The Night of Shooting Stars

Captain Martin Bora #7

by Ben Pastor

Bora is ordered to investigate the murder of Walter Niemeyer, a dazzling clairvoyant, a star since the days of the Weimar Republic. For years he has mystified Germany with his astounding prophecies. Bora's inquiry, supported by former S.A member Florian Grimm, resurrects memories of the excessive and brilliant world of Jazz Age cabarets and locales. Around them, in the oppressive summer heat, constant allied bombing, war-weary Berlin teems with refugees and nearly a million foreign laborers. Soon Bora realizes that there is much more at stake than murder in a paranoid city where everyone suspects everyone, and where persistent rumors whisper about a conspiracy aimed at the very heart of the Nazi hierarchy. Could the charming Emmy Pletsch, who works for Claus von Stauffenberg, be a key to understanding what is going on? Bora eventually meets with Stauffenberg, facing an anguishing moral dilemma, as a German soldier and as a man. The 20 July plot and its dramatic implications as never told before.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, World War II, Crime, German Literature, Thriller

452 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 2, 2020

About the author

Ben (Maria Verbena Volpi) Pastor was born in Rome, but her career as a college teacher and writer requires that she divide her time between the United States and Italy, where she is now doing research. Author of the internationally acclaimed Martin Bora war mysteries, she begins with Aelius Spartianus a new series of thrilling tales. In addition to the United States, her novels are published in Italy, Germany, Spain, Poland, and the Czech Republic. She writes in English.

Reviews

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another magnificent entry in an extraordinary series,probably the most powerful,where Bora faces a unique challenge.
Superbly clever,well written, not so much a character study as a character dissection (as in surgery),only an author as subtle and talented as Pastor can make readers like, admire and root for someone who should have been the instant anti hero.

[Jill Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a bit problematic for an author to write a novel - or in this case, a series - with an anti-hero as the main character. How do you thread the needle in the case of a Nazi soldier, who was guilty of some wartime crimes, but perhaps not of the big ones of extermination and mass killings? What’s “acceptable” to a reader of Lt Colonel Martin vonBora’s actions on the Eastern Front, Italy, Civil War Spain, and a few other places of war?

Novelist Ben Pastor has written seven books about Martin Bora. I’ve read all seven in the series, enjoying some more than others. Her latest book, “The Night of Shooting Stars”, is set in Berlin in early summer, 1944 and many readers will note the time is near the July “Valkyrie” attempt on Hitler’s life at his war compound, Wolfschanze. The assassination attempt was not successful (for a variety of reasons not totally examined in Pastor’s book.)

Martin Bora is a very complicated man and Ben Pastor doesn’t stint in noting his “good” and “bad” sides. For those readers returning to the series, Pastor describes a man beaten down after five years of war. He has lost a hand in battle and his on-again/off-again marriage is finally “off” for good. Family members and friends have been killed both in battle and as a result of enemy bombing raids. The Soviet Army is relatively close in the east and the Allies are fighting towards Germany in the west. He’s been called to Berlin to investigate a murder, which seems to be complicated, and most of the suspects, as well as the victim, are not exactly who they’re supposed to be. Valkyrie is going on in the background and Martin Bora is trying to stay alive as he moves between the various factions.

The Bora series is not for the casual reader of WW2 books. I’d say that it helps to have a pretty good knowledge about all aspects of the war, including political, martial, and historical points. Ben Pastor is a terrific writer for the right reader.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was first introduced to this series when I read The Horseman’s Song. Although it was the sixth book to feature Martin von Bora, it was a prequel and therefore perfect for readers like me who’d not read any of the previous books. At the time, I vowed to read the series from the beginning but here we are eighteen months on and I still haven’t!

The Horseman’s Song was set during the Spanish Civil War and a lot of water has passed under the bridge for Bora since then. Now a Lieutenant Colonel, he’s served on the Russian front and in Italy, been wounded and suffered disappointment and unexpected betrayals in his personal life. Even back in 1937 Bora was carrying a fair amount of emotional baggage: things he wanted to forget and actions of which he felt ashamed. The baggage he’s carrying is even heavier now. As he reflects at one point, “For a long time he’d felt alone with his choices.”

Angry at being recalled from serving on the frontline with his regiment, Bora is also curious as to why he’s being ordered to investigate a murder – and who’s really behind the order. During his time in the now disbanded Abwehr (the German military intelligence service) he made a fair few enemies. As he confides to his friend, Bruno, “I can’t understand why on earth the Kripo would pick an ordinary lieutenant colonel to investigate a high-profile case.” (The glossary is helpful for navigating the different military and law enforcement bodies.)

Bora’s suspicions are multiplied when he is issued with a driver, Inspector Florian Grimm, and what seems to be a predetermined list of suspects. Ostensibly there to assist him in his investigation, Bora soon finds Grimm not just an annoyingly persistent presence but more like a watcher than an aide. Nevertheless, Bora embarks on the investigation with his customary thoroughness and vigour. “He rebuilt, from what a victim left behind, the substructure of deeds, relationships and secrets that permitted understanding and the solving of the crime.” Was the victim killed for what he knew or what he foresaw?

The author skilfully evokes the atmosphere of wartime Berlin with its bombed out buildings and beleaguered citizens. I liked the little details such as the fact that phosphorescent paint was applied to pavements to aid pedestrians during the blackout. “In the spectral geometry that allowed Berliners to orient themselves across the blacked-out city, trams with shaded windows crossed the night, letting out a blue-green glimmer like ignis fatuus or the trail of glow-worms.”

With the war going badly for Germany, the atmosphere of suspicion, intrigue and rumour has reached fever pitch. Little wonder that Bora feels distinctly uneasy about being approached by his old commander, now in a fragile mental state, who claims to have knowledge of a secret that could endanger them both. That secret, as trailed in the blurb, is the attempt to assassinate Hitler by Claus von Stauffenberg on 20th July 1944. Knowing from history the harsh punishment meted out to those involved in the (unfortunately) unsuccessful plot introduces an additional element of jeopardy. His knowledge of the plot and the likely repercussions – whether it should succeed or fail – will test Bora’s loyalty.

As with previous books, the reader gets a direct insight into Bora’s thoughts through extracts from his personal diary. It’s the only place he feels able to unburden himself, although it may be just a little too much introspection for some readers. For me, it added to the impression of him as a thoughtful, observant, perceptive but rather solitary man who prides himself on his ability to control his emotions and is a formidable opponent when the situation demands it. I thought his devotion to his mother, Nina, one of his most attractive characteristics, even if she is one of the few women to command his respect.

Bora observes at one point, “Order and disorder are the only two states of being. By inclination he belonged to the first, yet he repeatedly found himself in the second.” That contradiction is what makes Bora such a fascinating, multifaceted character and The Night of Shooting Stars such an interesting and rewarding read. Will Bora survive to return in an eighth book? You’ll have to read The Night of Shooting Stars to find out.

The Night of Shooting Stars – in fact, the whole Martin Bora series – would be perfect for readers mourning the end of (the late lamented) Philip Kerr’s Bernie Gunther series.

[Shanna Luciani]

Sarà che è il penultimo che devo leggere (terzultimo in realtà perché devo recuperare uno dei primi) ma ci ho lasciato il cuore.
Che personaggio Martin, che personaggio. ❤️

[Michele Isoardi · Rating 5 out of 5]

È difficile da classificare: giallo, saggio, Spy story e trattato di filosofia.
La notte delle stelle cadenti mi ha regalato un'autrice straordinaria: Ben Pastor.

Martin Von Bora è un personaggio veramente interessante e leggerò sicuramente gli altri libri in cui è protagonista.

5 stelle meritatissime.

[The Books Blender · Rating 3 out of 5]

Questa recensione è presente anche sul blog-> https://thebooksblender.altervista.or...

Siamo nell'estate del '44, Berlino; piena seconda guerra mondiale. Martin Bora, di stanza sul fronte italiano, è stato da poco autorizzato a tornare in patria per assistere alle esequie di uno zio morto suicida.

Praticamente appena rientrato, accadono subito tre cose strambe e potenzialmente pericolose, vista la posizione politica "precaria" (perché, più o meno, in contrasto col regime) di Bora.

La prima è che sarà avvicinato da un collega del defunto il quale getterà parecchie allusioni al fatto che lo zio potrebbe essere stato spinto al suicidio. La seconda è quella di incorrere in un suo superiore in preda ad una compromettente crisi di nervi (da cospiratore) e la terza è - forse - quella più sbalorditiva: che Arthur Nebe, il capo della Kripo, la polizia criminale, voglia proprio lui per risolvere un omicidio.

Ecco... tre circostanze che potrebbero voler dire nulla e tutto in una Berlino sotto bombardamenti, piena di correnti e alleanze pro e contro regime.

Quello che Bora vorrebbe sarebbe tornare dai suoi soldati in Italia; quello che dovrà fare, in realtà, sarà parare i colpi del destino, delle bombe e della macchinazioni nella quali si ritroverà, suo malgrado, coinvolto.



Per prima cosa - anche se poi non è rilevante ai fini del mio commento su questo libro; si tratta più che altro di un trivia - non sapevo a) che dietro lo pseudonimo di Ben Pastor si nascondesse una donna (Maria Verbena Volpi, all'anagrafe statunitense Verbena Volpi Pastor) e b) che la suddetta donna fosse, in realtà, di origini italiane naturalizzata statunitense.

Non sapevo nemmeno che l'autrice preferisse scrivere in inglese (ecco spiegata la presenza del traduttore) né che, in alcuni casi, i suoi libri siano stati pubblicati ugualmente prima in Italia.

Un altro accenno che devo poi fare è quello riguardante una iniziale incomprensione di fondo tra me e questo romanzo: ero alla ricerca di un libro in occasione della ricorrenza della Giornata delle memoria (dato che, quest'anno, avevo in lista di lettura "solo" la graphic novel Maus)... e, quindi, penso potrai immaginare la mia sorpresa quando mi sono ritrovata tra le mani un giallo... dalla parte dei nazisti (ah, e ovviamente nemmeno sapevo che si trattava del dodicesimo volume di una serie 😱)!

Venendo adesso a noi.

La storia intrattiene con un buon intreccio (comunque di intrattenimento) e un'ambientazione ricca nella sua profonda drammaticità (stiamo pur sempre parlando di una città praticamente sotto assedio, sotto una pioggia di bombardamenti che distruggono case, strade e vite).

Anche il fatto di essere davanti alla dodicesima avventura del protagonista non incide sulla piacevolezza della narrazione: si avverte, certo, la presenza di situazioni pregresse che qui si sono evolute o sono giunte a una conclusione, ma questo non boicotta la fruibilità della storia (anzi, forse, viene la curiosità di saperne un po' di più sul passato di Bora).

Gli unici aspetti che mi hanno lasciata perplessa sono state le considerazioni introspettive del protagonista - che, talvolta, sembra scivolare in strambe auto-analisi da dodicenne - e il ritmo della storia che non si mantiene costante e, in alcuni passaggi, diventa un po' monotono.

[Mieczyslaw Kasprzyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben Pastor is an interesting writer. She writes in a very contemplative manner. I can understand why some people find her hard to get into because (and I don't know if it applies to all her work or just the Martin Bora series) the lead character is a thoughtful person. We occupy his head, thinking, analysing, contemplating, even drifting off into memories. This can become such a deep process that one can find onself undergoing a similar process in the early stages of all the books. One can enter an almost meditative state and realise that one's been staring at the garden for the last few minutes thinking about the shades of green, of the textures or the sound of the rain. This isn't a criticism... I love Ben Pastor's works. I can't get enough of them.
You HAVE to enter into a certain state of mind with Pastor's Bora because he is such an intelligent and self-composed individual and the rewards are superb. The writing is so rich, so involving; like our hero we become observers pullrd into a world which we absorb in detail.
And here, in "The Night of Shooting Stars" we are drawn into a fascinating moment in Nazi German history; the failed July Plot... or rather, the days just before. Bora has come to Berlin to attend his uncle's funeral and is conscripted into an investigation of a murder, and, because Bora is who he is, we observe something is going on in the background.
There is a hint, at one point... I hope to God I misunderstood it...
I love these books.

[Edmond Dantes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gran ritorno per Bora e la Pastor....
Dopo il non felice romanzo ambientato nella Bretagna del 1940 (I Piccoli Fuochi) - il morto in piazza era una ristampa - con questo romanzo , ambientato sul crinale della dissoluzione del regime hitleriano, nella settimana che precede l'attentato del 20 Luglio.
Bora incontra ( o meglio reincontra) il suo corrispettivo reale, il conte Von Stauffenberg (curioso che il Von per lui sia eempre escluso), e il resto della sua famiglia..
Tra dissoluzione dello stato , della famiglia e degli affetti si snoda un giallo storico dalla ambientazione veramente norevole, un Hard boiled ambientato tra le rovine del Reich millenario...
Descrizione di ambiente molto via, giallo a specchi ben strutturato .
Consigliato

[Buchdoktor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Der Wehrmachtsoffizier Martin Bora (*1913 als Martin-Heinz Douglas Baron von Bora) erhält im Italienfeldzug 1944 eine Woche Heimaturlaub, um in Berlin an der Beisetzung seines Onkels, Prof. Dr. Alfred Reinhardt-Thoma, teilzunehmen. Den Onkel, einen prominenten Kinderarzt und Inhaber einer Kinderklinik, verbindet Bora mit Kindheitserinnerungen auf dem elterlichen Gut in Ostpreußen. Boras Familie stammt väterlicherseits von Katharina von Bora ab, seine Mutter hat schottische Wurzeln. Die Handlung spielt in der Woche unmittelbar vor dem Stauffenberg-Attentat am 20.4.1944 auf Hitler. Während der in Italien kriegsverwundete Bora noch grübelt, ob Onkel Alfreds Ablehnung der Euthanasie wie der Parteimitgliedschaft ihn in seinen „nicht so freien Tod“ getrieben haben könnte oder ob er das Regime mit der Adoption seiner Kinder herausgefordert hat, als er zu ungewöhnlicher Tageszeit zu Kripochef Nebe bestellt wird. Er soll als Sonderermittler im Mord am prominenten Magier Walter Niemeyer ermitteln, der unter diversen Künstlernamen auftrat und offenbar beste Beziehungen zur politischen Elite jener Zeit gepflegt haben.

Dass Bora nur sein restlicher Urlaub für die Ermittlungen bleibt und er als Fahrer und Aufpasser einen erfahrenen Kriminalkommissar zur Seite gestellt bekommt, gibt ihm ebenso zu denken wie die Liste mit 4 Verdächtigen, auf die sich die Kripo offenbar bereits festgelegt hat. Man fragt sich, ob der Auftrag eine Falle für Bora sein könnte, der aus seiner Zeit bei der Abwehr (militärischer Nachrichtendienst) über einige Verbindungen verfügt, oder ob die zuständigen Ermittler ihn als Bauernopfer verheizen wollen. Während Bora (in bewährter Familientradition) im Adlon residiert und sich mit seinem Sidekick Grimm zusammenrauft, beginnt er als Privatmann das Ausmaß der Mangelwirtschaft durch den Krieg zu realisieren. Er zahlt für seine Tauschgeschäfte in Wodka und denkt immer daran, vor Autofahrten den Reservekanister zu füllen. Seine für Normalsterbliche luxuriös weiten Ermittlungsfahrten führen ihn u. a. ins Lazarett nach Beelitz und ins Umfeld Berlins. Während die Zeit bis zu Boras Abflug nach Italien knapp wird, entwirrt er das Netz um den getöteten Magier, in dem sich Parteigrößen, sowie u. a. ein Detektiv, ein Verleger und ein Journalist verfangen haben.

Martin Bora gibt als Angehöriger der in den 1910ern geborenen Männergenerationen einen hochinteressanten, körperlich versehrten Serienhelden, der u. a. in Polen, Spanien, Kreta und Stalingrad aktiv ist. Die Väter dieser Männer dienten im Ersten Weltkrieg und sie selbst erinnern sich teils an Kindheitserlebnisse während dieses Krieges. Bora hat in diesem Band, kurzfristig ohne Verantwortung für „seine Männer“, Gelegenheit seine Position als Versehrter, Sohn, Partner und als „Guter“ zu reflektieren, der zuvor Zeuge von Kriegsverbrechen geworden war. Aufgrund seiner Herkunft nicht überraschend (Familie: Gutsbesitzer, Verlagsbesitzer, Stadthaus in Berlin) wirkt er auf mich weltfremd. So habe ich mich bei seinen ausufernden Tagebucheinträgen gefragt, wie er nicht mitbekommen haben will, dass die Menschen um ihn herum in der Not unbedruckte Ränder von Zeitungen als Notizpapier verwenden. Gut gelungen finde ich, wie Ben Pastor die Untergangsstimmung einer im Bombenkrieg ausgelaugten, hungernden Nation lebendig werden lässt, in der sich kaum jemand noch mit anderen zu sprechen traut, um nicht gesehen, gehört und denunziert zu werden.

Fazit
Als Tochter eines Vaters, dessen Altersgenosse ein Martin Bora hätte sein können, finde ich die Neuauflage der Serie faszinierend (deutsch waren 2001/02 nur 2 Bände bei Piper erschienen), allerdings macht es wenig Freude, in der italienischsprachigen Version von Wikipedia Boras bisherige Karriere und seine Familienverhältnisse zu ermitteln, die mir dieser Band nicht ausreichend liefern konnte. Hier wäre ein annotiertes Personenverzeichnis nötig und evtl. ein chronologischer Ablauf seiner Einsätze.

---
Die Serie
Band 7 von 12 Bänden, bisher übersetzt: 1 und 3 (2001/2002)
„Stürzende Feuer“ wird bisher laut Wikipedia.org als 7. Band der 13 bändigen Serie mit Martin Bora gezählt (der Pragband wird mitgezählt, der zusammen mit "La camera dello scirocco" als eigene Serie gelten sollte). Die verbleibenden 12 Bände spielen zwischen 1939 und 1943, so dass die Serie eher mit Band 11 der goodreads-Zählung „La strada per Itaca“ / „The Road to Ithaca (2014) begonnen werden sollte, das 1941 auf Kreta spielt. Ben Pastor sagt im Interview darüber: The Road to Ithaca" is something of a departure for the Martin Bora series …“ Persönlich würde ich probieren, mit Band 5 (spielt 1937) The Horseman's Song zu beginnen, um Boras Entwicklung zu verfolgen.

[Sue F · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had heard lots of good things about Ben Pastor’s Martin Bora series, so I was happy to receive an ARC of The Night of Shooting Stars, in exchange for my honest review. And the good things I had heard were true! I enjoyed this book enough so that I read it late into the night, and then rolled over and picked it up the next morning, and finished it before getting out of bed. (Luckily, I was reading it on a weekend…)

I had been a little bit worried about jumping into a series without reading the early titles, and as it turned out, I was a little bit mixed up at the very beginning of the book. But the author did a good job of filling in the background, and by a chapter or two in, I was caught up with what I needed to know. I had also been a little bit curious as to how a series set in Germany during WWII would work, since we pretty much know how things went during this period. As it turned out, that didn’t matter for this story, since the fictional parts were nicely woven around known facts, but still kept me guessing until the end.

And finally, I was a little bit concerned that a book with a German army officer as the protagonist was going to be unrelentingly dark, and there are, in fact, some dark moments. But in the end, the murder mystery remained uppermost, and I wasn’t depressed by reading the book. So, so much for all of my unfounded concerns…everything was good…

On the good side, the writing was really sharp. And, although I’ve been lucky enough not to have to fight in a war, or live in a war zone, so I don’t really know how people would behave and feel, all of the characters and their actions seemed quite believable to me. I especially enjoyed the insights we get into Bora’s complicated character. And the setting of 1944 Berlin seemed pretty consistent with what I independently knew about the state of the war at that time. As I mentioned at the top, everything added up to a book that I couldn’t put down, and I highly recommend.

Please note that I tend to be pretty conservative in awarding stars, only giving five stars to maybe one in thirty or forty books, so my five-star rating for this book really means a lot! And my thanks again to Bitter Lemon Press/Edelweiss for the ARC!

[Ron Welton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a magnificent character study of Martin Von Bora an Officer of the Third Reich.
The novel is the seventh in a series and, like each of the others, further develops the complexity of Bora's principled moral strength and deeply sensitive nature.
The murder investigation he is assigned becomes a subplot, yet, along with the nuances of the historical setting during the summer of '44, clarifies one's understanding of the immense forces, internal and external, challenging him.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mind blowing

To think I would have asked for a kinder ending but not expecting it. Very tough book and the plot weaves around all the characters in the story. Spent many hours enthralled with this series.
Thank .you Ben for such great entertainment

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Martin Bora non mi delude mai.

[Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled at times. Not sure if it was the cast of characters or the story line but I found it hard going at times

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book continuing the journey of Martin Bora. Additional layers are revealed showing his personality, strengths and weaknesses, and inner torment over his losses.

[Covadonga Diaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Martin Bora, que gran personaje, lleno de facetas, soldado, investigador, tradicional y abierto, sufrido y fuerte. Berlín, 1944, cuando todos saben que Alemania perderá la SGM.

[Alberto Stefanini · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Night of the Shooting Stars

"The Night of the Shooting Stars" by Ben Pastor unfolds against the tumultuous backdrop of Berlin in 1944, masterfully weaving a narrative around Martin Bora, a gentleman officer in the Wehrmacht. Pastor skillfully delves into the depths of historical turmoil, crafting a gory tale somewhat connected to the horrors of Aktion T4 and to the Valkyria failed coup against Hitler. The story unfolds from an arson, presenting a narration entangled in a web of mystery and malevolence. Pastor adeptly captures the essence of Berlin during this tumultuous period, providing readers with a visceral experience that mirrors the complexities and atrocities of Nazi Germany. The exploration of gangsters in Nazi Germany draws parallels to some works by Brecht's like The Threepenny Opera and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, showcasing a similar vein of dark, morally ambiguous characters. Pastor's narrative not only serves as a gripping crime story but also serves as a lens through which to examine the underbelly of a regime fraught with corruption, brutality, and intrigue.
The incorporation of historical elements adds depth and authenticity to the narrative. This historical context not only shapes the plot but also contributes to a nuanced understanding of the challenges and moral dilemmas faced by individuals living in this dark period of history. In summary, "The Night of the Shooting Stars" stands out as a compelling and gritty exploration of Berlin in 1944. Ben Pastor's skillful storytelling and attention to historical detail create a narrative rich in atmosphere and complexity, offering readers a thought-provoking journey through the shadows of Nazi Germany.

[Dennis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have loved the Martin Von Bora books. But this one although a good story to begin and in most places was just to long winded. The book I feel could have been at least a hundred pages shorter, there were times towards the final chapters that I found myself skipping paragraphs. Again the other Bora stories moved along, this one not so much.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben Pastor never fails to deliver and this is a gripping and enthralling novel.
Great characters, solid mystery and a vivid historical background.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[death spiral · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve only read like three detective novels (Doyle, Carver, Eco), so it was fun dipping into this admittedly kinda perverse series. Tons of great detail. Horrifying ethical ambiguity in trying to solve a murder in Berlin in July, 1944.

[Elena Giacomini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seppur io continui a non reputarlo il mio genere anche questa volta la Pastor è riuscita a farmi appassionare alle intricate vicende di Martin Bora. La cosa che preferisco è che ti fa venire voglia di continuare la lettura.

[Alfred Nobile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reasonable historical fiction. Book 7 in a series. Would have enjoyed it better if I read the other 6 and knew more of Bora's backstory.

[Patrick SG]

Started and quit at 6%. Probably a good series, but I think I’d need to start at the beginning to appreciate. Maybe someday I will.

[Jaq {Gwen} · Rating 3 out of 5]

Il Club del Libro / DRS
Libro del mese di Ottobre 2022 (Giallo/Poliziesco/Noir)

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm done with Ben Pastor having read two of his/her books in rapid succession. Sort of boring and over-done though of course with an interesting - to me - subject.

[Fabrizio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Berlino, Luglio 1994. La capitale del terzo Reich è già pesantemente danneggiata dai bombardamenti del nemico che si ripetono da mesi. Martin Bora incrocia la propria strada con chi nell’esercito Tedesco sta progettando il padre di tutti gli attentati. È il crepuscolo di quello che avrebbe dovuto essere l’impero millenario, la malinconia ha il sopravvento anche su chi come il Colonnello Bora ha sempre mantenuto un forte senso del proprio dovere e della fedeltà alla Patria pur avendone visto le aberrazioni. “La notte delle stelle cadenti” è uno degli episodi più densi della saga scritta da Ben Pastor, uno dei più belli, uno dei più angoscianti. Un bel libro dove la finzione si intreccia con la realtà storica che l’autrice ci rende in tutta la sua drammatica realtà con precisione e dovizia di analisi frutto di studi approfonditi sull’argomento.

[Paolo · Rating 4 out of 5]

La notte delle stelle cadenti - pastor - 7 - il fascino della storia di chi ha pensato di avere il mondo in pugno ma scopre che tutto è remai perduto, che la propria generazione bellissima e invincibile è sconfitta. Bora si muove nella Berlino devastata dalle bombe alleate, i russi alle porte e gli eserciti in rotta in giro per l’europa. In questo clima da si salvi chi può martin bora si trova Nel mezzo di 3 enigmi. Li risolverà a caro prezzo, incrociando anche e soprattutto l’operazione valchiria in un buon intreccio. Vincente ma condannato

[Carmen Fasitta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Il percorso di fedeltà ai propri valori e di coerenza verso un Paese che non lo rappresenta nella sua svolta nazista, Martin Bora ci racconta i giorni precedenti all'attentato fallito a Hitler.
Sapientemente scritto, Ben Pastor ci racconta parte della nostra storia recente attraverso un magnifico personaggio che porta in sé valori a capacità di cui oggi il mondo avrebbe tanto bisogno.
Un libro scritto molto bene