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9 April 2008, 01:00 PM
A Falcon For The Hawks
by Clive Egleton
Walker Publishing Co.
New York
1982
197 Pages
Clive Egleton (http://raindesert.com/great_war/books/egleton_c_a_falcon_for_the_hawks.htm)
This is a fairly compact novel that jointly follows the crew of a German Zeppelin adrift over England and the home defense squadron bent on it's destruction. From it's base at Nordholtz , the LZ-72 lifts off as part of an armada of ten airships bound for London and other points in England. The date is March 1917 and the Zeppelin's commander, aware that the day of the airship will soon be at an end (giving way to the new heavy bombers) is determined to press on his attack, even after his ship suffers critical damage in an airborne accident.
Meanwhile a young English squadron commander is driven to avenge his girlfriend who was crippled in an earlier Zeppelin raid. What follows is a terse cat and mouse adventure as the wounded airship drifts over the English countryside, fighting to lighten it's load and determined to reach the Belgium coast before daybreak arrives and it's location is discovered.
The author, Egleton, has written a fine enough story to hold the enthusiast's attention for a few hours. Time is split fairly evenly between the two sides and the author has a decent understanding of the subject matter. Because virtually the whole story takes place in the course of a single night's adventure, the tale has a "smallish" feel to it, but this really isn't a criticism. All and all, I have no problem recommending this book.
by Clive Egleton
Walker Publishing Co.
New York
1982
197 Pages
Clive Egleton (http://raindesert.com/great_war/books/egleton_c_a_falcon_for_the_hawks.htm)
This is a fairly compact novel that jointly follows the crew of a German Zeppelin adrift over England and the home defense squadron bent on it's destruction. From it's base at Nordholtz , the LZ-72 lifts off as part of an armada of ten airships bound for London and other points in England. The date is March 1917 and the Zeppelin's commander, aware that the day of the airship will soon be at an end (giving way to the new heavy bombers) is determined to press on his attack, even after his ship suffers critical damage in an airborne accident.
Meanwhile a young English squadron commander is driven to avenge his girlfriend who was crippled in an earlier Zeppelin raid. What follows is a terse cat and mouse adventure as the wounded airship drifts over the English countryside, fighting to lighten it's load and determined to reach the Belgium coast before daybreak arrives and it's location is discovered.
The author, Egleton, has written a fine enough story to hold the enthusiast's attention for a few hours. Time is split fairly evenly between the two sides and the author has a decent understanding of the subject matter. Because virtually the whole story takes place in the course of a single night's adventure, the tale has a "smallish" feel to it, but this really isn't a criticism. All and all, I have no problem recommending this book.