I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘PG’ because it contains scenes of violence. The book tells the history of the Waffen-SS (the armed SS). It began as the military branch of the Nazi party. Over the course of WWII units of the Waffen-SS served on both the Eastern and Western fronts. The units fell under the command of the OKW and fought alongside units of the regular army.
The SS was created in 1923. January of 1929 saw the appointment of Heinrich Himmler as Reichsführer-SS to lead them. The Waffen or armed SS was originally created as a small 120 man strong unit in March of 1933. Its purpose was the protection of Adolf Hitler. At its height of power in WWII, there were 36 Divisions of troops.
The SS and the army did not always get along. The regular army looked down upon most of the Waffen-SS officers. They did not have the military training of the regular army officers.
This book covers the Waffen-SS from its beginning days until the fall of Nazi Germany. The book includes stories of the growing pains experienced in the early days. The important leaders within the Waffen-SS and their backgrounds are given.
Units of the Waffen-SS served in almost all theaters of the war. Their actions in Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, during the early NAZI expansion are told. They were a significant player in the 1940 invasion of the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. Events on the Eastern Front and in the West after the Allied D-Day invasion are cited. The Waffen-SS had a fanatical devotion to the Nazi party and its policies. This led to more atrocities committed by them than the regular army.
I enjoyed the 14+ hours I spent reading this 439-page WWII history. While this book is full of dates, facts, and names, it is easy to read. I learned quite a lot of new information as I read this book. The cover art is OK but it is very plain. I give this book a 4 out of 5.
If you have an interest in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest.
The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 520 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II era in history.
The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.
This post is a little different from most, but it combines two of my interests – Coffee and WWII. I happened upon Warbird Coffee Co. a few days ago. As the name implies the coffee company has a military connection. As they state on their website:
The Warbird Coffee Company, established in 2021 by Jon and Adam, friends who, as a result of being raised on a diet of model kits and films such as the Battle of Britain and 633 Squadron, developed a love of vintage warbirds.
Brought together by chance in 2006 through their passion for wartime aviation and military history, it has been the golden thread that has continued throughout the years resulting in an untold number of trips to wartime airfields, air shows, and visits to wartime battlefields such as Normandy and the Ardennes.
The idea for The Warbird Coffee Company grew from their shared enjoyment of the perfect cup of coffee and seeing Warbirds where they belong. The decision to combine the two seemed only natural.
In creating something that focuses specifically on a community that is constantly battling the financial burdens associated with restoring, maintaining, and flying vintage aircraft, the pair felt that The Warbird Coffee Company could also do something to help with the future of warbird aviation.
That is why a number of our products are dedicated to specific aircraft that remain flightworthy to this day, or aircraft that are currently being restored. A portion of proceeds from those products will go directly to their operators to contribute where necessary to getting them, or keeping them flying.
Additional ranges may vary from time to time, to focus on historically significant aircraft, units, or even aerial engagements.
The company has a range of coffee and tea products. They are under the categories of RAF, USAAF, Luftwaffe, and Night Fighter Range. Prices start at 7 and can either be beans or ground coffee. Prices are slightly cheaper if you subscribe to a monthly shipment. They do ship throughout the UK and to Europe. Sadly they do not ship to the US currently.
If you enjoy coffee or tea, live in Warbird Coffee’s service area, and are interested in WWII aviation history, please support them.
If you have an interest in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest.
The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 520 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II era in history.
The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.
(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author Sean Wilson (https://www.seanwillson.com/) published the novel “Dark Nebula: Isolation” in 2020. Mr. Wilson has published five novels. This is the first in his “Dark Nebula” series.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of violence and mature situations. The story is set in the far future of 2278. Humanity has spread throughout the Solar System and has now traveled to the stars.
Abigail Olivaw is President of the Confederation of Planetary Explorers on Earth. Without warning, she is facing an unexpected crisis. Aliens of the Galactic Alliance arrive in the Solar System. They accuse humans of stealing their intellectual property. Olivaw must defend humanity against this deadly charge. This is doubly difficult for Olivaw. She knows her own predecessors stole the technology and used it to build a tech empire.
Major Lync Michaels and Director Joyce Green are at the Earth colony on Epsilon Eridani. They are dealing with their own survival crisis. A strange and deadly disease is spreading through the colony. A secret research facility lies hidden in the Oort Cloud. Humans there are seeking alternative Faster Than Light tech. They are trying to discover new tech not tied to the stolen Galactic Alliance tech. That looks to be the only way humanity can defend itself against the Alliance.
I enjoyed the 11.5+ hours I spent reading this 496-page science fiction novel. The book gave a good start to the series. I look forward to reading later books in the series. This novel came to an abrupt end. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a 4.5 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.
(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author Malcolm Atkin (https://www.mwatkin.com) will publish the book “Pioneers of Irregular Warfare: Secrets of the Military Intelligence Research Department of the Second World War” on May 12, 2021. Mr. Atkin has published eight history books.
I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘G’. The book looks at the British development of irregular warfare during early WWII. It starts before the war was declared and runs through the disbanding of MI(R) in October of 1940.
The book covers Lt. Colonel Jo Holland and the evolution of British Military Intelligence Research – MI(R). The book also talks about Holland’s deputy, Colin Gubbins. The MI(R) and SIS Section D were sometimes at odds with one another, but mostly they cooperated. The military establishment did not approve or support MI(R). They advocated new, untried, and ungentlemanly methods of warfare.
MI(R) focused on developing procedures for guerrilla warfare and then teaching them. They were also responsible for developing some of the cleaver weapons used. Sometimes these were supplied to resistance units. Other times commandos, the SIS, and even the regular army used them. Their concept of Independent Companies evolved into the Commandos. While mostly a think tank, MI(R) did organize and lead a few missions. The book tells of missions to Europe, Africa, Asia, and China.
I enjoyed the 11.5 hours I spent reading this 272-page WWII history. I did find it a bit challenging to read. Most of it was dry and very academic. I did learn a few new things about the early years of the war. The British worked hard to develop new fighting techniques. They had to overcome opposition within the military establishment. The personalities involved were also a challenge. I do like the selected cover art. I give this book a 3.6 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.
If you have an interest in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest.
The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 520 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II-era in history.
The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.
Last January I read and then wrote a review of the thriller “Black Camel”. After the review I was able to contact the author, Ed Mitchell. He graciously agreed to an interview.
Myself: When did you first realize that you wanted to become a writer?
Mitchell: My mother fueled my drive to tell stories when she taught me to read while sitting at her side. She instilled in me the love of reading, of being transported into different lands with exotic people doing incredible deeds. Over the years, like many people, I came to appreciate the magic authors use to create stories that touch souls and stay with people for decades. Reading was the footpath that led me to the point where I decided to attempt to create the magic that I enjoyed so much.
However, my birth mother was mentally ill, slipping in and out of mental hospitals most of my life. I wondered as I grew up if that insanity had been passed on to me, simmering to emerge some day in my life. When I was thirty, I concluded that sanity exists in a person when they are creative in positive ways— not in destructive ways. So, I started writing my first mystery/thriller. Being a published author keeps a lid on my simmering pot.
Myself: That is an exceptional story of how you became an author. What is the first piece that you remember writing?
Mitchell: I always remember the first day I started writing fiction at Fort Ord, California overlooking Monterey Bay. After I finished typing the first page, I yanked it out of the typewriter and threw it away because I knew it sucked. Why the hell was I thinking I could write? That began the long journey to get good at hooking people into a story they never expected and could not figure out where it was going or how it would end. Later my first mystery/thriller won best new fiction in the USA from a small press. Yippie!
Myself: That is quite the accomplishment for your first book. What is your academic and work background?
Mitchell: Here’s the short answer: I was a foster kid who later graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. I went on to be an Airborne Infantry Ranger in Alaska and South Korea, a RAND Corporation Fellow, an aerospace systems engineer working on the National Missile Defense, and a community activist fighting to protect water sources in California. Along the way, I earned two masters degrees, with one in space systems management. Additionally, for years I’ve hunted out vulnerabilities to terrorism within our borders.
Myself: That is quite the background. I can see how it impacted your writing. Your stories are very contemporary and seem to be autobiographic. Are they?
Mitchell: Just the 216 love scenes.
Seriously, the majority of what you read in my stories is not a one-for-one lifting out of my life. Instead, it’s an extension or adjustment of my experiences with people I’ve met or places I’ve seen. The craft is molding them into the plot, scenes, emotions, and characters that I bring on stage for readers to enjoy.
One rule of writing that I’ve heard is “write what you know.” I express that rule a bit differently. Leverage what you know. What I’ve leverage into my stories includes being a battered child, serving 25 years in the Army, traveling to desolate places around the world; as well as observing, like you have, current political, economic, and terrorist events. Additional spice comes from marrying, divorcing, being in car crashes, burying pets, having mentally ill family members, and losing people I love to cancer and heart problems. And one of those was my second wife, who on our 30th wedding anniversary died in my arms.
I believe my thrillers are realistic and believable because I make it easy for the reader to connect with events in the story similar to those in their life. Often, I’ve been told: “Your stories are scary because they could happen.”
Myself: You seem to have led a full life. I have only read one of your novels, but it is a believable story. What part of the world do you currently live in?
Mitchell: I’m a west coast farm boy who left the cold rainy northwest to join the army then returned to live in sunny California near Big Sur and Monterey Bay.
Myself: Do you think that living there has affected your writing?
Mitchell: Yes, my first two thrillers are set in California. Then the characters transition farther into the world of counterterrorism. But more important than setting is that I met my second wife here. She was my best critic and helped me craft realistic, intelligent, creative, and dangerous female characters.
Myself: How do you relax? What are your hobbies?
Mitchell: I’m like many career military types, I’ve never stopped leaning forward in the foxhole. John, you read Black Camel and in it I’ve laid out how terrorism can grow like a cancer into a terrible battle within our borders. So, no hobbies. But I do relax by fixing the next thing that breaks on the ranch.
Myself: Did you read much growing up?
Mitchell: Yes, and kept it up until I started writing fiction. Then I transitioned into research-reading of material for my stories. It’s harder than it looks weaving into a plot cutting off electricity to millions of people, air-gap computer hacking, ballistic missile launches against the U.S., and using ground-penetrating satellites.
Myself: Very state-of-the-art tech you are weaving into your thrillers. I can see why you have had to indulge in so much research. What book that you read as a child stands out in your memory?
Mitchell: I was three years old sitting next to my mom. It was a children’s book that she encouraged me to read to her.
Myself: What is your favorite genre? book? character? author?
Mitchell: Thrillers are hands down better than a mystery. I love to kid mystery authors by saying that, thrillers are what mystery writers wish they could write. It’s because thrillers are more complex than mysteries. The thriller author usually is found entwining events and characters spread around the globe along with a large splash of technical, scientific, or historic data. The skill of the author is in how well he or she weaves the disparate threads into a recognizable, believable pattern so by the time the reader finishes the last chapter he or she is satisfied with the ending.
My publisher doesn’t like me to say this, but it’s true. My Gold series of thrillers is a saga of a family. It has a strong romance genre component and female protagonists. Also, soldiers or FBI agents in my stories are not portrayed just in action. They also deal with parents, spouses, children, and pets (just like you and me) that enhance and complicate their lives.
Myself: That is an exceptionally good description of a thriller. Where is your favorite place to read?
Mitchell: In bed with my girlfriend while reading her the exciting and surprising chapter I wrote during the last week. If she falls asleep, I know it’s not that brilliant and needs a rewrite.
Myself: Do you prefer paper or eBooks? Do you listen to audiobooks?
Mitchell: I began writing before ebooks existed. And many readers love the physical book and while others prefer the digital version. We sell physical books direct to the reader from my website, while globally selling the ebook online in 7 ebookstore chains. Bottom line: I prefer books that sell.
Myself: What books do you recommend to others? Give as gifts?
Mitchell: People who give gift books that John Purvis rates highly are some of the best people in the world. And readers ALWAYS appreciate receiving gift books that are a good read. So go to my webpage or to your favorite ebook store and buy and send your family member or friend a great book.
By the way you gave Black Camel 5 stars. You’re brilliant. People should take your advice. Sample chapter-1 of each of my thrillers at my website. The saga begins with Gold Lust, then Gold Raid, Gold Fire (nuclear terrorism), The Destiny Relic (Middle East terrorism), Black Camel (terrorism with our borders).
Myself: Thanks for your praise Ed. What makes you sit down and want to share your stories?
Mitchell: Two reasons. First, humans are storytellers. In some of us the drive is almost maternal in strength. We’re driven to give our story a life by getting it out of our minds and onto paper or onto the computer screen. That drive has been strong enough to keep me writing for years.
Second, my inspiration to write my first fiction story and see it published began on the beach in Monterey, California. I was a young captain attending the Naval Postgraduate School. On that day I was trying to figure out how Muslim terrorists could talk teenage fighters into committing suicide by blowing themselves up. I concluded that if America ever faced a Muslim commander trained as American soldiers are, like myself, then that would be a very bad day for our country.
I went on to lay out a storyline for a series of thrillers leading up to such an event. That led to releasing my original hardback as Gold Rush 2000. (Released later as a paperback under the title Gold Lust.) While I was writing the third book in the series, where a mastermind would attack a strategic objective in America to drive our forces out of the Middle East — reality struck. On September 11th, 2001 the Trade Towers in New York City were destroyed.
After the FBI began warning the public to watch out for other attacks, one of which I had in my draft thriller, I realized that I knew too many national vulnerabilities. So, I tossed that draft and started a different story, Gold Fire.
However, after my wife passed, I took a sabbatical from writing for a few years. But I’ve returned to helping enlighten people to threats to America.
Myself: I think I need to go back and read the first four books in your Gold series. What are your ambitions for your writing career?
Mitchell: Keep writing, stay sane, help people become security aware.
Myself: Is there anyone who has influenced your writing?
Mitchell: Author-wise its: Frederick Forsyth’s Day of the Jackal, Clancy’s The Hunt for Red October, Baldacci’s Absolute Power, Evan’s The Horse Whisperer, as well as Grisham’s Time to Kill.
Myself: I too have read and enjoyed most of the books of Forsyth and Clancy. How did you pick the genres for your stories?
Mitchell: I write what I like to read which are thrillers with a romance element. That fits for writing about modern terrorism.
Myself: Where did the idea for the plot for Black Camel come from?
Mitchell: I was studying Middle East terrorism decades before the Department of Homeland Security appeared. That led me to worry that someday America could be attacked by terrorists. That stimulated me to conceive of a series of books to identify an emerging threat. Black Camel has been maturing in my head for years, while I worked out what I should and should not include in the story.
Myself: Where do your story ideas come from?
Mitchell: Typically, it starts with a What-if question popping in my brain. Followed by a What-would-that-cause question. I’ll use my fourth thriller, The Destiny Relic, as an example. While watching a TV documentary about fake relics, it popped into my head: What if a religious relic actually passed all scientific tests proving it was authentic? How would that shake up the world for good or bad? What if terrorists used it to achieve their political goals?
If I can’t conceive of a satisfying and believable ending I don’t write that story. And I won’t ask a reader to go on a long journey with me if I know there’s a shabby ending. But with an intriguing beginning and satisfying ending, I know I have the foundation for a story.
Myself: I really like how you come up with story ideas. How do you write your thrillers?
Mitchell: Ah … fully clothed.
Given that I know the beginning and ending, I next outline the up and down scenes for the male and female heroes. Once I have that rollercoaster outline clumped into chapters, I start technical and setting research.
Only after I have the factual data to support the outline, do I start writing.
Myself: You seem to approach writing more analytically than most of the authors I have interviewed. What is your schedule like when you are writing?
Mitchell: It takes me a long time to write a book and get it to readers and editors. Throughout every day I think about the book I’m writing. I like to write in the morning in my office with light music on. When not writing, I’m supposed to be marketing which I do periodically but not enough recently. Before the pandemic I was giving author talks around the state. I like that because I get new buyers and discuss safety issue that people are interested in.
Myself: About how long does it take you to complete a first draft? How long do your revisions take?
Mitchell: Finishing a rough draft takes a year. Finishing an edited book takes six more months. In the last four years I’ve issued two new books in my series and released five ebooks (All of the saga so far). The two new books were The Destiny Relic and Black Camel.
On the shelf in two years has been my recent pace.
Myself: How much research do you put into a novel?
Mitchell: Five hundred to a thousand hours.
Myself: That is a a lot of research. I don’t think that very many fiction authors make that kind of an investment. Of course having that level of detail sets your books apart. What tools (software?) do you use in your writing?
Mitchell: Microsoft Word and Grammarly editing software.
Myself: I like Grammarly too. What are the hardest and easiest things about writing?
Mitchell: One of the hardest lessons to learn is that you are not just an author writing — you also are a professional marketer. Second, hardest is waiting years to get feedback on your writing.
The best and easiest thing is when someone who has read your book tells you they loved your story, and they mean it. Knowing you delivered the magic is golden.
Myself: I certainly found Black Camel very enjoyable. What advice would you give to an aspiring author?
Mitchell: Marry someone rich who will support your writing career.
More important is enjoying the journey whether you ever get published or not, whether you sell one book or millions. And while you’re on that journey appreciate your spouse or significant other. Be kind to them and thank them for all the support they give you, especially when you receive rejection letters. Or after your car’s engine stops running in the fast lane with a big diesel truck behind you while you are on the way to an important event and you almost get killed. (True story!) Mainly though, enjoy them because they may disappear some day and leave you behind.
Myself: Very wise advice. What novels/works have you published?
Mitchell: Ed Mitchell’s thriller series includes Gold Rush 2000, Gold Raid, Gold Fire, The Destiny Relic, and Black Camel. Each thriller is also available in eBook form. Note that ebook-1 is retitled Gold Lust.
Mitchell:Centurion Gold is a Ben-Hur type story, outside of my thriller series. I promised my wife I would write this story. It is scheduled to be released in late 2021.
Myself: I will be looking for it. How should your fans follow you or get in touch?
I want to thank Ed again for the opportunity to have a great interview. He was humorous, has an incredible set of life experiences, and is full of insight. Just the kind of author you would want to be seated next to at a dinner party.
If you want a little more detail of Ed’s career, check out the Biography page on his website.
(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author Eric L. Harry (https://www.ericlharry.com) published the novel “Pandora: Resistance” in 2020. Mr. Harry has published seven novels. This is the third of his “Pandora Thriller” series. This is the fifth novel of Mr. Harry’s that I have read.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains mature language and violence. The story is set in the near future. A virus has swept the globe. Some have died while others undergo severe mental change. They are subject to violent rages and sociopathic homicide. None of the virus survivors are bound by morality or emotion.
The primary characters are twin sisters Emma & Isabel along with their brother Noah Miller. Dr. Emma Miller is an Epidemiologist and the first virus victim. Dr. Isabela Miller is a Neroscientist that has been researching the virus . Emma is one of the higher functioning virus survivors. She has assembled a mix of both infected and uninfected in her own Community. Under her leadership, the Community is growing quickly. She is ruthless about imposing hard rules on the citizens. She is protecting them and providing food and healthcare, so they follow her.
Isabel is traveling with her bodyguard and lover, Marine Captain Rich Townsend. They are searching for her brother Noah and his family. Both Isabel and Rich have been following orders from what remains of the US government. Noah and his family on the road trying to get to Texas where the government in exile has fled.
Isabel, Noah, and their companions must fight their way across dangerous territory. Everywhere they go they encounter people desperate for food. The infected are worse as they may react with mindless violence. Will they complete their journey to safety? There is a concern in the government about the growing power Emma is accumulating. Is it time to take action and destroy her and her Community?
I enjoyed the 9+ hours I spent reading this 307-page science fiction novel. The writing seems to be a little choppy in places. While this novel can be read on its own, I recommend reading the first two novels in the series before this one. I had read the second novel of the series, Pandora: Contagion, about two years ago. That helped set the stage for this novel. The story is full of action. The end of this novel was very abrupt. I hope that is in preparation for a fourth novel in the series. I give this novel a 3.8 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.
(See my other Podcast related posts) – If you follow my Blog you know that I listen to a lot of podcasts. One of those i recently began listening to is Stories of the Second World War. So far I have listed to the first nine episodes and found them all very interesting.
On the About page of the website the claim for the podcast is: A podcast that explores every aspect of World War II. Hosted by Noah Tetzner. There are 19 episodes at the time I write this post. Unfortunately they seem to have ended in April of 2020. They are all in the 20-40 minute range for each episode.
The host is a historian, writer, and the host of several podcasts. The World War II era is one of Mr. Tetzner’s interests. The other being the Viking Age. If this sounds of interest you can find it on Apple Podcasts.
If you are interested in WWII you will enjoy these podcasts.
If you have an interest in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest.
The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 520 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II-era in history.
The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.
(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Authors Gerry and Janet Souter (http://www.avril1.com) published the book “The Ghost Army: Conning the Third Reich” in 2019. They have published more than 50 books on a variety of topics.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘G’. The book tells the stories of British and American forces going to unusual lengths to fool the Nazis. The first part of the book looks at efforts by the British in North Africa. The remainder looks at the US 23rd Headquarters Special Troops. Each of their assignments is described in detail.
Artists, actors and others with unusual talents came together to mislead the Germans in a number of way. Sometimes it was with rubber inflatable dummy vehicles. Other times it was misdirection through false signal intelligence. They also took on the role of other combat units to make German spies believe units were still in place while they secretly moved. They deployed state- of-the-art sound systems to confuse the Germans and make them believe they were facing far greater forces than they actually were.
I enjoyed the 6.5 hours I spent reading this 226-page WWII history. I have read other accounts of these units and always find them fascinating. I do like the selected cover art. I give this book a 4 out of 5.
If you have an interest in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest.
The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 520 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II-era in history.
The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R. It contains mature situations and mature language. The story is set in the near future. A future with near-human-looking robots.
The official synopsis of this book:
The first part of this story is told from the perspective of a sex doll.
The second from the perspective of the man who owns her.
This sounded like it might be an interesting science fiction novel. I was very disappointed with the 80 minutes I invested in it. I only read the first 30% of this 151-page novel, but that was enough. I had to stop there with a Rule of 50 call. I could not take any more of the robot’s philosophizing. It seemed that the author used 10 words when only one would have served the purpose. The chosen cover art is eye-catching. I give this novel a 2 out of 5.
(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Authors Tim Heath (https://www.timheathbooks.com), Virginia Wells, and Herti Bryan will publish the book “Resistance Heroines in Nazi and Russian Occupied Austria” on May 31, 2021. Mr. Heath has published four WWII history books.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘PG’ because it contains a few mature situations. The story is set in wartime and postwar Austria. The book primarily follows the life of Herti Juliana Bryan.
Herti was born Herti Krouse on February 21 1929 in Austria. By the time the Germans occupied her country, she was nine years old. Rather than seen as conquerors, the Austrians welcomed the Germans into their country. After the Nazis arrived, Herti noticed that a few schoolmates and neighbors began to disappear. Taken by the Gestapo.
She stood up as best she could against the Nazis. Her father died of natural causes in January 1940. She, her mother, and siblings struggled to survive as the war came closer and closer to their home. The Russians advanced into Austria in 1945. Herti, at 16, left home and headed on her own towards the British lines. She became an interpreter for the British and later moved to the UK.
The book does not tell of only Herti. The stories of other young Austrian girls are also included. How they defied the Germans. How they scavenged in the bombed ruins of Austria for food. Their treatment by both the German and Russian soldiers.
I enjoyed the 6+ hours I spent reading this 216-page WWII history. I read and reviewed the book Hitler’s Housewives: German Women on the Home Front by Tim Heath about this time last year. I found it and this book very interesting. Both gave a different outlook on the war. So many books about women in WWII focus on those that served the Allies with the SOE or at Bletchley Park as Wrens. I like the selected cover art. I give this book a 4 out of 5.
If you have an interest in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest.
The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 520 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II-era in history.
The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII.
John's Notes 