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RAF Trilogy #3
Once More the Hawks
One last mission; a disastrous result; an impossible escape...
Last in the RAF Trilogy, this story charts the final days of service of world-class British fighter pilot Dicken Quinney, in his most dangerous adventure yet.
It is the summer of 1939, and the greatest war in history is on the horizon. Dicken is stationed in France when the fighting starts, but disaster strikes and his plane is shot out of the sky above enemy territory.
Beset on all sides with mortal peril, and with only his own survival skills to aid him, Dicken is forced to make a breathtaking escape across Nazi Europe, pursued by his nemesis, General Lee Tse Liu…
The awe-inspiring finale to Dicken Quinney’s tale, Once More the Hawks is a triumph, perfect for fans of Thomas Wood, Wilbur Smith and Mark SullivanPaperback
First published January 1, 1984
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 23, 2024
This is the final part of three in Max Hennessey’s very good Dicken Quinney series and I’ve awarded it 3 stars for the book, but 4 for the series overall. I usually alternate my reading between several authors, but this time I’ve read all three in the series in quick succession – not least of all because these are short books and very easy to read.
Again, the style of book is more chronicle than novel: this time set immediately before and then through World War 2 and follows Dicken’s postings to various point of conflict including France, Greece, India and China as well as various points in the UK.
Hennessey keeps the story tight and flowing and also offers insights into parts of the WW2 of which I knew little.
The familiar cast of characters are there including his chums from WW1, Hatto, Foote, Babbington, his bête noir Diplock and the various women who make up his unsatisfactory love life pop up here and there.
Stylistically, this is a dated book, written a number of year ago about a time many years before that – it probably reflects the attitudes of the age. That aside, I enjoyed it and the earlier ones in the series and the three books in the Kelly Mcguire series which follow a similar path but for a Royal Navel officer.
Again, the style of book is more chronicle than novel: this time set immediately before and then through World War 2 and follows Dicken’s postings to various point of conflict including France, Greece, India and China as well as various points in the UK.
Hennessey keeps the story tight and flowing and also offers insights into parts of the WW2 of which I knew little.
The familiar cast of characters are there including his chums from WW1, Hatto, Foote, Babbington, his bête noir Diplock and the various women who make up his unsatisfactory love life pop up here and there.
Stylistically, this is a dated book, written a number of year ago about a time many years before that – it probably reflects the attitudes of the age. That aside, I enjoyed it and the earlier ones in the series and the three books in the Kelly Mcguire series which follow a similar path but for a Royal Navel officer.
September 21, 2019
Enjoyed the series, but got wordy in description of people and locations! Each book of the series were individual stories, while Books 2 and 3 relate to the previous book in the series! If you like the series on the RAF, Mr. Hennessy uses the same storyline over the same time period for the Royal Navy. The Book 2 was the most informative in both series, because it covered the period from 1919 to 1939, which I had not read much about! I recommend both series! 😎
September 30, 2019
Three is a Charm and this doesn’t disappoint.
Max Hennessy is quite the author and has a knack for putting you there; in the cockpit; on the cold and wet ground; or in a big multi-engine plane. He IS that GOOD!
Thanks Max!!!!!!
Max Hennessy is quite the author and has a knack for putting you there; in the cockpit; on the cold and wet ground; or in a big multi-engine plane. He IS that GOOD!
Thanks Max!!!!!!
June 8, 2019
Superb trilogy.
5 stars given which covers the trilogy. Max Hennessey certainly knows his stuff, Dicken Quinney is a believable character & we've all at sometime or other met a character like Diplock!
5 stars given which covers the trilogy. Max Hennessey certainly knows his stuff, Dicken Quinney is a believable character & we've all at sometime or other met a character like Diplock!
November 3, 2022
Spoilers ahead.
I've been reading all of Max Hennessy books together and sometimes it's hard to keep the events straight because he's got 3 (or 4?) RAF series. This is the last book of the last series I've read and details the exploits of Quinney. This series is a little different in that it starts in WWI and ends in WW2.
The book starts off with Quinney retired and then immediately called back into service because of the beginnings of WW2. One difference in this series is that Quinney is friends with Ernst Udet and he comes up quite a bit giving us his POV of the German's side.
And like many historical fiction books, the author puts the protagonist in as many actual historical events as possible. In this case we see Quinney in the Phony War and the Battle of France in the beginning. He goes through so many other events that I was going to write them as I read the book but decided not to.
He's also involved in training and daylight bombing of Germany. He takes part in the first 1000 bomber stream. He also had a fantastic quote here where Quinney and someone discuss the killing of civilians. It goes something like: The British are going to be vilified for killing German civilians and there are sure to be Germans who are against the war and Hitler. The other speaker goes: Sure, but where were they when Hitler was winning, why didn't they speak out then? It doesn't matter, this is a war for survival and we absolutely cannot lose so anything goes.
I read it as Hennessy's justification (and the British) for the mass bombing of civilian targets (also that the Germans had done it first). Bomber Harris' justification was to damage the spirit and infrastructure. It was basically total war.
Another one I remember is the Greek campaign, which is a nice one as it's rarely covered in the books I have read. Eventually he is sent off to the China campaign. Hennessy is an old hand at this as several of his books deal with that.
In this one, the Nationalists are shown to be as bad as the Japanese. They're corrupt, indifferent to the plight of the Chinese refugees and peasants and only concerned about getting money and arms, waiting for the Allies to defeat the Japanese so that they can conserve their forces to deal with the Communists afterwards. A pretty good summary I would have to say.
In the middle of all this is a romance thread. I'm usually not into romance in historical military fiction but I think Hennessy did a good job with this one. After losing Marie-Gabrielle in the last book, he finally meets her again in China where she has become a nurse. She initially refuses him as she has set her mind on a selfless purpose to help the Chinese but his actions in that event changes her mind and I'm glad we have a happy ending.
Overall, not a bad series.
I've been reading all of Max Hennessy books together and sometimes it's hard to keep the events straight because he's got 3 (or 4?) RAF series. This is the last book of the last series I've read and details the exploits of Quinney. This series is a little different in that it starts in WWI and ends in WW2.
The book starts off with Quinney retired and then immediately called back into service because of the beginnings of WW2. One difference in this series is that Quinney is friends with Ernst Udet and he comes up quite a bit giving us his POV of the German's side.
And like many historical fiction books, the author puts the protagonist in as many actual historical events as possible. In this case we see Quinney in the Phony War and the Battle of France in the beginning. He goes through so many other events that I was going to write them as I read the book but decided not to.
He's also involved in training and daylight bombing of Germany. He takes part in the first 1000 bomber stream. He also had a fantastic quote here where Quinney and someone discuss the killing of civilians. It goes something like: The British are going to be vilified for killing German civilians and there are sure to be Germans who are against the war and Hitler. The other speaker goes: Sure, but where were they when Hitler was winning, why didn't they speak out then? It doesn't matter, this is a war for survival and we absolutely cannot lose so anything goes.
I read it as Hennessy's justification (and the British) for the mass bombing of civilian targets (also that the Germans had done it first). Bomber Harris' justification was to damage the spirit and infrastructure. It was basically total war.
Another one I remember is the Greek campaign, which is a nice one as it's rarely covered in the books I have read. Eventually he is sent off to the China campaign. Hennessy is an old hand at this as several of his books deal with that.
In this one, the Nationalists are shown to be as bad as the Japanese. They're corrupt, indifferent to the plight of the Chinese refugees and peasants and only concerned about getting money and arms, waiting for the Allies to defeat the Japanese so that they can conserve their forces to deal with the Communists afterwards. A pretty good summary I would have to say.
In the middle of all this is a romance thread. I'm usually not into romance in historical military fiction but I think Hennessy did a good job with this one. After losing Marie-Gabrielle in the last book, he finally meets her again in China where she has become a nurse. She initially refuses him as she has set her mind on a selfless purpose to help the Chinese but his actions in that event changes her mind and I'm glad we have a happy ending.
Overall, not a bad series.
February 5, 2023
This book was ok but unfortunately no more than that .I enjoyed the part where it featured the "1000 bomber raid" and generally where the story was based in "the European theatre", but once it moved again to "the Asia/pacific theatre" I found it less interesting and harder to follow - though I accept that this could be because I'm less familiar with the geography of this area and so found it harder to picture in my mind.
All in all I enjoyed this trilogy as a whole and the relationships and interactions between the characters are told well , though I feel the story would perhaps benefit from more focus on the actually adventures .
All in all I enjoyed this trilogy as a whole and the relationships and interactions between the characters are told well , though I feel the story would perhaps benefit from more focus on the actually adventures .
June 11, 2025
Read this as I had read the previous two in the trilogy. As with the second book, the highlight is that the plot takes some unusual wartime locations as well as the usual Battle of Britain etc. The lowlights are not particularly interesting plot lines and set pieces. My biggest complaint is that the arc of the hero’s nemesis for 2 and 3/4 books is resolved in about two sentences - he leaves the story with barely a mention or a crumb of detail. Maybe “realistic” in war but not very satisfying for a reader following this long and winding story across 3 books. This series was mildly entertaining but quality, to me, dropped off with each successive book.
December 6, 2019
Satisfying Finish
The author has once again demonstrated his intense devotion to his research. I had never known the intricacies and the corruption with the powers running the Chaing army. As usual, there is much information and history that the reader garners from the Hennessey novels due to his research down to the smallest details. I had never before read his books, but now I am a big fan.
The author has once again demonstrated his intense devotion to his research. I had never known the intricacies and the corruption with the powers running the Chaing army. As usual, there is much information and history that the reader garners from the Hennessey novels due to his research down to the smallest details. I had never before read his books, but now I am a big fan.
March 26, 2023
I am not naturally a fan of aviation adventures. I have a preferance for naval history and fiction. As a result I found this series to be progressively less satisfying and heavy going. I would have liked more coverage of the battle of britain, in particular the developement of the spitfire. The trilogy as a whole is written to appeal primamarily for teenagers who will undoubtedly flnd the trilogy more rewarding. There just wasn't enough substance for a retired reader lke me.
May 31, 2020
Rattling good read
If you like aeroplanes, flying, the RAF & WW2 you’ll enjoy this book. Clearly well researched and packed with information about WW2 and the aeroplanes of the time the story rattles along at a great pace. Very enjoyable read, recommended.
Jonathan Nicholas, author of ‘Kittyhawk Down-Dennis Copping & ET574’.
If you like aeroplanes, flying, the RAF & WW2 you’ll enjoy this book. Clearly well researched and packed with information about WW2 and the aeroplanes of the time the story rattles along at a great pace. Very enjoyable read, recommended.
Jonathan Nicholas, author of ‘Kittyhawk Down-Dennis Copping & ET574’.
January 13, 2025
Tries to get too much in and makes the mistake of sending his hero too many places. But the accounts of logistics is totally my thing and I still enjoyed it.
As always I am in awe of his ability to write about flying and engineering in such clear detail.
I wish he'd not used two names. I'd have gone out and read these as a kid had I realised he was John Harris,
As always I am in awe of his ability to write about flying and engineering in such clear detail.
I wish he'd not used two names. I'd have gone out and read these as a kid had I realised he was John Harris,
June 17, 2020
Covers the years of WW2
The blurb for the book is misleading. It covers Dicken's career over the entire war, over multiple theatres.
A satisfying book and fitting conclusion to the trilogy.
The blurb for the book is misleading. It covers Dicken's career over the entire war, over multiple theatres.
A satisfying book and fitting conclusion to the trilogy.
April 25, 2019
A shame
It is a great shame that I have found this trilogy by reading the third book. What a pity, I could angered on and on.
It is a great shame that I have found this trilogy by reading the third book. What a pity, I could angered on and on.
July 29, 2019
Third book fell short in an otherwise good trilogy. Too much politics and not enough action. The love story fell flat as well.
January 25, 2022
Concluding chapter in the Dicken trilogy. Left me wanting more.
March 17, 2024
More
Great story telling looking for more , enjoying the romance and action . Can't wait to down load another book if available
Great story telling looking for more , enjoying the romance and action . Can't wait to down load another book if available
May 11, 2024
Having finished this, the last of the RAF Trilogy, I will miss Dicken and his friends. The whole series has, for me, been a good read from start to finish.
February 2, 2025
Good second world war history book
The book gave a good account of of the second world war but the ending was a bit far fetched
The book gave a good account of of the second world war but the ending was a bit far fetched
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews