Brilliantly written The Nugget was captivating and hard to put down.

In this story, we find Lieutenant Bobby Steele, a novice naval aviator in the middle of a war. As he maneuvers his way through complex procedures as he vows to avenge the attack that destroyed Pearl Harbor.

Compelling story that kept me on the edge of my seat. This well-written storyline you will enjoy reading!!

Author P. T. Deutermann (https://www.ptdeutermann.com/) published the novel “The Nugget” in 2019. Mr. Deutermann has published more than 20 novels.

I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence and Mature Language. The story is set in the South Pacific during WWII. The primary character is US Navy pilot Lieutenant Bobby Steele.

Steele has recently earned his wings as a Navy dive bomber pilot. His assignment is to an American Aircraft Carrier. While flying over Guadalcanal, he is shot down. He spends a brief time in the thick of things with US Marines on the ground.

He no sooner gets back to a carrier when it is sunk by the Japanese. He finds himself adrift but a US ship picks him up. After further naval action, he ends up on a Philippine island. He finishes his war there at first avoiding the Japanese. Eventually, he stops being hunted and leads others against the invaders.

I enjoyed the 8.5+ hours I spent reading this 315-page WWII action-adventure novel. The range of experiences the hero goes through stretch believability. Still, I liked both the plot and the character of Bobby Steele. The author works many historical events into his plot. This is the third book (The other two were The Commodore and Red Swan) of Mr. Deutermann’s I have read and I think he is consistently an enjoyable author. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a 4.5 (Rounded up to a 5) out of 5.

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PT Deutermann has long been a favorite author of mine and I was eager to read his latest WW2 fiction - I was not disappointed!
The story follows a young Navy Ensign in the early naval battles in the Pacific and is told in what I found to be a unique way, thru flashbacks during a Court Of Inquiry. I enjoyed the format and as a huge fan of naval fiction I found it hard to put down.
The main characters first hand vantage point to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the Battle Of Midway were gripping.

The Nugget is a tale of adventure during World War II. Ensign Steele woke up with a headache in the Oklahoma after a bender the night before. It was December 7, 1941 and the Japanese were bombing Pearl Harbor. He survived that, went on to participate in sinking Japanese carriers at Midway, got shot down and spent a couple of days on Guadalcanal, had the carrier Hornet sunk under him, got rescued by a submarine and ended up on a Philippine island until the Dugout Doug returned. P. T. Deutermann does a very nice job of making the reader feel involved in the story. If you enjoy WWII adventure tales, take a read here!

The Nugget by P.T. Deutermann
World War II Navy #6

I remember reading books by C. S. Forester with Horatio Hornblower that were kept on a special shelf in my father’s library. Earlier than that I had an interest in women pirates after reading a book in an American Heritage series. This book took me back in time but not as far back in time as the books I just mentioned. This took me to WWII and Pearl Harbor when it was bombed and then later into battle in the Pacific.

The main character narrates this story and in so doing vividly shares his experiences in a way that engaged all of my senses. I followed Robert T. Steele as he woke to the bombing of Pearl Harbor and managed to survive, qualified to land his plane on the deck of a ship in the middle of the ocean, dealt with the loss of those he fought and flew with, was with him when he ran into trouble flying or on ships and was beside him as he dealt with being marooned on a Philippine Island occupied by Japanese. The horrors perpetrated by the Japanese were atrocious, inhumane and grimly shared. The work that Steele and his gunner, Rooster, managed to accomplish on that fictional island were both heroic and impressive making me thankful I was merely an observer from my living room armchair rather than in the pitched battles Steele seemed to find himself in.

My grandfather was in the Navy during WW I and my father was in Pearl Harbor waiting to be shipped out when the war ended. I have been to Pearl Harbor and have thought about all of those men that were lost. This book made me think and feel and care as it made me remember World War II. It also reminded me of the ship that evacuated me from Lebanon on my birthday in 1984.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Definitely
Did I need to read previous books in this series before reading this one? No

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

This book is every bit as suspenseful and informative as every one of this author's "Sea" books have been. Heroic characters and difficult circumstances keep readers on edge and wanting the book to go on forever. Can':t wait until the next book..

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advance copy of The Nugget by P. T. Deutermann. This is my second book by this author and I jumped at the chance to read more of his work. This novel is set during World War II. The main character is navy Lieutenant Bobby Steele, a dive bomber pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. “Nugget” is the slang term the navy used for its rookie officers. The book begins with the newly arrived lieutenant caught aboard the battleship Oklahoma during the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Once aboard the Enterprise Steele and "Rooster", his rear gunner/radio man, participant in several bombing raids including the Battle of Midway. Their adventures give them a front row seat to many of the action spots in the Pacific War including spending a brief sojourn in the trenches of Guadalcanal. They are shot down and rescued twice, have their carrier sunk underneath them, and spend time on a submarine. About half of the book involves them stranded on a Philippines island where they join a guerilla band fighting the Japanese occupiers and trying to rescue prisoners of war. As with Deutermann’s other books, this one is filled with authentic detail and plenty of action. I recommend it to anyone interested in WWII Pacific War and the U. S. Navy.

After 25 years in the Navy including the command of a destroyer and later the command of an entire destroyer squadron, it should come as no surprise that P.T. Deutermann has written a few novels about naval warfare. Preceded by “Pacific Glory” (2011), “Ghosts of Bungo Suido” (2013, “Sentinels of Fire”(2014), and “ The Iceman” (2018), “The Nugget” continues Deutermann’s tales of W.W. II in the Pacific Ocean. “ The Nugget” follows Lieutenant Bobby Steele, a fresh caught Navy pilot, fresh from flight school, to Pearl Harbor and on to his first carrier assignment. Steele survives naval combat including being shot down and having his carrier sunk. Almost half of this book follows Steele as he participates and later leads resistance against the Japanese on a small island in the Philippines. Steele’s guerrilla warfare antics bring to mind the real life exploits of heroes like Joe Baker, Ed Ramsey, and Gene Strickland who fought a guerrilla style war in the Philippines. Deutermann’s works of fiction are so authentic that they read as if they were non-fiction. Sometimes the reader actually forgets that he is reading a novel. “The Nugget “ is a first class W.W. II adventure story. This book, and all of Deutermann’s war novels, are a must read for those who enjoy this genre.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins press for allowing me to read this advance copy.

The Nugget follows the military exploits of a naval dive bomber pilot in the Pacific Theatre during World War II. Lieutenant Robert T. Steele. The story starts out with a board of inquiry about whether Lt. Steele is who he says he is. That is because he was lost at sea and presumed dead.

But the novel unfolds as Lt. Steele tells his story to the board of inquiry about what happened to him and how he fought the war even after being "lost at sea."

The story is well written and enthralling. It draws your interest in and gives you an excellent glimpse into what happens during war and how things can go from bad to worse to even worse for any military person.

But then their desire to survive and fight kicks in and they can do extraordinary things. Lt. Steele and his navigator, Rooster, survive by pure luck and also by skill. Then they don't just survive, but they go on the offensive with resistance fighters to thwart the Japanese.

I enjoyed the entire novel and find that it is a complete guide in how one person trained as a pilot can become all things in war to survive and fight.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The best way to read history is through a Deutermann novel. The research and details make history come alive. The experiences of the fresh-faced Annapolis grad/pilot keep the reader involved and appreciative of the sacrifices made by the greatest generation.

Another great World War II historical novel from Deutermann. The nugget ensign flyer is caught up in many improbable but still realistic situations as a carrier aviator. The author always provides accurate details thst keep the reader engaged. I did not understand the opening with the court of inquiry. Seemed an artificial addition and un-needed.