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Friendly Fire: A warm, compelling novel of adolescence and young love Kindle Edition

4.2 out of 5 stars 309 ratings

A richly compelling story of adolescence, sexuality and the lessons we carry forever...

'An intense tale of love, life, intellectualism and passion. Inspirational' Daily Express
'Utterly compelling from first to last' Stephen Fry

Sophie, an orphan in love with learning, is sure she will thrive in Tatham's, an esteemed boarding school, having survived years of institutional living. But she soon finds herself lost among its cliques and rituals. Befriending two teenage boys, she experiences the first ache of futile love; then a teacher's inappropriate attention to one of the trio threatens to destroy them all.

Sophie swiftly realizes that there are tougher lessons to absorb outside the schoolroom - of class, sex, families and the emotional disaster they can bring to even the most privileged lives.

Insightful and full of understanding and warmth, Patrick Gale's FRIENDLY FIRE is a hugely compassionate novel of coming of age and young love.

What readers say about FRIENDLY FIRE:

'As ever, touching on important issues whilst maintaining a great sense of humour, Patrick Gale tells this story with sensitivity and warmth. I would recommend it to anybody' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'I bought all of his other books after reading this, and am hooked on this author' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'There so much packed into this book, Snobbery, the easy easy cruelty of the young, and an ultimate shock. I won't give away the details but it's another blockbuster from Patrick Gale. I loved it' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Product description

Review

‘Utterly compelling from first to last: sad and funny and written with the matchlessly fine yet modest prose that marks him out as such a superb writer’ Stephen Fry

'Friendly Fire is an intense tale of love, life, intellectualism and passion. Inspirational' Daily Express

'Patrick Gale is a writer who has always seemed particularly well attuned to the assorted agonies and ecstasies of childhood…The emotions still ring true' Daily Mail

‘Gale's finely tuned rites of passage novel depicts a learning curve of betrayal and shame’ Metro

About the Author

Patrick Gale was born on the Isle of Wight in 1962. He spent his infancy at Wandsworth Prison, which his father governed, then grew up in Winchester. He now lives on a farm near Land's End. His most recent novels are The Whole Day Through and the Richard & Judy bestsellers Notes from an Exhibition and A Perfectly Good Man.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0789FLZ42
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tinder Press
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 5 Jan. 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.9 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 299 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1472255471
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Best Sellers Rank: 195,263 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
  • Customer reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 309 ratings

About the author

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Patrick Gale
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Patrick Gale is a cellist, gardener and patron of North Cornwall Book Festival, Penzance LitFest and the Charles Causley Trust. He lives with his husband, the farmer and sculptor, Aidan Hicks (aidanhicks dot com), on their farm at Land’s End. In addition to his latest, Love Lane, published on March 26, 2026, his eighteen novels include Mother's Boy (2022), Take Nothing With You (2018), which was his fourth Sunday Times bestseller, Rough Music (2000), Notes From an Exhibition (2007), A Perfectly Good Man (2012) and A Place Called Winter (2015). In 2017 his two part drama Man in an Orange Shirt was screened by BBC2 as part of the Gay Britannia season. Continuing to be broadcast regularly around the world, this won the International Emmy for best miniseries and is now in development as a musical. He is working on a television adaptation of A Place Called Winter and a stage version of Take Nothing With You. Extracts from the BBC documentary All Families Have Secrets – the Narrative Art of Patrick Gale can be seen on his website galewarning dot org. The garden at Trevilley was featured on Gardener's World and is opened under the National Garden Scheme every June.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
309 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and well-written, with wonderful plot lines that keep them reading. They appreciate the insightful storytelling, with one customer noting how the author never tells too much or too little. The book receives positive feedback for its character development, with one review highlighting how the author makes places and characters come to life.

21 customers mention ‘Readability’21 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and easy to read, with one mentioning it's perfect for book club discussions.

"great book" Read more

"...A great read." Read more

"...One of his best novels." Read more

"...My reaction was loud ! The sign of a good book !!" Read more

13 customers mention ‘Writing quality’13 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, describing it as great and brilliant, with one customer noting its compassionate style.

"...of Patrick Gale's books and they are always wonderfully insightful, well written and have the most engaging characters.. This is one of my favourites." Read more

"Patrick Gale is such a brilliant author. A story teller who makes places and characters come to life. He never tells too much or too little." Read more

"I do like Patrick Gale, and that is to say that I find his prose very fine and the stories very interesting, and this one is no different...." Read more

"...I found this to be quite dull by comparison and, although it's well-written, I didn't really care enough about the characters or what happened to..." Read more

11 customers mention ‘Story quality’11 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story quality of the book, praising its wonderful plot lines, with one customer noting its carefully created narratives.

"Patrick Gale is such a brilliant author. A story teller who makes places and characters come to life. He never tells too much or too little." Read more

"Brilliant plot, essentially a school story, but unlike any other I've read with an unpredictable plot that just keeps you reading." Read more

"...and that is to say that I find his prose very fine and the stories very interesting, and this one is no different...." Read more

"...different grammar schools( my father was in the RAF) I found the story fascinating. I read it in one hit...." Read more

8 customers mention ‘Insight’8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful, with one review noting its excellent research and balanced approach to revealing information.

"...As ever, touching on important issues whilst maintaining a great sense of humour, Patrick Gale tells this story with sensitivity and warmth...." Read more

"An interesting and enjoyable book" Read more

"...The dramatic tragedy toward the end worked as a sensational development . The final happy wrapped up conclusion rather weakened the narrative for me...." Read more

"I have read a lot of Patrick Gale's books and they are always wonderfully insightful, well written and have the most engaging characters.. This is..." Read more

6 customers mention ‘Characterization’6 positive0 negative

Customers praise the author's ability to bring characters and places to life through their storytelling.

"...well and this book has all the wonderful plot lines and sympathetic characters that make it a compelling read...." Read more

"...are always wonderfully insightful, well written and have the most engaging characters.. This is one of my favourites." Read more

"Patrick Gale is such a brilliant author. A story teller who makes places and characters come to life. He never tells too much or too little." Read more

"I really enjoyed this book. Patrick is a great story teller he is able to unfold the characters whilst unfolding the story line over the whole book." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 April 2020
    I do like Patrick Gale, and that is to say that I find his prose very fine and the stories very interesting, and this one is no different. Evoking the passions and problems of being a teenager, gay or otherwise, is something that he does supremely well and this book has all the wonderful plot lines and sympathetic characters that make it a compelling read. As ever, touching on important issues whilst maintaining a great sense of humour, Patrick Gale tells this story with sensitivity and warmth. I would recommend it to anybody.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 January 2018
    An interesting and enjoyable book
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 March 2010
    If you went to public boarding school, of couse you would have a different slant on any book which tried to give you a taste of that life. That said, and coming from a world of 13 different grammar schools( my father was in the RAF) I found the story fascinating. I read it in one hit. Not wanting to put it down, I really wanted to know what happened next. Patrick Gale is one of my favourite authors because he can put himself in the mindset of anyone!
    One of his best novels.
    4 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 February 2016
    I bought this after reading "A Place Called Winter", which I absolutely loved. However, I found this to be quite dull by comparison and, although it's well-written, I didn't really care enough about the characters or what happened to them. I also found the background and setting a little bit contrived - almost Enid Blyton for adults (although that is definitely too harsh a criticism!) Overall, not bad, but not half as good as I'd hoped.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 November 2024
    What a stunning book. Sophie attends an elite school where she meets Lucas, and later, Charlie. They become a threesome. There so much packed into this book, Snobbery, the easy easy cruelty of the young, and an ultimate shock. I won't give away the details but it's another blockbuster from Patrick Gale. I loved it.
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 May 2023
    A good story well written from this accomplished writer.
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 September 2018
    Not disappointing at all ! Having read nearly all Mr Gales novels I disagree with some of the previous reviews .
    The hero / main character was a young girl - slightly autistic with an unusual back ground , yes it's,set in a, public school but here the similarity ends .
    I really worried about Sophie , I feared she might come to a sad end, and the climax completely caught me and my fellow travellers on the train I was on thought I was mad ! My reaction was loud !
    The sign of a good book !!
    3 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 August 2020
    great book

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Zangiku
    2.0 out of 5 stars 中学男色恋人。。。
    Reviewed in Japan on 21 February 2016
    。。。について読みたいならば、いい本なのに、Amazon.UKに同性愛って本当の話がちっとも出ていないので、私には大間違えだ!
    A novel about gay love & sex at a British boarding school.
    Report
  • Consumer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read with
    Reviewed in the United States on 29 December 2013
    Character driven novel with complicated characters that feel true. The plot is based partially on the author's experience at English boarding school. I bought all of his other books after reading this, and am hooked on this author.
  • John O'Driscoll
    4.0 out of 5 stars Patrick Gale
    Reviewed in the United States on 3 August 2017
    Haven't read this yet but know it will be another memorable read. After all what is better than Patrick Gale. Mr. Gale is a must read author and his writing is sheer poetry to the soul. He has quite a prolific library of his works and all are different in tone but resonate with his unfailing charm and power of the human condition. It's the next one to read. His A Place Called Winter is one the most beautiful stories ever told. I love that book so very much.

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