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RAF Saga #1
Blue Yonder
A family drama encompassing both world wars Sergeant Mark Bayley was a flying ace before he was shot down over German lines in 1918. As he falls in love with German nurse Karolina, things look perfect ? even for his motherless son John, whom Karolina adopts. As long as Karolina lives there is harmony, but after her death, their son Max finds himself seduced by the German Fatherland. The brothers will fight on opposite sides of the coming war . . .
- GenresHistorical FictionWar
234 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2005
424 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
About the author
Alan Savage
51 books15 followersChristopher Robin Nicole was born on 7 December 1930 in Georgetown, British Guiana (now Guyana), where he was raised. He is the son of Jean Dorothy (Logan) and Jack Nicole, a police officer, both Scottish. He studied at Queen's College in Guyana and at Harrison College in Barbados. He was a fellow at the Canadian Bankers Association and a clerk for the Royal Bank of Canada in Georgetown and Nassau from 1947 to 1956. In 1957, he moved to Guernsey, Channel Islands, United Kingdom, where he currently lives, but he also has a domicile in Spain.
On 31 March 1951, he married his first wife, Jean Regina Amelia Barnett, with whom he had two sons, Bruce and Jack, and two daughters, Julie and Ursula, they divorced. On 8 May 1982 he married for the second time with fellow writer Diana Bachmann.
As a romantic and passionate of history, Nicole has been published since 1957, when he published a book about West Indian Cricket. He published his first novel in 1959 with his first stories set in his native Caribbean. Later he wrote many historical novels set mostly in tumultuous periods like World War I, World War II and the Cold War, and depict places in Europe, Asia and Africa. He also wrote classic romance novels. He specialized in Series and Sagas, and continues to write into the 21st century with no intention of retiring.
He signs his books as Christopher Nicole and uses several pseudonyms, some of them female. Pseudonyms used include: Peter Grange, Andrew York, Robin Cade, Mark Logan, Christina Nicholson, Alison York, Leslie Arlen, Robin Nicholson, C. R. Nicholson, Daniel Adams, Simon McKay, Caroline Gray and Alan Savage. He wrote disaster thrillers in collaboration with his wife, Diana Bachmann, under the penname Max Marlow. Under his different pseudonyms he has worked with many publishing houses: Jarrolds, Hutchinson, Simon & Schuster, Coward-McCann & Geoghegan, Jove, Michael Joseph, Mills & Boon, and Severn House.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christop... and
http://openlibrary.org/authors/OL1009...
On 31 March 1951, he married his first wife, Jean Regina Amelia Barnett, with whom he had two sons, Bruce and Jack, and two daughters, Julie and Ursula, they divorced. On 8 May 1982 he married for the second time with fellow writer Diana Bachmann.
As a romantic and passionate of history, Nicole has been published since 1957, when he published a book about West Indian Cricket. He published his first novel in 1959 with his first stories set in his native Caribbean. Later he wrote many historical novels set mostly in tumultuous periods like World War I, World War II and the Cold War, and depict places in Europe, Asia and Africa. He also wrote classic romance novels. He specialized in Series and Sagas, and continues to write into the 21st century with no intention of retiring.
He signs his books as Christopher Nicole and uses several pseudonyms, some of them female. Pseudonyms used include: Peter Grange, Andrew York, Robin Cade, Mark Logan, Christina Nicholson, Alison York, Leslie Arlen, Robin Nicholson, C. R. Nicholson, Daniel Adams, Simon McKay, Caroline Gray and Alan Savage. He wrote disaster thrillers in collaboration with his wife, Diana Bachmann, under the penname Max Marlow. Under his different pseudonyms he has worked with many publishing houses: Jarrolds, Hutchinson, Simon & Schuster, Coward-McCann & Geoghegan, Jove, Michael Joseph, Mills & Boon, and Severn House.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christop... and
http://openlibrary.org/authors/OL1009...
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 1, 2023
Totally unimpressed
Unfortunately i won't get the time I spent reading this back. Fortunately it was an unlimited read.
I'm afraid that I found this book to be horribly poorly researched. And that's being kind. The wild inaccuracies detracted from the story so completely as to make it nonsensical, from pilots smearing castor oil on their faces BEFORE flying to "keep their faces warm" - spoiler - they didn't, the castor oil flew back from the engine covering not only their faces but their upper body to being confused about the timeline of aircraft development & introduction into service/combat & the gross use of modern "Americanisms" in speech of British people & not forgetting the use of a "Gosport" tube without the ear tubes but still being clear - with a rotary engine that wouldn't be the case - in the first part of the book it just gets worse & it makes a mockery of the subject.
Don't waste your time or just suspend belief & don't expect any sort of accuracy.
Unfortunately i won't get the time I spent reading this back. Fortunately it was an unlimited read.
I'm afraid that I found this book to be horribly poorly researched. And that's being kind. The wild inaccuracies detracted from the story so completely as to make it nonsensical, from pilots smearing castor oil on their faces BEFORE flying to "keep their faces warm" - spoiler - they didn't, the castor oil flew back from the engine covering not only their faces but their upper body to being confused about the timeline of aircraft development & introduction into service/combat & the gross use of modern "Americanisms" in speech of British people & not forgetting the use of a "Gosport" tube without the ear tubes but still being clear - with a rotary engine that wouldn't be the case - in the first part of the book it just gets worse & it makes a mockery of the subject.
Don't waste your time or just suspend belief & don't expect any sort of accuracy.
March 18, 2024
Parts are very good
The stort line is essentially good and it is a ripping yarn woven wound a family's history, with good detail of time, place and events. However I did wonder for a moment if teh author was originally American as he had Americanisms creepi g in which grate: pants/trousers, gotten- argh! Wire/telegram. Not enough to ruin it but detracts. Also who ever edits or formats needs to pay attention to chapter breaks, as jt jumps around with no warning, one minute in France then teh Germans are talking, really odd and disconcerting. Overall a good story.
The stort line is essentially good and it is a ripping yarn woven wound a family's history, with good detail of time, place and events. However I did wonder for a moment if teh author was originally American as he had Americanisms creepi g in which grate: pants/trousers, gotten- argh! Wire/telegram. Not enough to ruin it but detracts. Also who ever edits or formats needs to pay attention to chapter breaks, as jt jumps around with no warning, one minute in France then teh Germans are talking, really odd and disconcerting. Overall a good story.
January 14, 2024
Social change starts in wartime!
Well, I'm not sure where to start, or what I was expecting! But, with the first chapters set in early WW1, it was good for me to read! I know little of that time in history. As social "class" structures change in Great Britain, morality takes a hit, and leads to a most interesting ending demanding Book 2! Interesting story of aircraft development between the World Wars!
Well, I'm not sure where to start, or what I was expecting! But, with the first chapters set in early WW1, it was good for me to read! I know little of that time in history. As social "class" structures change in Great Britain, morality takes a hit, and leads to a most interesting ending demanding Book 2! Interesting story of aircraft development between the World Wars!
August 31, 2023
the ending was abrupt
and that’s why I only gave it 4 stars. The book is well-written and well edited with no typos or word issues which would usually have made it 5 stars. The only redeeming factor is that I know there is a Book 2. It’s definitely worth the read but be prepared for it to just stop.
and that’s why I only gave it 4 stars. The book is well-written and well edited with no typos or word issues which would usually have made it 5 stars. The only redeeming factor is that I know there is a Book 2. It’s definitely worth the read but be prepared for it to just stop.
February 19, 2023
Well worth a read
Slightly contrived tale of a flying dynasty.Well researched,and believable storyline, great to have two sides of the conflict related together. Onwards to the next instalment.
Slightly contrived tale of a flying dynasty.Well researched,and believable storyline, great to have two sides of the conflict related together. Onwards to the next instalment.
February 25, 2023
from a father in the Great War to two sons in the Second World War
Well done aviation read. Good story and entertaining.
The complexities of human relationships are stretched in this series, but as RAF versus Luftwaffe it is a good read.
Well done aviation read. Good story and entertaining.
The complexities of human relationships are stretched in this series, but as RAF versus Luftwaffe it is a good read.
February 27, 2023
The beginning
The start of an interesting family caught up in World War Two with a sons fighting on opposite sides. The writting is well done and characters easy to follow. The intriguing aspect is in he involvement of the families, their loves and their pasts.
The start of an interesting family caught up in World War Two with a sons fighting on opposite sides. The writting is well done and characters easy to follow. The intriguing aspect is in he involvement of the families, their loves and their pasts.
June 13, 2023
An Excellent War Story of Adventure, Death and Love!
All the right elements keep pages turning until the very end! Realistic characters and exciting scenes make it very entertaining!
All the right elements keep pages turning until the very end! Realistic characters and exciting scenes make it very entertaining!
June 21, 2023
A very exciting and thrilling war story.
The author has written an exceptional story of the lives of both English and German families who lived through WWI and then caught up in WWII. A story full of action and intrigue.
The author has written an exceptional story of the lives of both English and German families who lived through WWI and then caught up in WWII. A story full of action and intrigue.
August 6, 2023
Well, I know I’ve finished the book, and may even go on to read the next, so why 1*? It’s pretty far-fetched and factually incorrect, with a bit of ‘weird’ thrown in. Not one if you’re an aviation enthusiast looking for a read - try ‘The Fighters’ by Colin Willock instead.
December 25, 2023
This is a family saga story that tries to cover two world wars, illicit relationships, intrigue, and brotherly conflict all in one fairly slim volume. Did not work well for me. Rather predictable story line and lots of time gaps.
I tried it. Just 2 stars for me.
I tried it. Just 2 stars for me.
January 21, 2024
Brilliant series. Warning : if you open the first chapter, you will be hooked.
I could not put these books down from start to finish. Well written and engaging characters, excitement throughout is guaranteed.
I could not put these books down from start to finish. Well written and engaging characters, excitement throughout is guaranteed.
December 11, 2024
My first experience of an Alan Savage book & I really enjoyed it .
The story of a family's lives during both world wars , it very much felt to me like a sort of " cross between Captain W E Johns & Jack Higgins " with its unexpected twists yet lighter style .
The story of a family's lives during both world wars , it very much felt to me like a sort of " cross between Captain W E Johns & Jack Higgins " with its unexpected twists yet lighter style .
February 7, 2023
engaging
Very engaging story, a bit of a stretch for credibility standpoint as to the story line. But all and all an interesting read…..
Very engaging story, a bit of a stretch for credibility standpoint as to the story line. But all and all an interesting read…..
March 20, 2023
Excellent read
Thoroughly enjoyed the book. Realistic action scenes and great characters. Really looking forward to reading the next in the series.
Thoroughly enjoyed the book. Realistic action scenes and great characters. Really looking forward to reading the next in the series.
March 25, 2023
Great War Story
Told as well as WEB Griffen, I can't wait to start number 2 in the series. Mystery, intrigue and a little romance thrown in. Great Read.
Told as well as WEB Griffen, I can't wait to start number 2 in the series. Mystery, intrigue and a little romance thrown in. Great Read.
May 16, 2023
A start
A first storyline in a series, that was an easy read. The characterisation was interesting, but a bit of a stretch occasionally.
A first storyline in a series, that was an easy read. The characterisation was interesting, but a bit of a stretch occasionally.
August 30, 2023
Reads OK but too many errors in detail. For example, It wasn't "Fairey Marine" (no such company) who designed and built the British aircraft that won the Schneider Trophy. It was Supermarine.
September 5, 2023
strange foes
Like the transition from the Great War to WWII. There were hot romances. German English complication makes for good plot.
Like the transition from the Great War to WWII. There were hot romances. German English complication makes for good plot.
September 17, 2023
Well written but not my cup of tea really. Still worth reading and if the subject is of interest then makes it more worth the read. Ok
January 23, 2024
Terribly written by a creep who forces a weird amount of incest into this craptastic book.
February 10, 2024
RAF
Very well written story of beginning of the RAF Interesting story line Cent wait to read next book about the RAF
Very well written story of beginning of the RAF Interesting story line Cent wait to read next book about the RAF
March 19, 2024
OK WW2 series. History is sound but the story's focus on the protagonist's libido is overdone and distracting
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews