Another stellar entry intoe the Edge of Eternity series. Here, Follett, our master storyteller and likely top 3 historical ficti4 1/2 Stars(Excellent)
Another stellar entry intoe the Edge of Eternity series. Here, Follett, our master storyteller and likely top 3 historical fiction writers alive today, finish the captivating event of the century from 1950s into 1980s. We run the gamut from Vietnam, to the Cold war, the fall of the Berlin wall, and the atomic bomb. Follett's writing is quick paced, engaging, with strong characterizations, and he binds it all together in the end to give us a memorable and incredible series!...more
Enemy of God (The Warlord Chronicles, #2) is an incredible continuation into the life and story of Britons and their most heroic l5 Stars (Incredible)
Enemy of God (The Warlord Chronicles, #2) is an incredible continuation into the life and story of Britons and their most heroic leader Arthur, and it is an incredible effort by Sir Cornwell!
There's really not much critique to say about a book that is so polished, so well written, so entertaining with delightful and memorable characters! In this latest effort, Cornwell improves in nearly every single aspect of the storytelling! The characters are more aptly developed, the stage where massive battles take place are more impressive, the magic imbued into the story is more prevalent and effective! Yet, still the shining beacon of the narrative are its unforgettable characters!
[image] Arthur vs Saxons
Narrated by Arthur's friend Derfel Cadarn (a former slave raised by the wizard Merlin), this volume tells of Arthur's struggles to bind the warlords together and strengthen the throne that he holds for the beastly Mordred, who is to supposed to inherit the throne of Britain. Yet not all goes as plan, as Mordred is growing up to be a sickly evil child who likes to torture animals, and rape other girls. The story unfolds at a rapid pace, and many plots and twists will see Arthur and Derfel do all they can to unite Britain and coalesce all the war factions together- as they will ultimately have to face the Saxons in mortal battle.
Realistically gory battles and doomed romantic exploits flavor the narrative, while the strong characterizations bring the men and women behind the legends to vivid life. Despite the gore and the ferocity of the battles, there's a nice balance with a lover affair between our main protagonist and narrator Derfel for the beautiful fair-haired Ceinwyn. The tale is stuff of the legends, and I can't speak more highly of it. The way Cornwell incorporates their love affair in the story is so brilliant, that you have to read it to experience in full delight!
Perhaps the most controversial and my favorite character is Merlin the master druid, or magician. God I love the way Cornwell writes Merlin!! He's is witty, sarcastic, omnipotent and ambitious as hell. Yet, in his true form, Merlin is a true Briton who will do anything to 'restore' the old Gods to Britain and help Arthur and Derfel in their conquest. In the process Merlin placed further strains on the fragile peace, when he set out on a quest to retrieve the last of Britain's 13 treasures; the fabled Cauldron.
What can I say about a near perfect historical-fiction series? It's mesmerizing. It's captivating and filled with unforgettable characters and battles. The fable continues and on to the final exciting chapter 'Excalibur'!
What can be said about the perfect historical fiction book about one of Brittain's most beloved heroic character?
The Winter King: A5 Stars (Amazing)
What can be said about the perfect historical fiction book about one of Brittain's most beloved heroic character?
The Winter King: A Novel of Arthur was a brilliant first series into the world of warlord Arthur. I learned about Cornwell's masterpiece from fellow GR friends, and frankly I've never read any previous Arthur legends- as I was never that thrilled into a character piece about Brittain. Yet, something about the vivaciousness and excitement of the reviews about this series made me fall head in, and I've never looked back!
Let's start with the basics: The Winter King: A Novel of Arthur is unbelievably well written story, full of intrigue, action, memorable characters and dynamic characters! Another caveat that is important to consider- although this book retells an original 'version' of Arthur's legend and ascent to power- it mostly focuses on amazing and unforgettable characters around the epoch!!
The Winter King: A Novel of Arthur is as much about Arthur as it is about the incredibly powerful wizard 'Merlin', Uther the high-king, the beautiful Kywin, Merlin's 'maid-wizards', the Brittons, the Saxons and the ever raging wars.Yet, the pivotal and most dynamic character comes in the likes of Arthur's best friend, Derfel Cadarn, and the narrator, now an old monk who recounts his journey with Arthur and the ever lasting wars!
[image] Derfel Cardan
Despite being published 23 years ago, The Winter King feels absolutely modern and fresh in both style and execution. Much of that is owed to Cornwell's prowess with words and storytelling. Cornwell is a master storyteller, that I'm convinced! The books reminds me so much of great tales like LOTR, or even GOT. The retrospective narrative from Derfel's perspective adds much value to the story, specially as he is Arthur's best friend and most competent warrior. The battle scenes are incredible, specially in the last 25% of the book, and another favorite author of mine, 'John Gwyne', has admitted using Cornwell as a big influence in his masterful 'The Faitfhull and Fallen' series. The 'battle soldier wall' used in 'Faithful' is a direct homage to Cornwell's incredible battle scenes, where the 'wall' is originally used.
Those of you wanting an amazing story, with legendary characters, incredible battle scenes and a maddened wizard, will find bliss in the masterful The Winter King...more
There's really nothing Follett can't write the heck of!
Fall of Giants is a monumental achievement in historical fiction, as a sweeping historical tal There's really nothing Follett can't write the heck of!
Fall of Giants is a monumental achievement in historical fiction, as a sweeping historical tale about one of the darkest periods of the 20th century! There's so much packed in Fall of Giants, that I felt I was reading a compilations of books! The voluminous, yet thematically and literary approapriate novel focuses on the the years leading up to the 'Great War' and the years that follow the end of WWI.
Follett is a freaking genius- so of course the narrative follows 5 greatly distinct and fascinating families as they traverse this tempestuous moment in human history. The characterization in Fall of Giants is flawless, and as the reader I really felt personally invested in characters that will suffer, lose loved ones and even die during these events! The 3rd POV narrative added greatly, as Follett switched constantly between Germans, Britts, Russians and Americans! Most of us should know what happened in such horrific World War, but when you have characters that you love involved in the thick of action, it gives the reader great pause! Follett masterfully crafts a narrative that is so persuasive that I even rooted for German characters as he transitioned from one story to the next!
What a ride Fall of Giants was, in historical fiction writing, characters development and personal investment! To think he still has 2 follow up books about the remainder of the 20th century!
I know this is probably will be a non-popular opinion, and I really wanted to love the heck out of this book, but it just wasn't for me. The dnf @ 55%
I know this is probably will be a non-popular opinion, and I really wanted to love the heck out of this book, but it just wasn't for me. The first 250 pages, were incredible setting up a story which will give us an affable sailor Dantes, who is betrayed by his associates and placed in a dungeon for many years, while his beloved and betrothed marries another. The story plays out so nicely, with the full characterization and meticulous writing about his horrible ordeal in prison.
The middle section of the book really faltered in my humble opinion. A plethora of 'noble' characters, with such eloquent and drawn out speeches and writing that had me in a daze at times. There were so many secondary characters, aunts, nieces, horse riders, barons, slaves, butlers, etc that I just lost focus and ultimately interest. The strong use of 'old english', despite the excellent translation from its native french written language, probably didn't help. In the end, I was left longing for the final 'coup de gras' from Dante to his enemies. I will likely try to finish this later in the year.
This was another solid entry by Andrew Gross, who keeps impressing me with heartfelt 'historical fiction' novels, that speak from the heart!
Button M This was another solid entry by Andrew Gross, who keeps impressing me with heartfelt 'historical fiction' novels, that speak from the heart!
Button Man is a historical novel about one man who persevered against the against the corrupt, mobsters and corrupt unions during the 1930’s. What makes it more interesting, is that the author Andrew Gross essentially relieves his own family history. The main character, Morris Raab, is based on Gross’s grandfather- a first generation Jew, who displays incredible inner and outer strength to live and thrive in tumultuous 1930's corrupt scene.
The story serves as a beautiful tribute to those who went against the corruption, greed and violence propagated from the omnipresent mobsters in that epoch. I also feel 'Button Man' was very instructive about early immigration in the US in the early 1930's. The book was quite accurate about the hardships of immigrant'Eastern European Jews', who were often marginalized and discriminated based on socioeconomic status. Even more affluent Jews were quite discriminatory against E.E Jews, and that depicted quite eloquently by the author.
The book takes quite a few turns, and when you think the story will revolve solely about Morris ascent in 'garment maker' business, we get hit with multiple bombs!! The conflict between the main 'Mob' heads and the Raab family, heats up to a sizzling!
If historical fiction tickles your fanny, give this one a try- the story is full of action and the tale takes a quite intimate tone as the author writes it from the heart!
Another stellar entry into the mind and brilliance of Ken Follett!
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Follet brings us back into the chaos and madness of WW2, and again brillianAnother stellar entry into the mind and brilliance of Ken Follett!
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Follet brings us back into the chaos and madness of WW2, and again brilliantly narrates a story that is filled with action, with engaging characters, and most incredibly based on real events! A group of British amateur 'spies' are recruited to lead a suicide mission into occupied France, and infiltrate and explode a key communication relay center north of Paris. Their mission is a-la 'Mission Impossible' scenario. 5 women are chosen and led by an experienced resistance fighter 'Flick', and she leads a group of least expected women into a formidable mission! Flick herself is badass, beautiful, and willing to give up anything to flag and country. The other women in the other hand...
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Follet again set up a narrative that is filled with action and hyperbole, leading to a crescendo worthy of any hollywood movie! The brilliance in Follett is his ability to express his thoughts elegantly in the most simple way possible! It's a near an impossible trait in a writer, but Follet has masterminded this skillset. His characters are riveting, and there's plenty of violence, some sex and lots of humor in the story. He weaves his characters like chess pieces, and in the end he checkmates without difficulty!
This book crushed my heart, grinded it to small little pieces and made it bigger and stronger in the end!
The masterful freshman effort by Markus ZusaThis book crushed my heart, grinded it to small little pieces and made it bigger and stronger in the end!
The masterful freshman effort by Markus Zusak, The Book Thief represents the very best of what I love about books! The book has so many layers, and so much depth, yet it still becomes light and comic despite the very intense subject matter. The characters are most memorable, and you can’t help but falling in love with the young German girl ‘Liesel’ and her ‘Poppa’.
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Deep in the heart of Germany and at the height of WWII, we’re exposed to the simple truth: all humans suffer and love the same! In The Book Thief, Zusak give us a rare glimpse of what’s like to be a German and live in Nazi Germany in the pinnacle of the world’s most destructive war, WWII. There are countless stories about the plight of the Allies, the citizens of occupied countries such as France and the unimaginable suffering of the Jews during the holocaust. What the author did was brilliant- he told an entire tale of WWII and the lives of Germans during this dark period in time. We always hear of ‘bomb raids’ by the Germans in British cities, leading to great mayhem and destruction. How about British bombing of Berlin, and subsequent death of so many innocent German civilians?
The subject matter in the book is real, and very heavy at times. This book was so enjoyable to read, but at times it was a hard pill to swallow! I guess rules of ‘human engagement’ became somewhat obsolete during the great war. There was so much unnecessary death and suffereing around, that Markus Zusak decided to narrate the entire story through the eyes of Death itself! The results are little macabre yet inspiringly brilliant!
“ The consequence of this is that I’m always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both.
“ I am haunted by humans” -Death
In The Book Thief, we see ‘Death’ narrating the story of ‘Liesel’, a young German girl whose book stealing and storytelling, makes her the epitome of love and suffering during the horrors of WW II. Despite being German, Liesel is herself persecuted, and forced to ‘shelter’ with foster parents. Her new ‘Papa’ and ‘Mama’ are key characters, and within their relationship we see the fabric for the remainder of the story.
Liesel is courageous, loyal and very pragmatic due to the horrors that occur in her short life. The book is so well written, and the story flies by before you know it. The prose has many poetic undertones, and the cadence of the narrative is quite brilliant. Markus is a very talented author, with a big imagination and the skillset to translate it into the right words.
We learn first hand that many Germans did NOT want to belong to the Nazi party, and were sternly ostracized for it. We also learn that a 14 year old German girl, can have much more courage than many soldiers actually doing the killing. We learn that the power of ‘words’ and good human deeds will always be more effective than bullets.
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”Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like rain.”
Wow, 'Shogun' it's one of those long epic novels that just blew me away! The effort required by James Clavell to recreate medieval Japan, and such a rWow, 'Shogun' it's one of those long epic novels that just blew me away! The effort required by James Clavell to recreate medieval Japan, and such a rich story with unforgettable characters appears superhuman! RTC soon.. 5 Stars...more
Follet conjures up another masterpiece with World Without End, as he achieves near-nirvana by writing a spellbinding story that is captivating from paFollet conjures up another masterpiece with World Without End, as he achieves near-nirvana by writing a spellbinding story that is captivating from page 1 until 1000!
I was just a lonely lad, ignorant to the brilliance of Ken Follett until my father suggested I read Pillars of the Earth. My world just about shattered!! ‘Pillars’ is easily one of my top 5 fav books of all times! In ‘Pillars’, we see Follett’s genius shine on: the story is so captivating, with strong willed characters and narrative that was so unique yet so simple, that I instantly fell in love! Starting this sophomore’ series World Without End, gave me some butterflies due to such high expectation and the hope of another home-run. After reading it, the verdict was unanimous:
World Without End is an absolute masterclass in storytelling, character development, imagination and a tale of the unbound human spirit! Ultimately World Without End is at its bare essence a story of love.
Follett revisits the city of ‘Kingsbridge’ about 200 years after we last encountered it at ‘Pillars’. As much as Pillars was a well-crafted story about the ‘building of a cathedral’ and the creation of the city as a religious powerhouse, World Without End encompasses a more global tone involving accurate historical events of the epoch and surrounding Europe. There’s not much Follett is unwilling to touch, as vast range topics of greed, monastic abuse, love, war and death are widely seen in the writing.
[image] Kingsbridge
Follet’s writing style is direct and unadorned, leading to a brilliant and powerful way to convey human emotions! The simplicity of Follett’s narrative is possibly his most unique and powerful attribute. His prose is quite effective, his characterization is absolutely incredible! When he creates an evil character, we as readers develop almost a ‘visceral’ reaction to them!! A perfect example is the most evil character called ‘Ralph’! Follett goes to the extremes to depict this evil, unscrupulous character that will do almost anything to fulfill his aspirations of power and nobility. In fact, Ralph does not shy away from raping innocent females, killing woman and children and lying incessantly to ascend in the hierarchical food chain! Truthfully, I fucking hated Ralph and cringed everytime he got away with murder! This reaction is exactly what Follett achieves with the power of his words.
-“ Ralph.. had killed many people, women as well as men..he had killed nuns in France..he hesitated, but suddenly it seemed terrible to stick a knife into the warm body of someone he had embraced and slept with, the woman who had borne his child”
The story in World Without End is very expansive, and spans decades, and we concentrate on a handful of unique and vastly entertaining characters. Again, heavy focus is geared towards monastic life and the ‘priory’ of monks, with the added difference of a ‘nunnery’ that is added to Kingsbridge. Remarkable and unforgettable characters include the wildly egocentric and power hungry ‘prior’ of Kingsbridge Godwyn, the powerful ‘earl of the Shiring’, the head nun Mother Cecilia and many others. But without exception, the full narrative places Merthin a young ‘builder’ his love interest, Caris at the core of the tale. Follett spins his ‘webs’ masterfully as he tells the love story of both Merthin and Caris, and how their lives seem to congeal and split apart. We take third POV when following Merthin and Caris, as their story feels organic at every corner.
[image] Caris & Merthin
The last worthy point of reference is how Follett incorporates real historical facts to augment the narrative and make the story so interesting. At the peak of 14th century Europe, the ‘bulbonic plague’ ravaged most of the continent. In fact, Europe experienced the most deadly disease outbreak in history when the Black Death hit in 1347, killing a third of the human population! Follett uses this accurate historical event, as it shapes the lives of most resident of Kingsbridge, and ultimately affects every character in the book. The results are astounding and downright terrifying.
[image] 'Black Plague
World Without End is another epic slam dunk in the the saga of the ‘Kingsbridge’ series. Follett creates another masterpiece that is wildly accurate to the historical time, as he tells a tale that is fascinating, with memorable characters!
A Column of Fire caps off a perfect ending to an immaculate and masterful series.
The Kingsbridge series has been nothing but a masterpiece in storyteA Column of Fire caps off a perfect ending to an immaculate and masterful series.
The Kingsbridge series has been nothing but a masterpiece in storytelling, and historical enlightenment! In this latest entry, Follett focus his attention in diverging European religious and political ideology in a devilish entertaining way. At the height of European transition from medieval period into 16th century ‘modern’ time, we see some of the most tumultuous conflicts between Catholics and Protestants. Follett explores this religious tension to the maximum, with a story that is laced with unforgettable characters and exceeding moments of love and conflict while maintaining historical accuracy.
“When a man is certain that he knows God’s will, and is resolved to do it regardless of the cost, he is the most dangerous person in the world.” ― Ken Follett, A Column of Fire
Follett covers a widely unstable time in European politics after 1558, all seen through the eyes two lovers Ned Willard and Margery Fitzgerald. During that time, the throne of England inherited by the more progressive Elizabeth of Tudor, who unlike her older predecessor sister Mary Tudor, did not believe of burning ‘heretics’ for prescribing to a certain faith. Unlike Mary, Queen Elizabeth believed in religious tolerance and acceptance, despite being a Protestant herself.
“Might there come a time when people of different faiths did not kill one another?” ― Ken Follett, A Column of Fire
At the heart of A Column of Fire, lies the tale of two lovers Ned Willard and Margery Fitzgerald. Follett is brilliant at telling historical events through vivid and unique characters- making the story that much more appealing! The main protagonist ‘Ned’ is a balanced Protestant, and becomes one of the main advisors for Queen Elizabeth. Yet his love interest, ‘Margaret’ is a stout Catholic, thus setting up a constant dissonance and tension between both lovers, despite their passion for one another.
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Ned Willard and Margery Fitzgerald
Follett narrates the events of the religious time so perfectly! He takes the reader on a whirlwind of historical events, but writes it in such a captivating and engaging manner, that I was left speechless in some moments of the book! The breadth of information and meticulous details are a testament to his historical acumen and preparation for this series. From the Bartholomew Day massacre to Mary Queen of Scotts execution, the Spanish Armada and the Gunpowder plot as well as the personal fortunes of a huge cast of characters, both real and imagined. The results are quite astounding, especially as Follett is able to organically blend it all together in the end!
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English fleet vs Spanish Armada
Ultimately Follett dazzles the reader with his God-given talent as a storyteller. I know I’ve praised him plenty in previous books ( Pillars, Eye of Needle, etc.),but his narrative ability to is so engaging, and that is reflective throughout multiple moments in A Column of Fire. Follett has the uncanny ability to convert a topic that is generally dull and rather thick into something magical, and indescribably entertaining. The ability to infuse passion, tension and emotion into historical events is quite demonstrative of his skills as a writer.
Kingbridge Series is his Follett’s magnum opus, with ‘Pillars of the Earth at the helm. This latest entry blew me away with the breadth of historical accuracy, and written in a such a persuasive and entertaining manner that left me speechless at times! My favorite historical fiction series of all times :)
Pillars of Earth has literally shattered my world! In this audacious and breathtaking novel, Ken Follett creates a true masterpiece of hFull review...
Pillars of Earth has literally shattered my world! In this audacious and breathtaking novel, Ken Follett creates a true masterpiece of historical fiction!
Follett’s ‘Pillars of the Earth’ is a astonishing accomplishment in story creation, character development and most impressively a beautiful narrative! How does one create a story of almost 1000 pages about ‘the building of a cathedral’ and make it relevant and engaging? How does Follett incorporate ‘historical fiction’ and the epoch of the medieval period and make it synergistic to the storyline? Where does Follett come up with half of this stuff in this incredible book, yet makes a story placed in the medieval period feel so relevant? Given his God given talent, Follett is able to incorporate the perfect ingredients in this superbly written story.
[image] Medieval Cathedral
From the very prologue, Follett had me intrigued and completely hooked! Follett describes a hanging, in typical medieval style, and an extraordinary event that will set the tone for the entire book! Writing in the historical fiction genre can be a double edged sword: add too much detail and the book becomes a good ol’ boring history book; yet without enough background and historical perspective all your left is pure fiction!
Pillars of the Earth is set literally in the middle of the medieval age, in the years of 1135 until 1174. The historical background in England of that time is fascinating. A shipwreck containing royal nobles, and most importantly King Henry’s direct heir, are all lost at sea. The consequences are profound and after the death of King Henry and no apparent heir to the throne, chaos, civil war and bloodshed ensues for the large part of 40 years! Follett masterfully builds up the tension in his book, by placing his story during the peak years of this political upheaval.
[image] Shipwreck at Sea
The book is the first of 3 books in the “Kingsbridge’ series. Most of the events in the story occur in or around the small town of ‘Kingsbridge’. Kingsbridge is essentially a small village, revolving around a modest monastery of monks or a priory. The relationship of the monks with each other, the royal family and the ‘earl’ of Shiring are constantly at play in the book. Never, did I think reading about monks and their daily lives could be so damn fascinating! This is the magic of Follett: he writes about the simple and mundane, yet makes it spellbounding!
[image] Medieval Monks
“The symbol of Kingsbridge’s life and vigor was the cathedral. If only it could be finished by a miracle!”
In essence the nucleus of the story revolves about building a cathedral! Follett’s narrative is so simple yet beautiful, but all is not what it seems. The major events of ‘Pillars’ occur surrounding the construction of this magnificent cathedral, and Follett creates major plot arcs around this simple concept. The story can is interwoven in multiple layers and different POVs. Characterization is one of the strongest ‘pillars’ in this wonderful story. There’s a masonry expert, ‘Tom the builder’, a genuinely good hearted monk ‘Phillip’, a beautiful earl’s daughter ‘Aliena’ and a promising red headed boy ‘Jack’. Their lives all eventually tangle in a web of love, deceit, violence and hope. It’s pure genius. There’s so much character building, that Follett keeps developing plot lines until the last 20 pages of the book!
[image] Kingsbridge
Pillars of the Earth also give us one of the most evil characters that I’ve ever read in ‘William Hamleigh’. The son of prominent landowner, William is the devil incarnate. He’s all that’s bad in this earth: a murdered, a liar, a coward and blasphemous. Oh, did I mention he’s a sadomasochist, diabolical, and a rapist? This brings another point to the book. Themes of violence, love, brotherhood and religion are widespread. Make no mistake, this is not a tale for the weak of heart, due to the sheer brutality portrayed in ‘living life’ that Follett offers us. There’s violence with some gore, warring between competing factions, but it’s all appropriately done. Follett is a true master storyteller!
There are multiple sex scenes in the book, some graphic but never done distastefully, and ultimately adding a great deal to the narrative. There is an unfortunate ‘rape’ scene which is hard to stomach but so important to the entire book and a to a specific character development. Also, Follett exposes the brutal reality of the medieval times as a patriarchal society where woman were mostly treated as inferior and sexual abuse was prevalent, especially in lower social classes. ‘Whoring’ or prostitution was an accepted means of entertainment, for workers, masons, soldiers and at times even monks! Follett doesn’t hold anything back, but all is done temperately with the historical accuracy of the epoch.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Follett’s writing is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! Follett’s writing style of ‘simplicity’ and ‘directness’ narrative makes for a real engaging experience! His writing is raw, the narrative so unique without embellishment or unnecessary verbiage. How else could you expose so much human emotion, if not writing purely from the heart with simple words? His narrative was so effective, that the near 1000 pages flew by. At times I forgot about the 21st century, and found myself in the small village of ‘Kingsbridge’ surrounded by the construction of a glorious cathedral and a world long lived.
“They turned toward Kingsbridge. It was twenty miles away. Philip began to walk. He felt wonderful…I lost in court, he thought, but that was only about stones. What I gained was something infinitely more valuable. Today I won a man’s soul.”
The Song of Achiles, is a unique and adapted version of the classic mythology 'Trojan War', with much emphasis to Achile's romance for Patroclus, butThe Song of Achiles, is a unique and adapted version of the classic mythology 'Trojan War', with much emphasis to Achile's romance for Patroclus, but it misses the mark for omitting such defining moments of this amazing 10 year war.
This was a unique take on Homer's Iliad, which depicts the 10 year 'Trojan' war between the Greeks and Spartans. Madeline focus her attention on the hero 'Achilles' one of the main characters of the trajedy. Her writing is fluid, yet sometimes a bit repetitive. Somewhat controversial is her focus on Achilles as a homosexual character in love with Patroclus. It seemed she focused more on the 'love' story component between the two characters than anything else.
Historically the exact nature of Achilles' relationship with Patroclus has been a subject of dispute in both the classical period and modern times. In the Iliad, both characters were described in a deep and loyal friendship. Homer does not suggest that Achilles and his close friend Patroclus were lovers. This new take on 'Achilles' story was unique, and her narrative showed a true love between both characters. If anything she depicted almost a worship and adoration that Patroclus felt for the hero Achilles.
There're so many cool elements from the 'Trojan' war that Madeline Miller didn't touch upon, that I believe detracted from the novel as a whole. I also missed a lot of the action and 'war scenes' that are so classic to the old tale.
Overall a unique take on a mythologic classic, that probably could have been revved up by the inclusion of more thematic subjects from the Trojan saga.
The Saboteur completely shattered all my expectations! The novel involves the fascinating background of World War II, an incredible crescefull review…
The Saboteur completely shattered all my expectations! The novel involves the fascinating background of World War II, an incredible crescendo of suspense and an affable protagonist, all making The Saboteur a remarkable thriller!
In his latest effort, Andrew Gross creates a captivating and addictive story surrounding historical fiction events of WW2.
It is the year of 1943 and both Allies and Nazis are fighting furiously to create the ultimate weapon that will bring each side the atomic bomb, and the ultimate edge during the worlds most deadly war.
The historical fiction genre is so incredibly powerful, and The Saboteur is a perfect example of that! in many ways I consider this book a sub genre, better described as a historical fiction "thriller” if I may indulge. Historical fiction allows the reader to travel back in time in an epoch of humanity that really existed. And when you add a cool story arc with compelling characters it all melts into the perfect recipe for escapism.
The Saboteurtransports us back 75 years ago during WW II, in a time where good vs evil really meant the difference between the perpetuation of civilization as we know it. Imagine how different our current world would be if the outcome of WW II was radically different and the Nazis emerged victorious? it's downright scary!
The Saboteur is so effective because we understand what's at stake if the evil Nazi powers became the victors. All the spoils would have gone to a murderous, oppressive regime.
The landscape and historical background makes this story so compelling! The secretive atomic arms race between the Allies against Nazi Germany, sets up a narrative that is filled with tension, and delivers a fascinating story.
The main protagonist is Kurt Nordstrum, an engineer in Oslo, puts his life aside to take up arms against the Germans as part of the Norwegian resistance. He joins an elite group of Norwegian soldiers, who venture into a suicide mission to ‘sabotage’ a chemical plant in Norway, whose byproduct is ‘deterium oxide’ or heavy water- an isotope used in the creation of an atomic bomb.
What follows are the adventures of the Norwegian soldiers through the icy valleys and mountains of Norway, and their covert mission to halt Nazi atomic energy production. The region of Norway is so well characterized by the author. Dialogue is sharp and spot on. As one of the resistance leaders, Kurt is a strong character whose personal plight and love for country, really ‘bleeds’ through the narrative. The action is non-stop fun, and the reader can't stop rooting for the good guys! At times I felt I was teleported back in time with that special elite Norwegian team in a life or death mission for humanity’s survival.
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