Okay, yes, it’s another World War II book by Ken Follett. That makes my third this year? This one has much more in common with Jackdaws than Winter of the World: smaller cast of characters, tighter timeline, and I read the whole thing on a two hour plane ride (as opposed to Winter of the World, which took several weeks all told).
Hornet Flight takes place in 1941, primarily in Denmark. A resistance movement there has been compromised, and their leader needs desperately to get information about the radar that the German bombers are using. A young engineer teams up with his older brother’s fiancee and his best friend’s sister to collect that information and somehow, get it to the British.
It’s a quick read but a good one. The Danish engineer (Harald), a bright and interesting character, initially fights back against the Germans by mouthing off in class and getting in trouble while drunk. It’s nice to see him turn his intelligence towards resistance that will do some actual good. The fiancee (Hermia, I think) has wits, courage, and a guilty conscience over sending so many young Danes to their potential deaths by getting them involved in espionage.
The climax of the novel involves an incredibly dangerous plane flight, undertaken by Harald and his girl. It’s really a great story.
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