A Good War

by Patrick Bishop

Adam Tomaszewski is a Polish airman, flying Hurricanes alongside British pilots as the Battle of Britain rages in the summer skies over Kent and Sussex. Facing death daily and far from his friends and family, Adam finds himself drawn to a maverick Irish soldier called Gerry Cunningham.'You're out of luck, brother,' are the first words Gerry says when they meet in the crush of men competing for the few women at a dance in a seaside hotel, but when Gerry betrays his lover Moira, Adam's fortunes seem to have changed. For the next four years, Adam's life and Gerry's are intertwined like good luck and bad, love and loss, life and death, their paths crossing at various points on Adam's perilous journey from the ruins of Poland to the rolling English countryside, from Egypt to Occupied France.A hauntingly evocative picture of wartime Britain, a twisting drama of fighting behind enemy lines, a compelling, suspenseful love story, A GOOD WAR proves Patrick Bishop - already acclaimed as a great historian of the war in the air - to be a superbly gifted novelist.

Genres: Historical Fiction, War

532 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2008

About the author

Patrick Bishop was born in London in 1952 and went to Wimbledon College and Corpus Christi College, Oxford. Before joining the Telegraph he worked on the Evening Standard, the Observer and the Sunday Times and in television as a reporter on Channel Four News. He is the author with John Witherow of a history of the Falkands War based on their own experiences and with Eamon Mallie of The Provisional IRA which was praised as the first authoritative account of the modern IRA. He also wrote a memoir the first Gulf War, Famous Victory and a history of the Irish diaspora The Irish Empire, based on the TV series which he devised.

Reviews

[Judith Paterson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story is the sort I usually really enjoy and get emotionally involved with. Although there was plenty of action and an interesting story, I just didn't identify with any of the characters or like many of them. Gerry is particularly obnoxious.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written and engaging story with plenty of action, macho posturing and a bit of romance!

I don't know much about the historical accuracy but it was a good yarn in its own right. I will be looking out for more by this author.

[Ed Wijninga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a page-turner! I finished the book in just over one day. All 392 pages of it. Patrick Bishop has created a very gripping, moving and authentic book about a Polish Battle of Britain pilot. This is a first-class novel. I’m looking out for his next one!

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set during the Second World war, this is the story of a Polish airman's war. Once again Patrick Bishop has produced an authentic story, of action and love against the brutality of war.

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a pacey and atmospheric read following the fortunes of Adam Tomaszewski, a Polish pilot and Major Gerry Cunningham, whose lives cross and re-cross during the Second World War. The background is convincing - Bishop has already written two non-fiction books Fighter Boys and Bomber Boys so he is well versed in the history. What lets it down is the poor characterisation, the women are only in the novel to provide a love interest and a source of conflict between the two male characters. This makes it more of a swift read than a novel which will stay with you.

[Suzie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmm, I was a bit disappointed with this.

Not enough flying, and I didn't really connect with ANY of the characters.

[Vikas Datta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful read about war and its effect on people and relationships....