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World War Two #2
Spandau Phoenix
A long-buried Nazi secret erupts into a nerve-shattering nightmare, as fact meets fiction in this explosive international thriller.
In 1941, Rudolf Hess, Hitler's fanatical Deputy Fuhrer, shocked the world by flying on a seemingly mad peace mission to Britain. He was captured there, and after the war, spent the rest of his life behind the forbidding walls of Berlin's Spandau prison
In 1987, with that sole remaining prisoner's death, Spandau is razed, and the strangest, most mysterious chapter of World War II is closed forever...Or is it?
The answer to this question is a decisive and deadly no for Berlin police sergeant Hans Apfel. In the rubble of Spandau, Hans discovers a sheaf of tattered papers in a hollowed brick. It is the half-mad diary of Prisoner #7, known to the world as Rudolf Hess. And it holds the first shocking revelation of why Hess flew to Britain, and the terrifying dimensions of Hitler's boldest, most brilliant move at the height of his evil genius.
Thus the most vicious and momentous competition in the annals of international espionage is set in motion. In a Germany moving toward unity, in a Soviet Union falling part, and an Israel facing destruction, the most skilled players of the post-glasnost era will stop at nothing to seize the Spandau papers. Brutal violence, global intrigue, treason, and terror turn innocent bystanders into desperate combatants - in a world where nations battle for supremacy and trust is another word for suicide.
With unforgettable characters - including Sgt. Hans Apfel and his estranged father, forced to ally themselves against impossible odds; Hans' kidnapped wife, fighting to save her unborn child; and a driven Israeli agent whose country's survival depends on the contents of the Spandau diary - this riveting thriller moves relentlessly across time and around the globe. Its pulse-pounding action ranges from Germany to South Africa, from England to Israel, from a World War II conspiracy to its long-delayed but inescapable endgame - a Nazi dream that will not die. Greg Iles has written a brilliant epic novel that rips open the last great secret of World War II.
In 1941, Rudolf Hess, Hitler's fanatical Deputy Fuhrer, shocked the world by flying on a seemingly mad peace mission to Britain. He was captured there, and after the war, spent the rest of his life behind the forbidding walls of Berlin's Spandau prison
In 1987, with that sole remaining prisoner's death, Spandau is razed, and the strangest, most mysterious chapter of World War II is closed forever...Or is it?
The answer to this question is a decisive and deadly no for Berlin police sergeant Hans Apfel. In the rubble of Spandau, Hans discovers a sheaf of tattered papers in a hollowed brick. It is the half-mad diary of Prisoner #7, known to the world as Rudolf Hess. And it holds the first shocking revelation of why Hess flew to Britain, and the terrifying dimensions of Hitler's boldest, most brilliant move at the height of his evil genius.
Thus the most vicious and momentous competition in the annals of international espionage is set in motion. In a Germany moving toward unity, in a Soviet Union falling part, and an Israel facing destruction, the most skilled players of the post-glasnost era will stop at nothing to seize the Spandau papers. Brutal violence, global intrigue, treason, and terror turn innocent bystanders into desperate combatants - in a world where nations battle for supremacy and trust is another word for suicide.
With unforgettable characters - including Sgt. Hans Apfel and his estranged father, forced to ally themselves against impossible odds; Hans' kidnapped wife, fighting to save her unborn child; and a driven Israeli agent whose country's survival depends on the contents of the Spandau diary - this riveting thriller moves relentlessly across time and around the globe. Its pulse-pounding action ranges from Germany to South Africa, from England to Israel, from a World War II conspiracy to its long-delayed but inescapable endgame - a Nazi dream that will not die. Greg Iles has written a brilliant epic novel that rips open the last great secret of World War II.
708 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 1993
869 people are currently reading
3090 people want to read
About the author
Greg Iles
122 books7,203 followersGreg Iles spent most of his life in Natchez, Mississippi. His first novel, Spandau
Phoenix, was the first of seventeen New York Times bestsellers. His Natchez
Burning trilogy continued the story of Penn Cage, the protagonist of The Quiet Game,
Turning Angel, and #1 New York Times bestseller The Devil’s Punchbowl. Iles’s novels have been made into films and published in more than thirty-five countries. He was a
member of the lit-rock group The Rock Bottom Remainders.
Phoenix, was the first of seventeen New York Times bestsellers. His Natchez
Burning trilogy continued the story of Penn Cage, the protagonist of The Quiet Game,
Turning Angel, and #1 New York Times bestseller The Devil’s Punchbowl. Iles’s novels have been made into films and published in more than thirty-five countries. He was a
member of the lit-rock group The Rock Bottom Remainders.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 341 reviews
August 12, 2008
He's a pretty extraordinary writer. This was his first book, and it's the book of a master, you think. And there are so many more. And what's interesting is that he changes genre, or perhaps rather, motif. After writing this book and his next, Black Cross, both Nazi-themed, he completely left that world particularly because he didn't want to face the pressure of having to stay "on subject" for the rest of his career. The only sense in which this is a pity is that those two books, rich in possible history, or relation to well-known history, are particularly engrossing, at least for me. All the books that follow--I've read about half--are also quite thrilling, heavy, and purposeful beyond their suspenseful nature, in that they explore major topics of our times, such as racism ("The Quiet Game") but they fall more into the ever so slightly predictable category of "normal" thriller, that is, of books generally less about deeper matters than about holding our interest.
In any event, this particular book is riveting. It revisits a major event of World War II--the flight to Scotland of the Deputy Fuhrer of Germany, Rudolf Hess--and imagines a completely different twist to the story. Parallel to the search for resolution to the mystery are recreations of possible events and conversation involving, among others, Rudolf Hess himself and Adolf Hitler.
I'd be curious who Goodreads participants think might be equal to Greg Iles as a suspense writer with substance. Because one thing about books by these writers--it may have taken them a lifetime to write them all, but we can read them all in quite a bit less amount of time.
In any event, this particular book is riveting. It revisits a major event of World War II--the flight to Scotland of the Deputy Fuhrer of Germany, Rudolf Hess--and imagines a completely different twist to the story. Parallel to the search for resolution to the mystery are recreations of possible events and conversation involving, among others, Rudolf Hess himself and Adolf Hitler.
I'd be curious who Goodreads participants think might be equal to Greg Iles as a suspense writer with substance. Because one thing about books by these writers--it may have taken them a lifetime to write them all, but we can read them all in quite a bit less amount of time.
February 17, 2024
I am on the road. A complex plot. I believe Iles's first novel written in 1993. Full RTC.
One short convo made me laugh out loud in this wild thriller: " I think you are in the wrong line of work Captain. You should have been a negotiator." "I am " Hauer told him. "A hostage negotiator." "I thought you were a sharpshooter." Hauer sighed "Sometimes negotiations fail."
2/17/24: Back from my trip but hard to organize my thoughts on this one. As noted above a complex plot, almost too much thrown in the plot of this debut novel. Although written in 1993 there was alot that resonated and frightened me about what is going on the world today.
Rudolph Hess has died in the Spandau prison. Since he was the last WWII Nazi prisoner held there, the decision was made to raze the prison. Many countries who still held territory or had interest in the divided country of Germany was involved in overseeing that process. A German policeman discovered papers that had been hidden within the brick walls. He is soon running for his life as violence & death follows him, his family & others involved in helping him. What was in those papers? Why did the intelligence agencies of every major country want them? Did it support a long-held rumor that the prisoner was not Rudolph Hess? Was the prisoner's death suicide or murder? Many storyline threads that highlight the rising antisemitism, underground neo-Nazis, nuclear threats and unholy alliances.
My biggest negative about the book; it's a long book and probably could have been 100-200 pages shorter.
One short convo made me laugh out loud in this wild thriller: " I think you are in the wrong line of work Captain. You should have been a negotiator." "I am " Hauer told him. "A hostage negotiator." "I thought you were a sharpshooter." Hauer sighed "Sometimes negotiations fail."
2/17/24: Back from my trip but hard to organize my thoughts on this one. As noted above a complex plot, almost too much thrown in the plot of this debut novel. Although written in 1993 there was alot that resonated and frightened me about what is going on the world today.
Rudolph Hess has died in the Spandau prison. Since he was the last WWII Nazi prisoner held there, the decision was made to raze the prison. Many countries who still held territory or had interest in the divided country of Germany was involved in overseeing that process. A German policeman discovered papers that had been hidden within the brick walls. He is soon running for his life as violence & death follows him, his family & others involved in helping him. What was in those papers? Why did the intelligence agencies of every major country want them? Did it support a long-held rumor that the prisoner was not Rudolph Hess? Was the prisoner's death suicide or murder? Many storyline threads that highlight the rising antisemitism, underground neo-Nazis, nuclear threats and unholy alliances.
My biggest negative about the book; it's a long book and probably could have been 100-200 pages shorter.
June 16, 2019
7.5/10
Turns out Nazis are bad, who knew? Well here is a timely reminder that they aren’t all that. This story revolves around the mystery of Rudolph Hess, a person I’d never heard of before opening this book (I don’t know much about history even though I enjoy reading historical fiction to try and learn a little) but sounds like he was quite high up in the Nazi regime before mysteriously arriving on British shores. This story adds a conspiracy/mystery around the whole story in the 80’s when Spandau prison is demolished after its last prisoner, Hess, kills himself. Or was it even Hess?!
This was my second Greg Iles book and it wasn’t as good as my previous, Black Cross, but give the guy a break as this was his first book. It’s a thriller with plenty going on, sometimes a little too much going on, and many webs of deceit through the ages. It was over 700 pages for a thriller novel which is about 250 too many in my eyes but I saved this for a holiday read as I knew I’d have more chance to go at it and not take me months to finish.
It was good without ever being great, I read this more down to the link with Black Cross (it’s listed as part of the same series) but there was little to no connection between the two. It was enjoyable to read and added some bits to my gaping holes of knowledge but it didn’t blow me away and there were sections which could have been stripped to make it flow quicker. I’ll be making a move into more of Greg Iles work sooner rather than later.
Turns out Nazis are bad, who knew? Well here is a timely reminder that they aren’t all that. This story revolves around the mystery of Rudolph Hess, a person I’d never heard of before opening this book (I don’t know much about history even though I enjoy reading historical fiction to try and learn a little) but sounds like he was quite high up in the Nazi regime before mysteriously arriving on British shores. This story adds a conspiracy/mystery around the whole story in the 80’s when Spandau prison is demolished after its last prisoner, Hess, kills himself. Or was it even Hess?!
This was my second Greg Iles book and it wasn’t as good as my previous, Black Cross, but give the guy a break as this was his first book. It’s a thriller with plenty going on, sometimes a little too much going on, and many webs of deceit through the ages. It was over 700 pages for a thriller novel which is about 250 too many in my eyes but I saved this for a holiday read as I knew I’d have more chance to go at it and not take me months to finish.
It was good without ever being great, I read this more down to the link with Black Cross (it’s listed as part of the same series) but there was little to no connection between the two. It was enjoyable to read and added some bits to my gaping holes of knowledge but it didn’t blow me away and there were sections which could have been stripped to make it flow quicker. I’ll be making a move into more of Greg Iles work sooner rather than later.
April 29, 2008
Spandau Phoenix is Greg Iles first novel. He took a few known historical facts and wrote a complex novel speculating how the pieces fit together. What is known is that Rudolf Hess flew to Scotland during World War II in 1941. Reasons why are not commonly known and given to much speculation. He was captured, imprisoned during the war and tried as a war criminal at the Nuremberg Trials where he was given a life sentence. He spent the rest of his life in Spandau Prison in West Berlin. Spandau Prison held many of the Nazi war criminals and was under the jurisdiction of the U.S., Britain, France and Soviet Union who transferred control of the prison on a monthly basis. Since 1966, when two of the three remaining prisoners were released, until his death in 1987, Hess was the only prisoner in Spandau, and was watched by four countries under a joint agreement. So, the question is why? Why was this one person of such importance that four countries should jointly ensure he not be released? Iles takes these known facts and brings together interests of the U.S., Britain, East Germany, Soviet Union, Israel, South Africa and Libya into a complex stew. The novel is long, at something like 700 pages, and some will say it is too long. I do not mind long stories, and if I'm enjoying the ride, the length is of little concern.
April 3, 2016
WOW, wow, wow, oh WOW! This was fantastic! Mr. Iles, you are an amazing researcher and writer. You kept track of so many characters and wove a story with many different threads into a cohesive, credible novel. Black Cross is one of my favorite novels and I'm putting Spandau Phoenix up there with it.
I know it must've consumed an enormous amount of time and was very draining...but I hope someday you return to this genre. Books like this written by novelists like yourself are rare.
I know it must've consumed an enormous amount of time and was very draining...but I hope someday you return to this genre. Books like this written by novelists like yourself are rare.
August 23, 2025
Hard to believe that Spandau Phoenix was Iles' first novel given it is such a humdinger. He later wrote a prequel, Black Cross, and the two became his WWII duet. First published in 1993, the story takes place in 1987, starting in Berlin. Such an eventful time! The cracks were showing in the Berlin Wall, the USSR was tottering, and the Spandau prison was demolished after its last prisoner, Rudolph Hess, died. All kinds of rumors and conspiracies surrounded Hess. Why did he fly to Scotland in 1941? He was, after all, Hitler's oldest friend and confidant. Iles digs into the mystery and constructed a thriller that 'unwraps' the history surrounding Hess in an explosive manner. The world may never know the truth of Hess, and more has been found out since Iles wrote this, but jeez, what a story!
I do not want to dig too deeply into the plot, given that this is a thriller after all, but here is a brief set up. A Berlin cop, Hans, part of a small detachment of Berlin police, arrived, along with detachments from Britain, the USA, France and Russia to patrol the demolition of the Spandau prison. While Iles develops a rich set of characters here, our lead, Hans, found some papers while wandering around the ruins of the prison; these became known as the Spandau papers. It seems every nation wants these papers! Unfortunately for Hans, most of the 'diary' is written in Latin, but the author is clearly prisoner seven, e.g., Hess. Why such interest? What sort of secrets do so many nations want to keep a lid on, going back to 1941? Obviously, they are explosive, and Hans soon finds himself in way over his head. He turns to his estranged father, an elite counterterrorism officer in Berlin, for help...
The Russians and the KGB really want the papers. So does Jonas Stern, an old spy/military figure from Israel. We quickly learn that British intelligence also wants them as they go all out. We also have some mysterious organization in the German police, Phoenix, that transcends East and West Germany, who really wants them. Iles wrote a great cat and mouse tale here that just keeps going and going.
After his WWII novels, Iles moves into mystery/legal thrillers, largely set in Natchez, Mississippi, but he definitely left his mark here. This may seem dated to modern readers, but having lived through the events (the Wall came down while I was in college), I related to it. Vast, sprawling, complexly plotted, Spandau Phoenix really is a must if you are into thrillers of this ilk. 4.5 scorching stars, rounding up!!
I do not want to dig too deeply into the plot, given that this is a thriller after all, but here is a brief set up. A Berlin cop, Hans, part of a small detachment of Berlin police, arrived, along with detachments from Britain, the USA, France and Russia to patrol the demolition of the Spandau prison. While Iles develops a rich set of characters here, our lead, Hans, found some papers while wandering around the ruins of the prison; these became known as the Spandau papers. It seems every nation wants these papers! Unfortunately for Hans, most of the 'diary' is written in Latin, but the author is clearly prisoner seven, e.g., Hess. Why such interest? What sort of secrets do so many nations want to keep a lid on, going back to 1941? Obviously, they are explosive, and Hans soon finds himself in way over his head. He turns to his estranged father, an elite counterterrorism officer in Berlin, for help...
The Russians and the KGB really want the papers. So does Jonas Stern, an old spy/military figure from Israel. We quickly learn that British intelligence also wants them as they go all out. We also have some mysterious organization in the German police, Phoenix, that transcends East and West Germany, who really wants them. Iles wrote a great cat and mouse tale here that just keeps going and going.
After his WWII novels, Iles moves into mystery/legal thrillers, largely set in Natchez, Mississippi, but he definitely left his mark here. This may seem dated to modern readers, but having lived through the events (the Wall came down while I was in college), I related to it. Vast, sprawling, complexly plotted, Spandau Phoenix really is a must if you are into thrillers of this ilk. 4.5 scorching stars, rounding up!!
March 19, 2019
Definitivamente este libro ha sido una grata sorpresa, lo he leído para cubrir un reto de lectura, de verdad no creo que lo hubiera leído si no hubiera sido por esa razón. Por eso me encantan los retos, me obligan a leer cosas que de otra manera no leería y muchas veces salgo ganando, como en este caso.
Literalmente desde la página uno el libro me ha tenido en vilo, ha sido impresionante el nivel de adrenalina de este libro, entre la acción, espionaje, secretos guardados, este es un verdadero thriller de conspiraciones de cabo a rabo, si bien el libro tiene sus buenas vueltas de tuerca, ningún giro de la historia me ha sorprendido, supongo que el autor de alguna manera nos va llevando hacía lo que inevitablemente va sucediendo.
Gregg Illes ha hecho una novelización sobre un tema que realmente ha sido todo un enigma en la historia Rudolf Hess, aterriza en un avión en territorio inglés y se entrega, se ha especulado mucho, tanto en sus motivaciones, como en lo que realmente pasó (no me refiero a lo que se sabe, si no a la verdad absoluta) Hess fue detenido y fue enjuiciado en Nuremberg y fue condenado a cadena perpetua, lo encierran en la prisión de Spandau, que era custodiada por cuatro países, Rusia, Estados Unidos, Francia y Reino Unido, en esta prisión desde 1966, hasta 1987, fecha en que murió, paso su vida Hess, así pues, no solo fue el enigmático vuelo de Hess a Gran Bretaña, sino también la pregunta de los cuarenta y cinco mil ¿Por qué cuatro países se encargan de la custodia a cal y canto de un solo personaje? ¿Qué esconde este hombre para que merezca tanta seguridad?, bueno como he dicho especulaciones con respecto a este tema son muchos y hay mucha literatura al respecto, tanto histórica como novelada, lo cierto es que nunca sabremos la verdad, pero la teoría de Illes es realmente buena, tal vez de tan imposible que es, resulte que le podría llegar más a la realidad ¿quién sabe?
Una novela que una vez que se empieza es casi imposible soltarla, casi desde la página uno empieza la acción y no se detiene, curiosamente no se hace pesado, no se recrea y por increíble que parezca, también suena bastante posible todo lo que se cuenta.
Literalmente desde la página uno el libro me ha tenido en vilo, ha sido impresionante el nivel de adrenalina de este libro, entre la acción, espionaje, secretos guardados, este es un verdadero thriller de conspiraciones de cabo a rabo, si bien el libro tiene sus buenas vueltas de tuerca, ningún giro de la historia me ha sorprendido, supongo que el autor de alguna manera nos va llevando hacía lo que inevitablemente va sucediendo.
Gregg Illes ha hecho una novelización sobre un tema que realmente ha sido todo un enigma en la historia Rudolf Hess, aterriza en un avión en territorio inglés y se entrega, se ha especulado mucho, tanto en sus motivaciones, como en lo que realmente pasó (no me refiero a lo que se sabe, si no a la verdad absoluta) Hess fue detenido y fue enjuiciado en Nuremberg y fue condenado a cadena perpetua, lo encierran en la prisión de Spandau, que era custodiada por cuatro países, Rusia, Estados Unidos, Francia y Reino Unido, en esta prisión desde 1966, hasta 1987, fecha en que murió, paso su vida Hess, así pues, no solo fue el enigmático vuelo de Hess a Gran Bretaña, sino también la pregunta de los cuarenta y cinco mil ¿Por qué cuatro países se encargan de la custodia a cal y canto de un solo personaje? ¿Qué esconde este hombre para que merezca tanta seguridad?, bueno como he dicho especulaciones con respecto a este tema son muchos y hay mucha literatura al respecto, tanto histórica como novelada, lo cierto es que nunca sabremos la verdad, pero la teoría de Illes es realmente buena, tal vez de tan imposible que es, resulte que le podría llegar más a la realidad ¿quién sabe?
Una novela que una vez que se empieza es casi imposible soltarla, casi desde la página uno empieza la acción y no se detiene, curiosamente no se hace pesado, no se recrea y por increíble que parezca, también suena bastante posible todo lo que se cuenta.
January 11, 2024
I really enjoyed this taut thriller. This is the first novel written by Iles and it is definitely a departure from his later novels which are mostly suspense thrillers set in the current time. SPANDAU PHOENIX was written in 1993 and takes place mostly in 1987 but the theme of the novel involves a Nazi plot involving Rudolf Hess, Hitler's second in command. In 1941, Hess made a solo flight to Scotland, where according to history, he hoped to arrange peace talks with the Duke of Hamilton, whom he believed to be a prominent opponent of the British government's war policy. Hess was captured and convicted at Nuremberg of war crimes and served a life sentence in Spandau Prison in Germany. But is this what really happened and the reason for Hess's solo flight to Britain?
The novel tells of the discovery of a document at Spandau Prison after Hess's death that revealed a conspiracy by the British and that proved that the prisoner at Spandau was not really Hess. This document is discovered by a German policeman and is wanted by both the Russians, the English, the Germans, and a far-right group called Phoenix operating in Germany and South Africa. So what is so important about the document and why are people being tortured to try to recover it? The novel delves into the psuedo-Nazi group headquartered in South Africa and a sinister plot to eliminate the Jews in Israel.
This was a long novel at close to 700 pages but it kept me interested throughout. There were a myriad of characters involved and the plot lines went from Germany to England to Israel to South Africa with other stops along the way. The characters were well developed and the story was compelling and exciting. The story was along the lines of a Robert Ludlum or Tom Clancy novel and overall I would highly recommend it. I have read several of Iles's other novels including the first three Penn Cage novels and have enjoyed all of them. This one was no exception!
The novel tells of the discovery of a document at Spandau Prison after Hess's death that revealed a conspiracy by the British and that proved that the prisoner at Spandau was not really Hess. This document is discovered by a German policeman and is wanted by both the Russians, the English, the Germans, and a far-right group called Phoenix operating in Germany and South Africa. So what is so important about the document and why are people being tortured to try to recover it? The novel delves into the psuedo-Nazi group headquartered in South Africa and a sinister plot to eliminate the Jews in Israel.
This was a long novel at close to 700 pages but it kept me interested throughout. There were a myriad of characters involved and the plot lines went from Germany to England to Israel to South Africa with other stops along the way. The characters were well developed and the story was compelling and exciting. The story was along the lines of a Robert Ludlum or Tom Clancy novel and overall I would highly recommend it. I have read several of Iles's other novels including the first three Penn Cage novels and have enjoyed all of them. This one was no exception!
November 17, 2016
This had the potential to be an excellent book and up until about two-thirds of the way through it, I had every intention of giving it 4 or possibly 5 stars, but ... somewhere around that point, it started to feel like the author had gotten himself entangled in such a complex story line, that he wasn't sure how to get it to come together.
The ending in particular was just like a "boy's own adventure" with too many totally unrealistic events occurring and it was only the fact that I'd come this far (500+ pages into 700 pages) that I figured I may as well ride it through to the end.
I've been a great fan of Greg Iles's (Penn Cage & Mississippi) books, so was somewhat let down when I realised that this one wasn't going to live up to my expectations.
The ending in particular was just like a "boy's own adventure" with too many totally unrealistic events occurring and it was only the fact that I'd come this far (500+ pages into 700 pages) that I figured I may as well ride it through to the end.
I've been a great fan of Greg Iles's (Penn Cage & Mississippi) books, so was somewhat let down when I realised that this one wasn't going to live up to my expectations.
April 18, 2012
I come across a lot of these modern thriller type books at work, and most of them are quite poor in my view. However, I was quite impressed with this, Greg Iles's debut novel. What sets this apart from other novels of a similar type (many of them written by more popular writers, I might add) are two things: The writing is very solid and measured, showing a very intelligent control of pacing and an excellent grasp of character, and the characters themselves are for the most part depicted in shades of grey rather than stark black and white. The protagonists are not at all the perfect hero types you'd find in a Tom Clancy novel, but instead make a lot of silly mistakes and manage to do the wrong thing at least half the time. The most assured and experienced protagonist is certainly the old police captain, Herr Hauer, but he is compromised here by concern for his naive son and a desire to see things through to the end with a minimum of death and harm. I found the pre-unification Germany setting to be very tense and portrayed with a great deal of realism, and unlike many other stories involving vast conspiracies with international ramifications, one can easily see how all the powers at play could bring their force to bare in this sort of environment, particularly in a situation of the magnitude at the core of Spandau Phoenix. The novel does a tremendous job of intriguing the reader by the true, and strange, case of Rudolf Hess, and I admit that after finishing this I went and looked up a lot of information on the man, his mysterious mission and his long prison term and unexplained death. Iles even does an admirable job of portraying the Nazis during the 1940s interludes here, making you aware of the madness in the command structure but not descending into parody or farce as it is often tempting to do.
The novel stumbles a little in the ending, where Iles can't seem to help but yank out all the restraints that have kept things admirable throughout, and indeed, it all goes more than a little over-the-top, with everyone just screaming at each other and throwing guns around while a nuclear bomb is primed to explode. However, these kinds of set pieces are almost the expected finish for this sort of novel, and I won't begrudge Iles much for this as i'm often the sort of person who prefers the journey to arriving at the destination anyway, and in this case, the journey was quite satisfying. I'll be checking out something else from this writer soon.
The novel stumbles a little in the ending, where Iles can't seem to help but yank out all the restraints that have kept things admirable throughout, and indeed, it all goes more than a little over-the-top, with everyone just screaming at each other and throwing guns around while a nuclear bomb is primed to explode. However, these kinds of set pieces are almost the expected finish for this sort of novel, and I won't begrudge Iles much for this as i'm often the sort of person who prefers the journey to arriving at the destination anyway, and in this case, the journey was quite satisfying. I'll be checking out something else from this writer soon.
July 28, 2013
A very captivating story. I would rate it second on my list of WW2 fictions, my favorite being 'Black cross' by the same author.
The events in the story progress real fast, but then there are parts where the story seem to drag a little (hence the four stars instead of five), but the overall plot is just too good for these 'dragged' parts to affect the overall reading experience much.
Also, in my opinion, the best thing about the story is that the real historic events (and existing conspiracy theories) are weaved very convincingly into the plot. Most of the story feels very real (there are also parts where it feels like a Hollywood blockbuster).
All in all, if you are a WW2 fiction fan, this book is a must read.
The events in the story progress real fast, but then there are parts where the story seem to drag a little (hence the four stars instead of five), but the overall plot is just too good for these 'dragged' parts to affect the overall reading experience much.
Also, in my opinion, the best thing about the story is that the real historic events (and existing conspiracy theories) are weaved very convincingly into the plot. Most of the story feels very real (there are also parts where it feels like a Hollywood blockbuster).
All in all, if you are a WW2 fiction fan, this book is a must read.
November 23, 2010
I finished the last half of this book in a day and loved it. Greg Iles needs to stick to historical fiction. He's great at it. This book was pretty complicated with a LOT of characters, but Iles did a great job of keeping them all straight and setting the scene a bit before diving into subsequent parts of the story.
This was also a great suspense novel, Iles seemed to find an unexplained part of WW2 and created a great fictional piece around explaining the disappearance of a very highly ranked Nazi in 1941.
I really liked this book and would recommend it to anyone who has the time to slog through a 600 page book, but who also wants a good, exciting historical fiction novel.
This was also a great suspense novel, Iles seemed to find an unexplained part of WW2 and created a great fictional piece around explaining the disappearance of a very highly ranked Nazi in 1941.
I really liked this book and would recommend it to anyone who has the time to slog through a 600 page book, but who also wants a good, exciting historical fiction novel.
April 10, 2010
A very complex story revisiting the 1941 "peace" visit that Rudolph
Hess made to England. Was it a legitimate effort to enter into an
alliance between England and Nazi Germany or the opening move in
a vast conspiracy. Good story but too long. 700 pages.
Hess made to England. Was it a legitimate effort to enter into an
alliance between England and Nazi Germany or the opening move in
a vast conspiracy. Good story but too long. 700 pages.
August 7, 2011
The sequel to Black Cross, but the characters are much older. Not as spellbinding as Black Cross but still a very worthy read. Would be best to read the two books one after the other so you don't forget characters and can pick up right where you left off.
February 10, 2018
Después de leerme esta novela, la sensación que me queda es de oscuridad. Oscuridad por el momento del día en el que se desarrolla buena parte de ella, pero también por los temas tratados.
A pesar de su extensión, en ningún momento se me hizo larga. Me enganchó desde el principio y a partir de aproximadamente el 40%, ya no pude dejar de leerla.
La novela da comienzo con la demolición de la Prisión de Spandau en el Berlín de 1987, tan solo un mes después de que su último prisionero se haya suicidado.
Uno de los policías encargados de vigilar que la demolición se haga con seguridad encuentra unos documentos entre las ruinas de la prisión que amenazan con desestabilizar todo el panorama internacional, en un momento en el que Berlín todavía cuenta con una fuerte presencia de las cuatro potencias vencedoras de la II.G.M.
El inicio del libro me pareció muy prometedor y en términos generales he de decir que cumplió con la expectativa generada. Sin embargo hubo un detalle que no me permitió sumergirme por completo en la trama durante al menos el primer tercio de la novela.
Salvando ese pequeño detalle, el resto de la trama me pareció que estaba muy bien hilada, y una vez me sumergí en ella, me resultó difícil parar.
Los personajes para mí son lo mejor de la novela. Gracias a ellos conocemos los conflictos políticos que se vivían en Berlín entre las grandes potencias, los juegos de poder y la tensión continua entre ambas partes del muro.
Con ellos el autor aprovecha para mostrarnos el poder de las ideas, el fanatismo, el secretismo y el miedo que se vivió en aquellos años a que por un simple chispazo se desencadenase una guerra que garantizaría la destrucción total de ambas partes.
Una novela que me trasmite oscuridad por los temas que nos muestra. Una historia de luchas de poder, fanatismo, justicia y destrucción. Un viaje a lo largo del tiempo, con un secreto que hunde sus raíces en la Alemania nazi al comienzo de la II. G. M. que acaba de volver a La Luz.
Valoración: 4/5.
A pesar de su extensión, en ningún momento se me hizo larga. Me enganchó desde el principio y a partir de aproximadamente el 40%, ya no pude dejar de leerla.
La novela da comienzo con la demolición de la Prisión de Spandau en el Berlín de 1987, tan solo un mes después de que su último prisionero se haya suicidado.
Uno de los policías encargados de vigilar que la demolición se haga con seguridad encuentra unos documentos entre las ruinas de la prisión que amenazan con desestabilizar todo el panorama internacional, en un momento en el que Berlín todavía cuenta con una fuerte presencia de las cuatro potencias vencedoras de la II.G.M.
El inicio del libro me pareció muy prometedor y en términos generales he de decir que cumplió con la expectativa generada. Sin embargo hubo un detalle que no me permitió sumergirme por completo en la trama durante al menos el primer tercio de la novela.
Salvando ese pequeño detalle, el resto de la trama me pareció que estaba muy bien hilada, y una vez me sumergí en ella, me resultó difícil parar.
Los personajes para mí son lo mejor de la novela. Gracias a ellos conocemos los conflictos políticos que se vivían en Berlín entre las grandes potencias, los juegos de poder y la tensión continua entre ambas partes del muro.
Con ellos el autor aprovecha para mostrarnos el poder de las ideas, el fanatismo, el secretismo y el miedo que se vivió en aquellos años a que por un simple chispazo se desencadenase una guerra que garantizaría la destrucción total de ambas partes.
Una novela que me trasmite oscuridad por los temas que nos muestra. Una historia de luchas de poder, fanatismo, justicia y destrucción. Un viaje a lo largo del tiempo, con un secreto que hunde sus raíces en la Alemania nazi al comienzo de la II. G. M. que acaba de volver a La Luz.
Valoración: 4/5.
June 25, 2024
This book builds upon the most strange tale of Rudolph Hess, who was an early and influential member of the Nazi Party. Appointed Deputy Führer to Adolf Hitler in 1933, Hess held that position until 1941, when he flew solo to Scotland in an attempt to negotiate a peace treaty between the United Kingdom and Germany. His secret mission failed and he was ultimately imprisoned in Spandau Castle wtih other 6 other Nazi war criminals. He survived there for almost 50 years, and was the final inmate at the time of his death at age 93. Spandau was destroyed and replaced by a shopping mall immediately after Hess's death. Iles has done his homework and creates a mostly believable tale that considers many of the questions / conspiracy theories that surround Hess, Spandau, and sympathetic relations between a segment of the British aristocracy and the Nazis.
September 5, 2017
At first I had trouble getting into it. Then it became an obsession. It is a very pertinent read today as it talks of the time when Germany was divided into two and where there is talk of Nazis, WWII, Nazi plots, the possibility that Rudolph Hess survived the war, but not in Spandau Prison as we thought, of Israel, the Holocaust, and the list keeps going on. World plots and evil and showing the possible frailties of nations like the U.S., the U.K., and Russia. It was a great read and although at times there was seemingly too much information and perhaps the need to tighten up the writing, I loved it.
June 2, 2017
Good story. It was a bit long, but well done. There were a LOT of characters. I'm glad I wrote them all down to help keep track. It's impressive how well Greg Iles kept track of them all and tied them together nicely.
December 15, 2025
Wow that was quite a read!
Incredible story line, only the length and the never ending cast of characters kept me from giving it a 5. It took real effort to keep the players and their motives straight. It was worth the effort
Incredible story line, only the length and the never ending cast of characters kept me from giving it a 5. It took real effort to keep the players and their motives straight. It was worth the effort
February 22, 2018
Fanatismo, maldito fanatismo.
Want to read
March 28, 20213/28/2021 - Ebook is on sale $1.99, add audio for $3.49.
November 6, 2021
Book 1 Excellent, Book 2 Horrible, can't believe it is the same series...
October 7, 2025
Thank God it’s over. No doubt a lot of research went into this, but it jumped around a lot and was way too long. Great concept that crashed and burned.
February 4, 2008
Here's a not-so-funny story...after reading Greg Iles' excellent Mortal Fear, it was with much excitement and expectation that I dove into this one. And I wasn't disappointed...and then I was. Let me explain...
I'm 100 pages into this great story about papers that have been discovered at the Spandau prison in 1987 that would blow the lid off what we now understand about WWII, and this all revolves around Rudolf Hess' mysterious solo flight to England in 1941. So I'm enjoying this so far and what happens? Well, I just happen to surf into the Book Recommendations From Real Folks (now defunct) website and some moron there has recommended this novel, and saw fit to reveal the big secret
before I had the chance to pull my eyes away. I couldn't believe it.
I decided to stay with the novel in the hopes that this wouldn't be a spoiler, that it would soon be revealed. No such luck. I had to giving up on this one because I'd hit 400 pages and knowing that I knew more than I should was spoiling my enjoyment of it.
I'm 100 pages into this great story about papers that have been discovered at the Spandau prison in 1987 that would blow the lid off what we now understand about WWII, and this all revolves around Rudolf Hess' mysterious solo flight to England in 1941. So I'm enjoying this so far and what happens? Well, I just happen to surf into the Book Recommendations From Real Folks (now defunct) website and some moron there has recommended this novel, and saw fit to reveal the big secret
before I had the chance to pull my eyes away. I couldn't believe it.
I decided to stay with the novel in the hopes that this wouldn't be a spoiler, that it would soon be revealed. No such luck. I had to giving up on this one because I'd hit 400 pages and knowing that I knew more than I should was spoiling my enjoyment of it.
November 20, 2014
I've yet to read one of Greg Iles' more contemporary thrillers but this is the second of his two World War II related novels I've enjoyed. At nearly 700 pages, it includes multiple interweaving storylines and complex inter-relationships between both East and West German, Soviet, British, American, Israeli, Libyan and South African characters and political interests, so it's sometimes hard to keep everything straight. There are more than a few times I had to go back and re-read a few pages or more just to ensure I had the right characters and my own personal clarity on storylines, but it's well worth the effort. I'm a big fan of Nazi villainy (there's none better), conspiracy theory and alternate history so "Spandau Phoenix" was right up my alley. There were a few times where I found myself plunging through, trying to persevere to the end, but overall it was a very quick page-turned and something I would recommend to fans of the genre.
March 29, 2008
I'm glad I didn't read this book as my first Greg Iles' book. He's one of my favorite authors and you can definitely tell this is his debut novel. This book needed an editor. It was way too long and redundunt. Mr. Iles repeated himself several times describing characters or scenes. The middle section of the book jumped around to different characters without expanding their depth. The middle part was boring and hard to follow. I love his next books so maybe it was just a first time diaster or maybe it was the topic even though I have a strong history background. Just found this book not to have a point and when it was trying to make one then Mr. Iles did so in a monotonous manner. I wouldn't recommend this book but would recommend his others.
March 27, 2016
Six hundred, ninety-five pages later, finally finished. Since much of Greg Iles books are based on fact, I am going to be doing some research as a follow up to see what I can find out about Rudolf Hess. This is quite a story about WWII and some time around 1987. I did find so many names, towns in Germany, and groups of police both German and Russian to be confusing.
The story centers around a "diary" of sorts that corrects history. The British, the Russians and Germans don't want the diary to come to light as this part of history has been hidden from the public. Did Germans conspire with some of the British to kill Churchill and another?
This book is not for everyone. Only people who are really interested in WWII need read this one.
The story centers around a "diary" of sorts that corrects history. The British, the Russians and Germans don't want the diary to come to light as this part of history has been hidden from the public. Did Germans conspire with some of the British to kill Churchill and another?
This book is not for everyone. Only people who are really interested in WWII need read this one.
December 22, 2009
Wow. It took me forever to read this book.
If you are a woman who loves a good story, do not read this book!!!! It's full of uninteresting facts, twists and turns leading you everywhere except into a decent plot. I kept reading on, thinking it was going to get better, but besides fireworks and explosions at the end complete with a jet plane being flown by a dying man miraculously getting to its destiny, it drug and drug and drug.
Thank goodness I am finished with it. All nearly 600 very tiny alphabetted/single-spaced pages of it.
Gawsh. I'm donating it to our little community library. never want to see it again!
If you are a woman who loves a good story, do not read this book!!!! It's full of uninteresting facts, twists and turns leading you everywhere except into a decent plot. I kept reading on, thinking it was going to get better, but besides fireworks and explosions at the end complete with a jet plane being flown by a dying man miraculously getting to its destiny, it drug and drug and drug.
Thank goodness I am finished with it. All nearly 600 very tiny alphabetted/single-spaced pages of it.
Gawsh. I'm donating it to our little community library. never want to see it again!
April 5, 2010
This suspense thriller is based on the notion that the man imprisoned in Spandau Prison for many years was not Rudolf Hess, but his Nazi double. The nearly 700-page plot takes you from Britain to Germany to South Africa -- the long road to an explosive ending. While it brings you into the current times, it still often feels like a World War II thriller in mood. I didn't care for it as much as I have some of Greg Iles' other books, but I would still recommend it to readers who also enjoy writers like Clive Cussler and Len Deighton.
July 17, 2015
Greg Iles indicated to me a couple years ago that Spandau Phoenix - though it started him off - was his least favorite. But I enjoyed this book and felt it had a solid plot and interesting characters. It's very long, but hardly boring. In the beginning, it does take a little bit for it to get off the ground, but that was just to set up the events that were to follow. And wow - what a complex plot with loads of characters. I was impressed and have to respectfully disagree with Greg. Because for me this certainly is not my least favorite of his books. Well done, sir. Well done.
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