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Conscripts Call

Rifleman, Book 1

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Conscripts Call

By: Griff Hosker
Narrated by: Will Edgerton
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About this listen

From the ashes of tragedy, new beginnings arise.

England, 1940: When seventeen-year-old John Sharratt’s life is shattered by a single, devastating bomb dropped by the Luftwaffe, he is thrust into a world of loss and longing. With his family gone and his heart heavy, John’s conscription into the army offers a refuge and a new beginning, even in the face of turmoil.

"The army had to be my future. I had nothing else and the bombing raid had brought the war home to me. My fingers clenched into fists. I wanted revenge."

As he dons the battledress of a British soldier at Seaforth Barracks, John embarks on an intense journey of transformation. Amidst gruelling training and the camaraderie of fellow soldiers, -those who will become his new family, - he learns not only to wield a weapon but also to navigate the depths of grief and resilience. Each drill sharpens his skills, especially as a marksman. As his section sees postings in Greece, Crete and North Africa, will John emerge from the shadows of his past to thrive as a rifleman, or will the weight of his sorrow consume him? With the world on the brink of an all-out war, the lad from Lancashire must face the darkest of nights before the dawn of hope can break through.

Set during the early years of WW2, Conscript’s Call is more than a tale of historical conflict; it is an exploration of the profound impact of loss and the unyielding strength of the human spirit.

The first in Griff Hosker’s brand-new WW2 ‘Rifleman’ series which takes a poignant look into the horrors of war, the bonds created and the struggles of those left behind. A must-listen for fans of David Gilman, James Holland and Douglas Reeman.

©2025 Griff Hosker (P)2025 W.F. Howes Ltd.
Action & Adventure Genre Fiction Historical Fiction War & Military
All stars
Most relevant
The story might be up to the usual standards of the author, but the audiobook is sadly let down by the boring narration which maintains a boring monotone throughout. I found that worked at the beginning, but failed to communicate the energy of the story when the action picked up.

Pity about the narration

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Bought because it was another Hosker audiobook.
Didn’t enjoy it half as much as the medieval books, although still a wartime or army story book. The book was quite depressing as there was no relief from the grim opening and the ongoing battles. Usually, there’s some family or comrade character or story development. There was no diversion from the grim war story and the main character’s depression.
The narrator’s monotone, flat delivery, suitable for the opening perhaps, never lightened up at all.
It’s the first time I’ve wanted a Hosker book to end sooner. Usually m, I want the dirt to go on and I get the next book.

Lead character. Detailed story

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This book is so badly researched and narrated it is laughable.
The major problem for British listeners is the mispronunciation of: Lieutenant
It is really jarring to keep hearing: Lootenant, Lootenant, Lootenant.
Corps pronounced as corpse. Yorks and Lancs as York and Lancs. Heraklion!
Historically there a plethora of errors:
Early on, the authour has Royal Marine Commandos using Sten Guns! No, they always used Tompson Sub-Machine Guns. Later he corrects this! He has British Soldiers in North Africa armed with Sten Guns. No. Stens were not in that theatre!
Colt 45s are semi-automatic not fully automatic. You have to keep pulling the trigger to fire one bullet at a time.
Machine guns do not fire shells the fire bullets. Shells are fired from cannon.
He has Valentine Tanks firing High Explosive shells. Ridiculous! One of the major problems with British tanks at that time was that they could only fire Armour Pierecing projectiles.

AWFULLY BAD - A WASTE OF A CREDIT

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