Band of Eagles
By (Author) Frank Barnard
Headline Publishing Group
Headline Review
15th February 2007
United Kingdom
General
Fiction
Second World War fiction
Thriller / suspense fiction
Adventure / action fiction
823.92
384
Width 161mm, Height 33mm, Spine 242mm
631g
Continuing the brilliant World War Two fighter pilot series - this time the theatre of war is the incredible story of the Siege of Malta.
Summer 1941. The tiny island of Malta, held by the British and a crucial supply point for the Allies, has become the most bombed place on earth. The Germans and Italians want to destroy it. For the fighter pilots of the RAF, initially equipped with ageing Hurricanes and outnumbered in the air, defeat seems almost certain. Flight commanders, Englishman Kit Curtis and American Ossie Wolf make an unlikely alliance. Both have survived the Fall of France and the Battle of Britain but Curtis remains idealistic and eager to prove himself. Wolf, by contrast, is ruthless and thrives in the chaos of imminent invasion. But as each man is tested to the limit, they come to share a common purpose and fresh understanding. The experiences of these pilots and their comrades are vividly conveyed in a novel of compelling pace and power, made still more real by meticulous research that captures the spirit of the time. By turns brutal, funny, tragic and heroic here is a spellbinding tour de force, a brilliant sequel to the best-selling BLUE MAN FALLING.Frank Barnard trained as a journalist before moving into public relations. He worked as managing director for major international consultancies before quitting at 50 to write full time and race cars. He is married with two children and four grandchildren with whom he enjoys sailing and sea-fishing near his home in Rye, Sussex.