Blue Wolf Reviews

Tag: war

  • Avoiding Apocalypse

    Avoiding Apocalypse

    “Jeff has spent the past 45 years as a research physicist helping to develop the science that has made technically possible a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), one linchpin of the Cold War stand-down discussed in his new book, Avoiding Apocalypse”

    When a man of Colvin’s outstanding and fascinating background, writes a book about how Science realised that to continue on the pathway it was moving down with rapidity, you take notice. Avoiding Apocalypse revisits the history of the Cold War (1947-1991), a time of which the younger generation have little understanding, but a time when the world changed, due to science.

    Following on from the Second World War, Russia set off on a vastly different pathway, moving into the world of nuclear Science, as it had some of the best scientific brains at its fingertips; these scientists had taken part in the development of the Atomic Bomb and were intrigued to take the splitting of atoms further – the little understood world of nuclear fusion was in its infancy, the future lay waiting.

    Russia saw the potential for world dominance, closed its boarders, and moved rapidly to develop nuclear bombs. America saw this as a direct threat, not just to them but globally and established their own almost identical Scientific program, to go bigger and better than the Russia. The Cold War was born and the world trembled.

    Eventually the scientists from both countries took the long view, realising exactly what would happen should either or both countries ‘push the button’ and interestingly, united in their efforts to stop what was developing. Colvin played a role in what was to become a dedicated boycott of the program by scientists and a ‘rufusenik’ by the Russian scientists.

    Avoiding Apocalypse looks back at a time when Michael Gorbachev rose to power, a man respected by world leaders, his history now submerged in the Russia of today’s world and the Putin era; an era that started out well but is yet again ending in horror.

    Gorbachev’s legacy, along with the scientists who bravely stood up to the “State’, many imprisoned for their stance, saw the end of the Cold War and eventually the dismantling of the Soviet Union.

    Not a long read Avoiding Apocalypse, is an excellent, fascinating and very relevant read for today’s world.

  • The Hidden Book

    The Hidden Book

    It is always exciting when a new book is presented by Kirsty Manning. She has an amazing talent for finding little known subjects and writing about them.  Her books are based on facts and a story is built around the initial truth and how the future may have unfolded.

    In the past, we have learned about the Cheapside Hoard, found in the basement of an old building in London. We also have read about an Indian boy at the Golconda diamond mine. The thing that Kirsty excels at is her detailed information of the social and political times as backgrounds to her stories.

    Mauthausen Prison of War Camp in Austria during World War 2 is one of the settings in this story. The facts are that a photographer at the camp managed to take many photographs which were secretly hidden and at the end of the war, used to convict Nazi criminals. With help from locals, the photos were smuggled out of the camp and kept hidden until the Allies arrived.

    Surprisingly, an album of these photos was found in Australia, and this is where Kirsty has woven a credible tale. No one is quite sure how they arrived on Australian soil but eventually, the album was handed over to the Sydney Jewish Museum for all to see.

    The story Kirsty weaves around the photos is seeped in the fear and constant terror of the people living in Austria near the camp. Later, in Australia, the author shows how “Trauma bleeds through generations.”  The Austrian Mother refuses to let her student daughter see the album, saying that it is too horrible for eyes to see.

    Kirsty Manning has an extensive list of resources she has used from which to gain the intimate knowledge required to craft The Hidden Book.  Thanks Kirsty for enhancing our understanding once again.

  • The Paris Agent

    The Paris Agent

    Despite large numbers of volunteer Special Operational Executive (SOE) agents having been dropped into occupied territory and thus having a huge impact on the outcome of World War II; until recent years there was very little acknowledgement of their valuable contribution to the war effort. Even less is known about the work of the capable, courageous female operatives, who often with only a month’s training demonstrated their bravery as they fearlessly executed intelligence missions.

    Best-selling author Kelly Rimmer in her meticulously researched historical fiction novel ‘The Paris Agent’, has based her main characters on the heroic British – French spy Violette Szabo and British courier Diana Rowden, both of whom carried out dangerous assignments and were murdered in a German concentration camp close to the end of the war. 

    In 1970 after the recent death of his wife, who had discouraged him from delving into the past, retired secret service agent Noah Ainsworth feels the need to make contact with ‘Remy’ the man he believes saved his life during WWII.

    With the aid of his daughter Charlotte, he begins to piece together his time as a SOE, and the role of the female agents Eloise (aka Fleur) and Josie (aka Chloe) who with limited training, joined him behind enemy lines in Nazi-occupied France. As the search for ‘Remy’ develops, the reader is exposed to the mystery, betrayal, sacrifice and intrigue surrounding the work of the SOE agents.

    I highly recommend this moving, well written dual-timed novel set in 1944 and 1970, because it not only exposes the reader to the horrors of war but also to the power of female friendship. The page turning action, intrigue, mystery and suspense will keep the reader engaged until the very last page, when the two story lines come together in an emotional climax.

  • Bloodlines (The Shadow of the Raven Book 4

    Bloodlines (The Shadow of the Raven Book 4

    Saxon England was a brutal, dangerous place and a time when the ever present danger of a Viking invasion was real. Life was tough, men did not expect to live long and warfare could be a daily event: dependent on what the Vikings were planning and how well the defenses, particularly along the Wessex coast, had been built and maintained.

    In the fourth book in the Shadow of the Raven series from Chris Bishop, Bloodlines he chooses the birth of twins to begin the next chapter in the history of Alfred the Great, at a time when Wessex stands alone against the might of the Viking invasions.

    Although this is book four in the series, it can be read as a sand-alone very successfully, as it is well constructed and researched, written with great knowledge and with a very entertaining flow of words.

    Bishop says he has been fascinated with this time is history for most of his life, which is apparent as the pages turn in this gripping and most enjoyable story. Edward is introduced in a very careful manner, which encourages you to take particular note of the hapless boy, who has a wonderful way with horses, but his size makes him an ideal victim for the bully Coenred.

    As his character develops, so too does the highly complex situation in Wessex, as far as Edward is concerned. Alfred, along with Governor Oscric and Lord Ethelnorth believe Edward may be the son of Matthew, a monk turned warrior, killed in Battle in the last book. If so he will inherit great wealth and lands, but first they have to be very sure and guard him from harm until he is older, more adapt as a fighter and has proven himself as a man of virtue.

    The characters have been so well-crafted they become very real, so much so you find yourself worrying about Edward, cheering when the Viking invaders are sent packing in a very innovative, bloodthirsty manner and as Edwards’ character evolves, a sense of pride in the fine young man he is becoming.

    It is very easy to understand how a three book series has moved to be four, with a fifth out later in the year. There is so much rich material to be garnered from this little known period of history. Chris Bishop does it with a definite flair and passion which utterly engrosses as the story unfolds.

  • Love, Oil And The Fortunes Of War

    Love, Oil And The Fortunes Of War

    Love, Oil and the Fortunes of War presents an interesting, if somewhat usual hybrid of a story based in history, at a period of time when change was of monumental proportions within the United Kingdom, characters who shaped the future of the country where larger than life and the ever present threat of War was on the horizon.

    But, as it is billed as Historical Fiction therein lies the challenge. Paul Ashford Harris says it is constructed around the lives of three larger than life characters, William Knox D’Arcy, Gertrude Bell and Admiral ‘Jacky’ Fisher and their contributions to, not only the War efforts of Britain during the First World War, but the fact that Britain even survived the First World War.

    Stepping back though, the work begins in at the funeral of Queen Victoria held on Saturday 2 January 1901, where the three protagonists are introduced and a sense of European conflict is prevalent. Their background is then established in a somewhat haphazard style, which does eventually bring them into the beginning of the Twentieth century, to the point where the three are instrumental to the next chapter, that of Britain moving from the entrench ‘class system’ to a more flexible form of governance.

    D’Arcy came from a family of privilege. His parents emigrated to Australia, when he was 15 years old. His father, a disgraced lawyer in Britain, established a law from into which William entered, before being lured by the wealth to be found in Gold, at then then fledgling town of Rockhampton. Always the entrepreneur, William eventually found his way back to Britain to become instrumental in the development of oil fired engines for the British navy’s new fleets of warships. He was the founder of what is now British Petroleum (BP).

    Gertrude Bell was from a very privileged and wealthy family, was exceptionally bright, had a gift for languages and adventure, loved deeply and was equally at home in the Deserts of Mesopotamia as she was in London drawing rooms. Her knowledge if eastern culture and languages proved to be invaluable in the first British hunt for liquid gold, Oil.  She was given the title of Queen of the Desert; her legacy was immense to both the Ottoman empire, Persia now known as Iraq and Britain.

    Admiral John (Jacky) Arbuthnot Fisher, a man of small stature, a brilliant mind, with endless energy, made it his life’s mission to push, drag, pull and use any means possible to bring his beloved Navy into the modern world. Often scorned and ridiculed, his devotion to modernising the British Navy was one of the main components that did allow Britain to eventually survive the First World War onslaughts by the German and Italian Navies. He was a vocal and strong critic of the plans for the Gallipoli landing and the failure of his beloved battlecruisers at Jutland, did not endear him to the establishment.

    Such flamboyant people make Love, Oil and the Fortunes of War a very readable book, even though the narrative of the characters are fictitious, it softens the historic detail and adds a certain definite interest to a slice of history that is still resonating today.

  • The Bletchley Girls

    The Bletchley Girls

    Set in Britain in the early years of World War II The Bletchley Girls from Anna Stuart is a captivating read based on a true story. Anna Stuart tells the story of three young women whose lives are changed by the choice they all made; to join a newly formed organization located at Bletchley Park that was very secretive; so much so they were all unsure of exactly what they were going to do once they got there.

    Steffie a socialite, engaged to handsome Italian Matteo, Alisa, already a WRAN and very unsure of herself and Fran, full of confidence but out to prove she can make something of herself that does not follow the family footsteps of medicine, all meet up on the Bletchley Station; all with the same instructions, all wondering just what lay in store.

    Each of the girls has a special skill required for the establishment of this relatively new, secretive and secret operation. Steffie has a skill for languages which she has honed in a life on the Continent, Fran is a skilled logistics genius, a skill set which eventually becomes invaluable to the War effort, and Ailsa has a knack with radio learned on her tiny island home of North Uist. She can pick up a whisper on the wind with her keen hearing and nimble fingers.

    Given directions to the Manor by the stationmaster, the three set off on what was to become one of the most fascinating, revealing and challenged careers that saw them face incredible danger as each one contributed their skills to the War effort. 

    As the long years of War drag relentlessly along, the Bletchley Park team have a critical part to play in the War effort as they pick up and code break intelligence from the Enemy. Eventually Steffie is posted to Cairo and Ailsa is sent to Malta, while Fran is faced with what appears to be a budding romance with French recruit Valerie, and a frightening sense of emotion. 

    Love, heartbreak and a wonderful sense of close friendship binds the three friends together as they not only face their worst fears, but each one falls deeply in love during a time when all things in life could be and often were ephemeral.

    Beautifully told The Bletchley Girls skillfully portrays War time Britain, bringing a time long past alive once again, while paying tribute to the many men and women who gave countless hours of their lives, living with immense secrets, carrying out work that was essential to help and contribute to the War effort.

    With The Bletchley Girls Anna Stuart could be considered to be at the pinnacle of her genre of Historic Fiction. An exceptional story.

  • The East German Spy Mistress

    The East German Spy Mistress

    The East German Spy Mistress has been set in the Cold War era, post-World War II. Ulrica zu Lauenburg is facing some hard truths about the life she has lead as a ‘spy mistress’, realising it is only a matter of time before she is caught by the British, who are well aware there are double agents everywhere; many left over from the War years and others newly crafted.

    She sets up her cousin Walther Coberg as a ‘spy’; a man with a chequered past, serious perverted lusts and very little conscience when it comes to murder, or anything else. He is aware of what is being asked but accepts the challenge, with the knowledge he will be caught and if all goes to plan, either expatriated to Britain or America, depending on who gets him first.

    Basically he is to be a red herring to hide Ulrica’s real purpose, that of selling off stolen artworks and ancient coins to pave her way to a better, safer life far from her operational bases of Tangiers and East Germany.

    The plot, which is somewhat madcap, also involves a group of British officers who are fed up with the so called ‘spy’ networks that are constantly disrupting their signals and feeding intelligence to the enemy, in this case Russia.

    They set up what seems to be an elaborate ruse to flush out these faceless people which has some surprising results; far more than ever expected. This upsets some member of the newly formed MI6 but the officers involved in the ‘ruse’ disregard the warnings as they believe they are better able to flush out the ‘faceless people’ far better than the British bureaucracy.

    Ranging from Tangiers, East Germany, Libya and Beirut, to Otterburn Moor and peopled with characters whom are in many ways very descriptive of the people of the era Pastukhova draws a fine picture of many still deeply scarred by the War years, others trying to hide in the exotic Tangiers, Libya and the corrupt world of Beirut, with others using their skills honed in conflict to try and create a better, safer world, nuclear style.

    Is Ulrica a heroine, possibly, but an unlikely one, is Walther a psychopath, or is he a relic of a man scared by war and his past. Has Pastukhova captured the spirit of the British ‘old boys network’ when facing challenges, definitely, as she has within the somewhat erratic storyline, managed to capture that certain essence of the years in-between, when the world was in transition between the old and the new.

    The East German Spy Mistress makes a light, if somewhat confusing read perfect for a lazy afternoon relaxing.

  • Daughter of the Home Front

    Daughter of the Home Front

    Set in Queensland from 1942, this Historical Fiction, Daughter of the Home Front deals with people during the war period. The main character, Emma Hatton, is a smart young woman who had never had the chance for further education. She had to leave school and help with menial jobs to support the family.

    From the beginning we see that Emma’s family life is not happy. Her mother is a bully and tough, and her father is away as an enlisted man. So, for Emma, her days were occupied by washing the American soldiers’ uniforms to earn some money.

    Ration coupons were supplemented by the money she and her mother made. When she was sixteen, according to War time law the young girl was sent to Brisbane to work for the Government. She helped with Red Cross, boarding with other girls which is where she met Cassie who would become her friend for life.

    Emma meets charismatic marine Frank Kendrick and as she become further involved she truly believes she will get proposal from the young man, eventually being able move to America at the end of the war. He disappears and she is left to face the consequences of their brief liaison.

    Emma finds herself sent to one of the ‘institutions’ for unwed mothers but manages to find the strength, with the support of her dearest friend to prevent herself from being crushed.

    Daughter of the Home Front encompasses times and social standards, which seem extreme now, but were the norm for Queensland, as they were for most states in Australia, at that time. As the story portrays, there are moments when it is hard to believe tales of the harsh and brutal systems which flourished. However, from history we know these to be true.

    Daughter of the Home Front is a reminder that it was only until recently in Australia, that shame and punishment were seen as the way forward to a functioning society.

  • Darwin Spitfires: The real battle for Australia, Anniversary Edition

    Darwin Spitfires: The real battle for Australia, Anniversary Edition

    Many people have been to Darwin and visited the war museum there. During the Second World War the extent of the bombing of Darwin was kept quiet but now most people now are aware of that terrible time. Darwin Spitfires: The Real Battle For Australia aims to tell the story of the many later bombings which are largely unknown.

     The air raids on the Northern City were on the 19th February 1942, but for almost two years after that there were constant raids and bombs dropped. Anthony Cooper tells the story of the RAAF’s No 1 Fighter Wing, composed of Australian and British Spitfire pilots.

    In 2011 Anthony Cooper first presented this book. He claimed, so much war time propaganda, poor research, and stories had little to do with the truth and facts presented about this time in Australia’s history. Now, the ability to read past the war time propaganda, and explore all aspects of this era, allows the truth to be presented. His narrative is gripping and tense as we follow the day to day duties, flights, fights and living conditions of these courageous pilots and their support staff.

    Darwin Spitfires begins after the first bombing of Darwin and looks at the situation from many perspectives. The officials who were in command as well as the pilots are all cited, making this a truly comprehensive guide to this period.

    Included are, maps, photos charts, and tables from the pilots, showing their engagements and remarks, such as “Both cannons failed. “To complete this rare piece of Australian History, the Cooper has compiled an intensive Index, a Bibliography, and Reference notes, including Primary Sources. For any war historian this is a must read. It has been endorsed by the War Museum and may be relied upon for the truth.

  • Blue Hour

    Blue Hour

    Spanning over a period of four decades, ‘Blue Hour’, explores the ways the indescribable trauma of war impacts upon the complex, lives and marriages of Kitty and her daughter, Eleanor; both of whom were married to war damaged veterans. Mother and daughter have an uneasy relationship but share the legacies of war; the grief and the suffering.

    Eleanor flees her disastrous marriage to Vietnam veteran Leon and escapes to the mountain of her childhood with her daughter Amy. During her long drive she begins to recall times in her tumultuous childhood with her mother, nurse Kitty and broken WWII veteran father George. 

    The rare beautiful moments of the shared passion with her father for nature are overshadowed by Kitty’s ability to manipulate and punish her daughter for her own sorrow and disappointments. Her mother’s own marriage is impacted not only by George’s frequent breakdowns but also by her infidelity.

    Although many of the multi-faceted characters are far from likeable, they provoke the readers’ sympathy for their inability to move on from the PTSD that blighted their families.  Readers will get caught up in the intricacies of their lives, their feelings and the actions which define them. 

    ‘Blue Hour’, Sarah Schmidt’s second book, is a slow burn in which the horror builds slowly, thus resulting in a powerful, harrowing and difficult read. Some readers will find the topics covered most disconcerting as the darker side of humanity is explored.