along with the Special Air Service have been given a mission to assassinate Field Marshal Erwin Rommel.

Upon first hearing about the book, two things concerned me. First was the mission, assassinating Rommel, second was Rose, Chapman's wife.

I was aware, as are many people familiar with the desert war, that the British had indeed planned a mission to capture or kill Rommel but the mission came to naught. As the book was a work of fiction, I could accept that the LRDG would assist in such a mission.

When I first heard about this book I heard about Rose, Chapman's wife. I was worried that somehow Pressfield was going to have this signal expert be part of the patrol. If this thought has crossed your mind, you can breathe easy. Rose is simply the wife of the protagonist and is stationed in Egypt. This actually happened with some regularity during World War II. While Rose, is central to the development of Chapman's character she is not central to the mission. Her character is used to advance the story, principally through Chapman writing to and thinking about her.

The story itself is relayed to us through an unpublished memoir of a British officer (Chapman) who was attached ever so briefly to the LRDG in late 1942. If you are expecting a book similar to The Eagle as Landed, by Jack Higgins, you will be disappointed. Despite the title, the book`s central focus is not the mission to kill Rommel. Chapman and his fictional T3 patrol do not spend days or even weeks planning a mission down to the last detail. You will also be disappointed if you are expecting a technical manual on the weapons and equipment used by the LRDG.

What will not disappoint are the actual story and the writing style of Pressfield. The story moves quickly and smoothly form one chapter to the next. The story begins with the Chapman as a young man, shortly before entering college. As war is declared, he enlists and is commissioned in a Royal Tank Regiment. He is soon shipped to North Africa, where his tank regiment is engaged in combat with the newly arriving Afrika Korps commanded by Field Marshall Rommel. Chapman is no different that a thousand other officers in a tank regiment. Circumstances lead to Chapman's temporary assignment to the LRDG for the purpose of determining tank routes through uncharted deserts, an assignment not too uncommon for junior officers in the tank regiments.

Upon assignment, Chapman is introduced to many names familiar to people who are familiar with the LRDG. Pressfield uses this opportunity to introduce these same people to the reading audience, a common plot device that is often necessary to advance a story. Pressfield does this quite well and what could have been an annoyance to the already informed, flows smoothly.

As I mentioned before, Pressfield does not tire us with a mind numbing technical jargon about the LRDG equipment. This also keeps the story going. What we have in place of the jargon is what sounds like personal recollection of what patrols needed to do to keep the vehicles moving and keep weapons operational in the harsh Sahara. We get a feel for what it is like to drive up a sand dune. We understand the dread of German aircraft. We also get an understanding of ordinary soldiers who have taken on an extraordinary mission.

The book is not a history lesson. If you have a better than average knowledge of the LRDG, the story will not tell you anything new about their operations or equipment. If you have no knowledge of the LRDG, the book will give you a good understanding of the unit without overwhelming or boring you.

Why should you read this story? If for no other reason, any reader of World War II fiction should happily embrace this book because of the lack of good fiction about the desert war. While the desert war is well represented with memoirs, there is very little fiction set during this phase of the World War II, a phase which occupied a full half of the war for Britain. Most World War II fiction discusses North West Europe or the Russian Front and a smattering on the Italian front.

Furthermore there are few fictional accounts of actual commando type attacks. Most instead focus on the cloak and dagger type missions similar to Alistair MacLean's Guns of Navarone or Where Eagles Dare. Pressfield has forgone these super-hero stories and the age old concept of Private Armies and engages us with a story of an actual special force unit, performing a typical, if improbable mission, during the desert war.

He has woven his fictional characters into a patch work of actual persons and created a desert war that captures the actual memoirs of those who had fought in the war. With the story, you get the feeling of the brave lads who rushed to volunteer for the war, the reality of tank battles in the desert where your armor is no match for the enemy, the quiet confidence and determination of the LRDG and the common comradery of soldiers and the guilt and anguish associated with surviving it all.

The book is highly recommended for the LRDG enthusiast and anyone who enjoys World War II fiction.

Tobias Gibson

In "Killing Rommel" veteran author Steven Pressfield has written yet another vivid and exciting novel detailing the matter-of-fact heroics and actions by the warriors who fight and too-often die.

Set in North Africa during the British fight against Gen Erwin Rommel in 1942, Pressfield takes the exploits of the British Army's little-known Long Range Desert Group, and presents the reader with yet another well-researched and exciting story of men at war.

As is Pressfield's style, he tells the story from the viewpoint of one of the participants. Lt. Lawrence Chapman is one of Pressfield's proverbial citizen-soldiers, a young man thrust into a war for which his middle-class collegiate upbringing has not at all prepared him. While normally in Pressfield's books it's the enlisted men who are the narrators and telling the story from the boots-on-the-ground perspective, it's a unique change in approach as Lt. Chapman brings an officer's point of view to the fight.

The war in 1942 in North Africa was going badly for the Allies. Gen Rommel's strategy and tactics overwhelmed Gen Montgomery's British troops, and the initial American Army reinforcements were routed at the Kasserine Pass. If Rommel could successfully capture Cairo, then the Germans would control the middle-eastern oil fields, the Suez Canal, and quick access to India and the Pacific, all of which would have horrific repercussions on the Allied war effort.

The British had previously formed the Long Range Desert Group as a desert recon force, which they now tasked to kill Rommel, and Pressfield uses Lt. Chapman to narrate the war in the desert.

Historically accurate, "Killing Rommel" describes a war that most in Americans might only know through the old television show "Rat Patrol." Driving old Chevrolet trucks that they up-armor themselves, often short on petrol, rations, water, and ammunition, Lt Chapman depicts the fight in North Africa between the beleaguered Brits and Rommel's Afrika Corps as he learns to command as he learns to fight.

Those who have fought, and especially those Marines who have fought at An-Nasiriyah, Fallujah, Haditha, and Anbar Province, will understand the pictures Pressfield paints of the thirst, heat, sand, and boredom - interrupted by intense combat - in the desert. He draws the reader into the action with Chapman and his men as they drive -often by stars and dead reckoning - to their rendezvous points and multiple missions.

As Pressfield's books are so famously noted, the characters in "Killing Rommel" possess a quiet courage and grow into a maturity far beyond their years. Similar to Xeo in "Gates of Fire," and Matthais in "The Afghan Campaign," the deep story here is how Chapman and his fellow Tommies are thrown into some extraordinarily ugly situations, and then respond. It's the story of these citizen-soldiers and how they react to the carnage around them that makes "Killing Rommel" one of Pressfield's best books.

This historical fiction story takes place in the early 1940's when General Erwin Rommel's (The Dessert Fox) troops were intent on capturing the Mid East oil fields in order to support Germany's war machine in its attempt of world conquest.
Stopping the Eight Army was an essential and significant part of the Allies' counteroffensive plan.

The story in "Killing Rommel" is presented through the eyes of Lieutenant R. Lawrence Chapman (Chap) a fictional tank commander who was "loaned" to a famed commando unit called the Long Range Dessert Group (LDRG) to help asses the dessert for passable routes when the big invasion comes.

Chap quickly becomes friends with his the members of his new unit and meets some historical personalities which have since become legendary(Jake Easonsmith, Paddy Mayne, Ron Tinker, Nick Wilder, Vladimir "Popski " Peniakoff and more). These personalities give historical authenticity to this fictional account of war. One of the group's missions is to find out where Rommel is and call in an air-strike, hence the title of the book.

This book is not only a fascinating story about the LRDG, but it is also an accurate portrayal of how war is fought - months of boredom peppered with second and moments of sheer exhilaration, disorganization and horror.

"Killing Rommel" is rich in detail; the author describes the tanks, guns, trucks, tactics and more with a lot of passion and eye for the obvious and not-so obvious. The book introduces the legends of not only the LRDG, but also the contribution of the SAS as well as Popski's Private Army - a group which I must read some more about.

Even though the details are sometimes exhausting, I forgot that I was reading a fictional account (even though the author maintained that the events were real, but experienced by several patrols) and felt as if I was reading an exciting history book about these daring raids.

Killing Rommel is the latest effort from the noted historical fiction author, Steven Pressfield. This fast paced book is different than most of Pressfield's titles which normally focus on ancient warfare. As the title suggests, this story is set during World War II. The story is treated as a first hand account of a British officer, Lt. Chapman, who is attached to the British Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) who along with the Special Air Service have been given a mission to assassinate Field Marshal Erwin Rommel.

Upon first hearing about the book, two things concerned me. First was the mission, assassinating Rommel, second was Rose, Chapman's wife.

I was aware, as are many people familiar with the desert war, that the British had indeed planned a mission to capture or kill Rommel but the mission came to naught. As the book was a work of fiction, I could accept that the LRDG would assist in such a mission.

When I first heard about this book I heard about Rose, Chapman's wife. I was worried that somehow Pressfield was going to have this signal expert be part of the patrol. If this thought has crossed your mind, you can breathe easy. Rose is simply the wife of the protagonist and is stationed in Egypt. This actually happened with some regularity during World War II. While Rose, is central to the development of Chapman's character she is not central to the mission. Her character is used to advance the story, principally through Chapman writing to and thinking about her.

The story itself is relayed to us through an unpublished memoir of a British officer (Chapman) who was attached ever so briefly to the LRDG in late 1942. If you are expecting a book similar to The Eagle as Landed, by Jack Higgins, you will be disappointed. Despite the title, the book`s central focus is not the mission to kill Rommel. Chapman and his fictional T3 patrol do not spend days or even weeks planning a mission down to the last detail. You will also be disappointed if you are expecting a technical manual on the weapons and equipment used by the LRDG.

What will not disappoint are the actual story and the writing style of Pressfield. The story moves quickly and smoothly form one chapter to the next. The story begins with the Chapman as a young man, shortly before entering college. As war is declared, he enlists and is commissioned in a Royal Tank Regiment. He is soon shipped to North Africa, where his tank regiment is engaged in combat with the newly arriving Afrika Korps commanded by Field Marshall Rommel. Chapman is no different that a thousand other officers in a tank regiment. Circumstances lead to Chapman's temporary assignment to the LRDG for the purpose of determining tank routes through uncharted deserts, an assignment not too uncommon for junior officers in the tank regiments.

Upon assignment, Chapman is introduced to many names familiar to people who are familiar with the LRDG. Pressfield uses this opportunity to introduce these same people to the reading audience, a common plot device that is often necessary to advance a story. Pressfield does this quite well and what could have been an annoyance to the already informed, flows smoothly.

As I mentioned before, Pressfield does not tire us with a mind numbing technical jargon about the LRDG equipment. This also keeps the story going. What we have in place of the jargon is what sounds like personal recollection of what patrols needed to do to keep the vehicles moving and keep weapons operational in the harsh Sahara. We get a feel for what it is like to drive up a sand dune. We understand the dread of German aircraft. We also get an understanding of ordinary soldiers who have taken on an extraordinary mission.

The book is not a history lesson. If you have a better than average knowledge of the LRDG, the story will not tell you anything new about their operations or equipment. If you have no knowledge of the LRDG, the book will give you a good understanding of the unit without overwhelming or boring you.

Why should you read this story? If for no other reason, any reader of World War II fiction should happily embrace this book because of the lack of good fiction about the desert war. While the desert war is well represented with memoirs, there is very little fiction set during this phase of the World War II, a phase which occupied a full half of the war for Britain. Most World War II fiction discusses North West Europe or the Russian Front and a smattering on the Italian front.

Furthermore there are few fictional accounts of actual commando type attacks. Most instead focus on the cloak and dagger type missions similar to Alistair MacLean's Guns of Navarone or Where Eagles Dare. Pressfield has forgone these super-hero stories and the age old concept of Private Armies and engages us with a story of an actual special force unit, performing a typical, if improbable mission, during the desert war.

He has woven his fictional characters into a patch work of actual persons and created a desert war that captures the actual memoirs of those who had fought in the war. With the story, you get the feeling of the brave lads who rushed to volunteer for the war, the reality of tank battles in the desert where your armor is no match for the enemy, the quiet confidence and determination of the LRDG and the common comradery of soldiers and the guilt and anguish associated with surviving it all.

The book is highly recommended for the LRDG enthusiast and anyone who enjoys World War II fiction.

Tobias Gibson

By the autumn of 1942, France has fallen to Hitler's legions, the Soviet Union is reeling on the eastern front, and Britain is beleaguered. In North Africa, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel (`The Desert Fox') and his Panzers have routed the Eighth Army and, seemingly invincible, threaten the vital oilfields of the Middle East.

Out of desperation, the British plan to send a small, heavily armed mobile force behind enemy lines to strike a blow that will stop the Afrika Korps in its tracks. This force: the Long Range Desert Group, together with the SAS and Popski's Private Army, will become legendary.

This novel brings to life the ingenuity and daring of this unit. In doing so, it pays tribute to all of this who were part of this struggle. Told through the eyes of a young lieutenant (Chapman), this novel is both an uplifting tale of great courage, bravery and ingenuity as well as a sobering reminder that while governments declare wars, it is people who fight them. For those of us who are unfamiliar with the detail of this particular theatre of World War II, this novel provides a wonderful starting point. I want to know more about the actual events and characters depicted - especially Rommel.

Mr Pressfield has written a novel which is consistent with historical fact and acknowledges the contributions of the historical participants. It is also a tribute to the power of the imagination as expressed through the written word to bring events to life.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

The British army, during World War II, was an odd organization. They were usually poorly organized, a their worst a lousy procedure-bound bureaucracy. Their equipment was often poor, featuring tanks that only fired certain types of ammunition (they had one tank with a large gun that was only given *smoke* shells), planes that couldn't fly any distance, and machineguns that jammed periodically. Almost every other nation had some equipment that was good, some that was bad, and some that was in between. Almost all the British stuff was bad. Their army never learned combined arms tactics properly either, having tanks, artillery, infantry, and fighter-bombers all work together. Everyone tended to move forward in a mass, with the tanks going "swanning" and the infantry trying to keep up, the artillery shooting aimlessly or trying to smother the enemy in a WW1-style barrage, and the planes nowhere to be found.

So what made the British army special? They had this weird ability to goof up everything, have lousy equipment, and wind up with a hopeless looking situation; and then some of their soldiers would say something like "Well, there's nothing for it but we've got to push on!" and the attack would charge forward madly, and they'd overrun the enemy. Or they'd figure out a way around them, or something. This personality thing was their greatest asset, and it was emphasized the most when they fought in the Western Desert (so called because it was to the west of the settled part of Egypt, where the British Empire set up shop before the war). Within the campaign in the desert, the part of the British army that performed the best, by far, was the irregular forces: Popski's Private Army (that was what it was called, even in official orders and dispatches), the Special Air Service, and the Long Range Desert Group. The LRDG was the British army's premier recon group in the war, mounted on Chevy trucks loaded down with machineguns, food, water, and extra fuel.

The narrator of this story is a British soldier who was "seconded" to the LRDG for a period in 1942, during which the British army won the Battle of El Alamein. Chap, as he's known, starts out inexperienced, but soon learns how to command a patrol and reconnoiter terrain, looking for paths for the rest of the British army, pursuing Rommel once his retreat starts. Chap and his colleagues, however, are part of a plan to not only scout the path for the pursuit of the British army; they're also supposed to find and kill Rommel. British intelligence believes they will be able to pinpoint Rommel's position, and then the LRDG trucks can infiltrate into the Axis position and mark it so that the RAF can hit him with an airstrike.

This is a terrific book. The author has a very good knowledge of the equipment and organizations of World War II, and there are only a few errors. Rommel wasn't one of the youngest soldiers to win the Pour le Merite; Panzerfausts weren't used in Africa; a PSW 234 armored car with a 75 mm. gun wasn't used in Africa either, and it didn't in any event have the gun mounted in a turret. Other than that, the book seems very authentic and well-written, and the characters are believable. I really bought that these people existed, and of course many of them did: Popski, Paddy Maine, and Easonsmith are minor characters, and of course were real people.

If you're interested in World War II, this is one of the best books on the subject of the war in North Africa that I've ever read. I'd highly recommend it.

Looking for some recreational reading, I pulled out one of the review book I've gotten lately. The one I chose was Steven Pressfield's Killing Rommel. This is the first novel of Pressfield's that I've read, but I don't think it'll be the last. He does war novels grounded in historical facts, so the books have a real "first person account" feel (or at least Killing Rommel did). I thoroughly enjoyed this book set in the African desert campaigns of World War II...

The story is told in a manuscript written by R. Lawrence Chapman. Chapman, or "Chap" as he's known by, signed up in England to fight against the Nazis who were closing in on conquering Europe and Mother England. He ends up on assignment with the Long Range Desert Group, a real-life British special forces unit that is sent out on a primary mission... stay mobile, stay hidden, find Rommel, and kill him. This means that they are behind enemy lines, often with little to no support, almost always with equipment that's seen better days, and constantly in danger of being spotted and attacked by Panzer divisions. These days you expect that aerial recon and satellite communication would make coordination easy. But back then, radios involved major setup of antennas (with the associated risk of being spotted or heard), and maps of the terrain were non-existent. Chap and his unit endure horrid weather (both stifling hot and freezing cold), little sleep, and constant injuries following the ever-changing orders from central command. They spend more time fixing their trucks than they do driving them, and that driving usually has to be done at night in pitch dark conditions to avoid German patrols who know they are in the area. Through it all, Chap goes from a volunteer soldier who is unsure of his abilities to a solid leader who pulls his men through conditions that would have caused most men to give up. He also learns the honor and chivalry of combat, and ultimately has to make a choice over what's right and moral versus what's easy and safe.

Not having read any other of his books, I don't know if this one is indicative of the level of action you'd find in one of his novels. While he brings a sense of realism to the ugly side of war, the driving force of the story is Chap's transformation. I was impressed that he pulled off that amount of introspection without bogging down the action part of the story. Once I got started with Killing Rommel, it became the only book I was reading at lunch, on the bus, and in bed. It didn't last very long. :) I think I'll be hitting the library to check out his other books...

I struggled for awhile with Steven Pressfield's Killing Rommel, but came to appreciate it more the deeper I delved into its compelling story. The difficulty I had was in finding motivation for the characters among the almost overwhelmingly detailed descriptions of the theater of war, the weapons, the military organizations, politics, and combat operations. Once I allowed the voices of the characters to come through, however, I discovered that they were driven by a simple but powerful force: honor.

The authoritative chronicle of military history is Pressfield's forte. In this book, he brings his considerable research and facile presentation style to the story of an unsung secret unit of the British Army, the Long Range Desert Group, whose mission is simple: find and kill the legendary commander of the German Afrika Korps, Field Marshall Erwin Rommel. The story takes place in 1942, when Rommel and his Panzers have defeated the British Eighth Army and stand ready to capture Egypt, Suez, and the oilfields of Arabia.

The LRDG is sent to decapitate the Afrika Korps by killing its leader, a desperate bid to turn the tide of the war. The story is based on actual ops, but told from the point of view of a young Lieutenant, "Chap" Chapman, who has recently married his sweetheart before shipping out for the desert. His attempts to communicate with her and meet their new-born child provide welcome human interest relief from the unending tales of desert warfare.

Pressfield goes to great length to show the reader what combat is like, with extensive descriptions of tactics, weapons, and the skills necessary to survive in the brutal desert environment. He also plumbs the feelings of his characters, their doubts and fears, their blind spots and their visions in both the heat of battle and the long slogs of ennui between. It's a realistic description of warfare, both modern and ancient, and the way it plays on the men and women involved.

Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds: A Novel of Scandal, Love and Death in the Congo

Written in the first person like a nonfiction memoir, Pressfield gives us an honest, real life glimpse into the battlefield operations in Africa as The Desert Fox, Rommel turned the Allies strategies into mush. I've read some of the reviews and it seems to me that many of the reviewers were simply not prepared for the style and format of this book. It is unlike anything that I have read. The first person memoir is not unique, but the detail of the war and battle minutiae might be too much for some readers. I loved it. This book reads like the sand dunes that it speaks of: a tough hard climb to about half way through the book and then a ski slope run down the other side. There are many characters, with a bevy of new ones added continuously and quite a bit of information. The writing is told from the eye of a British officer, Richmond Lawrence Chapman, with all of the formalities of the British language in the 1930's and therefore all of the differences between Americanized and British English. I partially attribute this writing style as the reason that some did not enjoy this book; it does require a little more "work" while reading through it. Additionally, many were looking for the next "Gates of Fire" and this is a totally different tale and telling.

It is written in a modified diary form and from that you can imagine that there are many days of non-exciting, mundane tasks. However, that is not to say that the story is boring; it certainly was not to me. I enjoyed reading about the desert and the problems that the men fighting in it had to deal with. Pressfield puts the reader in the driver's seat of the Jeep and/or Chevy truck on the sand floor and makes you feel the heat of the sun. It is not a very long book and the information in it - as many more qualified than I am stated in their reviews - is pretty much "spot on". I'm sure that the author took some liberties and it is a novel, so you have to expect that.

Having played many war games both board and computer varieties as well as reading nonfiction, it is interesting to note that I have never before understood the "fog of war" like this book portrays. The importance of information is paramount and is the focus of this story. I think that because there is not the "shoot `em up" and big grandiose hero storyline, many found this story to be not worth their time. But what it does show is the value of every soldier and how important the smallest contribution makes to the entire effort. While there is not a lot of flat out "thrill ride", there are moments that you will not forget. It is war and it is not very pretty. And it's told in a way that you know is true; that makes it even more horrific. There is not a doubt in these segments, that Pressfield is a master at delivering that style of story as well as the new and challenging style that he has attempted here.

This book can not be read like a drama novel where the reader can skip through and fly. It is told like a nonfiction memoir and if the reader doesn't go into it with that in mind, I can understand that they might be disappointed. The maps are priceless in this story and must be referred to time and time again - this is also very much like a nonfiction historical. But if you understand the style, the author is giving you a very well told story that will give the reader a firm understanding of the territory and the circumstances; you will enjoy the ride.

One can hope that Steven Pressfield will write more historical novels of World War II, for in "Killing Rommel" he establishes himself as an absolute master of the genre.

"Killing Rommel" is the story of the British Long Range Desert Group that ranged through North Africa in 1942 - 43. R. Lawrence Chapman is a young Lieutenant in the armor corps. We are introduced to Chapman in the late 1930s as he attends college, makes friends and falls in love with Rose. War breaks out and Chapman, along with his friends, joins the British military. He marries Rose before he leaves.

All this shapes the primary characters and is a clever device. We trail Chapman through his training and his arrival in Africa. Again, all this is well done stage-setting for what is to come.

Chapman is place on temporary duty with the Long Range Desert Group. Made famous in many books and movies, the "Desert Rats" ranged behind German and Italian lines in North Africa, destroying supply dumps and airplanes, taking prisoners and reconnaissance. Chapman is assigned an observer to report back on possible routes for British armor when - and if - they push the Germans and Italians back.

This mission begins with a very different assignment: to kill German Field Marshall Rommell, the legendary commander of the Afrika Corps.

It is the very well researched story of the Long Range Desert Group mixed in with the fictional Chapman's stay with the unit that makes this novel so memorable.

Chapman is a university graduate, not a professional soldier. He is intelligent and sensitive, not a born warrior. He is a product of English towns, not a desert dweller. And he is only 22 years old.

Pressfield takes us on the harrowing journeys of several LRDG patrols. You can feel the extremes of the desert: broiling hot in the day - bitter cold at night. Each patrol is essentially self-contained, responsible for keeping its few vehicles running. The Germans and Italians know the LRDG patrols are out there and hunt for them with armored cars, tanks and aircraft. This is war and death is a constant companion.

There is constant tension as the patrol makes its way across the desert. This is not a story of unremitting combat - the LRDG wasn't intended to engage in combat except as a last resort. Rather it is the story of incredibly brave men who went off into the desert, knowing very well they could die or be taken prisoner.

Pressfield depicts the strange chivalry of the Desert War. In fact, that chivalry is central to the story.

Chapman becomes real through Pressfield's words and storytelling skills. Each of the characters comes alive. The story takes Chapman through the war and to an extent, beyond it.

I don't want to get into too many details for fear of spoiling it for readers. "Killing Rommel" is terrific military history fiction and well worth reading.

Jerry

Presented as a first-person memoir by a British Army combatant in World War Two's North African campaign, KILLING ROMMEL is a novel heavily based on facts and focusing on the exploits of the behind-the-lines commandoes of the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG). Indeed, the narrative is heavily laced with references to and appearances by such real-life military personages as Jake Easonsmith, Paddy Mayne, David Stirling, and Vladimir "Popski" Peniakoff. Even Rommel has a key scene to play.

The fictional hero of the piece is Lieutenant R. Lawrence Chapman, a tank officer seconded to the LRDG to report back to his superiors the conditions of the desert over which the commandoes travel in anticipation of armoured operations over the same terrain. It's a gritty business.

The time frame of the story's core is from April 1941, when General Erwin Rommel and his Afrika Korps are driving on Cairo, to March 1943, by which time General Bernard Montgomery and his Eighth Army have pushed German/Italian forces back to Tunisia and Rommel himself has been withdrawn to Europe.

The book includes two fairly detailed maps of the North African combat zones which prove to be useful perhaps 90% of the time. Occasionally, however, one is left lost in the desert, so to speak.

A major subplot involves the professional maturation of Chapman as, due to circumstances beyond his control, he evolves from one simply along for the ride to an accomplished combat officer and a leader of men.

KILLING ROMMEL is a solid and engaging story from start to finish. Even though author Steven Pressfield doesn't have quite what it takes to make the tale a taut nail-biter even when he puts Chapman and his mates in a dodgy spot, I'm still awarding five stars for the excellent portrayal of the difficulties involved in desert warfare under near-impossible conditions. The reader cannot be but impressed with the toughness and durability of the Chevrolet 30-hundredweight truck.

The North African theater of operations, and specifically the missions and men of the LRDG, could probably benefit from a television miniseries of the quality of Band of Brothers.

This novel presents an excellent account of Desert warfare in Africa during World War II. The account is taken from manuscripts written by R. Lawrence Chapman, "Chap" as he was called. Chap's father had been a mentor and surrogate father to the author of this book who would never consider publishing his "account" of his minor, as he called it, service to England during the war in the very unfriendly desert areas in Africa and Tunisia. Chap's story had me ducking, driving, avoiding bullets and other ammunition, airplanes as they raided the area, and helping repair the vehicles that so often broke down in the desert heat of the days and the cold nights.

The Long Range Desert Group is made up of very highly trained Special Forces that are trained to work in the harshest of climates and terrain. The desert is generally thought of as sand and hot with unrelenting sun beating down on any living or dead creature. This is true but at night it can get extremely cold causing such temperature extremes that humans and equipment have a hard time just enduring. Chap is eventually assigned to one of these groups and learns fast that his training did not give him the sufficient knowledge that he would need to endure, not just the climate, but the enemy consisting of German desert fighters led by General Edwin Rommel, also known as The Desert Fox. The LDRG is hunting for Rommel through most of the desert warfare in this story. The purpose of finding him was to kill him. Rommel did not hide behind his forces but rather led them usually out front of them making him exposed to the enemy.

Chap was only one small part of the desert action but what he saw and had to do to exist, along with his own men, makes for a great read. The temperature extremes caused trucks, jeeps, guns, and all other heavy-duty equipment to break down frequently, forcing stops in many an inconvenient and unsafe area. They had to make do with the cover they could find such as peaks and valleys of the desert. They could only travel certain hours of the day because navigation in the desert is impossible unless you can find your way by the sun and/or star positions. If it was too bright or nasty weather closed in, they had to sit, wait, and hope they would not be found by the enemy or another group of their own, thinking they were meeting the enemy. These stops gave them little rest, little sleep, while repairing what they could, sometimes by cannibalizing wrecks to get the parts they needed for the equipment that was in fair condition. If they left a vehicle behind, the German's would take it, repair it, paint their swastikas on it, and put it in battle against the original owners.

One must read this book to appreciate what these men went through while trying to find and kill General Rommel. Steven Pressfield has taken the manuscript of Chap's and turned it into a great story, most of which is factual with only a few names and groups changed. It is almost unbelievable but we know from history that such brutal tours of duty did exist and this book only touches a brief part of how severe conditions made men live and die while fighting for their lives practically every minute of every day.

Steven Pressfield has mastered the art of telling military history from the point of view of a "common" soldier. Four of his five novels of ancient Greece were told from the perspective of a "grunt" who just happened to fight alongside the giants of history - Leonidas, Alexander, Alcibiades, or Theseus. Pressfield only broke form with "The Virtues of War," as told by Alexander the Great himself.

With "Killing Rommel," Pressfield returns to form as he spins the story of (fictional) Lawrence "Chap" Chapman, a young Brit who is trained as to fight in tanks but gets assigned to the intrepid Long Range Desert Group for a super-secret mission - to assassinate Erwin Rommel during the North Africa campaign. While "KR" may be Pressfield's shortest military history novel, it is also replete with action, despair, and romance.

This is an excellent book.

Pressfield almost always reveals his characters' strengths by putting them into positions of hopeless despair. In "Tides of War," he puts the reader into Sicilian jail-pits with defeated Spartans. In "The Afghan Campaign," he puts the captured narrator at the mercy of murderous Afghan tribes. In "Last of the the stores," the reader experiences of horror of being completely, totally outmatched by a military foe. In "KR," our heroes experience the tortures of fighting the perils of the North African desert, where a flash flood can be as murderous and shocking as a flight of Messerschmitts. I had thought Bartle Bull's novels of Africa were the high-water mark for describing the harsh life in Africa, but while Bull's novels are much more romantic, he's got nothing on Pressfield when it comes to capturing the harsh realities of surviving the desert.

Why only four stars? I hate to admit it, but Pressfield was too successful in assuming the tone of his narrator. To Pressfield, the hallmark of a British soldier is that he never embellishes the truth and plays down his own achievements. And so the novel adopts a clipped tone that in many respects honors Joe Friday's mantra, "Just the facts, ma'am." Overall, this book is not as riveting a read as Pressfield's Greek history novels, although there are quite a few passages where Pressfield allows Chapman to wax a bit more poetic - and these passages pack a wallop.

For Chapman is a terrific character - he goes to war full of the zeal of a young man who has not seen war. And through fighting against one of the greatest soldiers of all time, he emerges from that war a wiser, more sober man . . . who becomes all the more romantic a figure.

I am a huge fan of Mr. Pressfield's books - he's one of my favorite authors. I strongly recommend this book to anyone - my only criticism (perhaps unfair) is that it's not my favorite of Pressfield's books. I'm grading on a curve here, though - an A-minus book by Pressfield is far better than the best novel of most other writers. While I hope Mr. Pressfield writes another novel about WWII, really I just hope he keeps writing.

While I wont claim to be the greatest Pressfield fan, I bought this book more from fascination of his gift for no nonsense depictions of the horror of battle as in Gates of Fire and was curious to see how he handles it in a WW2 setting.

Without telling the gist of the story I will say its a first-class WW2 adventure, fast-paced, accurate without being pedantic, full of danger, chases, and edge of the seat scripted escapes as Chapman (the principal character) and his men in their 'past their use-by date' tanks and rapidly diminishing supplies somehow manage to keep just ahead of Rommel and his forces. As always Pressfield is at his best when describing the brutal realities his characters have to face up to. He does not allow his readers to forget that soldiers get killed, sometimes in way that is unneccesary and agonising, and that military authorities can be utterly incompetent (nothing new there). Toss in a dose of chaos and a splash of quiet heroism and it makes for an enthralling mix. If you want insight into the reality of life at war, as well as thrills, this is the book for you. Like a sort of Rommelised version of Gates of Fire. Nothing pretty just the awfulness of war and sacrifices that sometimes have to be made.

The negative if you can call it that - get over the first few pages you will be fine. The beginning is a sort of present time, story teller telling the story format(book within a book so to speak). Thats not something most readers will be familiar with and its kinda odd but things move on once you a few pages in and the normal feel you have of reading a novel is regained as its firstperson and written as a memoir basically.

Killing Rommel is another moving, entertaining, and educational historical novel by Steven Pressfield, who tops my must-read list. The fiction is about Lt. Chapman who must learn about himself and the nature of war during World War II. The history is about the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG), a British special forces unit that must defeat Gen. Rommel, the Desert Fox, or risk an Axis victory in North Africa.

One could say that Pressfield's novels are formulaic: Gates of Fire, The Afghan Campaign, and Killing Rommel all deal with the morality and reality of war. Only the setting and historical details change; however, I believe that these details are significant. Not only does Pressfield fictionalize history into a compelling adventure, he also incites a desire to learn more about the people and events in his books. After reading Killing Rommel, I immediately searched for more information about the Desert Fox, the LRDG, Paddy Mayne, and Popski's Private Army.

Like the other novels, Killing Rommel focuses on the bond that develops between soldiers. In Pressfield's opinion, the lesson of war is to support your mates. Never mind failing a mission; the worst thing you can do is to let down the soldier next to you. Pressfield also muses on the nature of command: How can a leader best command men when mistakes lead to pain and death? According to Pressfield, a leader is responsible to not only safeguard the men's physical well-being, but their spiritual and moral well-being as well. The novel's best scenes illustrate the honor that can be achieved during war, as combatants from both sides behave with humanity while simultaneously trying to kill each other.

Killing Rommel is a ripping good military adventure and an introduction to the people and events of North Africa during World War II. Expect a movie.

Killing Rommel begins with a very interesting preface. The main character of the preface and epilogue is not the main character of everything in between. The character of the preface and epilogue is almost an editor, someone who knew the author of the memoir that appears after the preface. Upon reading this preface, I was hooked.

The memoir portion of Killing Rommel tells the life story of a British tank lieutenant shortly prior to, during, and shortly after WWII. The lieutenant, after months of training and inactivity in tank division, is assigned to the long range desert group, which deploys small task forces throughout the deserts of North Africa to gather intelligence about German positions and to raid these positions. The story told focuses on the attempted assassination of Germany's Field Marshall Erwin Rommel.

The first 100 or so pages generally lack any details about direct combat, as these pages provide mostly background information about the war, the characters, and specifics of the long range desert group itself. The final 100 pages contain loads of action, and the book concludes with a timely irony that involves the target of the desert group, Field Marshall Rommel. It is a great story, easy to read, and fairly short.

This is the first book of Pressfield's that I have read, and after reading Killing Rommel, I intend to read Pressfield's other books. Comparing Pressfield's work to other historical fiction authors, such as the Shaara's, I found that Pressfield does not develop the character narratives as much as you find other authors doing. In a sense, I found Killing Rommel more historical than fiction. In reading Killing Rommel, I almost thought I was reading true fiction, just told through the memoir of someone who was actually there. Jeff Shaara is still my go to author in this genre, but I certainly like what I have read from Pressfield.

This author never disappoints us in historical accuracy tied to a great story. In this gem, Mr. Pressfield takes us into unconventional desert warfare. With all the detail and color a second world war histori-phile could want. With the detail comes the rattle of automatic weapons, the long searing hot days, the chilly bone-numbing nights, and the continuous struggle against the wind and sand. At the same time we learn fascinating details about General Erwin Rommel and gain a great respect for his military genius as well as his humanity. This is the historically accurate The Rat Patrol: The Complete Series we loved as kids. A quick and enjoyable read packed with action and accurate detail. And a timely portrayal of the difficulties in desert warfare. A fitting followup for more on the topic of unconventional desert warfare would be T. E. Lawrence's Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph. A perfect gift for the unconventional or desert warfare historian.

Underwhelmed by "The Afghan Campaign", I thought that in "Killing Rommel" Pressfield had found his voice as a novelist. The early part of the book about the growing bond between Chapman and Stein and the approaching conflict felt like a novel: take some characters, give them strengths and weaknesses, endear the reader to them, and then put them in trying situations and see what they do.
But in this book, that was just early days and the good stuff ends before the real "story" begins. Pressfield has not written a novel about people, he's written one about machines and equipment first, tactics second, and people a distant third. Cardboard men are introduced for no purpose other than to experience virtually random acts of carnage. Some of them survive some of them don't, but who cares?
And the writing is not inspired either. Things happen "Suddenly" or "Miraculously" don't happen. Voices "crackle" over radios - or maybe not so much voices as clichés. After starting the book I checked out the Wikipedia entry on Rommel (from which I learned more than Pressfield's novel): an Honorable Warrior, an interesting man to be in the service of Hitler. Therefore it was not hard to foresee the storybook ending.
One assumes all the LRDG stuff is carefully researched and true, so you may like to read this book to find out about that - it is less dry (one imagines) than slogging through technical reports, but a good history can be much more captivating than a historical novel. There must be one done on this subject somewhere.

My second-favorite Pressfield novel, after Gates of Fire. Killing Rommel similarly features vividly-drawn characters (though even more relatable since more contemporary) whose compelling story is told through a perfectly crafted narrative structure. The opening material describing the source of the fictional manuscript that forms the bulk of the novel got me choked up before the main narrative thrust even began, and the ending didn't disappoint either. And Alfred Molina's narration of the audio edition is absolutely superb.

The least credible statement in this book is in the 'Historical Note'. In that the author claims: 'All details of the trucks and tanks are historically accurate as are desert geography and place names, campaigns of the war and timing of battles, equipment, weapons, nomenclature and all wireless and operational protocols'. Well, trucks, equipment, nomenclature, and protocols are one thing. As for tanks, the campaigns of the North African war and the timing of battles he makes manages an amazing series of bloopers.

He keeps referring to much experience by the British with long-barreled Mark IV panzer tanks before and during June 1942. The Panzerarmee Afrika had none of these prior to then and only four during the Tobruk battle.

He further credits German infantry in Africa in June 1942 with Panzerfausts (their bazookas); they had none until 1943. He identifies Australian infantry under 8th Army command near Halfaya Pass in June 1942; they were in Syria at the time and not under 8th Army until July at 1st Alamain. He has a New Zealander refer to his division as taking part in Operation Battleaxe in Spring 1941; they also were not there at that time but hundreds of miles further east.

He identifies Bren carriers as used mostly to 'transport infantry'; they were used to transport mortars, machine-guns, ammunition, and act as 'recce' vehicles and were not troop carriers as were post-war armored personnel carriers.

He has Bernard Montgomery as the 8th Army commander during 1st Alamain (July 1942); Auchinleck was then in command, Monty came a few weeks later for the Alam Halfa battle, which the author seems to confuse with 1st Alamain. Similarly, the author has crews in Egypt training in Sherman tanks during 1st Alamain (July 1942); this didn't happen until September, after Alam Halfa.

He has the 'recce' troop of his main character (Lt. Chapman) consisting of four tanks whereas British tank troops usually had only three. He claims this troop was assigned a mix of tanks, whereas British practice was to keep entire squadrons, let alone troops, of the same type, or at least of the same type gun. He has his fictional troop consisting not only of different tank types but different guns: Crusaders and A9/A10 cruisers with 40mm guns, Stuarts with 37mm guns, Italian M13s with 47mm guns, even heavy Grants (never assigned to 'recce' or 'light' troops) with 75mm guns. Such a mix of ammunition would not have been permitted. Moreover, if memory serves me well, "recce" troops within armored regiments at this time didn't have tanks at all, but two-man armored Dingo scout cars.

To cap it all off, in early 1943 when we finally meet Erwin Rommel, he is identified with the insignia and title of a General; whereas the whole world knows that months before he was made a Field Marshall ! That's in the James Mason movie.

Getting past all these mistakes, however, it must be conceded that 'Killing Rommel' is a fine war novel, capturing the spirit and experience of the British Empire's special forces in the desert in the twilight of that empire's history. Just don't take it as factual history.

If you've never quite figured out what "un-putdownable" means, get this book. I picked it up at the library on my lunch break and started reading it when I got home at 7PM. At 2 AM I had finished reading it. A fast read---but the images and wisdom from this book will be with me for a long long time. It reads like a completely authentic memoir, rather than a novel. The descriptions of the daily duties and misadventures, defeats and heroism, all ring entirely true. The depth of character displayed by heroes on both sides--especially the protagonist and General Rommel--is truly inspiring. There is an insight about the nature of epiphanies that is priceless; I won't quote it, because I want you to go find it yourself. This is the first Pressfield book I've read; The rest will soon follow.

Like some of the other reviewers, I had trouble reading this book with its concentration on description of tanks and trucks and weaponry and a lack of description of character and plot. These reads more like an unedited journal of a soldier who had no idea of pace or language - perhaps that was the author's intent. I am a fan of Pressfield, have read Gates of Fire, Alcibiades, and The Legend of Bagger Vance. But this one, after a promising start, was ultimately disappointing. And I must confess I finally could take no more and put it down at page 200. Since I always anticipate a new Pressfield with glee, I am extremely disappointed that this one simply did not work, for me, anyway.

General Erwin Rommel was probably the most famous German Field Marshal of World War II and was commander of the Deutsches Afrika Korps. He became known by the nickname "The Desert Fox" for his skillful military campaigns waged on behalf of the German Army in North Africa that featured some of the finest strategies of World War II. His legacy also includes a reputation as being a chivalrous and humane military officer in contrast to many other figures of Nazi Germany.

It is the character Erwin Rommel that is the driving force behind KILLING ROMMEL. Steven Pressfield's career has been dominated by bestselling works of historical fiction, most famously with GATES OF FIRE (which has been optioned by George Clooney for a film treatment) about the Spartans' battle with the Persian army. He also wrote the non-military novel THE LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE, which was made into the Robert Redford movie starring Matt Damon and Will Smith.

KILLING ROMMEL is told from the perspective of R. Lawrence Chapman, and the story that proceeds from a brief introductory chapter allegedly comes from Chapman's diaries of his experiences with the British Army during World War II. Chapman is not a traditional military type and, in this story, went on to become a famous publisher following the end of WWII. Pressfield does a nice job of blending fact with fiction and features real-life British Army heroes like Jake Easonsmith, Paddy Mayne, Nick Wilder and Ron Tinker. Others represent composites or fictional characterizations.

Chapman is selected to join a secret unit known as the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG), and they are identified by their scorpion insignia. The LRDG is tasked with infiltrating the German troops in North Africa and killing their leader, General Rommel. They recognize that this may indeed be a suicide mission but one that is necessary to alter the outcome of the war. General Rommel had just routed the British forces in a series of battles in the Western African Desert and is in the process of marching on to the gates of Alexandria. If the German troops are successful in this course, they threaten to push from the Suez into the Middle East oilfields. With Arab oil in their control, Hitler's army could very well break the backs of the European Allied Forces and Russian Army.

What follows during Chapman's recounting of his time with the LRDG is some very engaging historical and fictional accounts of the challenges and struggles that this secret unit faces against not only the Nazi Army but also the conditions of the African desert and their own vehicular limitations. It is during this point that you will forget you are reading a work of fiction and actually feel like you are there with this desperate British unit, as they valiantly struggle to overcome many obstacles in an effort to reach their goal of killing General Rommel.

With the British Eighth Army, led by General Bernard Montgomery, surging and a push from the recently landed American Allied Army led by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the LRDG realizes how critical it is for them to succeed and provide intelligence that will allow their overall forces to succeed in stopping the Nazi desert push. The historical battle at El Alamein is an important turning point in this effort, and Pressfield again puts the reader right there with the LRDG. The eventual face-to-face confrontation between Chapman's team and General Rommel himself is powerful and contains enough nervous tension to make the best military history buff forget the eventual documented outcome.

It is a known fact that Rommel was defeated in his efforts to drive through to the Middle East, and this failure led to his eventual falling out with Hitler himself. Rommel's life ended with his suicide when he was fingered as part of a Nazi mutiny that plotted to kill Hitler. Pressfield succeeds greatly in making you feel distinctly what these young British soldiers went through during this North African campaign (which actually lasted from 1940-1943), and knowing the outcome of the battle ahead of time makes this novel no less interesting a read.

KILLING ROMMEL is a thoroughly engaging book --- and not just for military history buffs.

--- Reviewed by Ray Palen

Killing Rommel by Steven Pressfield, bestselling author of Gates of Fire (a book now taught at West Point) chronicles the factually-inspired expedition of the Long Range Desert Group, an elite British special forces team founded in 1940, to kill Erwin Rommel.

The novel takes the form of a memoir (or perhaps more appropriately war diary) written by the fictional R. Lawrence Chapman, published after Chapman's death and much prodding by his deceased friend's son. It should be noted before reading the novel that the form which it takes presents a certain criterion for fully enjoying Killing Rommel: it is not a textbook, and the Second World War as a whole is not explained in any degree of detail. For the novel to be fully appreciated, it is necessary to approach Killing Rommel with at least a general knowledge of the war in order to put events, people, and places in their appropriate context. To balance this out, Pressfield ensures that the novel is accessible to readers regardless of their education on the war; technical terms are explained where necessary, and the localized nature of Chapman's memoir make little reference to events outside the scope of the book.

Chapman's account of his time spent with the Long Range Desert Group strikes an interesting balance between realistic descriptions of wartime horror and chivalric notions of lifelong romances blossoming in the midst of large-scale conflict. At times the reader is invited to take part in the `greatest generation' sentiment of the Second World War, with Chapman's sense of invigoration and freedom in the desert and a close friend's declaration that he is having the time of his life. Comrades-in-arms take enemy ambushes in stride and engage in playful banter when Jerry comes a-stalking; mid-day `brew ups' under the desert sun are leisurely breaks in the shade of a lorry. This changes, however, as the story progresses and the nature of war is revealed. Chapman's ever-present remorse after a particularly brutish engagement renders tangible the lifelong guilt felt by many soldiers, especially those in roles of authority. An internal exposition makes it clear that Chapman fully appreciates the oft-perceived senseless of war and the humanity of the Enemy, soldiers just like himself who are simply doing what they see as their patriotic duty or the better of undesirable options. This balance between Indiana Jones-style romance and realistic and unapologetic recollection brings out Pressfield's mastery of his genre. The necessity of the LRDG's duty is proven undeniable, but the reader does not finish the book with any illusions that war does not involve immense physical, emotional, and even spiritual pain.

The most remarkable achievement of Killing Rommel is its conveyance of respect for the Enemy, held for common troopers of the opposition but most importantly for Rommel himself. The `Desert Fox' was feared as an individual by nearly all British soldiers in North Africa; Pressfield's novel does nothing to discredit Rommel's character or paint him with stereotypical Nazi colors (and this is especially significant, as Rommel was never a Party member). Hatred never enters Chapman's mind, and his feelings for Rommel probably border on professional admiration. Clearly, Rommel was a military genius who simply had to be removed from the theatre of operations in order for the British Army to succeed. In another time and another place, Rommel could have been a valuable asset to have fighting at one's side.

There is a reason that Steven Pressfield is read at the United States Military Academy, and Killing Rommel is a good introduction to why that is true. Flowing plot and sparse tangential discussions make the novel excellent light reading with heavier implications and food-for-thought.

Steven Pressfield has done an excellent job of writing a believeable story. It brought back many memories.

I find it hard to believe that in a WW 2 British army unit they would allow officers and non-officers to eat together.

Even before WW 2 the western allies knew quite a bit about German armaments, yet did nothing to provide equivalent armaments and tanks for their own armies. The British tanks had small short range canons (2 pounders), the US Sherman tank was a death trap and also underarmed. These blunders resulted in higher casualties.

The Germans considered commando raids and units like the LRDG as cowardly and improper for soldiers. It wasn't until near the end of WW 2 that the Germans carried out any commando type raids.

Killing Rommel may be overshadowed by lesser war novels and war novelists. From the popular W.E.B. Griffith through Ken Follet and Jack Higgins, competent writers who dress out current events and issues in period settings, it's tasty reading, but doesn't stick to the imagination as Steven Pressfield's does.

Gates of Fire was a revelation. To see the individual warriors of a Greek phalanx, down to the weapons and the shoving, and to hear them speak, rather than read stylized half lines and topoi and meter, was like, well, ethos. In that novel, as in less satisfying ones for me (Virtues of War, The Afghan Campaign), Pressfield applied a classicist's love of his subject and to the surface of research.

You have to love your subject to expend so much of yourself in it, and the characters breathe while still based in myth.

The North African desert is the blank sheet on which the characters get sketched in, filled out, and live. Chapman, the narrator, provides the framework for Killing Rommel. Rommel himself appears briefly, but is a stereotype. The desert itself is as awful and beautiful as Odysseus' winedark sea, Melville's Pacific, or Crane's empty universe.

There are memorable historical characters, and some of the other major figures: Chapman himself, Rose, his wife who grows up in the span of Killing Rommel with him, Stein, an Oxford don as heroic, loved--and doomed--as Hector, but they're officers. As in Gates of Fire, it's the E's of the Long Range Desert Group, Australians like Collie, Punch, Standridge, whose speech is historically true and immediate: ethos. And it works as it did in Gates of Fire.

If you want the best description of what makes a good officer, institutions responsible for that kind of curriculum development, whether military or B schools (the good ones) will agree with Chapman's clear self assessment on page 175, someone who "could be counted on to perform the mission...someone they could look o for leadership and direction," all without self consciousness or self obsession, a "framework within which they were freed to use their own qualities of courage, resourcefulness and tenacity."

Like most of my favorite writers, Mark Helprin, for example, Steven Pressfield isn't afraid of taking on cliches, whether in characters or situations, and making them new. Like my favorite Pressfield book, The War of Art (which not enough people read), he overcomes Resistance, including his demanding reader's lowered expectation.

Well, I just finished the book today and Mr. Pressfield has done it again. Wow! First off, it moves. The characters are people that can be identified with and I found myself feeling for them too. Maybe it's because of the stories I've heard from my dad or some of what I've read in the past, but everything about it clicked.

You get a feel for the lengths these men went to, just to secure our freedoms. Not just the men, but the women as well. These were pivotal times and it was an entire generation that had to step up, to make it all go our way.

It's all right there, in the pages of Mr. Pressfield's book. The bigger picture was staring everyone in the face. The main characters weren't looking to be heroes, but they became heroes, just by doing what they knew they had to do. They weren't born to be killers, but they knew they would have to do things they hated doing, in order to preserve a future that would maintain values worth keeping. It all comes accross in this fast paced read. You feel like you are along for the ride, and you've got to stay one or two steps ahead of a more than worthy adversary, if you are to come out on top. Steven Pressfield makes you feel as if you are a part of a high stakes game and letting go of north Africa isn't an option.

The ending... I'm not embarrassed to say, brought me to tears. I was actually choked up. Brothers in arms -- who knows the lot of a soldier better than another soldier. You've got to read it to understand it.

Killing Rommel, a novel written by Stephen Pressfield, is a fictional memoir of a World War II British officer named Chapman who serves in the North Africa Campaign. It is also an awesome story of men at war.

In Killing Rommel, the reader follows the fictional Chapman through his early life at a British public school, Oxford, the incredible seesaw fight in North Africa between the British 8th Army and Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps, and then an ultimately doomed raid with the famous Long Range Desert Task Force to assassinate the German commander who was called, deservedly, the Desert Fox. Along the way the reader gets a feeling for what it was like to participate in one of the oddest campaigns in military history, atypical to most wars of the 20th Century, certainly on World War II.

Chapman, a tank commander, is attached to the Long Range Desert Task Force in a mission designed to kill that man of honor and brilliance. But first they have to find their target, a story that occupies most of the last third of the novel. What follows is an epic of men at war, it's horror and glory, as compelling as anything Stephen Pressfield has written before, in his novels set in Ancient Greece.

Totally engrossing novel. I have been a history buff for over 40 years and can honestly say that this in one of the best WWII novels I have read. A well done combination of fact and fiction that stands out. Steven Pressfield is gifted. The detail and historical accuracy added to a fine personal narative form make Killing Rommel fine reading.
Bryan Woolman

The book was really different from what I thought it was going to be. It is seemingly a departure from Pressfield normal way of story telling. However, given enough time and reflection you can see how similar it really is. This is no "Gates of Fire" but it is a nice addition to my historical fiction library.

One of the best narrated books I have listened to. So much so that I immediately listened to it again. I have only done that once before in a long history of narrated books. Great, uplifting story and narration.

His books are always great but this one very lame. No idea why such great reviews. Like a bad movie I stuck it out hoping it'd get better and it never did. It lacks any decent historical facts and characters were as bad as book.

What a great read. Once Pressfield finds his groove this book is hard to put down. I finished it in a couple of days. I've read several of Pressfield's novels and found this one the best. If your a WW2 fan or a fan of Rommel, like I am, then you have to read this.

A great read, especially if you have had prior service as a tanker. It shows the importance of the armored company's mission and the conduct of the tank battalion, the importance of maximum fire power, reliable communications, and the flexibility of command. Good character development and detailed explanations of the battle history.

I guess I was expecting another "Gates of Fire"and was somewhat dissapointed. I am a World War Two / weapons buff and noticed a few small technical flaws in weapons / vehicle descriptions-sorry I am a nit-picker.Over all it was an O.K. read covering an interesting and often forgotten part of the Desert War. It is worth reading and I hope that this is not the author's last effort at writting about modern combat.

Not as gripping as any of his previous novels...too many acronyms to really handle. I found myself skimming through entire pages...and I am a FANATICAL cheerleader of all things Pressfield but unfortunately he missed the mark, FOR ME on this one.

Steven Pressfield has shown himself to be one of the greatest historical fiction authors out there--great writing, accurate historical portrayals, interesting storylines, and dynamic characters. In this light, how does Killing Rommel turn out to be? Flat is the best way to describe it.

Killing Rommel is about R. Lawrence Chapman "Chap" and his first person experiences as a part of the Long Range Desert Corp in Egypt. Their job is, as the title suggests, killing Erwin Rommel, a brilliant Nazi German General, as well as a gentleman and great leader. Nevertheless, despite Rommel being a generally nice guy for a Nazi, the LRDC has to take him out. We follow Chapman as he experiences the extreme desert heat while sizzling in a tank, listening for orders over the radio.

I very much enjoyed the idea of the book, and the story it told. I love the title. I think it's difficult to find a good title, and Pressfield seems to have nailed it. The subject matter was interesting too; I've always liked World War II. I also enjoyed how Pressfield split the book up into reasonable chapter lengths, and created a definite structure, which may seem like a bad thing, but a book without structure is usually nonsense. He started a new part at every major turning point, which helped move the story along.

It may seem that Pressfield has pulled off yet another masterful tale, but I'm afraid his missed the mark... by at least a mile.

First of all, let me say that Pressfield has nailed exactly what he wanted. His purpose for writing this novel is to detail what went into tank warfare in the desert. He created a book that reads exactly like a soldier's journal down to the censoring of people's names for security issues of that time. Unfortunately, Pressfield so accurately captures a soldier's journal that the person, (Chapman) from whose point of view the story is told, has obviously had no literary training. There is no sense of pacing, useless descriptions of bring life in the dessert, repetitive scenes that do nothing to advance what little plot there is, and no development of characters.

Killing Rommel is not a deft historical novel. It is an excuse to write badly. Overall, the book is dull, boring, and especially dry, just like the deserts in which it takes place. I can empathize with the main character who despises sitting in the itchy sand beneath the boiling sun, because that is exactly what I experienced why reading the book.

But there is one thing that would redeem this book. If Killing Rommel possessed dynamic, interesting, active, meaningful characters to move the story along, pacing, writing style, and even what goes on (no matter how boring) wouldn't matter, as long as there are interesting characters. Even if an interesting character is in a boring situation, that situation can still be made interesting by a well-developed character. But no, not in this book. Here we have flat, two-dimensional characters that we don't care about one bit. I didn't care what happened to any of them, even when one of the characters died. I didn't care about Chapman and his wife's relationship or whether she was safe or not, or even if she died. She was meaningless, and so was the main character.

So, with all of this adding up, there is anything good about this book. But there is one more distasteful aspect that I will address. This aspect is the format in which Killing Rommel is written.

First of all, I don't even understand why Pressfield even decided to write it in the format of a first person account. If I wanted to read an account of World War II I would read a first person account of World War II. It's not the first person that bothers me even; I like first person. It's the fact the Pressfield tried to make it so realistic that he had to throw in a whole bunch detail that is meaningless unless that person is actually real. Much of the information in the first fifty pages doesn't even apply to the main story. It's useless fluff. Not only that, the real important action didn't even start until at least the hundredth page. Pressfield instead tossed in a bunch of unimportant filler that seems to be trying to evade progressing with the story.

To summarize, Killing Rommel has a lot of potential to be a great war novel, but the author got too bogged down on too many other elements that made for a boring read, taking away from the real plot and action that a book like this suggests.

Should you try reading this book? Well, if you like a realistic account with lots of technical lingo and detailed descriptions of tactics and complicated (perhaps even scientific) warfare, then please do. You'll love it. The only problem is, we put so much time and effort into reading into the main character's life and wading through the way tanks work and how to attack the enemy, and it all ends up being just a bunch of useless mumbo jumbo. For all the aspects of a real soldier's journal, it isn't. It's all fake in the end, so it really doesn't matter.

Killing Rommel was a well written novel based on actual facts from WWII. The book read easily, and takes the reader into the desert environment and WWII setting. I enjoyed it, and passed it along to my son, serving in the military in the Mideast.

I don't know what came over the "Publishers Weekly" in giving this a starred review- I found it cliched and repetitive. The title is unnecessarily dramatic- Rommel has only a walking on role at the very end of the book: an ending that is ridiculous and hammy. The woman's role is shallow and I had to force myself to finish it. Forsyth writes about British soldiery far better than this. To Pressfield and PW- boo hiss