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Jerome Preisler
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Code Name Caesar: The Secret Hunt for U-Boat 864 During World War II Hardcover – July 3, 2012

by Jerome Preisler (Author), Kenneth Sewell (Author)
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 68 ratings
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As the Allies pressed forward both in Europe and the Pacific in the waning days of World War II, a little-known battle took place under the frozen seas off the coast of Norway€¦and changed the course of the war. By February of 1944, both Germany and Japan were falling back under constant attack from Allied forces. The end would have been inevitable, if not for a desperate, audacious plan by the German High Command. The Germans would pack a submarine€”boat U-864€”with their most advanced rocket and jet aircraft technology, a group of Japanese and German scientists, and tons of mercury for use in missile and torpedo detonation systems. With this, Japan could re-establish air superiority in the Pacific, forcing the Allies to divert troops and material long enough for Germany to re-group and prepare a final defense of the Fatherland. Unknown to them, British codebreakers, working hand-in-hand with the Norwegian underground, had discovered what th
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  1. Print length
    287 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Berkley Caliber
  4. Publication date
    July 3, 2012
  5. Dimensions
    6.25 x 1 x 9.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9780425245255
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0425245255
  8. See all details
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The Amazon Book Review
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Reads like a tense thriller, but the authors also keep a steady course on the human aspect of their tale as they reconstruct the events behind this little-known WWII incident and its aftermath."- Publishers Weekly

"For the history buff who's read it all, here's a new book about the little known, one and only underwater sub-on-sub kill in history."- Susannah Cahalan, New York Post

"Written like a first-class war novel, the book examines not only the Axis submarine force but the Allied efforts to neutralize it. Highly recommended for anyone interested in World War II, or submarine warfare in general." - Jim DeFelice, bestselling author of Omar Bradley: General at War and Rangers at Dieppe.

About the Author

Jerome Preisler is the author of over twenty books including the New York Times bestselling series, Tom Clancy’s Power Plays. He lives in New York.

Kenneth Sewell is a former submariner and the co-author of Red Star Rogue: The Untold Story of a Soviet Submarine’s Nuclear Strike Attempt on the U.S.



Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 042524525X
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley Caliber; First Edition (July 3, 2012)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 287 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780425245255
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0425245255
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 68 ratings

About the author

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Jerome Preisler

Jerome Preisler

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Jerome is the New York Times bestselling author of over forty books of fiction and narrative nonfiction. His association with the TOM CLANCY franchise began in 1997 when he contributed to the military history AIRBORNE. He subsequently wrote the TOM CLANCY’s POWER PLAYS series, all of which were New York Times bestsellers.

His latest work with the franchise is NET FORCE: THREAT POINT (December 2021), the third novel in a relaunch of the New York Times bestselling series co-created by Tom Clancy. Previous books in the current series include NET FORCE: DARK WEB (2019) and NET FORCE: ATTACK PROTOCOL (2020). He has also written two novellas spotlighting different characters from the novels, EYE OF THE DRONE and KILL CHAIN.

“Genre doesn’t matter to me,” he says. “It’s all about story, and I try to write exciting stories with the sort of characters I would like to know more about. I figure that if I fall in love with them, my readers will too.”

Among Jerome's recent works of narrative history are CODE NAME CAESAR: The Secret Hunt for U-boat 864 During World War Two, and FIRST TO JUMP: How the Band of Brothers Was Aided by the Brave Paratroopers of Pathfinders Company. His most recent is CIVIL WAR COMMANDO: William Cushing's Daring Raid to Sink the Invincible Ironclad C.S.S. Albemarle.

Twitter: @JeromeAuthor

Facebook: JeromePreislerBooks

Jerome lives in the awesome state of Maine.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
68 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Charles R. Dackerman
5.0 out of 5 stars Book Doctor
Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2012
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What almost happen during WWII and if it was successful we would be under German/Japanese rule. The Germans were working on nuclear fusion and special jet planes that the Japanese wanted badly. The Germans had special large submarines that could carry tons of supplies and materials that the japanese needed to further completion of weapons, i.e. tons of mercury. This is an excellent book, well written and very interesting . You wouldn't be sorry if you buy it, it's a very good read.
3 people found this helpful
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robert golding
4.0 out of 5 stars Code Name Caesar hunt for u864
Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2014
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The book was very interesting but as I was a crew member of H.M.S/M Venturer and was the helmsman at the time of first contact and during the whole attack ,[ the helmsmans position was just a metre or so from the attack periscope] I was in hearing distance of all proceedings . and was required to act on orders of steering given by the officer of the watch and the captain
I disagree of some of the details of the attack as given in the book .
I details given of the landing in a earlier patrol is very distorted as I was also in the landing party ,the location of the landing of equipment was advised to the captain prior to sailing [we were exercised during the month before] and high tide prevented us from landing as directed but an alternate was chosen and successfully complete , note we did not meet any persons ashore.
It was later;: said: the equipment was landed to provide help to those in destroying a heavy water plant for a atom bomb.
There was never any reports of diesel engines [so no snorkel], the initial report was a hammering sound which was unusual to the operator this started several discussions between between the operator and the officer of the watch . It was only when the relieving o.o.w. [the first Lt. Lt. Chalmers]. .took the watch that he viewed the Uboats periscope and called Captain to the Control Room and the attack commenced.
NOTE the navigator was a Lt R.N. not an Ensign .[ a American term for a junior officer] no American services were involved in the action.
Mention was made of seaman Harry Plummer[ a friend of mine] he was o torpedoe operator with T.I.would have fired the fish. He was in the landing party in the earlier patrol with Leading Tel Byrnes and Sub/Lt. Brand.

Regards Robert GOlding P.S the lost copy has arrived after travelling via Hong Kong West Australia across three states to N.S.W. Should I donate it to village library??? thanks for a wonderful service

Thanks again Robert golding[ ex Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy]
7 people found this helpful
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Richard Gearon
5.0 out of 5 stars Do you know port from starboard?
Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2014
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This is a very good book, about an extraordinary event in the history of warfare. Notwithstanding the fact that the author doesn't know port from starboard, it's a very exciting and well-written book. There are several other gaffes in the book, such as, there has NEVER been a 38 mm Flak gun, in any Army or Navy in the world. There WAS a popular AA gun, designed by the famous John Moses Browning, that was in 37 mm.
One person found this helpful
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CURockies55
4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining, Short Read
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2013
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Book was very well written and easy to read. Overall really enjoyed it. Only downside, and why it got 4 stars versus 5 - and this maybe no fault of the author but due to lack of information - is bc the majority of the book is the set up with very few pages of the actual hunt and kill or anything afterwards. Nonetheless, I would still recommend it as I enjoyed it.
2 people found this helpful
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Bev Thompson
2.0 out of 5 stars Not Enjoying It
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2013
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This book is VERY detailed, and, in my opinion, goes into too much background that is irrelevant to the story line. I've been skipping over more pages than I'm reading. I'm half finished, struggling to get to the end . . .
One person found this helpful
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darlene m bielecki
3.0 out of 5 stars so-so
Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2013
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Fairly well written but there wasn't enough information about the boat itself so the author filled in with several peripheral stories which detracted from the main story. The boat was never raised or salvaged and your left hanging as to what was actually in its cargo.
3 people found this helpful
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Joe Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars worth the money
Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2015
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Super book.Detailing the clash of two Sub,s .One carrying a special cargo,and dont forget the determined Norwegians to get rid of the invaders.
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Bill Marsano
1.0 out of 5 stars How Not to Write a War Story
Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2015
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By Bill Marsano. Here’s the Deal: late in WWII the Nazis plan to send the submarine U-864 to Japan. She is packed with critical war material, personnel and info on Hitler’s ‘wonder weapons.’ The idea is to help the Japanese hold out longer, thus reducing American pressure on Germany. Bletchley Park code-breakers tip off the RAF, whose bombing raid fails, so the Royal Navy positions the submarine HMS Venturer to intercept. So why is this book so dull? One reason is the scrupulous honesty of the authors: they freely admit that Venturer’s commander knows only that he’s being sent where he might find a suitable target. He has absolutely no idea of the importance of his mission, so there is absolutely no suspense involved. There is no ‘hunt’ as such; Venturer is just loitering in the hope a target will happen by, and the whole business occupies a mere two dozen pages. So here is How Not to Write a War Story: 1, if using a title like Code Name Caesar, then Code Name Caesar, or Operation Caesar or even plain old Caesar should appear somewhere at least once in the text, not just on the title page. And you should give its meaning: Was it the Nazi’s name for their exchange program with Japan, or just U-864’s individual sortie? Was it the Allies’ name for their attack? 2. Be accurate. Recognize that Nazi banners were red; only the swastikas were black. The Nazis had no such things as a ‘7.16mm’ torpedo. Schleswig-Holstein is not west of Scandinavia. If range to target is 2500 yards on one page it should not be 2500 FEET on another. U-boats had diesel engines, not steam turbines. D-Day 1944 was June 6th, not 5th. Royal Navy subs did not ‘harangue’ German vessels. Venturer’s deck gun was loaded through the breech, not breach. Lancaster bombers did not mount radial engines or superchargers. Recognize that although it is possible to turn a long magazine article into a short book, it’s not necessarily a good idea. Lists of names irrelevant to the action and of food consumed by crews come under what Elmore Leonard called ‘the parts that readers tend to skip.’ Do not waste pages on an irrelevant and unsuccessful air raid, or the irrelevant but successful raid on Germany’s dams, or the whole history of the Bletchley Park Operation. In short, do not pad the manuscript (even the Chapter Notes are padded with literary excelsior, some of it hilarious). Do not write MUST HAVE or PROBABLY FELT to excuse your speculations about anyon’s unknown emotional state. Aim for more than a pedestrian level of writing, and so spare your reader the snap decisions, the highly coveted shore leave, the long shots, the tempting of fate, and the crack squadrons. Please. And then DO put in the stuff that can put the reader into the picture: diagrams of the attack and of the two submarines involved would be a good place to start. Better photos, too. Otherwise you will have written the dullest war story I can remember.—Bill Marsano is a long-time editor and writer, and a World War II buff into the bargain.
9 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Douglas B. Seagrim
4.0 out of 5 stars For those who like to read the human side of what war does
Reviewed in Canada on March 25, 2015
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For me this was a page turner. It is not often that a true story about one incident in wartime can be so interesting and engrossing. The fact that the sinking of one submarine is still a subject of so much controversy adds to this interest.
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Tore Skaar
5.0 out of 5 stars An nearly unbelievable story!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 14, 2015
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This book gave me more information about the final days of Hitler and Japan during WW2. The idea was to prolong (and win) the wars in Euope via the Pacific, but U-Boat U-864 did not get many miles from Bergen on their trip during the final months of WW2 to Asia until their submarine were all sunk with their scientists and their war cargo. The submarine now sits on the sea bottom a few miles off the coast of Norway with Hitlers hoards of war material.
One still grave item is the cargo of nearly 70 tons Mercury, now hiding ominously og the bottom of the sea, posing a serious threat to to the future of the Norwegian Coast. OPERATION CEASAR was halted by the clever sub mariners in HMS VERTURER assisted by the code breakers at Bletchley Park. Lieutnant Launders managed to track and sink U-864 by using passive sound signals from the sub marine. VENTURER launched four torpedos towards the invisible enemy and the final one sendt the sub to the its final resting place in the cool water. This is the first and only time a sub marine has been sunk from an other when both were below water and none were using active sonar.
An amazing story of the sinking and the rediscovery nearly fifty years later.
2 people found this helpful
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Maja Grisotti
4.0 out of 5 stars Gut recherchiert, sachlich und persönlich geschrieben
Reviewed in Germany on December 4, 2012
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Ich bin Teil dieser Geschichte und habe viel persönliches Material zu Verfügung gestellt. Preisler hat es sehr behutsam genützt und hat die Berichte über meinem Vater Sven Plass und meine Mutter gut integriert.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 8, 2022
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Its a book great seller
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Perplexity
4.0 out of 5 stars A good book
Reviewed in Canada on February 9, 2013
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An interesting account of an obviously little known incident towards the end of WWII. In a sense, an epilogue stiull needs to come; there' an awful lot of mercury lying down there on the sea floor, off Norway
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