This exciting fictionalised retelling of the invasion of Crete is written by an author with extensive experience in army intelligence. It’s the follow up to Devils With Wings, and continues the wartime adventures of Fallschirmjager paratrooper Paul Brand and his Feldwebel Max Grun. On a high after their successful subjugation of Fort Eben Emael, Paul Brand, now in command of his own company, and Feldwebel Max Grun, are parachuted into Greece to help capture the bridge spanning the Corinth Canal. Tough times are ahead when the German High Command decide to invade the Island of Crete. This will be the first ever airborne invasion in military history. The Fallschirmjager, supported by the famous Gebirgsjager mountain troops, are up against 40,000 allied soldiers – who will fight to the bitter end to protect Crete. Operating behind enemy lines, Paul Brand and Max Grun will face challenges that not only tests their fortitude but strains the close bond between them. Silk Drop is a thrilling sequel to Devils With Wings and is based on a factual episode.
My Thoughts
This is the second book in the the Devils With Wings series and my review of the first can be found here. I really enjoyed the first book so was looking forward to reading Silk Drop – I’m pleased to say it lived up to and beyond my expectations.
From the beginning I felt involved with the story, it was set at a good pace and I had trouble putting it down. I liked the feeling of being up close to the action, with some very intense scenes depicting personal battles, which had me on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed learning more about the strategies involved in preparing for operations and how these translated in battle. The setting was described extremely well and again I had a real sense of being there – I could picture the island and villages clearly in my mind.
Silk Drop also showed the contradiction of war. One minute men are injuring and killing each other, the next when the battle is over, they are caring for the wounded and trying to save the lives of their enemies. The novel showed the human side of war and the effects it can have on individuals which added another dimension to the story. I felt very connected with the characters and was concerned as to what would happen to them.
An excellent read with all the things I enjoy – action, tension, great scene setting and characters I became very fond of.
Links for Harvey Black
Blog – http://harveyblackauthor.wordpress.com/
Website – http://www.harveyblackauthor.com/
Twitter – @Black_Author http://twitter.com/#!/Black_Author
Facebook – Harvey Black http://www.facebook.com/HarveyBlackAuthor
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