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Title: Black Cross by Greg Iles ISBN: 0-451-18519-6 Publisher: Signet Pub. Date: November, 1995 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.65 (60 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: not a bad sophomore effort for Greg Iles
Comment: Following the grand success of Spandau Phoenix, Iles tells another tale with World War II roots in Black Cross. This time the story is completely within the wartime context, except for the frame of a doctor discovering the unknown but heroic exploits of his grandfather. That grandfather begins World War II as a pacifist researcher in Oxford, England, looking for counters to poison gas, but he comes out of the war something entirely different. A plan by British intelligence to end the threat of Hitler's poison gas program, the same Israeli operative from Spandau Phoenix, and the characters of a unique Nazi concentration camp join in changing that grandfather forever. With fewer characters than Spandau Phoenix, Iles develops these a bit more but does less with the overall plot. I thought this one moved considerably slower for no good reason. Black Cross is not as good as Spandau Phoenix, but it is still a solid read.
Rating: 5
Summary: A CROSS WORTH BEARING
Comment: Greg Iles is a terrific writer. I have read his later books, which are gripping contemporary suspense stories. His career got jump started with this book and the previous "Spandau Phoenix" (which I haven't read yet, but am planning on starting soon).
"Black Cross" is an involving, complex story of trust, greed, love, evil, heroism, and change. As always, Iles' characters are superb, and not black and white stereotypes.
Join Mark McConnell, the pacifist, who joins in a suicide mission only to help defend, and finds himself in the position of having to risk the lives of innocent people to achieve a goal to save the invading Allied troups; Josh Stern, a daredevil Jew, whose bravery and macho charm, are equal to his selfishness and innate brutality; Anna Kaas, an undercover nurse, who has faced the horrors of the concentration camp and who realizes that she too must act to save more than the prisoners; Rachel Jansen, an incredibly brave, level-headed prisoner who watches both her husband father in law murdered, and then desperately tries to save her two children; and Wolfgang Schorner, the head of the camp who falls for Rachel and wants to help her, but who is still a murdering, consciously Nazi.
All of these leading characters are devastatingly real; but the supporting characters are stunning, too: Ariel Weisz, the "weasel" Jew who helps the Nazis; Frau Hagan, the burly woman who befriends Rachel and teaches her the tricks of the prison; Sergeant Strum, a heartless, mindless killing machine; Duff Smith, the arrogant general who recruits McConnell and Stern to do the bidding, lying to them in the process; Avram Stern, the shoemaker who also has another secret; and Ian McShane, the burly Scotsman who trains McConnell and Stern in how to get the gas bomb to the camp.
What a stunning book this is. At first, I thought I wouldn't get involved as I am not a fan of blending historic characters into fictional plots. (We have Churchill and Eisenhower here). But Iles is a genius. This is a great read and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Rating: 5
Summary: Phenominal thriller from this wonderful writer!
Comment: Another satisfying, exciting read from Greg Iles. This one has pulse pounding action, suspense and historical drama for hundreds and hundreds of pages...will keep you excellent company from start to finish!
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Title: Spandau Phoenix by Greg Iles ISBN: 0451179803 Publisher: Signet Pub. Date: April, 1994 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Mortal Fear by Greg Iles ISBN: 0451180410 Publisher: Signet Pub. Date: February, 1998 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: The Quiet Game by Greg Iles ISBN: 0451180429 Publisher: Signet Pub. Date: 10 July, 2000 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: 24 Hours by Greg Iles ISBN: 0451203593 Publisher: Signet Pub. Date: 03 July, 2001 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Dead Sleep by Greg Iles ISBN: 0451206525 Publisher: Signet Pub. Date: 02 July, 2002 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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