While I have looked through a few of the "Duel" series in the book store, this is the first one I have actually read. Looks like it won't be the last one.

The book is in the typical Osprey size but there are 80 pages in it. One thing I like about this series is besides some of the technical description of the combatants, it also gives you over 30 pages of combat stories and details which definitely make you want to pull out the old Airfix Vosper MTB and/or the Revell E-Boat and start building.

There are several good pictures in the book and I didn't recognize any of them. OK, I am not really a big naval historian but I do like PT type craft and have looked at several books on the subjects. There are some detail pictures showing cabins, weapons, etc. that could help the modeler but they are kind of small and that isn't really the purpose of this series. There are also a couple of 3 view drawings of a boat from each side and a few additional side views. This is where my only issue with the book lies. They use a purplish background color to these drawings and that makes it hard to make out some of the details as the artwork tends to blend in.

Besides the pictures and drawings there are two action paintings in the book. The first depicts a battle between MTBs and E-Boats that took place in the Thames Estuary on April 17, 1941 and the other shows E-Boats attacking the LSTs of Exercise Tiger. Both paintings are full of action and both actions are discussed in the text.

Overall a great little book that whets your appetite to find out more about these craft and now I have to check out a few more of this series.

Thanks to Osprey Publishing and IPMS/USA for the review sample.