A Forest of Eagles

by James Follett

A follow-up to the best-selling A Cage of Eagles ? stories from No. 1 PoW Camp (Officers) Grizedale Hall in the Lake District It is now 1942 and the quickening pace of the war brings new problems for the senior German officer, U-boat ""ace"" Otto Kruger. The PoW officers under his command are becoming increasingly impatient with his autocratic regime, which forbids all escape bids unless they've been properly planned. The stories range from the grim, such as ""Unlucky"" Moehe ? a U-boat officer desperate to get home with priceless information on the operational trials of Germany's new acoustic torpedo, to the tragic when Kruger refuses to allow his fellow officers to be shackled, to the bizarre when the PoWs secretly fatten up a stolen pig. The battle of wits between Kruger and his captors draws together such diverse characters as Ian Fleming and Beatrix Potter in a story that has the British in the unfamiliar roles of guards and captors. It is a battle that the Germans fight with fortitude, determination, and humour.

Genres: Military Fiction

448 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2004

About the author

James Follett (not "Follet") was an author and screenwriter, born in 1939 in Tolworth, England.

Follett became a full-time fiction writer in 1976, after resigning from contract work as a technical writer for the British Ministry of Defence. He has wrote over 20 novels, several television scripts (including episodes of the BBC's Blake's 7), and many radio dramas. Follett was one of the 400 most popular British authors, measured by the numbers of books borrowed from public libraries in the UK, having spent 11 years in the public lending right's top two bands of authors.

Reviews

[Shalom Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Follet is a writer with a very attractive pen. He is careful with his research of names and places and it is the reality of history interpreted in readable terms which helps the reader to understanding the background of things that have happened, In this work the character of the prisoner of war and his expectation is well described along with the character of those in the Military Establishment responsible for their welfare. I recommend the author of this book as I do others written by him. They are appealing. They draw the reader to the narrative and its content with chapters in events familiar with the older generation and exciting for the younger one.

[Ron Welton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been captivated by James Follett's Eagles trilogy. Perhaps because the real No 1 POW Camp (Officers) Grizedale teases a sense of naïve romance in the midst of a horrendous war, and because of the heroic stature of Commander Otto Kruger, who was modeled after the real Otto Kretschmer, Germany's most successful U-boat captain prior to his capture and internment at Grizedale Hall. In the second book of the series, A Forrest of Eagles U-boat officer Leutnant Karl Moehe "has vital information on the behaviour of the T5 torpedoes that he has to get home." Remarkable for the number and ingenuity of his attempted escapes is also known as "Unglückish Moehe" unlucky Moehe. His trials make up the first of the four parts of the novel all of which are well worth the read.

[Michael John Saunders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant. As an ex soldier I can follow the idiotic so called authority of upper senior officers. They make a mockery of their position and manage to make a bullocks of everyone who dare to question there authority. Typically dad's army. Wonderful ! I have met many officers like these British ones, and it's frightening when you realise thes

cretins could be responsible for the deaths of many soldiers. I have met many so-called leaders of men who absolutely useless

[Gary W. Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humor, An English Drawing room and all by 3rd Riech

I am a voracious reader and a published author, I am also a great follower of James Follett.
He does great research for his books, the detail and
characters live! The humor and subtle hints of sex add to the atmosphere of military life. The introduction of Ian Fleming was a master stroke. A fun read!

[David Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine POW_German tale

DR H. Really e joyed seasoned novel 50per cent higher than the first I read last week . FOrrest of Eagles rounds out Otto Kruger _ and 20 per cent better character development Naval Cmdr.InfLuencing _ James bond. guy. Truly DRH

[Leon E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part two

The second book of this trilogy is as good as the first and better in the writing style. Well worth the read.

[Et Pogue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Read

Keeps ones interest with many twists and turns. Store the information for use today. Lively, funny and great characters. Will keep it!

[David Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read

For someone with a military background this was an interesting insight into possible military management of POWs and those managing them.

[stephen armitage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent story in this trilogy. It has humour and superb characterisation. So on to the last book A Return of Eagles.

[Waneiac]

interesting....

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun read if unrealistic

Almost a bit like hogans heroes for German pows. Id like to read the third in the series if available

[Erwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I could never really get into the story...intersting that Ian Fleming and Beatrice Potter are important characters in the story.

[Judith · Rating 5 out of 5]

light story

TERRIBLE LACK OF Editing !!! Light read, almost a reverse Hogans Heroes. Crappy editing left lot of work for me!

[John C CARBIS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only The Few


In so many ways it is a rather typical depiction of 'Control physicology' without resorting to anything really physical, am now waiting for the next in this series.

[Sean Randall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is brilliant. The first novel was good and, looking back, I see how much it set the scene for this one. Now, we are intimately familiar with our people and this book really ups the bar.

Each "part" holds a strand of action as the war progresses, and they're all very good reading indeed.

In there's A U-boat will be waiting, Karl Moehe is perhaps underrecognised as the most fastidious escaped prisoner ever to hit England's shores: his survival technique was great reading and exploits most amusing, only topped by the interrogation technique of Geoffrey Cape.

The Shackled Men chronicles the PoW's passive resistance to an illegal handcuffing (or shackling, rather, given that the British seem to get the two confused). It's quite an interesting counterpoint here because clearly the British soldiers on the scene don't want to cuff their prisoners and the web of phone calls, requisition forms and general nonsense that goes on is highly entertaining indeed.

I won't go into both the remaining parts in detail, though they were fun too, especially the latter. The ending of the book was very nicely done, Follett's very good at emotional rides and the sweep from satisfaction of a brilliantly executed plan to deepest disparagement is swift and decisive.

“A proud man with an unbreakable spirit,” said Fleming. “He’s never given up fighting his own war. Nothing could make him give up. Yet I did it tonight...”

I was perhaps a little hasty judging the first volume only 4, but it did have to set things up. Though there were little issues here (repetition of information from the first book being one), it didn't detract very much because the whole thing was just incredibly, brilliantly fun.

[Mark A. Derby · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Eagles Didn't Soar

The Eagles Didn't Soar

A decent read, but it had too little thrill. It seemed contrived at many points. The ending was surprising, but unsatisfying.

[Steve Markham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second book of triligy and carries on nicely from the first. again lots of humour and some nice touches in this one too.

[Peter Gerrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable read if a little meandering