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Like a Man
by David Chacko
"Moving and powerful tale
of Czech resistance fighters
during the unspeakable reign of
the Gestapo." ActionTales.com
About this book, read ...
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"Can you still handle a pistol?"
Vaclav nodded, but he would have done that if he had been unconscious.
"Watch the hole. Make damned fine noise if they come."
"Are you sure they will?" asked Blackie.
"They're drilling the slab," said Zdenek. "They'll blow that at least. Maybe a lot more. As soon as the area is clear, they'll charge the stairs and probably drop down the hole, too."
"Let me take the stairs," said Blackie. "I'll guarantee them a thrill."
"Do it," said Zdenek, hefting the submachine gun. "I'll stand by the second pillar and moderate. Ice opposite."
Zdenek put out his hand. It was covered by three hands. "Let's give them something to remember."
more excerpts
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The estate where Heydrich lived previously belonged to a Jewish sugar merchant. It was confiscated by the Nazis during WW II. About fifteen miles from Prague, it was a huge place with two separate castles and a village between.
The two statues of the Boar and Bear guard the front entrance of the lower estate, where the Heydrichs lived. In addition, the place was well guarded by SS troops, which was one reason why the paratroopers did not strike there.
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Home > Chacko_D > Like a Man
Excerpts | Comments And Reviews | Author Info
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Like a Man is the story of the most successful clandestine mission in the history of warfare. Based closely on fact but never limited by it, this World War II action adventure follows three paratroopers from their night-drop into Nazi-Occupied Czechoslovakia until the last shattering moments when they fight an entire regiment of SS troops to the death.
The paratroopers' mission, called Anthropoid, begins with a bad drop that puts them miles off their target and far from any help. It leads them by luck, accident and skill through the heart of the underground resistance to the culmination of their mission on a quiet suburban street in Prague.
There they assassinate the second most powerful man in Nazi Germany-the head of the SD and the Gestapo, the Protector of Czechoslovakia. How they did what no one else could do, and how they carried themselves onto the pages of history is one of the most compelling chapters in the long annals of secret war.
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From A Review
This true historical event is so masterfully written. The characters being
shown as real people along with the real people of Prague during the
occupation by the Nazis with their weaknesses and their needs to rely on
each others’ strengths, as well as trust. Anything I write does not do
justice to this heroic event written by David Chacko. The pace is fast and
the author’s affection for the characters and the people is obvious.
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I've visited Prague, the setting for Like a Man, several times, and I'd like to see it many more times. As much a state of mind as a place, Prague may be the most haunting city on earth. Unlike most places, the memory of it grows stronger as time passes.
I hope that all readers see Like a Man-and my other novels-as stories that deal with terrorism and tyranny. The young sergeants who parachuted into Czechoslovakia (we would probably call them Special Forces these days) set the tone for so many of the clandestine missions that followed. These men carried out their mission against all odds and by the slimmest of chances succeeded.
We can't be like them, but at least we can feel that we participated in events that changed the world. I hope that Like a Man shows how it was for three soldiers who entered the veil of terror in the darkest days of Nazi tyranny.
And prevailed.
David Chacko
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Other Tales By David
Less Than a Shadow - As hot as today's headlines. Turkey, the front line of democracy in the Middle East, is about to suffer a devastating terrorist attack. Jason Ender stands alone on the rim of chaos with orders to prevent it, whatever the price.
more...
A Long Way From Eden - When a sinkhole freakishly erupts, the decaying remains of a young woman surface. Homicide
detectives are forced to dig ever more deeply along
twisted, dangerous paths into the past. Their journey
makes for a haunting, teeth-grinding tale.
more...
Here's the Town Hall in the Old Town in Prague.
It's one of the most photographed
sites in the city.
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