Action-packed is not how I would describe this book. Plodding is a more apt description.
I fully admit that I have zero knowledge of the previous Courtney books (18 of them at the time of review) and have zero interest in digging into them. The review site assured me I did not need any previous knowledge to enjoy this novel. And I think I agree with that disclaimer with the caveat that I had no emotional attachment to the characters previously. This book did not cause me to have any newfound fictional loves, unfortunately.
The book itself tries to take a look at the world after WWII and Hitler. Some still follow his way of thinking and are working on trying and bringing about the Reich again. This is coupled with the movement in Kenya for the freedom of the people against the British. In between that, we have the unlikely pairing of a former SOE agent and Luftwaffe fighter ace.
Mr. Smith, unfortunately, falls into the historically inaccurate trope of 'All Germans, not in the SS were good, all Germans in the SS were bad' as a broad stroke way of painting things. This is not said in defense of the SS. Quite the contrary, plenty of Germans in the Heer, Kriegsmarine Luftwaffe , etc., were card-carrying Nazi party members and believed fully in the anti-Semite drivel that the majority of the SS made into a religion. As the book goes, if the character was not in the SS, you know they are good. If they were in the SS, they are bad, and doing so removes any potential build-up of suspense.
This is not said as a bragging point, but I think too much knowledge of post-war Europe and history here was detrimental. I knew the ending before the book began, and unfortunately, the plodding delivery didn't cause me to become lost in the journey despite knowing the destination.
I fully admit that I have zero knowledge of the previous Courtney books (18 of them at the time of review) and have zero interest in digging into them. The review site assured me I did not need any previous knowledge to enjoy this novel. And I think I agree with that disclaimer with the caveat that I had no emotional attachment to the characters previously. This book did not cause me to have any newfound fictional loves, unfortunately.
The book itself tries to take a look at the world after WWII and Hitler. Some still follow his way of thinking and are working on trying and bringing about the Reich again. This is coupled with the movement in Kenya for the freedom of the people against the British. In between that, we have the unlikely pairing of a former SOE agent and Luftwaffe fighter ace.
Mr. Smith, unfortunately, falls into the historically inaccurate trope of 'All Germans, not in the SS were good, all Germans in the SS were bad' as a broad stroke way of painting things. This is not said in defense of the SS. Quite the contrary, plenty of Germans in the Heer, Kriegsmarine Luftwaffe , etc., were card-carrying Nazi party members and believed fully in the anti-Semite drivel that the majority of the SS made into a religion. As the book goes, if the character was not in the SS, you know they are good. If they were in the SS, they are bad, and doing so removes any potential build-up of suspense.
This is not said as a bragging point, but I think too much knowledge of post-war Europe and history here was detrimental. I knew the ending before the book began, and unfortunately, the plodding delivery didn't cause me to become lost in the journey despite knowing the destination.