Iron Coffin: 5

Ever wonder what it must have been like to serve aboard a U-boat and realize most of the people you know are going to die before the end of the war?John Mannock brings a new twist to an old story. This is a story of men and ships, honor in battle and honorable enemies. U-113 is crippled, dangerous low on fuel and in need of repairs if she is ever to cross the Atlantic again. Damaged off Cuba, she makes for the Louisiana bayou and so-so Cajun ally.Desperate men gamble to find a way back to Germany, but first they have to repair their boat, escape the American patrols and deal with the cultic Papa Luc.Don't miss IRON COFFIN, and look for more great books from John Mannock.

Wow!The author has gone to great lengths to protray the U-boat crew as protagonists without making the Allied characters into mindless, cruel automatons as lesser skilled authors may have done. This is not a simple task.Iron Coffin is a great novel and sure to thrill any WW2 or adventure reader. There is great attention to detail and the entire novel rings mainly believable - although I think there may be too much painting of the U-boat officers as excessively anti-Hitler. Perhaps, in hindsight, this was necessary to justify the plot and ending.Buy this book and read it. You won't be disappointed.

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

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

Unforgettable is right...just like the quote on the cover says. This stunning novel captured my imagination and heart from the first few pages. Far from being the usual run-of-the-mill sub tale, this is a serious work of stark realism, heroism, and poignancy. I rate it right up there with ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, DAS BOOT, BAND OF BROTHERS, and FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS as great war/anti-war fiction. The emotional power of IRON COFFIN is startling, and as I have said in a couple of other reviews I've felt compelled to write about this remarkable novel, I defy anyone to read the last few sentences and not wipe away a tear. The story and writing are that good, that heart-wrenching. An absolute classic, and a must-have for any serious reader of war fiction. I cannot recommend it highly enough.