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Angel, Archangel
The Allies are advancing on Berlin in the dying days of the Second World War, but the Russians are plotting much more than the end of the Third Reich. Operation Archangel's aim is for Soviet troops to blast their way straight to the English Channel.
With fake Soviet tanks lined up near the German border in Czechoslovakia, two British spy pilots stumble across this elaborate charade. Wing Commander Robert Fleming and Rhodesian expatriate Piet Kruze become the front line in the effort to defuse the Russian scheme. But they must first penetrate the heart of the Nazi defences and steal the one weapon that can possibly destroy Archangel: the cream of the new generation of German jet fighter bombers.
With fake Soviet tanks lined up near the German border in Czechoslovakia, two British spy pilots stumble across this elaborate charade. Wing Commander Robert Fleming and Rhodesian expatriate Piet Kruze become the front line in the effort to defuse the Russian scheme. But they must first penetrate the heart of the Nazi defences and steal the one weapon that can possibly destroy Archangel: the cream of the new generation of German jet fighter bombers.
306 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1990
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 5, 2018
Good book with a slant towards WWII aircraft in Europe and weaving a personal life story of the main characters into history that makes it more real. It's a different style than Tom Clancy, but has the same way of captivating you once you get started on the story.
March 24, 2022
As the end of the Second World War approaches, an English traitor and deserter from the SS British Free Corps discovers what appears to be a Soviet plan to conquer Europe that Stalin may or may not be responsible for (is Uncle Joe up to the baddest of no-good - or, unknown to him, is it instead a secret cabal of nefarious officers?)
Alas, there are only days left to try and stop this dreadful plan - and the only way to maybe do so is for an ace RAF pilot still recovering from deep physical and psychological scarring to fly a newly-captured and very-impressive but highly-dangerous Nazi superjet deep into Soviet territory where he will only have one chance to deliver a knock-out blow...
...but before our ace sets off on his desperate mission, will he discover that his fellow pilot who's a ruggedly good-looking Rhodesian has recently begun an affair with his estranged wife? And if he does...how may that affect the mission where the fate of the world hangs in the balance?
I first read 'Angel, Archangel' way back in the....yikes, late '90s, and thanks to the above plot elements I've always remembered it fondly.
Recently, I discovered that 'Angel, Archangel' was available in a cheap ebook edition, and those above plot elements still make it a fun read...
...but I had also remembered that style-wise it was also a clunky read, and it still is. To be fair, it was a first-time novel - but even so, and pun unintended, it's a bumpy and uneven ride.
Still, if you're after some pulpy Second World War fun, 'Angel, Archangel' is an enjoyable hour or so of reading.
Alas, there are only days left to try and stop this dreadful plan - and the only way to maybe do so is for an ace RAF pilot still recovering from deep physical and psychological scarring to fly a newly-captured and very-impressive but highly-dangerous Nazi superjet deep into Soviet territory where he will only have one chance to deliver a knock-out blow...
...but before our ace sets off on his desperate mission, will he discover that his fellow pilot who's a ruggedly good-looking Rhodesian has recently begun an affair with his estranged wife? And if he does...how may that affect the mission where the fate of the world hangs in the balance?
I first read 'Angel, Archangel' way back in the....yikes, late '90s, and thanks to the above plot elements I've always remembered it fondly.
Recently, I discovered that 'Angel, Archangel' was available in a cheap ebook edition, and those above plot elements still make it a fun read...
...but I had also remembered that style-wise it was also a clunky read, and it still is. To be fair, it was a first-time novel - but even so, and pun unintended, it's a bumpy and uneven ride.
Still, if you're after some pulpy Second World War fun, 'Angel, Archangel' is an enjoyable hour or so of reading.
November 6, 2015
A fairly decent World War Two story story set during the later days of the war in Europe. The story is told from two sides, as Soviet generals prepare for a final assault that will finish off Nazi Germany, and a secret Royal Air Force test unit that tries to intervene in their plans, for reasons which become apparent through the story. The action is quite good and is plentiful and the characters are good, developed enough for the story and a fine mix of decent folks and devious bastards. This is one of those stories where I found my favourite character in one of the "baddies", a British traitor serving with the infamous Nazi SS Britisches Freikorps and who performs a crucial role in the final mission. A decent yarn with good action, intrigue and enough plot twists to keep it interesting. The story cruises along for the first 50% or so, and then ramps up rather nicely in tge second half. The ending is action-packed and ends rather abruptly, which is my only real criticism if the whole book. However, it's still a belting good yarn and I give it a solid 3.5 stars.
June 16, 2013
This review is based on the original 1990 First Edition of "Angel, Archangel." I know it has been re-released and the new edition may have been edited.
I almost didn't finish this book, putting it down and reading another book twice, before finally gathering any momentum. It would have been a shame, as the pace eventually does pick up, cumulating in a rather spectacular finish. It starts out well, but then there is a lull when it seems to drag on, with several threads that don't really seem to drive the plot forward. What I very much enjoyed about the book is how all of these threads get neatly bundled up by the last page, with more than one surprise twist. While a bit slow to get going, this book was very much worth reading to its conclusion, and I would have rated it three and a half stars had that been an option.
I almost didn't finish this book, putting it down and reading another book twice, before finally gathering any momentum. It would have been a shame, as the pace eventually does pick up, cumulating in a rather spectacular finish. It starts out well, but then there is a lull when it seems to drag on, with several threads that don't really seem to drive the plot forward. What I very much enjoyed about the book is how all of these threads get neatly bundled up by the last page, with more than one surprise twist. While a bit slow to get going, this book was very much worth reading to its conclusion, and I would have rated it three and a half stars had that been an option.
September 29, 2014
An excellent book I read years ago - it had a red cover back then. A rattling good yarn well worth picking up cheap on Ebay etc.
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November 3, 2020Boring!!! Didn't finish.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews