I recently found myself in what is arguably one of the least welcome propagations for the book loving
reader to find oneself in. I was at JFK and about to embark upon a rather lengthy trans Atlantic
flight without anything to read. Having long outgrown the paltry offerings of in flight magazines, I realized that I needed something with substance for my due perusal and edification to while awhile my skyward hours. A quick visit to the very last vendor before the boarding gate revealed a shockingly small offering of glossy magazines and an even more sparse array of books. In a final moment of desperation, I threw caution to the wind and picked up Hornet Flight by Ken Follett. With my seat and carry on luggage sorted out, I got down to business almost immediately. I found myself very taken by the easily
Read narrative and before the plane had even taxied onto the runway I found myself totally engrossed. The
story is set in Nazi occupied Denmark during the war. Not surprisingly, the population has mixed support for their German neighbours, with a small but strong resistance movement struggling to get off the ground. The endeavours of a teenage boy, the fortunes of his older brother and
war stricken female agent from Britain form the centre stage of the book’s characters. The chief protagonist of the Nazi cause is the disillusioned and ultimately misguided state detective, whose belief in the righteousness of the Nazi doctrine leads him on a lonely path of self pity. The story develops at a snappy pace, and Follett builds tension but also provides plenty of descriptive passages, beautifully casting the landscape and people of
wartime Denmark in the reader‘s imagination. Although the plot comes together in a fairly predictable manner, the
characters and twists are solid and believable, and the story ends with a rewarding climax. My flight duly shortened by this little gem of a book, I arrived at my destination revived, my head full of wartime heroics and dreams.
More reviews about the Hornet Flight