Riding the Tempest

After Dunkirk #5

by Lee Jackson

As the chaos of World War II spreads from Europe to Northern Africa and the Pacific, one family fights for their freedom against impossible odds…

Led by the US and supported by Britain, the Allies invade North Africa. Promoted within the British intelligence service, Paul is sent to Algiers during a ceasefire announced by French General Darlan. But when a deadly new assignment pushes his skills to the limit, will he step up to the challenge of his new role?

At Bletchley Park, Claire and her team of analysts discern from decoded messages that the Germans have employed a new type of radar that is decimating RAF bombers. And the messages she decodes grow more troubling by the hour as the war heats up in Northern Africa.

Lance is sent to Colditz, a special prison for recaptured escapees. He will risk everything to make his escape to join the commandos back in England, where his brother Jeremy is enlisted in a daring raid.

Cousin Josh Littlefield, a US navy fighter pilot, finds himself at the heart of vital initiatives, first in the Pacific Theater, and then in Europe. But will his training hold up under enemy fire? With fighting ongoing at Guadalcanal and in North Africa, the Allies gain strategic ground in both the European and Pacific theaters—but determined enemies on both fronts strike back with furious counterattacks.

And the Führer in Berlin is already preparing an assault on Stalingrad…

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, World War II, War

518 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 28, 2023

About the author

My Tagline: Lee Jackson Brings Heat To The Cold War. I write Historical Thriller Fiction - particularly surrounding the Cold War. Having lived in Morocco, Germany, Costa Rica, and of course in the United States; and, having been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan for a combined 38 months, I've been up-close-and personal with many different cultures. I graduated from West Point and Boston University, resulting in a front row seat on many pivotal events. I live in Texas with my wife. My first novel, "Curse The Moon" was published on 10 December 2013. I publish under my own name, Lee Jackson.

Reviews

[Darren Bourn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from the author and the fine folks at NetGalley in return for honest review.

This is the fifth book in Lee Jackson's After Dunkirk series (unfortunately only the second one that I have had the pleasure to read). After reading this book, it appears that the author's premise is to take a period of the war and the events that actually happened during that time frame and to insert his characters and develop conversational narratives amongst those characters.

This "chapter" of the series takes place during 1943 and covers many of the actions of that year including Norwegian commandos and the bombing of the heavy water plant, the victory of the Allied forces in North Africs, the invasion of Italy (and the subsequent surrender of Italy and the overthrow of Mussolini), Operation Mincemeat, the dam buster bombing raid in Germany the series of conferences between the leaders of the big three powers, and the invasion of Tarawa. By and large, most of the book was factually true (with a few questionable facts.

I would highly recommend this novel to readers of history, and those who enjoy a good narrative. As such, I would give this book a solid four stars out of five.

As with all my literary ramblings, this is just my five cents worth.

[Alicia Marsland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learned few things

Well researched, well plotted, well expressed so that those of us who didn’t live through it have a better idea of what it was like. It’s not as if our parents liked to talk about it.

[Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riding The Tempest (#5 in the After Dunkirk series) continues the saga of the Littlefield family during World War II. This installment addresses the events of 1943 in Europe, North Africa, and the Pacific Ocean. The narrative extends from individual soldiers on the battlefield and their families at home to the national leaders debating strategy.

The author, Lee Jackson, is able to capture the essence of the battles of North Africa, Sicily, Italy, and Tarawa in addition to commando raids in Norway without becoming bogged down. Any of these campaigns could easily be the subject of one or more separate volumes. Instead, Jackson provides just enough detail from these battles to provide the background for the narrative of the Littlefield family.

Each of the books in this series has contained historical facts that may not be familiar to the average reader. Although this is a historical fiction series, Jackson incorporates the real-life stories of heroes like First Lieutenant William Hawkins and Lieutenant (jg) Eddie Heimberger. Their stories add to the realism of the overall narrative.

[Jim Flagg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an advanced reader copy of this book for my honest review. This is a book in a series and was a great addition to the series. The story moves a a good pace with great characters. The reader is pushed to keep reading and won’t be disappointed. The ending is satisfying but, it will leave you looking forward to the next book in the series. I can’t wait.

[Harold · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's one more book in this series and it's due in September. I'll read it. I've pre-ordered it. It's a solid series and coincidentally
offers a good history of WWII, which in the last decade has become one of my main interests.

[RICHARD C MAZZARELLA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almost didn't read

Read the first 4 but by the time #5 became available the momentum was lost. Decided to plow through though forgot most of the story line and some of the characters. Now it seems we have to wait almost another year for #6. Why can't authors wait until completion of all their books before releasing? Some do and I'm very grateful for it. I'm sure Lee couldn't care less but I'm fed up!

[Michael A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Installment #5 of the After Dunkirk series. Lots of jumping around between the Littlefield family members at various locations. Focused on the year 1943, primarily the Africa and Italy campaigns with some Pacific War thrown in. Great descriptions of Roosevelt- Churchill summits in Casablanca and Tehran where much of the Allied strategy was mapped out. Educational and entertaining. D- Day coming next.

[Jonathan Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the others

I think there was too much jumping in time. Also too much Churchhill and Roosevelt and not sure why they became main characters.
I'll finish the series but this wasn't the greatest

[David Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever stumbled across a series kind of by accident and gotten addicted to it? The After Dunkirk series is just that series for me. For quite some time I avoided historical military fiction like the plague and then I was offered a review copy of After Dunkirk and I was hooked… Riding the Tempest, this latest in Lee Jackson’s series didn’t just entertain me, it let me have a few moments of fellowship with characters I have begun to see as friends. I would be remis to say the beginning of this book really set my emotions on edge and kept them there throughout the story. Needless to say, I no longer avoid this genre. If you enjoy historical military fiction you owe it to yourself to get a copy of After Dunkirk and settle in for what will most likely become an entertaining addiction. I received an Advance Reader Copy of Riding the Tempest from the publisher and chose to provide this review.

[Frieda Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riding the Tempest

As with Book #4, this one had so much technical detail that I felt as if I were studying for a history class! It was a bit less so than the previous though. I'm glad the historical bits are included, otherwise it wouldn't be a very good story, it just felt like too much for me. I DID like the book very much! It is helping me understand a bit of what my uncles faced. One was in the US Army group moving up Italy's spine. His group eventually liberated Dachau's concentration camp. The other was in both the US Army AND Navy, in the Pacific. I had no chance to speak to either of them, & not sure they would've discussed it anyway. So, yes, this is helping me quite a bit. One other thing that bothered me a little is that, in this book the author skips around in time more than ever before. Otherwise, I can recommend it to anyone who enjoys history, family sagas, & it has a little romance thrown in for good measure!!

[Diane Crepeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read series!

Absolutely unbelievable what those involved in WWII went through and sacrificed. These books make you feel as though you are part of the war. For the writer to insert a fictional family into the incredible true details of the war of all wars to say the least this book made it even more interesting to read and it should have a six star plus rating. All the research he did to put out these books is amazing. I learned so much about WWII in his books. In addition to following the family in the story. Incredible. Can’t put it down. I only regret that I never asked my dad more questions. He served in the Navy in the South Pacific theater in WWII and sadly passed away in 2000. I anxiously await the final chapter in the series.

[Jim Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical panorama

Riding the Tempest is the 5th book in The After Dunkirk series. It is incredibly detailed account of various actions of the allies during World War II. Fortunately, the amount of detail serves only as a backdrop for a family from Britain and their American cousins . It documents the strategies of both of the wars in Europe and the Pacific. One fascinating aspect is the conversations between the world leaders of Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin along with secondary players. Assuming these conversations are based on historical documents, it does illustrate some of the strategies that were used during World War II. Sometimes the details can be overwhelming but it is still worth the effort.

[Jodi Reinholt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great installment in the After Dunkirk series! Jackson inserts the characters in real WWII events, and not just the better known ones. I especially loved reading about commando operations, and I liked the way he used conversations between Roosevelt and Churchill to familiarize the reader with events we don't see and to illustrate the heavy burden they carried while trying to make the best decisions for carrying out the war. I also enjoyed getting to know the American Littlefields better. I didn't fact check everything, but everything I did was historically accurate. I am so bummed that I have to wait a whole year for the next installment!

[S C · Rating 5 out of 5]

best books EVER!!!

Every book has been as nail bitingly brilliant as the first! Lee makes us feel the terror, the loss, the incredible bravery and unbelievable spirit of every character. It is exhausting, but one of the best books I have ever read!. I am desperate to know how it all ends, and am prepared for more sadness, and cannot wait for the next instalment. Thank you Lee, you should get a medal for being such an outstanding author, your depictions of the war have shown me just how little we knew about the finer details, and makes me even prouder to be British, God bless them all who fought and died so heroically! Hurry up and finish the next for me! Sue

[JOYCE DURHAM · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is horrible

The US, Britain and their allies are in the thick of things with waging war in both Europe and with the Japanese. The battles are so descriptive and horrific that it’s hard to imagine. So many men and women lost their lives or loved ones that it makes you wonder how we can continue to fight wars knowing the amount of suffering and damage they cause.
I said this book was horrible because it’s written so graphically and realistically that it causes me real pain. I’m afraid the next book will be more of the same but I feel I’m obligated to read it to pay tribute to the individuals that actually fought and the thousands that paid the ultimate price.

[Mike Crooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fifth book in the AFTER DUNKIRK series, following its predecessors it continues the story of the fictional Littlefield family during WWII. If you are still with the series then you are engrossed in the saga and can't wait for the next installment and there is only two left.
Riding the Tempest compares favorably with its companions but I admit to some fatigue with the minutiae of the details. After all the time spent with the story you cautiously read each chapter wanting to know what happens but fear the possible outcomes to characters that have been with you for a long time. This installment was a solid four stars...

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fifth of a five-part series (so I thought until I got to the end and there was a note that there is a sixth one coming out in 2024) that uses real events with made up dialogue between characters. Instead of focusing mostly on the Littlefield family and their roles in fighting WWII, there are once again protracted conversations between Churchill and Roosevelt. There are also new fictional people introduced who get a lot of air time. I am just not the right audience for this type of novel. I never would have read After Dunkirk if I had known it was part of a series.

[Michelle Harston · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so enjoying reading this series! I can’t believe how interested I’ve become in history since starting to read Lee Jackson’s After Dunkirk. I’ve done research to follow what actually happened and it’s so much easier to understand than the history most of us were taught in public schools. Now I’m actually learning, not just memorizing some dates of battles that weren’t real & names that meant nothing. Winston Churchill and DeGaulle were just political figures I saw pictures of on the news as a kid while waiting on the fun shows on TV. Reading these historical fiction just made all the real history worth studying again. Thank you, Mr. Jackson, for writing these books that have brought hours of enjoyment & a renewed craving for history to my heart.

[Bunty Cachia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished the 5th book in this great series and now have to wait a year for the next one (which I am imagining will be the last one). There is much more political detail in this one, and the extended family comes into it more.
Love Lee Jackson's style of writing. Well written with a sufficient amount of detail that doesn't allow your brain to start glazing over.
These books are so much ''up my alley''. My idea of a good read.

[John Kounas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stark Littlefield History of WW2

Author rights well good content but too often spending a great deal of text on emotions and personalities.
He also has gone to extreme fictional content. Every major event in WW2 ties in with either a Stark or Littlefield. Only exception is Pearl Harbor. For me that’s too much fiction. These two families are the basis of all important events in WW2. Too unreal.

[Peter Hendrycks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a pleasure to read! It covered a huge number of key battles and raids in both theaters. Of course, all the main characters were involved. Mr Jackson does a good job of describing the strategies and scenes, and also the horrors of warfare. I like the way he shows Churchill and Roosevelt interacting. It is nice to see the Allies are getting the upper hand now, but sad to see the price paid to do so, in human lives.

[Ann M. Rothweiler · Rating 5 out of 5]

WWII-Behind the scenes & a family's dangerous involvements

I've learned so much about the intricacies of WWII. The adventures of the Littlefield family include spying, working with the French Resistance, pilots taking on the Nazis head-on in dogfights, escaping from POW prisons, & commandos secret missions. I understand much more of what my father & other relatives went through in the war.

[virgil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding Series Continues🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

It keeps amazing me how the author can shift back and forth without any gaffs through multiple storylines involving multiple theaters of action involving numerous characters and plots while maintaining historical accuracy and pace. While this is written in a series format, each volume is complex, gripping, and intriguing on its own. The series overall is epic!.👏👏

[Diane J. Futer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional

Absolutely love this series. So much of WWII thoroughly covered. I like the way the author inserts his characters into the action. He also conveys the heart wrenching reality of war. Not sure how many more books will be written in this series, but I am chomping on the bit for the next installation.

[CATHY BARBER · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Hit

Once again we are surrounded by WW II and immersed into the world of Claire, Jeremy, Paul , lance, their American cousins and the parents. Characters are easy to enjoy and become part of. The story will have you smiling and then chocking back a little sob. Lee Jackson includes enough history to make the story seem true. Looking forward to the next book.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lee Jackson’s After Dunkirk series just keeps getting better. This novel in particular makes one feel as if they’re living through the war. From emotional home environment and complex intelligence operation to gritty combat. It’s all here to be savored and enjoyed Oh by the way, you do not have to read the previous novels to be enjoyed and impressed. Highly recommend

[richard hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

another great episode in this saga

This well written very absorbing story continues the saga……
A great combination of fact and fiction wound round an extended family.
I must admit to having to go off to look at the
Easter Egg people places locations and happenings…….
I Do hope the next instalment isn’t too long in being published.

I recommend this book…….

[EileenNH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely Detailed and Very Interesting

This series delve into detail about almost all aspects of the war. The stress if the war, the different planes, tanks, ships as well as ammunition are believe it or not interesting because Lee Jackson presents them readable.
I am looking forward to the next book to find out how the characters survive.

[Carey Mundy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 5th book in the phenomenal “After Dunkirk”
Series. WWII continues and the various members of the Littlefield family do their part to aid In the Allied effort. Taking us from the South Pacific to North Africa, France, Italy and England, everyone has a role to play. I can’t say enough about how much I love this series - will be hard to wait a year for the next book!

[Gordon Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great balance between terror, tenderness and WWII planning insights

The author has researched so much detail that one usually never hears about in the various battles across the world. In book 5 the war is not yet won although it is grinding down - still with too many deaths on all sides. I’ve purchased Book 6.