About the AuthorThe son of a career airman, Terence Brand joined the Royal Air Force from school. Having spent several years servicing aircraft engines, with stints in strife-torn Cyprus and hot and dusty Malta, he was posted to Singapore. Here he took on a new job, policing and administrating the men of RAF Changis technical wing. Singapore Island, newly federated with Malaya, was, at that time, feeling its way towards independence, amid much trauma and belligerence. British soldiers, sailors and airmen found themselves acting both as peacemakers during the riots and targets for the Malayan Communist Partys ferocious Guerrillas. A medalthe Service to Malay Awardhas been issued to all who took part in the campaign, including TB. At the end of his tour, Terence Brand decided to exchange battledress for sports jacket and flannels and try his luck in civvie street. A love of music and its quality reproduction in the home drew him to the rarefied world of the British hi-fi industry. Inevitably, becoming a part of it entailed retraining in electronics. At last, after several years working in Radio and TV servicing, a chance came to get involved in his first love. Entering the retail business as a salesman, he eventually assumed the management/directorship of a highly respected Hi-Fi emporium. After twenty-five years in retail, early retirement beckoned. Seeking something different to occupy his mind, he started to write. A series of short stories set in Singapore describing the adventures of Senior Aircraftsmen John Newton and Red Halliday under the collective title: On the Changi Beat has won prizes; a group of novels featuring a dramatically maturing Frank Red Halliday are receiving welcome interest. (Reds Rebels, Mediterranean Red, The Angels See Red, and, in preparation, Red Sleuths in the Sunset). So now, writing, walking, a little billiards and snooker and a deal of music fill his days. how do you read a history book effectively The Sound of Pirates
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Very disappointingBy ChardyTerrible.Could not even finish it. Self indulgent, boring and unrealistic. Characters poorly developed, first chapter good and after that all downhill.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. if you like plenty of actionBy Samuel RobinsonTerence Brand knows how to put together a story with plenty of suspense and plenty of action. As the blurb says, a second-world-war romance in Singapore tears the couple apart, until by chance the possibility of a reunion takes place in England 20 years later. Throw in some sociopathic Singaporean and English crooks and some corporate shenanigans, then set the whole cast off in pursuit of one another and you have the makings of a fast-paced thriller with enough twists and turns to weave a very tangled trail indeed.This is a long book, running to about 600 pages. If I have one concern, its that the pace seemed to continue relentlessly from beginning to end, with little respite. I wondered if some contrast by way of a pause in the action from time to time may have helped heighten my concern for the characters when more trouble came their way. It also meant that I didnt feel the story was building up to a major climax. The sheer number of scrapes leads to rather too much luck being called upon and the number of coincidences tended to undermine the credibility of the overall story.Those quibbles aside, the plot kept my attention throughout and, if you like plenty of action, youll find this book a worthy read.