The First Blood by Lou Cameron
The First Blood (1971) by Lou Cameron Prolific author Lou Cameron wrote books in almost every niche of the men’s adventure spectrum. His lean, uncluttered style, coupled with casual profanity and violence is easily recognizable. Cameron served in Europe in the Army’s 2nd Armored Division during World War II and that experience infuses some sense of reality to The First Blood , which is set during the African campaign of that war. The “men on a mission” plot features a ragtag group of soldiers under the command of a suicidal lieutenant who are sent to take control of an ancient desert fortress currently under the control of French legionnaire forces in Algiers. They have 24 hours to accomplish this goal ahead of a Panzer tank column that must be delayed or stopped if at all possible. The entire setup occurs within the first few pages and the mission is immediately underway. Things go...