Review: Great historical thrillers
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 3, 2014
I love good World War Two stories, and this collection is the best I've read as of lately. Delivered in a style that combines the commercial appeal of a stay-up-half-the-night page-turner with the beautiful literary writing style that makes the author's Oxford education obvious, this story places the readers in the middle of war-torn Europe.The fast-paced plot, vivid descriptions of settings, characters, and events are so vivid and so realistic, they took me back to my grandparents' true stories of running a military battlefield hospital in Europe during the war. The reality of shot-down badly burnt pilots, war-time romance, the ultimate tests of friendship and loyalty that only war can bring - all these and more unique and highly emotionally charged experiences were brought to life for me as I read this book.I loved both of these books but especially the second one, "The Ian Fleming Files: Operation Parsifal." This installment of the story starts in London near the end of World War II, in January 1945. One of the first powerful images that Mr. Stevenson creates is that of St. Paul's Cathedral, seen as a "symbol of hope for a nation near the end of its rope." This one phrase alone conveys so much: defiance, long-time suffering, and the expectation of a much-needed victory.A great series! Highly recommended for anyone who liked World War Two stories and thrillers. Five stars.