The Red Gambit

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Frank La Rue
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Re: The Red Gambit

Post by Frank La Rue »

100 pages into book IV - Impasse and still rivetted.

Book three had it's ample share if battle scenes but there is more of the workings of The secret services and political turmoil. I don't want to spoil the read but I think there is more of John Le Carre with the same measure of Tom Clancy, so each book adds up to 600 pages or thereabouts.

In this book the winter has arrived in November 1945, adding chill to the already chilling work of GRU and NKVD.
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Re: The Red Gambit

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For those of you following this thread I have just posted the below on his web site

http://www.theredgambitseries.com

I am firmly into book IV and enjoy it very much. I see however from some comments at amazon and the likes of dundrillin, that the writer downplays his literary skills by adding volume of - quality.


"Hi Collin,

I am an awid reader your work, into the 4th book now and I can sense with me and from comments with other readers a certain saturation when it comes to very detailed and lenghty battle descriptions.

They are extremely well written, and I mean this, however the overall plots and politics, espionage and suspense is so strong in its own right that you can gain in stature as a writer by tuning down the volume of battle details and go a bit more into depth on the plots.

The scenes when various people meet with Stalin to report whatever, is always a thrill and a chilling read, sort of "Thank God it is not me who has to report to this man", the characters apparently are well researched and carry the stories in their own right.

It is almost as your confidendce as a writer is first and foremost founded on a volume of military knowledge and detail, and that you are unaware of the quality of your plot and the character descriptions.

If you dare to rely more on the caliber of your character descirption, plot and suspence, your writing will gain in literary quality, as the potential is there.

You would be a superb writer of political suspense and character analysis even if there were no battle scenes at all.

I encourage you to take the plunge and rely more on this part of your writing talent, and you will gain an even wider audience. This does not mean no battle scenes at all, just shorten no of pages a little.



Maybe this is not what you want though, maybe you want to remain firmly planted in the tradition of military fiction

The pitty is, we then loose out on the full power of your story telling, suspence, espionage, politics and complex characters, the whole works, as it comes a bit in the shadow of bullets and blood, gutter and dead bodies at the moment.

Regards, with a lot of respect and passion for your work"







April 16, 2014 at 2:17 AM
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Frank La Rue
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Re: The Red Gambit

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Here is the response I got from the author - Colin Gee this afternoon:



April 16, 2014 at 2:17 AM

gee_colin@yahoo.co.uk
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"Thank you for those kind words. I know I enjoy the non-battle stuff as much as the fighting parts, more so at times. I think that I will stick with what I know at the moment, and that is that the combination works, although in Impasse I tinkered with it just a tad. I have other ideas for when RG is complete, and you may well have planted a seed there. My priority is to enjoy the act of writing, especially as I am convinced that it brings out better product for you, the reader. Thank you for the compliments and thank you for making me think outside the box in the future. regards."

-------------------

As for me, Frank - I continue t enjoy his reads - 120 pages into book IV "Imasse" (referred to above) and counting.

- Frank
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Frank La Rue
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Re: The Red Gambit

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Iahve now finished book no 4. I have emotional distance to this series an my ehtusiasm, I dear say this was a cracking good read and the best of the 4. It moves away from the detailed battle secenes somewhat and contains more of suspence plot and keeps an eye on the big picture - how woudl a WW continuation in 1945 look like?
The plot is ttally believable and told with a realism which made me feel I am there. I am looking forwards to book no 5 for winter reading 2014/15!
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Re: The Red Gambit

Post by dundrillin »

Finished book 2 and now feel very grateful that I did not undergo military service in a tank. As ever the battle scenes are very well done. The characters are now established and the political intrigue is fascinating.

However the action attributed to British Prime Minister Attlee is a disgrace !! Even in a work of fiction to suggest --- I won't spoil the actual deed for future readers but if the Author really wanted Churchill back in power he simply had to have Attlee drinking 10 cups of coffee a day. Job done.
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Re: The Red Gambit

Post by dundrillin »

Just finished the fourth book in the series. It's quite gripping, the action in Ireland is a welcome addition to the intrigue. I feel the GRU General would know a set up when she saw one but the scene is set for some explosive drama between her and Beria. Hopefully the author will finish volume 5 soon.
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Re: The Red Gambit

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dundrillin wrote:Just finished the fourth book in the series. It's quite gripping, the action in Ireland is a welcome addition to the intrigue. I feel the GRU General would know a set up when she saw one but the scene is set for some explosive drama between her and Beria. Hopefully the author will finish volume 5 soon.

He - He, you're hooked, like me :cheers:
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Re: The Red Gambit

Post by dundrillin »

Yes i'm glad you convinced me to keep going. It is riviting,certainly no cardboard characters here. Global politics on a grand scale. The books are not perfect(few are) and it would definitely benefit from tighter editing re battle scenes but i must say the combat scene which featured the Gurkas was literaly edge of the seat stuff.

i have logged on to his blog and it would appear that he is a normal guy (fireman,by profession) who has turned a hobby into a career. (GLC Quantum take note)
Frank La Rue
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Re: The Red Gambit

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dundrillin wrote:Yes i'm glad you convinced me to keep going. It is riviting,certainly no cardboard characters here. Global politics on a grand scale. The books are not perfect(few are) and it would definitely benefit from tighter editing re battle scenes but i must say the combat scene which featured the Gurkas was literaly edge of the seat stuff.

i have logged on to his blog and it would appear that he is a normal guy (fireman,by profession) who has turned a hobby into a career. (GLC Quantum take note)
Yes, I agree the battle scenes are a few too many and some too long, but they are very well written and the overall politics isbelievable. A number of the central characters like Waffen SS OBerfuhrer August KNocke, are based on real lie characters whose families he has interviewed.
One Day I'm gona die. I can live with that.
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