Book Review – In the Hell of the Eastern Front

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – In the Hell of the Eastern Front was written by Amo Sauer. This biography is his only publication. It was released in 2020.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of delivering a fair and honest review. Due to some violence, I categorize this book as PG. The author relates the experiences of his father.

The book begins when Friedrich “Fritz” Sauer is 17. He serves about a year with the Reich Labor Service before being drafted into the Wehrmacht. It briefly looks back at his youth, then he goes on to describe his experiences in WWII.

Sauer is deployed and sees combat on the Eastern Front in 1942. After being severely wounded, he is sent back to Germany to recover. He spends some time in France before he is sent back to the Eastern Front. Soon he must flee the advancing Russians. His story tells of his capture, the long journey home, and his postwar experiences.

I enjoyed the 6.5 hours I spent reading this 179-page WW2 history. A bit of general WWII history is sprinkled through Sauer’s biographical experiences. I have read a few accounts of the war from the German perspective. They are a little different, but all depict the Eastern Front as a hellish place. I like the cover art selected. I give this novel a rating of 3.7 (rounded up to 4) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

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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 590 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. Included are links to many fiction and non-fiction books on WWII that I have read and reviewed. There are also links to WWII oriented podcasts.

Book Review: Countdown to Midnight

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Dale Brown http://www.dalebrown.info/index02.htm (website out of date) is the author of 50 novels. The novel Countdown to Midnight was published in 2022, and it is the second in his Nick Flynn series.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of delivering a fair and honest review. Due to scenes of violence and mature language, I categorize this novel as R. Intelligence agent Nick Flynn is the primary character.

Flynn is a former US Air Force officer now working for a secret US intelligence organization. While on an operation in Austria, he is ambushed and nearly killed. His investigations disclose a joint operation between Russia and Iran, code-named Midnight. Midnight is under the direction of a wealthy Russian, Pavel Voronin. Security for the operations is provided by Raven, the elite security company Voronin owns.

A huge oil tanker is being refitted in an Iranian port. The plot involves the tanker and an effort to seriously damage the US. Flynn and his team must stop Operation Midnight before it is too late.

I enjoyed the 10 hours I spent reading this 398-page action-packed thriller. Since Brown’s first novel The Flight of the Old Dog was published in 1987, I have read many of his works. I have always enjoyed them and this novel was no exception. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 4.2 (Rounded down to a 4) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Book Review: The Nemesis Manefesto

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Eric Van Lustbader https://www.ericvanlustbader.com is the author of more than 50 novels. The novel The Nemesis Manifesto was published in 2020. This is the first novel in his Evan Ryder thriller series.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of delivering a fair and honest review. Due to violence and mature language, I categorize this book/novel as R. The primary character is DOD agent Evan Ryder.

Western intelligence agents are being targeted and killed. Ryder is paired with another US agent Brenda Meyers to investigate. As they follow one thin lead after another, they uncover a secret organization known only as Nemesis. It has targeted the US for destruction.

Ryder is certain that it won’t be long before her name comes up on the Nemesis hit list. She must discover who is behind Nemesis before it is too late. The journey also begins to unlock some of her deeply hidden memories.

I enjoyed the 11+ hours I spent reading this 343-page spy thriller. Over the past few decades, I have read more than a dozen novels by Lustbader. I have enjoyed all of the novels, but the earlier ones stand out as better than the more recent ones. This novel struck me as having unnecessary ‘color’ phrases included. The chosen cover art is a bit bland. I give this novel a rating of 3.7 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

A Book to add to your WWII History Shelf – The Coal-Scuttle Brigade

I subscribe to several different ebook sales notification services. One of those is My Next Read.

In the email I received from them today they noted that the ebook edition of The Coal-Scuttle Brigade by Alexander McKee is currently available from Amazon for FREE. I have downloaded it but not yet read the 152 page volume. The book was published in 2016. This book is an account of the men and ships who tackled the twice-weekly run from the North-East to the South Coast of England in WWII.

If you are a student of WWII history you should act now to add this book to your bookshelf. These sales often last only a few days, so better to act soon.

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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 590 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. Included are links to many fiction and non-fiction books on WWII that I have read and reviewed. There are also links to WWII oriented podcasts.

Texas Military Forces Museum, Austin, TX – Hands on History

(See my other Texas Military forces Museum related posts) – The Texas Military Forces Museum will host their annual Hands-On History Night on Saturday, 2 July 2022.

Photo from Hands-On History 2021

This is a unique opportunity to speak with members of the Living History Detachment. They will be in uniform and have kit on display from 200 years of Texas military history. Several vehicles on display inside the museum will be open.

Walk through 200 years of Texas military history in the 28,000 sq.ft. of interior Museum displays. View 50 vehicles and aircraft on display outside the museum. 

Enter Camp Mabry via the 35th street entrance. A photo ID is required for all visitors. For further information as to the location and entrance requirements see the website. 

Book Review: Z Special Unit: The Elite Allied World War II Guerrilla Force

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) –  – Gavin Mortimer https://gavinmortimer.com is a historian and the author of more than 15 books. The book Z Special Unit: The Elite Allied World War II Guerrilla Force was published in 2022.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of delivering a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as G.

In this book Mortimer tells the story of the SOE in Australia during WWII. This Z Special Unit has not appeared often in the annals of WWII. For two years the unit’s teams made clandestine attacks on Japanese shipping by canoe. They were landed by boat or parachuted onto islands behind the lines to lead locals against the Japanese. Their lethal adversaries were not just the Japanese but the jungle itself. Many of their missions, both successful and unsuccessful, are described. 

I enjoyed the 7 hours I spent reading this 361-page volume of WWII history. If you are interested in the Pacific Theater of Operations during WWII, particularly special operation units, you will enjoy this book. The chosen cover art is simple, but does depict the unit well. I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

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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 590 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. Included are links to many fiction and non-fiction books on WWII that I have read and reviewed. There are also links to WWII oriented podcasts.

A Book to add to your WWII History Shelf – 1945: The World We Fought For

I subscribe to several different ebook sales notification services. One of those is My Next Read.

In the email I received from them today they noted that the ebook edition of 1945: The World We Fought For by Robert Lee is currently available from Amazon for FREE. I have downloaded it but not yet read the 450 page volume. The book was published in 2019.

If you are a student of WWII history you should act now to add this book to your bookshelf. These sales often last only a few days, so better to act soon.

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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 590 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. Included are links to many fiction and non-fiction books on WWII that I have read and reviewed. There are also links to WWII oriented podcasts.

NASA Commits to ISS Extension to 2030

SpaceX Dragon spacecraft heads to ISS as crewed version preps for debut
teslarati.com

(See my other Space related Blog posts) – A couple of days ago I came across the article, NASA has Purchased 5 More Crew Dragon Missions, Keeping the ISS Going Until 2030. I was very happy to see that the ISS will be with us for a few more years.

A few days prior to seeing this article I had expressed my concern in the post SECOND CREW REACH TIANGONG-3 that the Chinese Space Station, Tiangong-3, would outlive the ISS by several years.

Fortunately, NASA has committed to extending the life of the ISS until at least 2030. This will maintain the West’s ongoing presence in space for several years. The rational for the extension is stated clearly in this quote from the NASA Authorization Act of 2015.

It is the policy of the United States to maintain an uninterrupted capability for human space flight and operations in low-Earth orbit, and beyond, as an essential instrument of national security and the capability to ensure continued United States participation and leadership in the exploration and utilization of space…

Book Review – Queen

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Timothy Zahn is the author of nearly fifty novels. Queen: A Chronicle of the Sibyl’s War was published in 2020. It is the third book in his Chronicle of the Sibyl’s War series.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of delivering a fair and honest review. Sibyl Nicole Hammond is the primary character.

As a Sibyl on the spacecraft Fyrantha, she is one of the few humans who can communicate directly with the ship. The ship was built by unknown aliens and is now home to different sentient species, including humans. The Ship Masters who currently control the Fyrantha evaluate, then sell off species they determine to be battle worthy. She has turned into a rebel and has evolved into a leader.

Hammond leads the humans and their allies in revolt against the Ship Masters. It is the only way she sees to save humanity.

I enjoyed the 7+ hours I spent reading this 378-page science fiction novel. This novel dives right into the plot. You will be a bit lost if you have not read the prior books. I at least had read Knight, the second novel in the series. As with that novel, while I like the chosen cover art, I don’t see much of a connection to the plot. I give this novel a rating of 3.8 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Second Crew Reach Tiangong-3

Tiangong-3

(See my other Space related Blog posts) – I came across the article Three Chinese astronauts arrive at space station yesterday. The three, the second crew for the Tiangong-3 Space Station, are expected to remain aboard for six months. Their mission will be to complete the assembly and construction of the station. I am of two minds on this achievement.

On the one hand, establishing a second space station beyond the ISS is a step forward. Space is becoming the next frontier for humans to conquer. The zero gravity manufacturing techniques and abundant raw materials found in space offer substantial commercial opportunities. The use of space for terrestrial communications is already being harnessed. As is the use of space based platforms to provide rich data on the Earth’s ecosystem and geography. Likewise, it is the perfect place to observe distant star systems.

The Chinese have longer term plans to send manned missions to the Moon and to eventually establish a base there. These are steps towards spreading humanity out over more than a single vulnerable location.

On the other hand, I think too few realize that China has begun to catch up and could soon challenge the US. I suspect that if you polled average people on the street about Tiangong-3 few would have heard of it. The ISS is scheduled for retirement in 2024. There is currently no replacement. Tiangong-3 is expected to have at least a decade of life ahead. Given the political challenges that China has made, the US must at least maintain equivalence in space.