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Aces: A Novel of Pilots in WWII
A rivalry turns bitter when two friends find themselves on opposing sides as the Second World War breaks out.
In 1935, Lacy Dunbrough is nineteen and in love with two competitive college friends at Princeton University, an American and a German, who fly in the Thomson Trophy air races. Aaron Miller is the half-Jewish son of a Polish immigrant, and Miki Von Steuven, the scion of an industrial family from the Ruhr Valley. Pressured by her parents, she marries the Miki who becomes an ace with the Luftwaffe while the Aaron and his friends volunteer for the RAF. As they become fighter enemies on opposite sides, Lacy finds herself living the privileged life of the wife of a national war hero in Nazi Germany. Seeing injustice, she is drawn into secretly operating a forged document escape spy network under suspicion of the Gestapo, until they are destined to meet again.
In 1935, Lacy Dunbrough is nineteen and in love with two competitive college friends at Princeton University, an American and a German, who fly in the Thomson Trophy air races. Aaron Miller is the half-Jewish son of a Polish immigrant, and Miki Von Steuven, the scion of an industrial family from the Ruhr Valley. Pressured by her parents, she marries the Miki who becomes an ace with the Luftwaffe while the Aaron and his friends volunteer for the RAF. As they become fighter enemies on opposite sides, Lacy finds herself living the privileged life of the wife of a national war hero in Nazi Germany. Seeing injustice, she is drawn into secretly operating a forged document escape spy network under suspicion of the Gestapo, until they are destined to meet again.
329 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 24, 2022
Wheels up for this high flying adventure. Hearts soar to the heights of love and friendship, and at times plummet from turbulence during the high stakes years at the start of WWII and the Battle of Britain. Miki and Aaron are friends attending Princeton in 1935, both daring fliers with distinctly different styles that reflect their contrasting personalities. These friends are fierce competitors in flight, in life, and in love as both of them have fallen for the same woman, Lacy. She is left with a difficult choice between these two dynamic men. They are all at the mercy of the winds of war, the devastating threat of imminent death, and the sacrifices demanded of them. Yet each must act, and what they do will surprise you.
Graduation day approaches, and the group of friends are making decisions about the rest of their lives. This momentous time includes the love triangle where marriage proposals must be answered. Lacy is conflicted, until a devastating action by Aaron throws her into Miki's arms and future. Miki takes his new wife back to his home in Germany where he fiercely competes in the 1936 Olympics, then becomes a Luftwaffe Ace. His impulsive and passionate friend Aaron volunteers with the RAF. Once again, they are opponents, and this time the future of the world is at stake.
How these pilots feel about their lives and commitment is revealed compassionately, giving the reader a true understanding of their perspectives and what they are learning in this unrelenting new world. Lacy is also learning about the new life in Germany, and the people who are suffering terrifying punishments and indoctrination. Lacy also is compelled to find a way to act, to help, to save lives. In her actions she faces terrifying dangers also within her marriage, and ultimately from the Nazi regime.
What great insights about dynamic flying come from this author, who is also a pilot. When writing scenes in the air, the reader is placed right in the middle of the cockpit action. Initially the aeronautics stunts and racing fascinate and will have the pulse pounding. Later the perilous flight missions and the dog fights have the reader right in the thick of the danger, and the high emotion – will the pilot make it home alive? These daredevils show great concern as well for their friends and loved ones. Their chilling refrain to celebrate those who die in the war effort haunts, “to absent friends”.
It's not just the action that will draw you into this epic novel. The characters' intense and realistic interactions and motivations are artfully revealed. The tender, romance is sweet and memorable. The ties that bind these interesting characters together delight, and draw you into their story.
Author Michael January is a writer for film and television as well as a travel writer and photographer. His "Favorite Castles" book series is in its fifth edition with "Favorite Castles of Germany" and "Favorite Castles of Switzerland" as well as England, Wales and the Castles of Ireland. He regularly writes of historical connections and has followed in the literal footsteps of the Romantic writers. "The Secret Memoirs of Mary Shelley: Frankenstein Diaries - The Romantics" was his first historical novel. Next is this WWII adventure and love story of pilots in the Battle of Britain, "Aces". Find out more about the author at michaeljanuaryauthor.com, and hear from the author on YouTube's podcast A Novel Talk with Michael January.
Graduation day approaches, and the group of friends are making decisions about the rest of their lives. This momentous time includes the love triangle where marriage proposals must be answered. Lacy is conflicted, until a devastating action by Aaron throws her into Miki's arms and future. Miki takes his new wife back to his home in Germany where he fiercely competes in the 1936 Olympics, then becomes a Luftwaffe Ace. His impulsive and passionate friend Aaron volunteers with the RAF. Once again, they are opponents, and this time the future of the world is at stake.
How these pilots feel about their lives and commitment is revealed compassionately, giving the reader a true understanding of their perspectives and what they are learning in this unrelenting new world. Lacy is also learning about the new life in Germany, and the people who are suffering terrifying punishments and indoctrination. Lacy also is compelled to find a way to act, to help, to save lives. In her actions she faces terrifying dangers also within her marriage, and ultimately from the Nazi regime.
What great insights about dynamic flying come from this author, who is also a pilot. When writing scenes in the air, the reader is placed right in the middle of the cockpit action. Initially the aeronautics stunts and racing fascinate and will have the pulse pounding. Later the perilous flight missions and the dog fights have the reader right in the thick of the danger, and the high emotion – will the pilot make it home alive? These daredevils show great concern as well for their friends and loved ones. Their chilling refrain to celebrate those who die in the war effort haunts, “to absent friends”.
It's not just the action that will draw you into this epic novel. The characters' intense and realistic interactions and motivations are artfully revealed. The tender, romance is sweet and memorable. The ties that bind these interesting characters together delight, and draw you into their story.
Author Michael January is a writer for film and television as well as a travel writer and photographer. His "Favorite Castles" book series is in its fifth edition with "Favorite Castles of Germany" and "Favorite Castles of Switzerland" as well as England, Wales and the Castles of Ireland. He regularly writes of historical connections and has followed in the literal footsteps of the Romantic writers. "The Secret Memoirs of Mary Shelley: Frankenstein Diaries - The Romantics" was his first historical novel. Next is this WWII adventure and love story of pilots in the Battle of Britain, "Aces". Find out more about the author at michaeljanuaryauthor.com, and hear from the author on YouTube's podcast A Novel Talk with Michael January.
September 24, 2018
A Breathtaking Love Triangle War Adventure. Aces is a rousing war story of American pilots who join the RAF to fight in the Battle of Britain in a romantic triangle between two young men, one American and one German vying for the attention of one young woman, who find themselves as enemies on opposite sides. The story leads from the competitive air races of early aviation development of the 1930s and the athletic fields of all-male Princeton University in pre-war America, to the Berlin Olympics and industrial Rhineland Germany, to England in the Battle of Britain, and the first forays into Europe before Pearl Harbor.
The involving love triangle between Lacy Dunbrough, Aaron Miller an Miki von Steuvan holds the story together with the war action, interwoven with the personal stories, and humor to keep it entertaining. The action descriptions are simply gripping and an intense personal seat-of-the-pants view of what makes daredevil pilots tick. This is maybe love a story more akin to the likes of Hemingway than romance novel, presenting a historical look at the early years leading up to war, with questions of religion, duty and honor, and life in Germany under the Nazi regime. We meet famous characters throughout in brief encounters, Jimmy Doolittle, Albert Speer, Leni Riefenstahl, boxer Max Schmelling. There are a few familiar tropes in the otherwise well-defined period world and some segments of time jumps that can be momentarily disconcerting, but in an almost breathless fast-pace telling. Readers looking for romance situations might be less enthused by the war element, but find a rich and faceted adventure story with bursts of stunning action and the twists and turns of a suspense thriller.
The involving love triangle between Lacy Dunbrough, Aaron Miller an Miki von Steuvan holds the story together with the war action, interwoven with the personal stories, and humor to keep it entertaining. The action descriptions are simply gripping and an intense personal seat-of-the-pants view of what makes daredevil pilots tick. This is maybe love a story more akin to the likes of Hemingway than romance novel, presenting a historical look at the early years leading up to war, with questions of religion, duty and honor, and life in Germany under the Nazi regime. We meet famous characters throughout in brief encounters, Jimmy Doolittle, Albert Speer, Leni Riefenstahl, boxer Max Schmelling. There are a few familiar tropes in the otherwise well-defined period world and some segments of time jumps that can be momentarily disconcerting, but in an almost breathless fast-pace telling. Readers looking for romance situations might be less enthused by the war element, but find a rich and faceted adventure story with bursts of stunning action and the twists and turns of a suspense thriller.
January 17, 2019
I received a free copy of this book from Hidden Gems in exchange for an honest review.
WWII historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, so I was really excited to read this book.
Lacy is in love with 2 men, but with pressure from her parents, she makes the “safe” choice and marries Miki, a German pilot. After moving to Germany, she is quickly caught up in the war, and in smuggling Jews out of Germany.
The book moved along well, but the plot and direction were fairly predictable. The author tended to add too much detail at times, about the scene and visual details and about planes and technical aviation terms. I got the feeling he was trying to show off his knowledge about flying and WWII history, so it came off as pretentious and somewhat annoying to me.
Overall, a decent read and story, but nothing extraordinary or different.
WWII historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, so I was really excited to read this book.
Lacy is in love with 2 men, but with pressure from her parents, she makes the “safe” choice and marries Miki, a German pilot. After moving to Germany, she is quickly caught up in the war, and in smuggling Jews out of Germany.
The book moved along well, but the plot and direction were fairly predictable. The author tended to add too much detail at times, about the scene and visual details and about planes and technical aviation terms. I got the feeling he was trying to show off his knowledge about flying and WWII history, so it came off as pretentious and somewhat annoying to me.
Overall, a decent read and story, but nothing extraordinary or different.
January 16, 2019
With Ivy League settings and action across the Atlantic, our anti-hero and his friends could be great literary characters, unfortunately in this case, they just miss the mark. Aaron, Miki and Lacy, a love triangle of sorts, can not be confused with Jay, Tom and Daisy. The author tries to make you feel more for them, but the connection wasn't working. Overall, a great effort, but just misses the mark.
ARC Review - I voluntarily reviewed this book after receiving a free copy.
ARC Review - I voluntarily reviewed this book after receiving a free copy.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews