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The Goliath Stone

by Charles Cobb

265 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #04-0809; ISBN 1-4120-2982-1; US$21.60, C$26.95, EUR17.55, £12.16

A time of love, lust and larceny set at the beginning of the Bolshevik revolution.

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About the Book      About the Author      Excerpt      Catalogue Information

About the Book

The Goliath Stone is an action/adventure thriller set in the First World War. It is based on factual occurrences. The protagonist, Lieutenant Miles Armstrong, is a Canadian who enlisted in the Canadian cavalry and later transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. The story starts with Armstrong, who is multi-lingual, being recalled from front line service and seconded to the Foreign Office.

He is told that he will fly to Rumania for the purpose of rescuing the queen of that country from the advancing Germans. Queen Marie, wife of the ineffectual Ferdinand of Rumania, is a granddaughter of Queen Victoria and a one-time sweetheart of George V of England. Marie was a noted beauty who, relatively, created as much interest in the society pages as the late Diana does in our time.

There is a second motive for the assignment, and that is to assist the Rumanians to recover their national treasures that had been sent to Russia for safekeeping when the Germans took Bucharest. But now the Tsar has been deposed, Russia is in revolutionary turmoil and Marie wants her country's treasures saved. Armstrong has a third and secret assignment, separate to the others. He is told that in 1907 the Irish crown jewels (the property of the English crown) had been stolen from Dublin castle. The German Kaiser, Wilhelm II, acquired them and gave them as a gift to Ferdinand, king of Rumania. Armstrong is told that he is to attempt to remove the Irish jewels from the others and get them back to England.

While being briefed in London he meets the lovely Anna-Marie DeCourville and has an affair with her, unaware that she is trying to steal one of the Irish jewels known as the Goliath Stone.

With his mechanic, Sergeant O'Reilly, he flies to Jassy in Rumania, which is the new capital, now that Bucharest has fallen. There he meets Marie and her Canadian lover the fabled Klondike Joe Boyle, now a Colonel in the Canadian army. Armstrong, Boyle and other go to Moscow but arrive as the Bolshevik revolution boils over, forcing them to break into the Kremlin during the fighting and recover the jewels. Armstrong again meets Anna-Marie and promises to give her the Goliath Stone.

Armstrong survives train wrecks, armed attacks, the capture and rescue of Anna-Marie, the theft of 100,000,000 dollars in gold bullion, and the bombing of a ship to fly away with Anna-Marie, O'Reilly, the Goliath Stone... and a few bars of gold.

Facts: The recovery of the crown jewels did happen but the gold bullion was never returned to Rumania and the Soviets denied all knowledge of it. Boyle was an actual character and his liaison with Queen Marie was a celebrated affair. Most elements of the train journey are based on actual fact, including the royal steam engine kept at instant readiness on an obscure branch line throughout three years of bloody warfare.

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About the Author

Charles W. Cobb was born in London, England and his childhood was spent dodging German bombs and scrumping apples from the orchards of Kent. He became a sailor and spent many years at sea.

He now lives in Canada and has been writing for some years. He has completed three novels and many short stories. He is a businessman, actor and writer. He has appeared in many films and television shows including the Superman films, In Cold Blood, and MacGyver. He also spends time rebuilding WW II aircraft at the Nanton Lancaster Air Museum.

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Excerpt

Armstrong watched Kaminski, his thoughts racing. He felt and unwilling admiration for the tough soldier, but that didn't help the situation. With vicious and sudden swiftness he slammed his left fist into Kaminski's head and followed it by whipping the Colt across the other side of his head. Kaminski grunted with pain and surprise and he fell to the ground. Armstrong dropped beside him, yelling for his men to open fire. The Hotchkiss opened up immediately. The harsh clatter of its firing was joined by the whip-lash crack of rifle bullets whining over his head. Startled yells came from the Reds and some who had risen to their feet to aid Kaminski were hit and fell. Firing continued as Armstrong crawled back to the train, dragging Kaminski with him.

He cursed as the gravel bit into his knees and holstered the Colt, the better to get a grip on Kaminski. If he left him and ran for it he'd be shot for sure. His best chances were if he kept Kaminskit as a shield. Reaching another set of rails, he started to haul Kaminski over them when suddenly the man came to life. With a roar he butted his head full into the face of Armstrong, then leaped upon him, his hands going for the throat. Armstrong's head rang with pain and he saw a brilliant kaleidoscope of flashing lights. His nose felt broken and he couldn't breathe because Kaminski' large hands were crushing his windpipe. He desperately thrust both arms up through Kaminski's, breaking the man's stranglehold, then he smashed his cupped hands upon his ears. Kaminski howled in agony and staggered to his feet, uncaring of the bullets flashing by. Armstrong got to his knees. His nose was streaming with blood, his head was ringing and his windpipe felt crushed. And Kaminski? He had taken both Armstrong's left hook and the pistol-whipping. His eardrums were probably broken, yet still he was on his feet - and he was coming back for more. With blind fury he rushed Armstrong. Armstrong met him by rolling on his back and thrusting his legs full into his belly, tossing him over behind him so that he hit the ground with a thud. Both men rolled away from each other and ended on hands and knees, glaring at each other, eyes red with fury. Kaminski spat blood and whispered. "Tonight you die, Car- Nar-Dar."

"Bullshit." Croaked Armstrong and both men leaped again at each other to meet frame against frame like Greek wrestlers. Kaminski got his arms around Armstrong's waist and began squeezing in a bear hug. His powerful arms were like steel rods as they contracted, and Armstrong tried to throw himself backwards to break Kaminski's hold. But the stocky Ukrainian had his feet securely set and his head in Armstrong's chest as he slowly applied his immense strength to breaking his back. For long moments nothing happened as both men strained at each other.

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Catalogue Information

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