The Rabbit Hunter II: The Battle of Crete

If one considers what happened in war-time Greece in 1941 to have been the curtain-raiser, then the subsequent battle in Crete can best be described as the main event. This sequel to the well-received The Rabbit Hunter again focuses on Second Lieutenant Neil Rankin and his platoon of fictional soldiers from the New Zealand Division as they are pitched headlong into the real events of the Battle of Crete. A largely New Zealand affair under the command of a New Zealand general with the key sector held by New Zealand troops, it could even be seen as Hitler’s first defeat. When the battle opens, it is man against man, individuals pitting their wits against an implacable enemy, resulting in the New Zealand soldiers suffering the kind of reaction that is now internationally recognised as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Both thrilling and tragic, The Battle of Crete sets the bar for realism in war fiction.