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ACE
In the skies above Europe during the summer of 1940 a great battle was fought.
James Lock, a new Hurricane pilot, must rise to the challenge and keep Britain safe, but will his magic be enough to save the lives of those he holds dear?
James Lock, a new Hurricane pilot, must rise to the challenge and keep Britain safe, but will his magic be enough to save the lives of those he holds dear?
- GenresFantasy
35 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 17, 2017
5 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
G.R. Matthews
19 books248 followersG. R. Matthews is a British fantasy and science fiction author best known for Seven Deaths of an Empire (Solaris, 2021), a grimdark epic praised for its visceral combat, dual perspectives, and rich world-building inspired by Roman and Celtic history.
Born in Wiltshire, surrounded by chalk hills, white horses, and ancient stone circles, he grew up immersed in landscapes steeped in ancient myth. Matthews began his publishing journey with self-published works including The Stone Road—the first of The Forbidden List trilogy drawing on ancient China—and the Corin Hayes underwater sci-fi thrillers, before breaking into traditional publishing with Seven Deaths of an Empire.
A passionate gamer as well as a self-taught guitarist, Matthews brings discipline, imagination, and resilience to his storytelling, crafting tales of loyalty, honour, and political intrigue. He continues to expand his fictional worlds with upcoming projects such as The Silencing of the North, while engaging readers with his blend of history, myth, and character-driven drama.
www.grmatthews.com
Born in Wiltshire, surrounded by chalk hills, white horses, and ancient stone circles, he grew up immersed in landscapes steeped in ancient myth. Matthews began his publishing journey with self-published works including The Stone Road—the first of The Forbidden List trilogy drawing on ancient China—and the Corin Hayes underwater sci-fi thrillers, before breaking into traditional publishing with Seven Deaths of an Empire.
A passionate gamer as well as a self-taught guitarist, Matthews brings discipline, imagination, and resilience to his storytelling, crafting tales of loyalty, honour, and political intrigue. He continues to expand his fictional worlds with upcoming projects such as The Silencing of the North, while engaging readers with his blend of history, myth, and character-driven drama.
www.grmatthews.com
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 7, 2018
What an original story! It is set during WWII and there is a fantastic way of flight transportation. Seriously... a fantastic way!
There is a good amount of action and I connected to the characters immediately.
It is like nothing I've read before and I am very much hoping the author will write more about these characters in this setting with this way of flying!
There is a good amount of action and I connected to the characters immediately.
It is like nothing I've read before and I am very much hoping the author will write more about these characters in this setting with this way of flying!
December 21, 2017
This is an entertaining little novella that does throw off expectations somewhat. Having read a lot of second world war aviation history, and cut my independent reading teeth on Captain W.E.Johns Biggles stories (and made an awful lot of Airfix plane kits) this book's opening plays strongly to my interests.
However, there is a clue in the blurb (and I tend not to read blurbs) that the reader would be wise to take note of. This is not the conventional wartime drama it first appears and, on entering the hanger, the story abruptly segues into an entirely different genre - albeit one that I am also familiar with and enjoy. From there the tale of our intrepid pilot and his formidable "aircraft" deftly straddles genres in pursuit of a daring search and rescue mission.
The tale feels - in someways - like an appetiser for a bigger story and there are questions left hanging in the air. Is this a parallel world, or a re-imagining of our world? After all Harry Potter is set ostensibly entirely in our world and our time, with an invisible culture and architecture of magic sitting alongside us utterly oblivious muggles.
In Ace, Matthews has pursued that same kind of dichotomy into wartime Britain, albeit with a far more open and explosive clash of the magical and non-magical cultures.
However, there is a clue in the blurb (and I tend not to read blurbs) that the reader would be wise to take note of. This is not the conventional wartime drama it first appears and, on entering the hanger, the story abruptly segues into an entirely different genre - albeit one that I am also familiar with and enjoy. From there the tale of our intrepid pilot and his formidable "aircraft" deftly straddles genres in pursuit of a daring search and rescue mission.
The tale feels - in someways - like an appetiser for a bigger story and there are questions left hanging in the air. Is this a parallel world, or a re-imagining of our world? After all Harry Potter is set ostensibly entirely in our world and our time, with an invisible culture and architecture of magic sitting alongside us utterly oblivious muggles.
In Ace, Matthews has pursued that same kind of dichotomy into wartime Britain, albeit with a far more open and explosive clash of the magical and non-magical cultures.
December 26, 2017
An entertaining short story set during WW2, magnificent men & magnificent flying machines.
October 24, 2018
I love a good short story and this one of the best I’ve read in a while. The scene is set brilliantly, it is well written and has a real element of surprise. If you are looking for an authentic mix of fantasy and WWII adventure, then this is the story for you.
December 22, 2017
Fun little WWII story with a fantasy twist (of course). Just the right blend of action, character, worldbuilding, and pathos (though I quibble with some of the geography, ironically - it's probably me). 4.5, rounded up for Xmas.
January 10, 2018
I like war stories, and this one has the added bonus of being a fantasy tale. The way it unfolds is well executed, beautifully described and intriguing.
August 17, 2018
Mr Matthews again delivered a5* read I might need to change my standards just to show how highly I rate Gr.
Shot read but it’s a bit different than his other books and shows that he wants to grow and stretch his talent, I don’t want to dwell in story as it’s short and easy to read in one sitting but WWII , Hurricane planes and whole lot of fun.
There’s one thing that always fails me about Gr is why he’s not bigger in fantasy / sci fi and never been picked up and signed by publisher but Seriously go read his other works and you to can be part of the biggest secret author out there .
Shot read but it’s a bit different than his other books and shows that he wants to grow and stretch his talent, I don’t want to dwell in story as it’s short and easy to read in one sitting but WWII , Hurricane planes and whole lot of fun.
There’s one thing that always fails me about Gr is why he’s not bigger in fantasy / sci fi and never been picked up and signed by publisher but Seriously go read his other works and you to can be part of the biggest secret author out there .
August 21, 2018
WWII short story
Nice twist on a familiar theme. Soldier trapped behind enemy lines, his brother goes to rescue him.
It's a short story but the author uses each sentence wisely and you get a good feel for the characters quickly.
Nice twist on a familiar theme. Soldier trapped behind enemy lines, his brother goes to rescue him.
It's a short story but the author uses each sentence wisely and you get a good feel for the characters quickly.
January 24, 2018
Deliciously short tale of a Battle for Britain.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews