A great narrative history of a minor military exploit that was nonetheless of enormous historical importance: the on-going operation to prevent the Nazis acquiring a stock of heavy water that could be used in making an atomic bomb. But the efforts and hazards dared by the men who took part in the operations are equal to those of any polar explorers, as well as any special forces.

Mears is clearly a lot more comfortable explaining the backwoodsmanship of the participants than he is with the detailed military or scientific history, but that just makes this a unique take on a theatre of war that’s been under-studied.

3/5. Finished Saturday 23 March, 2019.

(Originally published on Goodreads.)