Mesmerized by the cover of the book I requested for the copy through Net
galley. I did not read the blurb. This novel is part one of Airborne
trilogy, the story involves the life of three main characters
paratrooper Theo Trickey, Medical Officer Captain Daniel Garland and
Erwin Rommel (the desert fox).

The story starts in Ulm a small
city on the Danube where prisoners of war Captain Daniel Garland along
with captured 1st airborne Division. There he saves a gravely wounded
paratrooper Theo. The story deviates from the battle to the life of
Theo's childhood in Bolzano, his British father and South Tyrol mother,
their fight against the right for branding them as Italian/German. Theo
loses his father early and he is guided by his great grandfather and
grandfather. Later Theo moves to England where he gets the chance to
learn and sign up for the army and also a chance of meeting with Erwin
Rommel who asked him to "make a decision" the words often popped out to
Theo whenever he was confused, one for his ethnicity who he had to fight
against, second for choosing as a paratrooper and thirdly almost
working as a spy for England. His stint in army was first a failure
until someone gives another chance to become a paratrooper. His success
in damaging Trargino Aqueduct and getting the confidence from a group
who have no command structure, no organization no relevant skills or
weapons, fighting against Mussolini.

Waves of paratroops land in Holland (Image source Wikipedia)
Subsequently the author
narrates the story from Garland point of view, a medical officer who
entered the war voluntarily, his visions of the war and his service to
the patients which are beautifully narrated for instance how Garland
coped with stench of cordite, blood, suppuration and smell of sewage and
never ending procession of incoming stretchers with mutilated soldiers.
How he looked the war torn places, from his own words, onslaught of
artillery bombardment, passing through damaged buildings having few
windows, roofless buildings, showing gaping holes buildings consumed by
raging fire, streets littered with wreckage and debris, burned out army
vehicles, fallen telegraph poles, smashed trees, shell craters, mounds
of rubble on the streets, aptly showed the desolation of the war. Like
his colleagues he was expecting the victorious entry of 30 Corps for
their salvation but 30 Corps was unable to advance north, Dreadfully
injured Theo is unconscious but his will power drives him to be alive.
While treating in Stalag XI-B, Garland is transferred to Stalag 357
where he enjoys some freedom.

Aerial view of the bridge over the Neder Rijn, Arnhem (Image source Wikipedia)
The story ends when Garland preparing to escape from Stalag 357 and Erwin Rommel in Africa.
The
book is around 300 pages, fast paced and I enjoyed thoroughly reading
this novel and I anxiously waiting for the second part. Fans who are
interested in Second World War will surely like this novel. While
reading this book I ordered a paperback of Robert Radcliffe's Under An
English Heaven.