Hamers War by Francis Cottam

Hamers War Reviews

• 
  Vernie

  I wish Mr. Cottam would write more of this kind of material. I enjoyed reading this book, I like the well-written backward and flash forward narrative of the story since I was not born yet during World War 11, I get a glimpse of the horror's of war but then even with the romantic angle. You can't help but sympathize with the character's tragic life, deception and his courage to redeem himself brought by the complications of War.
• 
  Neil Spark

  Martin Hamer is a German World War Two hero. He’s returned, injured, from the Russian front, and decorated by Hitler. He's sent to help administer a concentration camp in Poland while he recovers. He doesn’t want to go. He wants to get back to the eastern front.
  
  Hamer meets prisoner Julia Smollen. He falls in love, questions everything he has believed and his life changes forever. He questions his values, his past and his loyalty to the Nazi regime.

  Hamer is a strong, tough and brutal soldier. But he is capable of sentiment and determined to fight the good fight.

  
  His relationship with Nazi zealot Karl and his family is a good sub-plot. The relationships test him to the limit which shows his human side.

  
  Hamer engineers Julia’s escape from the camp and gets away himself. Their plan is to meet in neutral Switzerland. But Hessler is on his trial. The ending isn’t what I expected.
 And I didn’t expect the switching back and forth in time or the lack of chapters, instead of which there’s sections. It was distracting at first but I persisted and am glad I did.
  
  This love story is set in a brutal, fearful and unpredictable time. It has a strong dose of thriller which makes for a compelling story.
  
  Hamer’s War is Cottam’s second book. I’m going to read his first, The Fire Fighter.
  
• 
  Jennifer Larmar

  An interesting take on the Holocaust days with a heroic Nazi soldier recalling his life both before and during the Second World War. Set around a Nazi-run labour camp in Poland with the storyline moving back and forth between a host of different time periods - readers need to be aware there are no individual chapters at all throughout the book - it made for a different kind of read as Martin Hamer’s ideals and focus changes from what he thought both pre-and during this period of history.
  I can’t say I was held spellbound by his writing style, but I did enjoy the backstories to bring it to its unexpected conclusion.
• 
  Peggy Morley

  A tragic love Affair a German solder fall in love with Polish prisoner I read in two days lovedit
• 
  Marlene

  Started slow but I enjoyed it.
• 
  Rowlie

  A very sad story through the eyes of a German soldier who falls in love with a girl considered to be the enemy.
• 
  Vernie

  I wish Mr. Cottam would write more of this kind of material. I enjoyed reading this book, I like the well-written backward and flash forward narrative of the story since I was not born yet during World War 11, I get a glimpse of the horror's of war but then even with the romantic angle. You can't help but sympathize with the character's tragic life, deception and his courage to redeem himself brought by the complications of War
• 
  Samantha

  I really liked this book although slightly frustrating as not split into chapters more like episodic snap shots
• 
  Jacqui Warrender

  good read