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When The Devil Flies
What if . . .
What if you woke up and discovered the year was 1928?
The Story . . .
A cosmic accident transports James, an Afghan War vet, and Marianne, a 12-year old schoolgirl, to 1928 Britain.
Struggling to earn a livelihood as an “inventor”, James sparks an atomic weapons race between Nazi Germany and the Western Allies that will determine the fate of the world.
Praise for When the Devil
"During this fast-paced, suspense-filled journey, McGowan fills the story with intriguingly complex details about WWII, Nazi Germany, and life in the 1920s and '30s. . . . In addition to providing an engrossing history lesson, this thought-provoking tale touches on . . . war crimes, and our ever-evolving outlooks on life." —Kirkus Reviews
Readers’ Comments
“Lots of divergent twists on history. A really great read and one almost everyone can enjoy.”
“For fans of WWII conspiracies, this book takes a totally different but very interesting track.”
“The weaving of factual historical details into the storyline made the telling more gripping”
“hard to put down”
“one of the best science fiction/military books that I have ever read”
“a cross between Stephen King and a World War II novel”
“I have never read a book with so much information on historical events.”
“If one has read WWII prehistory, the venue will be familiar. Either way, the sub plots are full of intrigue.”
“The characters were interesting and the story line was well-developed. A good read.”
“Glad that the author did not whitewash any of the prejudices that were prevalent”
“A thoroughly entertaining book”
“The plot, the editing, the characters were excellent.”
“I really enjoyed reading because this book mixed historical facts with the plot.”
“extremely exciting and quite unique”
“Very fine WWII time travel tale”
“Phenomenal read!”
“a fast moving and suspenseful story”
“well written with great story and character development”
“I just finished this book and was pleasantly surprised and entertained.”
“enough historically accurate data to make it interesting”
“hard to put down. It is well worth your time”
“Sensitive treatment of some current social issues. Very good read.”
“I'm a fan of alternate history novels and this is a good one.”
“The characters were well developed and believable”
“I gave it a chance and not only did it win me over I couldn’t put it
What if you woke up and discovered the year was 1928?
The Story . . .
A cosmic accident transports James, an Afghan War vet, and Marianne, a 12-year old schoolgirl, to 1928 Britain.
Struggling to earn a livelihood as an “inventor”, James sparks an atomic weapons race between Nazi Germany and the Western Allies that will determine the fate of the world.
Praise for When the Devil
"During this fast-paced, suspense-filled journey, McGowan fills the story with intriguingly complex details about WWII, Nazi Germany, and life in the 1920s and '30s. . . . In addition to providing an engrossing history lesson, this thought-provoking tale touches on . . . war crimes, and our ever-evolving outlooks on life." —Kirkus Reviews
Readers’ Comments
“Lots of divergent twists on history. A really great read and one almost everyone can enjoy.”
“For fans of WWII conspiracies, this book takes a totally different but very interesting track.”
“The weaving of factual historical details into the storyline made the telling more gripping”
“hard to put down”
“one of the best science fiction/military books that I have ever read”
“a cross between Stephen King and a World War II novel”
“I have never read a book with so much information on historical events.”
“If one has read WWII prehistory, the venue will be familiar. Either way, the sub plots are full of intrigue.”
“The characters were interesting and the story line was well-developed. A good read.”
“Glad that the author did not whitewash any of the prejudices that were prevalent”
“A thoroughly entertaining book”
“The plot, the editing, the characters were excellent.”
“I really enjoyed reading because this book mixed historical facts with the plot.”
“extremely exciting and quite unique”
“Very fine WWII time travel tale”
“Phenomenal read!”
“a fast moving and suspenseful story”
“well written with great story and character development”
“I just finished this book and was pleasantly surprised and entertained.”
“enough historically accurate data to make it interesting”
“hard to put down. It is well worth your time”
“Sensitive treatment of some current social issues. Very good read.”
“I'm a fan of alternate history novels and this is a good one.”
“The characters were well developed and believable”
“I gave it a chance and not only did it win me over I couldn’t put it
483 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 24, 2015
12 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 24, 2017
Good read.
A little slow in some areas, not plausible,in others.
Dislike the ending. May read again at a later date if possible.
A little slow in some areas, not plausible,in others.
Dislike the ending. May read again at a later date if possible.
March 9, 2016
Litter, Time Travel & Spies, Oh My!
When the Devil Flies is not a novel of a freshman writer. Michael McGowan far exceeds any expectations a reader of new authors might have. McGowan, a lawyer in the Toronto, Ontario area, uses a clear, sequential presentation which avoids many mistakes usually expected in an opening foray into fiction. When the Devil Flies draws the reader into the story so smoothly the reader is several dozen pages into the book before they realize they need to breathe.
McGowan’s opening very neatly sets the stage using a seemingly non-original, “Meanwhile, back at the ranch,” mechanism; yet just when the reader begins to revel in his or her own superior analytical skills, the page is turned and McGowan ushers his literary partner into a completely unexpected but entirely engrossing direction of the plot. The depiction of something so simple as cat litter as being a major fulcrum in the story causes the reader to waver between utter amazement and whimsical irony as the story unfolds.
The plot is fast moving, but not breathlessly so. There is a wise pacing leading the reader from the here-and-now to a point in the not-so-distant past that is effortless. This encourages the reader to gleefully suspend their attachment to the “now” so they may freely enjoy the character’s predicament. Michael McGowan’s talent as a lawyer is apparent in the speed of the plot and the amount of information given to the reader; just enough to cause the reader to want more, but not too much to precipitate a desire to “back away” from the proverbial table.
Set primarily in WWII London, with forays into Canada, the writer’s historical knowledge and his ability to communicate the stresses experienced by those during this time in history is showcased superbly. The main characters face many of the same concerns many would face if transported back into time: how much history is remembered? Can the knowledge of history be used to an advantage and were the sources of this knowledge accurate?
The characters discuss among themselves the dangers of “changing” the past—which is now their “present”—yet they find themselves struggling to survive and faced with ever present conundrums of using the very knowledge which may forever change the future from which they came.
The two main characters who are briefly introduced in our modern setting are believable, three dimensional and become close acquaintances as they develop throughout the story. McGowan is highly detailed in the plot-line yet the level of detail never becomes pedantic. In fact, as one progresses through the exigencies of the lives of the protagonists, it isn’t until several of the major events of the book have passed that the reader realizes just how much is known about the characters.
When the Devil Flies is a thoroughly enjoyable drama which will cause the reader to pace themselves—not because the story is too arduous, but because you don’t want to miss any detail. McGowan has exceeded every expectation I have had of a new author. His knowledge of history is prodigious, engrossing, and he moves from location to location with skill and adroitness. His plot twists are unexpected but not jarringly so. His characters are people in which it is easy for one to invest emotionally.
This is a five-star book not because that is the most number of stars available; it is a five-star book because When the Devil Flies is the denotative meaning of excellence. Phenomenal read!
When the Devil Flies is not a novel of a freshman writer. Michael McGowan far exceeds any expectations a reader of new authors might have. McGowan, a lawyer in the Toronto, Ontario area, uses a clear, sequential presentation which avoids many mistakes usually expected in an opening foray into fiction. When the Devil Flies draws the reader into the story so smoothly the reader is several dozen pages into the book before they realize they need to breathe.
McGowan’s opening very neatly sets the stage using a seemingly non-original, “Meanwhile, back at the ranch,” mechanism; yet just when the reader begins to revel in his or her own superior analytical skills, the page is turned and McGowan ushers his literary partner into a completely unexpected but entirely engrossing direction of the plot. The depiction of something so simple as cat litter as being a major fulcrum in the story causes the reader to waver between utter amazement and whimsical irony as the story unfolds.
The plot is fast moving, but not breathlessly so. There is a wise pacing leading the reader from the here-and-now to a point in the not-so-distant past that is effortless. This encourages the reader to gleefully suspend their attachment to the “now” so they may freely enjoy the character’s predicament. Michael McGowan’s talent as a lawyer is apparent in the speed of the plot and the amount of information given to the reader; just enough to cause the reader to want more, but not too much to precipitate a desire to “back away” from the proverbial table.
Set primarily in WWII London, with forays into Canada, the writer’s historical knowledge and his ability to communicate the stresses experienced by those during this time in history is showcased superbly. The main characters face many of the same concerns many would face if transported back into time: how much history is remembered? Can the knowledge of history be used to an advantage and were the sources of this knowledge accurate?
The characters discuss among themselves the dangers of “changing” the past—which is now their “present”—yet they find themselves struggling to survive and faced with ever present conundrums of using the very knowledge which may forever change the future from which they came.
The two main characters who are briefly introduced in our modern setting are believable, three dimensional and become close acquaintances as they develop throughout the story. McGowan is highly detailed in the plot-line yet the level of detail never becomes pedantic. In fact, as one progresses through the exigencies of the lives of the protagonists, it isn’t until several of the major events of the book have passed that the reader realizes just how much is known about the characters.
When the Devil Flies is a thoroughly enjoyable drama which will cause the reader to pace themselves—not because the story is too arduous, but because you don’t want to miss any detail. McGowan has exceeded every expectation I have had of a new author. His knowledge of history is prodigious, engrossing, and he moves from location to location with skill and adroitness. His plot twists are unexpected but not jarringly so. His characters are people in which it is easy for one to invest emotionally.
This is a five-star book not because that is the most number of stars available; it is a five-star book because When the Devil Flies is the denotative meaning of excellence. Phenomenal read!
March 12, 2016
Great First Novel
I was contacted by Michael McGowan and asked to read this book and review it.
The estimated read time for this novel is roughly 9 hours. It took me significantly longer to read this book.
I really enjoyed reading because this book mixed historical facts with the plot.
"When The Devil Flies" is a combination of time travel and history. It begins with a solar flare causing a time warp catching the two primary characters, a man and a young girl, and propelling them back in time.
The survive and prosper by introducing 21st Century products to the early 20th Century. One of the "new" products introduced was Kitty Litter which proved a fantastic success.
We follow Marianne and James as the encounter a world rushing into World War II. They intervene in a number of ways with 20th Century life in a number of positive ways and changed their timeline from the past with their future lives.
The paradoxes of traveling back in time, such as the consequences of time travel are not addressed, but that doesn't detract from the pleasure of reading.
There is one major way they intervened and changed their world. Their meager knowledge of Nuclear Physics was enough for them to contact eminent scientists of pre-World War II England a few influence them to develop the atomic bomb earlier than it actually was developed.
Their intervention and use of atomic power against the Nazi's shortened the war and had interesting consequences on English life as their other 21st Century contributions to their new life.
"When The Devil Flies" is a very interesting book. The temptation in any review is to reveal too much of the plot and ruin the book for the reader. Suffice it to say this is a very interesting book and you'll enjoy reading it.
I recommend this book to readers who I enjoy Science Fiction and Political Thrillers. This was an enjoyable book to read and I feel I can enthusiastically recommend this journey through an alternate reality.
I was contacted by Michael McGowan and asked to read this book and review it.
The estimated read time for this novel is roughly 9 hours. It took me significantly longer to read this book.
I really enjoyed reading because this book mixed historical facts with the plot.
"When The Devil Flies" is a combination of time travel and history. It begins with a solar flare causing a time warp catching the two primary characters, a man and a young girl, and propelling them back in time.
The survive and prosper by introducing 21st Century products to the early 20th Century. One of the "new" products introduced was Kitty Litter which proved a fantastic success.
We follow Marianne and James as the encounter a world rushing into World War II. They intervene in a number of ways with 20th Century life in a number of positive ways and changed their timeline from the past with their future lives.
The paradoxes of traveling back in time, such as the consequences of time travel are not addressed, but that doesn't detract from the pleasure of reading.
There is one major way they intervened and changed their world. Their meager knowledge of Nuclear Physics was enough for them to contact eminent scientists of pre-World War II England a few influence them to develop the atomic bomb earlier than it actually was developed.
Their intervention and use of atomic power against the Nazi's shortened the war and had interesting consequences on English life as their other 21st Century contributions to their new life.
"When The Devil Flies" is a very interesting book. The temptation in any review is to reveal too much of the plot and ruin the book for the reader. Suffice it to say this is a very interesting book and you'll enjoy reading it.
I recommend this book to readers who I enjoy Science Fiction and Political Thrillers. This was an enjoyable book to read and I feel I can enthusiastically recommend this journey through an alternate reality.
March 11, 2016
I was entertained and riveted by this story and plot.
I rarely read a book without having a good idea about what it's about. Also I tend to stick with specific authors. But I thought I'd give the dice a roll. I'm glad I did.
Additionally I was impressed by this first time author. If you are a fan of a fictional/historical this is a fun one.
I rarely read a book without having a good idea about what it's about. Also I tend to stick with specific authors. But I thought I'd give the dice a roll. I'm glad I did.
Additionally I was impressed by this first time author. If you are a fan of a fictional/historical this is a fun one.
March 16, 2016
Captivating
This has been one of the best science fiction/military books that I have ever read. The intensifying military twist to the actual events keep my interest. There were many twist in the story that were not expected.
Highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys military history with a twist of science fiction.
This has been one of the best science fiction/military books that I have ever read. The intensifying military twist to the actual events keep my interest. There were many twist in the story that were not expected.
Highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys military history with a twist of science fiction.
August 7, 2016
Unique view of WWII
Good first book by author. Interesting perspective on how time travel affects time lines. Doesn't dwell on this but weaves a plausible story. Good character development with people you can care about. Exciting story about the war years. Strong sense of the tremendous resolve of the British people. All in all, a good read.
Good first book by author. Interesting perspective on how time travel affects time lines. Doesn't dwell on this but weaves a plausible story. Good character development with people you can care about. Exciting story about the war years. Strong sense of the tremendous resolve of the British people. All in all, a good read.
July 18, 2019
Well written. A good read.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews