What do you think?
Rate this book
Of Knights and Dogfights
*** Finalist of the 13th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards in the Military Fiction category *** “Has it ever occurred to you, Johann; the fact that we’re fighting on the wrong side?” Austria, 1938 On the verge of the most devastating war of all times, four young men found themselves sharing a room in a flying school dormitory. A bohemian Berliner, a Flieger-Hitlerjugend member, a prodigy pilot, and a butcher’s son, with nothing in common but their love for the Luftwaffe and the freedom the sky has to offer. The bond they develop is put to the test by what might be a stronger adversary - war itself. Over the English Channel, in the dusty skies of Africa, on the brutal Eastern front, they will discover where their loyalty lies, and what true bravery means. “It’s Großdeutsches Reich, soldier. When one has a family at home, it doesn’t leave him many chances for the revolt.” As the war progresses, Willi and Johann grow more and more disillusioned with the regime they’re protecting with their lives. An SS unit appearing on their base to claim one of their own; bits of conversation revealing the truth about the extermination program accidentally overheard during the official reception - the pieces of the puzzle are slowly coming together, but it’s too late to do anything but fight to the bitter end, whatever it may bring. Set during one of the bloodiest wars in history, “Of Knights and Dogfights” is the story of the shattered illusions of youth, tyranny and freedom, friendship and love guiding one out of the darkest hell of Soviet captivity.
426 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 4, 2019
131 people are currently reading
213 people want to read
About the author
Ellie Midwood
47 books1,204 followersEllie Midwood is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning historical fiction author, whose works have been translated into 20 languages. She owes her interest in the history of the Second World War to her grandfather, Junior Sergeant in the 2nd Guards Tank Army of the First Belorussian Front, who began telling her about his experiences on the frontline when she was a young girl. Growing up, her interest in history only deepened and transformed from reading about the war to writing about it. After obtaining her BA in Linguistics, Ellie decided to make writing her full-time career and began working on her first full-length historical novel, "The Girl from Berlin." Ellie is continuously enriching her library with new research material and feeds her passion for WWII and Holocaust history by collecting rare memorabilia and documents.
In her free time, Ellie is a health-obsessed yoga enthusiast, neat freak, adventurer, Nazi Germany history expert, polyglot, philosopher, a proud Jew, and a doggie mama. Ellie lives in New York with her husband and their three dogs.
In her free time, Ellie is a health-obsessed yoga enthusiast, neat freak, adventurer, Nazi Germany history expert, polyglot, philosopher, a proud Jew, and a doggie mama. Ellie lives in New York with her husband and their three dogs.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
December 23, 2018
*** This is not technically a review, this is a note to the reader, but since many readers asked me about these two young men, I'm posting it here for now. The actual review is coming soon:) ***
Despite this novel being a work of fiction, the two central characters – Johann and Willi – are based on two actual Luftwaffe fighter aces, Erich Hartmann and Hans Joachim Marseille, respectively. The two never served together, as Marseille, nicknamed The Star of Africa, for his brilliant performance during the African campaign, died before Erich Hartmann began scoring his victories on the Eastern Front. I’ve studied both extensively, for quite some time and the idea of what could have been if the two had met in real life or – even better – had a chance to serve together, wouldn’t leave me in peace until I started outlining, Of Knights and Dogfights.
Both Erich Hartmann and Jochen (as he was called by his comrades) Marseille were not only extremely gifted fighter aces but incredibly kind and liberal young men, who resented the Nazi Party and everything it stood for. Both were known for their gallant and respectful treatment of their prisoners of war and their chivalrous attitude to their downed counterparts. Many instances, described in the novel, such as them inviting their downed POWs into their tents and striking a friendship with them, or aiming exclusively at the engine in order to cripple the aircraft and leave the pilot uninjured, as well as delivering notes about the fate of captured airmen, to the enemy airbase, are based on true events. Marseille was particularly famous – or infamous – for it, trying his utmost to inform the enemy of their comrades’ fates whenever the occasion presented itself, causing the wrath of his superiors for risking his life each time he set out on such a dangerous enterprise, during which he could have easily been shot down by enemy flak.
The episode with the SS and the Staffel’s Senegalese crew chief, Henry, even though dramatized, is also based on true fact. After his Corps took one Senegalese soldier prisoner, Marseille virtually “adopted” him and the two became the closest of friends, which also caused the disapproval of Berlin and the Office of Race.
Johann’s capture and further incarceration in the Soviet Gulag and the treatment he had to endure is based on Erich Hartmann’s incarceration and his recollections of the Soviet POW camps and the NKVD commissars.
Flying techniques and dogfights described in the novel are also based on both fighter aces’ service records. If you would like to continue with further reading or have any questions concerning the authenticity of certain events, feel free to contact the author – I’m always more than happy to provide my readers with useful links or further reading material.
Erich Hartmann
Erich Alfred Hartmann (19 April, 1922 – 20 September, 1993), nicknamed “Bubi” (“The Kid”) by his German comrades and the “Black Devil” by his Soviet adversaries, was a German fighter pilot during World War II and the most successful fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare. He flew 1,404 combat missions and participated in aerial combat on 825 separate occasions. He was credited with shooting down 352 Allied aircraft – 345 Soviet and 7 American – while serving with the Luftwaffe. During the course of his career, Hartmann was forced to crash-land his fighter fourteen times due to damage received from flying parts of enemy aircraft he had just shot down, or from mechanical failure. He was never shot down or forced to land due to enemy fire.
Hartmann scored his 352nd and last aerial victory at midday on May 8th 1945, just hours before the war ended. Along with the remainder of JG 52, he surrendered to United States Army forces and was turned over to the Red Army. In an attempt to pressure him into service with the Soviet-friendly East German Volksarmee, he was tried on fabricated charges of war crimes and convicted; his conviction was posthumously voided by a Russian court as a malicious prosecution. He was sentenced to 25 years of hard labor and spent 10 years in various Soviet prison camps and gulags until he was released in 1955.
In 1956, Hartmann joined the newly established West German Air Force in the Bundeswehr and became the first Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 71 “Richthofen”. In his later years, after his military career had ended, he became a civilian flight instructor. He died on 20 September 1993 aged 71.
Hans Joachim Marseille
Hans-Joachim Walter Rudolf Siegfried Marseille (13 December 1919 – 30 September 1942) was a German fighter pilot during World War II. A flying ace, he is noted for his aerial battles during the North African Campaign. All but seven of his 158 claimed victories were against the British Desert Air Force over North Africa. No other pilot claimed as many Western Allied aircraft as Marseille.
Marseille joined the Luftwaffe in 1938. At the age of 20, he participated in the Battle of Britain, without notable success. As a result of poor discipline, he was transferred to another unit (JG 27), which relocated to North Africa in April 1941.
He reached the zenith of his career on September 1st, 1942, when during the course of three combat sorties he claimed seventeen Allied aircraft. For this, he received the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross, with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds. A month later, Marseille was killed in a flying accident after his aircraft suffered engine failure.
Despite this novel being a work of fiction, the two central characters – Johann and Willi – are based on two actual Luftwaffe fighter aces, Erich Hartmann and Hans Joachim Marseille, respectively. The two never served together, as Marseille, nicknamed The Star of Africa, for his brilliant performance during the African campaign, died before Erich Hartmann began scoring his victories on the Eastern Front. I’ve studied both extensively, for quite some time and the idea of what could have been if the two had met in real life or – even better – had a chance to serve together, wouldn’t leave me in peace until I started outlining, Of Knights and Dogfights.
Both Erich Hartmann and Jochen (as he was called by his comrades) Marseille were not only extremely gifted fighter aces but incredibly kind and liberal young men, who resented the Nazi Party and everything it stood for. Both were known for their gallant and respectful treatment of their prisoners of war and their chivalrous attitude to their downed counterparts. Many instances, described in the novel, such as them inviting their downed POWs into their tents and striking a friendship with them, or aiming exclusively at the engine in order to cripple the aircraft and leave the pilot uninjured, as well as delivering notes about the fate of captured airmen, to the enemy airbase, are based on true events. Marseille was particularly famous – or infamous – for it, trying his utmost to inform the enemy of their comrades’ fates whenever the occasion presented itself, causing the wrath of his superiors for risking his life each time he set out on such a dangerous enterprise, during which he could have easily been shot down by enemy flak.
The episode with the SS and the Staffel’s Senegalese crew chief, Henry, even though dramatized, is also based on true fact. After his Corps took one Senegalese soldier prisoner, Marseille virtually “adopted” him and the two became the closest of friends, which also caused the disapproval of Berlin and the Office of Race.
Johann’s capture and further incarceration in the Soviet Gulag and the treatment he had to endure is based on Erich Hartmann’s incarceration and his recollections of the Soviet POW camps and the NKVD commissars.
Flying techniques and dogfights described in the novel are also based on both fighter aces’ service records. If you would like to continue with further reading or have any questions concerning the authenticity of certain events, feel free to contact the author – I’m always more than happy to provide my readers with useful links or further reading material.
Erich Hartmann
Erich Alfred Hartmann (19 April, 1922 – 20 September, 1993), nicknamed “Bubi” (“The Kid”) by his German comrades and the “Black Devil” by his Soviet adversaries, was a German fighter pilot during World War II and the most successful fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare. He flew 1,404 combat missions and participated in aerial combat on 825 separate occasions. He was credited with shooting down 352 Allied aircraft – 345 Soviet and 7 American – while serving with the Luftwaffe. During the course of his career, Hartmann was forced to crash-land his fighter fourteen times due to damage received from flying parts of enemy aircraft he had just shot down, or from mechanical failure. He was never shot down or forced to land due to enemy fire.
Hartmann scored his 352nd and last aerial victory at midday on May 8th 1945, just hours before the war ended. Along with the remainder of JG 52, he surrendered to United States Army forces and was turned over to the Red Army. In an attempt to pressure him into service with the Soviet-friendly East German Volksarmee, he was tried on fabricated charges of war crimes and convicted; his conviction was posthumously voided by a Russian court as a malicious prosecution. He was sentenced to 25 years of hard labor and spent 10 years in various Soviet prison camps and gulags until he was released in 1955.
In 1956, Hartmann joined the newly established West German Air Force in the Bundeswehr and became the first Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 71 “Richthofen”. In his later years, after his military career had ended, he became a civilian flight instructor. He died on 20 September 1993 aged 71.
Hans Joachim Marseille
Hans-Joachim Walter Rudolf Siegfried Marseille (13 December 1919 – 30 September 1942) was a German fighter pilot during World War II. A flying ace, he is noted for his aerial battles during the North African Campaign. All but seven of his 158 claimed victories were against the British Desert Air Force over North Africa. No other pilot claimed as many Western Allied aircraft as Marseille.
Marseille joined the Luftwaffe in 1938. At the age of 20, he participated in the Battle of Britain, without notable success. As a result of poor discipline, he was transferred to another unit (JG 27), which relocated to North Africa in April 1941.
He reached the zenith of his career on September 1st, 1942, when during the course of three combat sorties he claimed seventeen Allied aircraft. For this, he received the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross, with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds. A month later, Marseille was killed in a flying accident after his aircraft suffered engine failure.
February 6, 2019
So, I read this and was sitting on the fence not sure if I could give this over 3 stars. Instead, I reached out to the writer and told her I had some concerns, asked whether she wanted my honest feedback. She was open to it. I shared with her my feeling that the characters seemed implausible for the era and, under the given situations, that they were too "emotional". I hated saying that, but I could not find a clearer way to define my reservations. In addition to a few other things, I further added that I felt depth was missing and that I didn't really learn anything new, which is something I look for when reading historical fiction.
Midwood responded kindly and then suggested that I read a number of biographies, gave me the titles and authors, and details as to why she made the choices that she did. One of the things that I did commend her on was her research. To put it simply, she explained that my concerns were moot. :-) In other words, she has accomplished exactly what I want in a novel: to think, to be challenged, to upgrade my belief system by stretching my horizon and, perhaps, making me realize my own shortcomings. Sincere respect!
Midwood is a talented and prolific writer. The dedication she shows to her subject is remarkable. Here's the thing: after reading at night, her characters stuck with me and infiltrated my dreams (something I did forget to mention to her). I thought about them. I thought about what the author was doing (like many authors, I can no longer read for pure pleasure; I want to understand how things are done). And for all these reasons, I can certainly recommend this. I look forward to reading "A Motherland's Daughter..." next, as I've already been sucked into those opening chapters. :-)
Midwood responded kindly and then suggested that I read a number of biographies, gave me the titles and authors, and details as to why she made the choices that she did. One of the things that I did commend her on was her research. To put it simply, she explained that my concerns were moot. :-) In other words, she has accomplished exactly what I want in a novel: to think, to be challenged, to upgrade my belief system by stretching my horizon and, perhaps, making me realize my own shortcomings. Sincere respect!
Midwood is a talented and prolific writer. The dedication she shows to her subject is remarkable. Here's the thing: after reading at night, her characters stuck with me and infiltrated my dreams (something I did forget to mention to her). I thought about them. I thought about what the author was doing (like many authors, I can no longer read for pure pleasure; I want to understand how things are done). And for all these reasons, I can certainly recommend this. I look forward to reading "A Motherland's Daughter..." next, as I've already been sucked into those opening chapters. :-)
November 25, 2021
Would've greatly preferred the story of the real Erich Hartmann and the real Hans-Joachim Marseille than a rather cloying alternate universe What If? that didn't answer the question to me. And yes, I've read their biographies, before I came to this site in fact. They both are fascinating people, Bubi in special, and this fictionalisation of their lives if they had meet doesn't do it for me.
January 4, 2019
What a brilliant story! Midwood's books never fail to entertain, but she knocked this one out of the park! I'm still reeling from it. It's one of those stories that gives you chills and ALL THE FEELS.
In a time filled with hatred and violence and blind servitude, Willi and Johann are the perfect heroes and they show up just when they're needed. I adored them - their loyalty, their insight, their fearlessness ... and they're so young! But the war has turned them into men; men who would do anything for their country. Their stories and upbringings broke my heart, but their resilience inspired me. I felt like I was right there with them, and I wasn't ready for it to end.
Midwood weaves such a haunting, beautiful, inspiring story about strength and friendship in the face of cruelty. And some of the best characters you'll ever read! Would love to see this one as a movie! It's fast-paced, but thoughtful and well-researched, and the writing is top-notch. The action scenes were incredible and exciting, and I felt so invested in the characters.
If you haven't read Midwood's other books, I highly recommend them. She is a master at tugging her readers' heartstrings and creating characters they'll never forget. Eagerly awaiting her next book!
In a time filled with hatred and violence and blind servitude, Willi and Johann are the perfect heroes and they show up just when they're needed. I adored them - their loyalty, their insight, their fearlessness ... and they're so young! But the war has turned them into men; men who would do anything for their country. Their stories and upbringings broke my heart, but their resilience inspired me. I felt like I was right there with them, and I wasn't ready for it to end.
Midwood weaves such a haunting, beautiful, inspiring story about strength and friendship in the face of cruelty. And some of the best characters you'll ever read! Would love to see this one as a movie! It's fast-paced, but thoughtful and well-researched, and the writing is top-notch. The action scenes were incredible and exciting, and I felt so invested in the characters.
If you haven't read Midwood's other books, I highly recommend them. She is a master at tugging her readers' heartstrings and creating characters they'll never forget. Eagerly awaiting her next book!
December 26, 2018
I am an enormous fan of Ellie Midwood's and I await each new release with anticipation and excitement of another fantastic story from World War II. Of Knights and Dogfights is a wonderful example of what Midwood does and in my opinion, does much better than anyone else. She researches possible characters, finds real-life participants who pique her interest and then fictionalises them into magnificent stories of deering-do and romance.
This was very much the case with Of Knights and Dogfights, which is based on two real Luftwaffe aces from World War II. Although the two never met in real life, in Midwood's fictional world, they not only met, but trained and fought side by side in the skies above Europe and Africa. Her two characters, Willi and Johann, were, in many ways, the antithesis of the hatred, evil and prejudice that stalked Nazi Germany. Neither believed the racial purity lines spouted by the party and both were chivalrous and gallant toward their enemies, in a way that was always destined to bring them into conflict with the "powers that be" in 1940's Nazi Germany.
As a reader, I found myself totally invested in the lives of these two fine, upstanding, young men. I think perhaps the greatest moment of revelation was when I realised that despite being the highest and second-highest aces of WWII, both Willi and Johann were just a mere twenty-three-years of age. The horrors of war, that had required both boys to become men, way too early was reflected in their even-handed treatment of all people, regardless of their race, creed or religion. These were the Germans, who loved their beloved Fatherland and would fight to the death to protect it, but hated and despised everything the Nazi cancer had done to their home and their people.
I have yet to read a Midwood story that has left me unfulfilled as a reader and Of Knights and Dogfights will not be the first. It was a wonderful story that takes the reader soaring high amongst the clouds but doesn't shy from the realities and horrors of war that kills a nation's youth, whilst its old men plot and plan.
Another absolute winner from the doyen of WWII literature and one of my favourite authors, never mind favourite Indie Authors. Midwood stands proudly amongst the best of the legacy published authors. This book is another triumph in an already glittering portfolio.
This was very much the case with Of Knights and Dogfights, which is based on two real Luftwaffe aces from World War II. Although the two never met in real life, in Midwood's fictional world, they not only met, but trained and fought side by side in the skies above Europe and Africa. Her two characters, Willi and Johann, were, in many ways, the antithesis of the hatred, evil and prejudice that stalked Nazi Germany. Neither believed the racial purity lines spouted by the party and both were chivalrous and gallant toward their enemies, in a way that was always destined to bring them into conflict with the "powers that be" in 1940's Nazi Germany.
As a reader, I found myself totally invested in the lives of these two fine, upstanding, young men. I think perhaps the greatest moment of revelation was when I realised that despite being the highest and second-highest aces of WWII, both Willi and Johann were just a mere twenty-three-years of age. The horrors of war, that had required both boys to become men, way too early was reflected in their even-handed treatment of all people, regardless of their race, creed or religion. These were the Germans, who loved their beloved Fatherland and would fight to the death to protect it, but hated and despised everything the Nazi cancer had done to their home and their people.
I have yet to read a Midwood story that has left me unfulfilled as a reader and Of Knights and Dogfights will not be the first. It was a wonderful story that takes the reader soaring high amongst the clouds but doesn't shy from the realities and horrors of war that kills a nation's youth, whilst its old men plot and plan.
Another absolute winner from the doyen of WWII literature and one of my favourite authors, never mind favourite Indie Authors. Midwood stands proudly amongst the best of the legacy published authors. This book is another triumph in an already glittering portfolio.
January 20, 2019
Ellie Midwood, expert of World War II historical fiction, has done it again. She’s crafted a gripping, emotional tale about the everyday person who lived through such harrowing times.
In Of Knights and Dogfights, we meet two young men just starting flight school, on the verge of the war. More-reserved Johann Brandt and free-spirit Wilhelm “Willi” von Sielaff are roommates at flying school, in addition to Rudi and Walter, two other characters who play lesser roles in novel. Johann and Willi quickly kick it off and become best buddies, having each other’s backs throughout the story.
Once the war begins, Johann and Willi are official pilots for the Luftwaffe (the German Air Force). They fight over the English Channel, in North Africa, and even on the awful Eastern Front. Like most young soldiers, they have dreams of glory and honor as fighting men. They are serving their country, believing they were doing something right and good...until the dark truths behind the Nazi Regime creep out between the cracks. Willi, the more outspoken of the two, is especially adamant on where he stands. He hates everything the Nazis stand for. Johann is of a like mind, but he keeps his mouth shut, not wishing to cause trouble.
Ellie Midwood does such an amazing job of humanizing who we as readers might at first think of as the enemy, because, after all, Johann and Willi are Germans, and they would have been our (I am American) adversaries during the war had they been real people. What’s clear, and this is historically accurate, is that many of the common soldiers, including those serving in the Luftwaffe, disliked the SS, who were basically Hitler’s power-hungry thugs who worked for him. It’s important to remember that on both sides during a war, the common, everyday soldier is not evil. He (or she) is fighting for their country.
Over the course of the story, the innocence of boyhood and childhood dreams is stripped away from both Johann and Willi as they endure the horrors of war, hatred, and persecution. To stand for what’s right in the face of such evil is deeply admirable, and I thank Ellie Midwood for tackling such serious and heavy topics in her books. Of Knights and Dogfights is the fourth book of hers I’ve had the privilege to read and review, and like I say every time, I highly recommend it.
In Of Knights and Dogfights, we meet two young men just starting flight school, on the verge of the war. More-reserved Johann Brandt and free-spirit Wilhelm “Willi” von Sielaff are roommates at flying school, in addition to Rudi and Walter, two other characters who play lesser roles in novel. Johann and Willi quickly kick it off and become best buddies, having each other’s backs throughout the story.
Once the war begins, Johann and Willi are official pilots for the Luftwaffe (the German Air Force). They fight over the English Channel, in North Africa, and even on the awful Eastern Front. Like most young soldiers, they have dreams of glory and honor as fighting men. They are serving their country, believing they were doing something right and good...until the dark truths behind the Nazi Regime creep out between the cracks. Willi, the more outspoken of the two, is especially adamant on where he stands. He hates everything the Nazis stand for. Johann is of a like mind, but he keeps his mouth shut, not wishing to cause trouble.
Ellie Midwood does such an amazing job of humanizing who we as readers might at first think of as the enemy, because, after all, Johann and Willi are Germans, and they would have been our (I am American) adversaries during the war had they been real people. What’s clear, and this is historically accurate, is that many of the common soldiers, including those serving in the Luftwaffe, disliked the SS, who were basically Hitler’s power-hungry thugs who worked for him. It’s important to remember that on both sides during a war, the common, everyday soldier is not evil. He (or she) is fighting for their country.
Over the course of the story, the innocence of boyhood and childhood dreams is stripped away from both Johann and Willi as they endure the horrors of war, hatred, and persecution. To stand for what’s right in the face of such evil is deeply admirable, and I thank Ellie Midwood for tackling such serious and heavy topics in her books. Of Knights and Dogfights is the fourth book of hers I’ve had the privilege to read and review, and like I say every time, I highly recommend it.
March 1, 2019
This is a moving, insightful novel about some decent young men called to serve their country during war. As it happens, they’re on the wrong side of history, as well as the wrong side of the battle between good and evil – something they gradually realize as the story progresses. Kudos to the author for bringing these characters to life – showing what it was like to be a fighter pilot for the Luftwaffe during WWII. Oftentimes it’s too easy to vilify the individuals ordered into battle by their leaders. This novel reminds us there were honorable men on both sides. Johann and Willi are well-crafted characters, modeled after real Luftwaffe fighter pilots who rejected the evil regime led by Hitler. Well done.
January 9, 2019
This was a well-written yet disturbing story set during WW11, focussing on the German pilots and their role. It includes themes such as hypocrisy, murder, insanity, cruelty, brainwashing, loyalty, friendships, honour and more...
It appears to have been thoroughly researched and based on true events and lives. The hate of the Jews was astonishing and yet history shows us that the events of that time were true, despite denials. This hate and cruelty from small and dangerous minds were the most disturbing - though, even today, no lessons have been learned; the tragedy of humankind.
Some great storytelling and sense of place, alongside an unbiased account, make this a compelling read, as are all of this author's books.
Recommended but beware of your sense of injustice being piqued.
It appears to have been thoroughly researched and based on true events and lives. The hate of the Jews was astonishing and yet history shows us that the events of that time were true, despite denials. This hate and cruelty from small and dangerous minds were the most disturbing - though, even today, no lessons have been learned; the tragedy of humankind.
Some great storytelling and sense of place, alongside an unbiased account, make this a compelling read, as are all of this author's books.
Recommended but beware of your sense of injustice being piqued.
March 19, 2019
Join Johan and his Luftwaffe comrades as they prepare for the deadliest war in history. Witness the brutal effects World War 2 had on the soldier's psyche in this compelling tale of the people embroiled in one of the darkest periods of human evolution.
May 16, 2019
This author is my favourite for what I call historical faction based on the second world war. She writes fiction but her stories contain so much factual information you end up with an enthralling way to learn more about history. I have a life long German partner and I particularly enjoy reading stories that don't just depict Germans as evil monsters! When I read a book like this I can't help but wonder how I would have behaved should I have been a young German in 1939. This was undoubtedly a dark period in history but by focusing on the lives of a few young men, the author reveals the human impact of global affairs and war in particular. This is a page turner filled with raw emotion and will leave you shaking your head in despair that the human race has still not learned the futility of war. I am a huge fan and I recommend this and all the other books by this author.
January 13, 2019
READERS FAVORITE REVIEW FOR OF KNIGHTS AND DOGFIGHTS Ellie Midwood.
Ellie Midwood’s book is set before and during World War II and tells the story of four young men who all join the flying school at Schwechat near Vienna in 1938. From different backgrounds they all share a love of flying for the freedom and the dangers. We meet Johann and Willi, complete opposites, Rudi and Walt who is half Jewish. When war breaks out, they are sent out to fight for Germany in Europe, North Africa, and later on the Eastern Front. Not all of them survive the war, but long before it is over, they begin to question the reasons and rationale and whether they are fighting for the right side. They have doubts about the Nazi regime, the sanity of Hitler and the lies and propaganda they are expected to believe.
When I chose this book to review, I was not sure I would enjoy it as much as this author’s other novels. I am a great fan of her work and Of Knights and Dogfights by Ellie Midwood is one of her best. She did not disappoint. This is not a ‘man’s’ book despite its detailed description of the dog fights, the handling of the planes and the aerial tactics. Topics of friendship, beliefs, morals and comradeship are all explored as these teenagers fly one mission after another. The slow dawning of what part these brave young men were being forced to play on the chessboard of an insane man’s dreams was masterful. In places I smiled, in others my eyes filled with tears. Ms Midwood knows how to spin her words as she takes you to the desert in North Africa then to the frozen wastelands of Russia. She pulls no punches in describing the brutality, the gut-wrenching scenes against the back drop of a shameful period in history. What made this book really special for me was the realization that while the Nazis / Germans have been vilified for the part they played in World War II there were many fine, upstanding people who did not share those beliefs and stuck to their values until the very end and even beyond. I was amazed to read that the two main characters were based on the lives of real people who flew for the Luftwaffe. I can’t praise this book highly enough and I wish I could give it more than 5 stars, it stands head and shoulders above any other World War II novel I’ve ever read.
Ellie Midwood’s book is set before and during World War II and tells the story of four young men who all join the flying school at Schwechat near Vienna in 1938. From different backgrounds they all share a love of flying for the freedom and the dangers. We meet Johann and Willi, complete opposites, Rudi and Walt who is half Jewish. When war breaks out, they are sent out to fight for Germany in Europe, North Africa, and later on the Eastern Front. Not all of them survive the war, but long before it is over, they begin to question the reasons and rationale and whether they are fighting for the right side. They have doubts about the Nazi regime, the sanity of Hitler and the lies and propaganda they are expected to believe.
When I chose this book to review, I was not sure I would enjoy it as much as this author’s other novels. I am a great fan of her work and Of Knights and Dogfights by Ellie Midwood is one of her best. She did not disappoint. This is not a ‘man’s’ book despite its detailed description of the dog fights, the handling of the planes and the aerial tactics. Topics of friendship, beliefs, morals and comradeship are all explored as these teenagers fly one mission after another. The slow dawning of what part these brave young men were being forced to play on the chessboard of an insane man’s dreams was masterful. In places I smiled, in others my eyes filled with tears. Ms Midwood knows how to spin her words as she takes you to the desert in North Africa then to the frozen wastelands of Russia. She pulls no punches in describing the brutality, the gut-wrenching scenes against the back drop of a shameful period in history. What made this book really special for me was the realization that while the Nazis / Germans have been vilified for the part they played in World War II there were many fine, upstanding people who did not share those beliefs and stuck to their values until the very end and even beyond. I was amazed to read that the two main characters were based on the lives of real people who flew for the Luftwaffe. I can’t praise this book highly enough and I wish I could give it more than 5 stars, it stands head and shoulders above any other World War II novel I’ve ever read.
January 5, 2019
"I know you're grieving. I know you're outraged at such a low, despicable move. So am I. But the action of one rogue pilot can't be set as a precedent for the rest of us to follow."
Ms. Midwood brings another powerful masterpiece to the table. Make yourself comfortable, have plenty of snacks, a huge drink, and tissues handy because once you start, you're not going to want to put it down. Make sure you have your life preserver ready because you will be going through a sea of emotion.
Ms. Midwood has such a way with words that not only will you feel like you are a part of the story along with her characters, but it also evokes powerful feelings as you read. You'll want to celebrate their victories, smirk at their antics, and mourn with them.
On a more serious note, Of Knights and Dogfights also provides several great nuggets to think about. Not everyone in Hitler's Army felt or believed the same as him. Which brings me to the quote I mentioned in the very beginning. Something to think about. People villainize the Nazi Regime, and with good reason. But not everyone is like that, and that is what is refreshing about Ms. Midwood's books. She not only gives you the nitty gritty about the less desirable aspect of that time, but also the glimmer of hope that not every single one of them were so lost.
Of Knights and Dogfights follows a group of four friends, dubbed the Four Musketeers. Through their highs and lows. Their comradery that held strong to their more liberal beliefs, even when their country around them was losing their minds. When their opinion was not the "popular" one they were still heroes in ways that could have gotten them thrown in a camp or worse killed.
If you've never read anything by Ms. Midwood, this is a perfect start to get you hooked to her work. I would definitely recommend this book.
Ms. Midwood brings another powerful masterpiece to the table. Make yourself comfortable, have plenty of snacks, a huge drink, and tissues handy because once you start, you're not going to want to put it down. Make sure you have your life preserver ready because you will be going through a sea of emotion.
Ms. Midwood has such a way with words that not only will you feel like you are a part of the story along with her characters, but it also evokes powerful feelings as you read. You'll want to celebrate their victories, smirk at their antics, and mourn with them.
On a more serious note, Of Knights and Dogfights also provides several great nuggets to think about. Not everyone in Hitler's Army felt or believed the same as him. Which brings me to the quote I mentioned in the very beginning. Something to think about. People villainize the Nazi Regime, and with good reason. But not everyone is like that, and that is what is refreshing about Ms. Midwood's books. She not only gives you the nitty gritty about the less desirable aspect of that time, but also the glimmer of hope that not every single one of them were so lost.
Of Knights and Dogfights follows a group of four friends, dubbed the Four Musketeers. Through their highs and lows. Their comradery that held strong to their more liberal beliefs, even when their country around them was losing their minds. When their opinion was not the "popular" one they were still heroes in ways that could have gotten them thrown in a camp or worse killed.
If you've never read anything by Ms. Midwood, this is a perfect start to get you hooked to her work. I would definitely recommend this book.
February 5, 2019
Already a fan of author Ellie Midwood, I was looking forward to reading ‘Of Knights And Dogfights’ and the book did not disappoint.
Starting in 1938 with their entry into flight school, and running well beyond the war years, this story of German pilots, based on factual accounts, focuses on the experiences of Johann, Wilhelm, Rudolf and Walter. The young men are enamored by the propaganda posters, idolizing decorated heroes of the Spanish Civil War, eager to hear tales of dogfights and achieve their first victories.
Along the way, they hear and experience activities of the Gestapo, the SS, and the mistreatment of the Jews, but they are insulated for the most part and focused on being the best pilots they can be. Like most Germans at the time, they thought they were fighting for a better future for their people. As the victories mount, and the accolades come, praised as aces, there is no denying the losses, the casualties, the retreats. They are losing the war and must identify with what their country has become and how they, as warriors, will be viewed by the winners.
Sweeping the reader across the European theater, from the Afrika Corps to the Eastern Front, the writing is crisp and thrilling, incorporating all the painstaking research the author invested, from men to machinery, locales and formations. The reader is led right into the heart of World War II. There is even a little romance thrown in for good measure.
Wonderful tale. Highly recommended.
Starting in 1938 with their entry into flight school, and running well beyond the war years, this story of German pilots, based on factual accounts, focuses on the experiences of Johann, Wilhelm, Rudolf and Walter. The young men are enamored by the propaganda posters, idolizing decorated heroes of the Spanish Civil War, eager to hear tales of dogfights and achieve their first victories.
Along the way, they hear and experience activities of the Gestapo, the SS, and the mistreatment of the Jews, but they are insulated for the most part and focused on being the best pilots they can be. Like most Germans at the time, they thought they were fighting for a better future for their people. As the victories mount, and the accolades come, praised as aces, there is no denying the losses, the casualties, the retreats. They are losing the war and must identify with what their country has become and how they, as warriors, will be viewed by the winners.
Sweeping the reader across the European theater, from the Afrika Corps to the Eastern Front, the writing is crisp and thrilling, incorporating all the painstaking research the author invested, from men to machinery, locales and formations. The reader is led right into the heart of World War II. There is even a little romance thrown in for good measure.
Wonderful tale. Highly recommended.
January 4, 2019
A new standalone book by Ellie Midwood and it focuses on the pilots in the war. I knew what a big part they played, but I haven’t really read much about them before so it was so interesting to read this story.
What I loved about this books is that is shows the horrors, but also the strong friendship and comradery between friends and fellow pilots. We see the war through the each of a 4 young man and see how they, their views of the world, change by their experiences. It shows the madness of those years, but also the humanity and kindness you find in the most unexpected places.
This line said it all “And just like that, their childhood ended”.
What I loved about this books is that is shows the horrors, but also the strong friendship and comradery between friends and fellow pilots. We see the war through the each of a 4 young man and see how they, their views of the world, change by their experiences. It shows the madness of those years, but also the humanity and kindness you find in the most unexpected places.
This line said it all “And just like that, their childhood ended”.
January 12, 2019
I read the ARC version of this book, but even still Ellie never disappoints! Her books need no long reviews, because they write themselves. You don’t need to write a long review to tell people how good it is.
Knights and Dogfights is one of those books. The end scene with Gerd where he realise it is his Papa on the telephone, the scenes with Willi all made me weep with tears. Very well written with lots of emotion and captures the true essence of a nation that was betrayed by its Führer, who promised them the world but gave them nothing in the end. I highly recommend ‘Of Knights and Dogfights’ to anyone who is interested in the Luftwaffe and WWII Germany. 5⭐️
Knights and Dogfights is one of those books. The end scene with Gerd where he realise it is his Papa on the telephone, the scenes with Willi all made me weep with tears. Very well written with lots of emotion and captures the true essence of a nation that was betrayed by its Führer, who promised them the world but gave them nothing in the end. I highly recommend ‘Of Knights and Dogfights’ to anyone who is interested in the Luftwaffe and WWII Germany. 5⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2019
Knights and Dogfights
I did not want this book to end. Went into maximum delay to prevent the inevitable. Midwood has a gift of bringing her characters to life with gusto. Flyboys Johann and Willi stay with you! I am certain that this world is a better place because they were in it. 😘
I did not want this book to end. Went into maximum delay to prevent the inevitable. Midwood has a gift of bringing her characters to life with gusto. Flyboys Johann and Willi stay with you! I am certain that this world is a better place because they were in it. 😘
January 25, 2019
***** A Panoramic Look At War
Once again, Ellie Midwood has produced an in-depth, vividly described, and well-researched portrait of WW2. This time, it’s about the fascinating journey of several young pilots at Göring’s famous Luftwaffe aviator program, training to be ace bombardiers for the Nazi regime. The story begins in 1938, when these young men first meet each other as roommates. New to this “great honor,” they each carry with them their own distinct dispositions: from shy, tense and polite to headstrong and insolent. And with her typically detailed descriptions, the practice of bombing techniques and the characteristics of each student comes out. Instantly, we are on their various paths with them, as each one reacts differently to being responsible for killing human beings. As their courses progress, we are not only witness to the fear and hardships they all encounter, we also are there to see some of the ‘goodies’ they receive, from free room service at the drop of a hat to women throwing themselves at them. However, as time marches on, whether it be in the sand dunes of Africa with General Rommel, or back home in Germany, we are there when PTSD raises its ugly head and a young man becomes suicidal from drugs; another one talks about the personal worry of whether or not to start a family in such mad times. But what truly fascinated me were the arcs of personality changes the different young men experience. The timid and tense become jaded and angry. The willful and insubordinate grow humbled and saddened with despair. And as the years continue on, the places and historical events shown, we end up with a panoramic look at not only WW2, but war in general and what it does to people. Definitely another winner for this author!
Once again, Ellie Midwood has produced an in-depth, vividly described, and well-researched portrait of WW2. This time, it’s about the fascinating journey of several young pilots at Göring’s famous Luftwaffe aviator program, training to be ace bombardiers for the Nazi regime. The story begins in 1938, when these young men first meet each other as roommates. New to this “great honor,” they each carry with them their own distinct dispositions: from shy, tense and polite to headstrong and insolent. And with her typically detailed descriptions, the practice of bombing techniques and the characteristics of each student comes out. Instantly, we are on their various paths with them, as each one reacts differently to being responsible for killing human beings. As their courses progress, we are not only witness to the fear and hardships they all encounter, we also are there to see some of the ‘goodies’ they receive, from free room service at the drop of a hat to women throwing themselves at them. However, as time marches on, whether it be in the sand dunes of Africa with General Rommel, or back home in Germany, we are there when PTSD raises its ugly head and a young man becomes suicidal from drugs; another one talks about the personal worry of whether or not to start a family in such mad times. But what truly fascinated me were the arcs of personality changes the different young men experience. The timid and tense become jaded and angry. The willful and insubordinate grow humbled and saddened with despair. And as the years continue on, the places and historical events shown, we end up with a panoramic look at not only WW2, but war in general and what it does to people. Definitely another winner for this author!
January 6, 2019
I think I’ve read all this author’s books so when this one came out I grabbed a copy. How could I resist when the synopsis starts with “Has it ever occurred to you, Johann; the fact that we’re fighting on the wrong side?” Luring and enticing, the rave accolades for this author’s war-story writing continue with this narrative of interwoven friendships in the worst of times. But it is these relationships that burn from the pages and ignite the storyline with tension. They are real and authentic as are the scenes of war in a time in history noted for the worst crimes against humanity perpetrated by Hitler. Midwood writes with a hand of passion and compassion, not holding back from divulging the human condition with all its shadows. Whereas her last novel took to the frozen ground in Russia, this story takes flight and the infinite possibilities the open skies offer. A different perspective, the author masterfully, brings the scenes to life as four friends in flying school together grow and come to terms with the evils that war brings. And the love. Whereas the scenes that expose the nightmare of the extermination camps ring repulsive the courage of the flying-fighting men gives balance. Characters are real. And flawed. Like the rest of us. The worst of what divides us and best of what unites us as individuals, as peoples, as countries is brilliantly depicted in this devastatingly bloody war. The very prolific Midwood deserves a seat at the table with the best the literature world has to offer.
January 27, 2019
How do you keep your humanity in a war? How do you keep hope alive? How can you not brutalise in the same way as you are being brutalised? And how do you cope when it begins to bear upon you that you are fighting for the wrong side and that your own superiors are committing unspeakable atrocities, sending out increasingly insane commands, and frankly seem to be becoming as mad as a box of frogs? Is your own life worth living at all? Or should you hang on to it at all costs in the hope that one day things will get better?
Ellie Midwood skilfully manages to inject subtlety into an account of the war from the point of view of the Luftwaffe by following four young men from different backgrounds who end up in the German air force because they want to be pilots, rather than because they want to be Nazis. Pleasingly, it is revealed at the end that the two main protagonists, Johann and Willi, are based on the lives of two particular real Luftwaffe fighter aces, so that many of the kind things the characters do turn out to have been based on true events, which makes the whole story all the more poignant, and elevates it above a wishful work of fiction.
I write this on Holocaust Memorial Day in the UK. On the BBC on the radio this morning has been broadcast a moving service in which Jews, Christians of Jewish heritage, and Messianic Jews have spoken. And one man of German heritage read out a confession his grandfather wrote before he died. His grandfather was an engineer. He graduated from a German University with his engineering degree and couldn’t get a job. And then the lead up to the war started and his skills were suddenly in high demand as the country prepared for war. He says that when he moved into a fine house in Poland, he never enquired where the previous occupants had gone. When he was sent to Norway to turn it into a fortress, he knew that thousands of Russian prisoners of war who were pressed into service as the labour force were dying on the projects he was building, but he wasn’t in charge of the workers, only the designs, so he didn’t feel responsible. He was put to work to design and build an underground city and bunker for Hitler, and he knew that thousands of Jewish workers sent from the concentration camps were dying as they built it, but they weren’t his responsibility, only the designs, so he said nothing and did nothing. His grandson says that he didn’t know what to say to him but finally felt that he had to say to him – ‘you knew and yet you did nothing.’
We all know that nothing is completely black or white. But the Holocaust is one of those things in history that comes the closest to being something that everyone can agree is absolutely evil. And yet, each time you break down an individual’s story, you have to ask what you would have done in their shoes. Are you, in fact, only able to sit here in smug haloed condemnation merely because of an accident of birth that means you have been born in a country at a time of peace, in a democracy, under very little threat of death or starvation, schooled in an education system that allows free thought and does not brainwash you from birth to some distorted way of thinking? Can you really know what moral choices you’d make if the extremes of life or death pressure were really piled on?
We all know that two wrongs don’t make a right. Can you be self-controlled enough to seek to right a wrong without responding in like kind? Violence for violence? Atrocity for atrocity? Easy enough to say, ‘not an eye for an eye, but instead love your neighbour as yourself’, but when it comes down to the application of it, you often find yourself in a morass of moral dilemmas. Is not responding with violence, in fact cowardly passive appeasement that allows a bully or totalitarian state free reign to terrorise? Or is responding by hitting back only serving to reduce yourself to their base level, and reinforcing the message that violence is the answer, thereby starting an escalation towards a point of no-return enmity?
As an individual and as nations, we need to always be questioning our actions and our motivations and be open to examining a range of points of view with intelligence, or else our collective blind group-think can lead us into not questioning what anyone from the outside can clearly see is madness.
Ellie Midwood skilfully manages to inject subtlety into an account of the war from the point of view of the Luftwaffe by following four young men from different backgrounds who end up in the German air force because they want to be pilots, rather than because they want to be Nazis. Pleasingly, it is revealed at the end that the two main protagonists, Johann and Willi, are based on the lives of two particular real Luftwaffe fighter aces, so that many of the kind things the characters do turn out to have been based on true events, which makes the whole story all the more poignant, and elevates it above a wishful work of fiction.
I write this on Holocaust Memorial Day in the UK. On the BBC on the radio this morning has been broadcast a moving service in which Jews, Christians of Jewish heritage, and Messianic Jews have spoken. And one man of German heritage read out a confession his grandfather wrote before he died. His grandfather was an engineer. He graduated from a German University with his engineering degree and couldn’t get a job. And then the lead up to the war started and his skills were suddenly in high demand as the country prepared for war. He says that when he moved into a fine house in Poland, he never enquired where the previous occupants had gone. When he was sent to Norway to turn it into a fortress, he knew that thousands of Russian prisoners of war who were pressed into service as the labour force were dying on the projects he was building, but he wasn’t in charge of the workers, only the designs, so he didn’t feel responsible. He was put to work to design and build an underground city and bunker for Hitler, and he knew that thousands of Jewish workers sent from the concentration camps were dying as they built it, but they weren’t his responsibility, only the designs, so he said nothing and did nothing. His grandson says that he didn’t know what to say to him but finally felt that he had to say to him – ‘you knew and yet you did nothing.’
We all know that nothing is completely black or white. But the Holocaust is one of those things in history that comes the closest to being something that everyone can agree is absolutely evil. And yet, each time you break down an individual’s story, you have to ask what you would have done in their shoes. Are you, in fact, only able to sit here in smug haloed condemnation merely because of an accident of birth that means you have been born in a country at a time of peace, in a democracy, under very little threat of death or starvation, schooled in an education system that allows free thought and does not brainwash you from birth to some distorted way of thinking? Can you really know what moral choices you’d make if the extremes of life or death pressure were really piled on?
We all know that two wrongs don’t make a right. Can you be self-controlled enough to seek to right a wrong without responding in like kind? Violence for violence? Atrocity for atrocity? Easy enough to say, ‘not an eye for an eye, but instead love your neighbour as yourself’, but when it comes down to the application of it, you often find yourself in a morass of moral dilemmas. Is not responding with violence, in fact cowardly passive appeasement that allows a bully or totalitarian state free reign to terrorise? Or is responding by hitting back only serving to reduce yourself to their base level, and reinforcing the message that violence is the answer, thereby starting an escalation towards a point of no-return enmity?
As an individual and as nations, we need to always be questioning our actions and our motivations and be open to examining a range of points of view with intelligence, or else our collective blind group-think can lead us into not questioning what anyone from the outside can clearly see is madness.
January 28, 2020
Review: Of Knights & Dogfights
This is the fictionalized account of two of the most decorated German fighter pilots of WWII.
I have now read many of Ellie Midwood’s books and there is something most striking about all of them. They are like a cloth, woven with so many threads of divergent textures and colors, such that the warp and weft of their structure gives clear meaning to the story as if it's a tapestry. However, there is a gleaming golden thread that weaves its way through the whole panorama of her literary work.
No matter how coarse or refined are the threads within the cloth which may demonstrate the cruelties or kindness of the characters in her stories, there is this golden thread that demonstrates her own personal character of justice and fairness as it weaves itself in and out of the narrative. The reader is left in no doubt that this author/seamstress has woven an image of love, kindness, and compassion which resides in all of humanity irrespective of their origin.
Thus, when we read of the outstanding record these two German aces achieved, we are also reminded that chivalry and compassion in humanity is universal and, these traits were demonstrated in several of the battles described in the story.
When I was a small boy in London during WWII and could occasionally, if the sky was clear, get a glimpse of dogfights high above me, I would wonder to myself, how many Germans were shot down that day. The author’s book gave me such a good perspective of the characters who opposed us in those dark days. That golden thread of Ellie Midwood’s came through loud and clear when Johannes slid down the wall, and could not speak another word to his daughter because he was so overwhelmed with emotion, says it all!
This is the fictionalized account of two of the most decorated German fighter pilots of WWII.
I have now read many of Ellie Midwood’s books and there is something most striking about all of them. They are like a cloth, woven with so many threads of divergent textures and colors, such that the warp and weft of their structure gives clear meaning to the story as if it's a tapestry. However, there is a gleaming golden thread that weaves its way through the whole panorama of her literary work.
No matter how coarse or refined are the threads within the cloth which may demonstrate the cruelties or kindness of the characters in her stories, there is this golden thread that demonstrates her own personal character of justice and fairness as it weaves itself in and out of the narrative. The reader is left in no doubt that this author/seamstress has woven an image of love, kindness, and compassion which resides in all of humanity irrespective of their origin.
Thus, when we read of the outstanding record these two German aces achieved, we are also reminded that chivalry and compassion in humanity is universal and, these traits were demonstrated in several of the battles described in the story.
When I was a small boy in London during WWII and could occasionally, if the sky was clear, get a glimpse of dogfights high above me, I would wonder to myself, how many Germans were shot down that day. The author’s book gave me such a good perspective of the characters who opposed us in those dark days. That golden thread of Ellie Midwood’s came through loud and clear when Johannes slid down the wall, and could not speak another word to his daughter because he was so overwhelmed with emotion, says it all!
January 20, 2019
‘Of Knights and Dogfights’ charts the adventures of four young German pilots, from their training in Austria, to air action over Poland, France, the Balkans, North Africa, and the barbarity of the Eastern Front. These four men – the calm, principled Johann, the reckless Willi, the half-Jewish Walter and the softhearted Rudi – find their ideals and resilience put to the test. Guns jammed by sand, martinet officials, haughty SS officers, and skulking informers, are only some of the challenges they have to confront – all the while trying to stay alive. Can their camaraderie keep them whole as the personal losses mount, and hope is replaced with a growing belief that the Nazi regime for which they are fighting is bringing them and their loved ones to an ignominious end?
Compelling stuff!
Although Ms. Midwood has clearly done a lot of research for this novel (two of the characters are based on real German flying aces), she does not flood the story with too much detail – just enough to imbue the narrative with authenticity. You can taste the alcohol and sense-numbing drugs fed to some of the pilots, feel their disillusionment, experience their dwindling hopes of a final victory:
“They should all perish, the damned generation, so that the new one would grow not knowing its warrior fathers, so that it would learn to love instead of hate, for hate was all they knew and could offer them.”
Littered with memorable reflections and skillfully paced, ‘Of Knights and Dogfights’ is a welcome addition to the canon of World War II fiction.
Highly recommended.
Compelling stuff!
Although Ms. Midwood has clearly done a lot of research for this novel (two of the characters are based on real German flying aces), she does not flood the story with too much detail – just enough to imbue the narrative with authenticity. You can taste the alcohol and sense-numbing drugs fed to some of the pilots, feel their disillusionment, experience their dwindling hopes of a final victory:
“They should all perish, the damned generation, so that the new one would grow not knowing its warrior fathers, so that it would learn to love instead of hate, for hate was all they knew and could offer them.”
Littered with memorable reflections and skillfully paced, ‘Of Knights and Dogfights’ is a welcome addition to the canon of World War II fiction.
Highly recommended.
January 12, 2019
I was introduced to Ms. Midwood's writing a year ago and ever since then I have devoured her books with great energy and interest. This book proved to be no exception.
The story mainly follows two Luftwaffe pilots, Willi and Johann (though are several side stories as well). The two are friends almost from the start and embark on an epic journey that takes them to Africa and beyond during World War Two. The book is both heartwarming and gut wrenching with several scenes that could easily bring the reader to tears (in a good way). It also can be quite humorous in some spots. I have fallen in love with several of Ms. Midwood's characters but Willi has proven to be one of my favorites. He's the type of friend you would want; he's funny, knows how to have a good time, and is loyal to his friends. It doesn't matter who you are, Willi will always be there.
There is nothing about this book that I would change or didn't like. Everything was done perfectly and I was brought to tears at the conclusion of the book. Ms. Midwood has once again given us another fantastic book with memorable characters, a great story line, and meticulous research. All World War Two buffs (and historical fiction fans) will be doing themselves a great injustice if they don't read this book. You won't regret it.
The story mainly follows two Luftwaffe pilots, Willi and Johann (though are several side stories as well). The two are friends almost from the start and embark on an epic journey that takes them to Africa and beyond during World War Two. The book is both heartwarming and gut wrenching with several scenes that could easily bring the reader to tears (in a good way). It also can be quite humorous in some spots. I have fallen in love with several of Ms. Midwood's characters but Willi has proven to be one of my favorites. He's the type of friend you would want; he's funny, knows how to have a good time, and is loyal to his friends. It doesn't matter who you are, Willi will always be there.
There is nothing about this book that I would change or didn't like. Everything was done perfectly and I was brought to tears at the conclusion of the book. Ms. Midwood has once again given us another fantastic book with memorable characters, a great story line, and meticulous research. All World War Two buffs (and historical fiction fans) will be doing themselves a great injustice if they don't read this book. You won't regret it.
January 9, 2019
Masterfully written with heart-rending scenes
Intimate and tragic, the story is thought-provoking. Despite the fact that the majority of German and Austrian population accepted Nazism, there were many who did not. Although this story is fictional, it is based on the life of real people (two best aces of WWII) who possessed the same qualities as the main characters, Johann and Willi: indomitable spirit and bravery, both in the sky and in the society.
Through her exceptional telling, the author made me feel her fictional characters’ pain, heartbreak, fears, doubts, and triumph of the human spirit. And though they were on the “devil’s” side, I couldn’t suppress my empathy for them.
Like all other Ellie Midwood’s books, this one is both cinematic and literary, with intense pacing and burning suspense.
I can’t help but praise the author’s outstanding research of not only the backdrop of the story (Ellie Midwood is famous for her extensive knowledge of Nazi Germany) but also the details about the aircraft and the particularities of the air battles.
Highly recommended to general public, not only to WWII buffs.
Intimate and tragic, the story is thought-provoking. Despite the fact that the majority of German and Austrian population accepted Nazism, there were many who did not. Although this story is fictional, it is based on the life of real people (two best aces of WWII) who possessed the same qualities as the main characters, Johann and Willi: indomitable spirit and bravery, both in the sky and in the society.
Through her exceptional telling, the author made me feel her fictional characters’ pain, heartbreak, fears, doubts, and triumph of the human spirit. And though they were on the “devil’s” side, I couldn’t suppress my empathy for them.
Like all other Ellie Midwood’s books, this one is both cinematic and literary, with intense pacing and burning suspense.
I can’t help but praise the author’s outstanding research of not only the backdrop of the story (Ellie Midwood is famous for her extensive knowledge of Nazi Germany) but also the details about the aircraft and the particularities of the air battles.
Highly recommended to general public, not only to WWII buffs.
January 18, 2019
Knights and Dogfights is a fascinating story. It begins with two students in the pre-war Luftwaffe flight school who become the closest of friends. I should mention that this novel is based on two real WWII Luftwaffe pilots; in real life they never flew together and were never assigned to the same unit. In this story, they are inseparable.
There is a relationship that forms in the military, particularly in war. The common term would be ‘bromance,’ but that, I think, cheapens the relationship. For lack of a better word, however, it will do. This story truly captures the bromance of war, of military service.
This is a story I didn’t want to put down. I hurt for the characters when they were injured, or when people they knew, pilots they flew with, died. It captured my interest in a way that few books do. My first impulse when it ended was ‘what else has she written?’
There are precious few books I’ve read that even try to capture the spirit, the feel of Germany during WWII. Indeed, the standard I’d refer to is Hans Helmut Kirst, and he was actually there. This book does at least as well.
In sum, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It was marvelous.
There is a relationship that forms in the military, particularly in war. The common term would be ‘bromance,’ but that, I think, cheapens the relationship. For lack of a better word, however, it will do. This story truly captures the bromance of war, of military service.
This is a story I didn’t want to put down. I hurt for the characters when they were injured, or when people they knew, pilots they flew with, died. It captured my interest in a way that few books do. My first impulse when it ended was ‘what else has she written?’
There are precious few books I’ve read that even try to capture the spirit, the feel of Germany during WWII. Indeed, the standard I’d refer to is Hans Helmut Kirst, and he was actually there. This book does at least as well.
In sum, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It was marvelous.
March 20, 2019
A battle for hearts and minds
I've read several historical fiction books by this author, haven't been disappointed, and this one maintains the same high standard. It begins in Austria, 1938. On the verge of war, four young men find themselves sharing a room in a flying school dormitory. A bohemian Berliner, a Flieger-Hitlerjugend member, a prodigy pilot, and a butcher's son, with nothing in common but their love for the Luftwaffe and flying. The bond they develop is put to the test by a stronger adversary - war. Over the English Channel, in the dusty skies of Africa, on the brutal Eastern front, they will discover where their loyalty lies, and what true bravery means. Expert storytelling brought the book to life for me and the well-developed characters with all their emotions laid bare are engaging and believable. The author's thorough research adds great credibility and authenticity to the story, which makes for a deeper appreciation of the period, the people and what they were going through at that time. Highly recommended.
I've read several historical fiction books by this author, haven't been disappointed, and this one maintains the same high standard. It begins in Austria, 1938. On the verge of war, four young men find themselves sharing a room in a flying school dormitory. A bohemian Berliner, a Flieger-Hitlerjugend member, a prodigy pilot, and a butcher's son, with nothing in common but their love for the Luftwaffe and flying. The bond they develop is put to the test by a stronger adversary - war. Over the English Channel, in the dusty skies of Africa, on the brutal Eastern front, they will discover where their loyalty lies, and what true bravery means. Expert storytelling brought the book to life for me and the well-developed characters with all their emotions laid bare are engaging and believable. The author's thorough research adds great credibility and authenticity to the story, which makes for a deeper appreciation of the period, the people and what they were going through at that time. Highly recommended.
February 7, 2019
Best of times -- worst of times. Isn't that what life is all about? Right side -- wrong side. Again, what life is all about. Having read another book by this author, A MOTHERLAND'S DAUGHTER, A FATHERLAND'S SON, I knew this book would pass the test of time. Ellie Midway has an incredible talent for creating characters that are as real and authentic as the subject she writes about. With historical accuracy, OF KINGHTS AND DOGFIGHTS is another moving journey through the human condition. This is a well-written tome about four young boys who quickly become men before their time. Fighting for glory, honor, and country, these young men are put to the test as their friendships and strength pull them along through one of the cruelest wars of our times -- WWII. And about that ending. My My. Be ready to reach for the Kleenex. I highly recommend this incredible book to readers of all genres. It's one that deserves a second read and the five stars I am giving it!!!
February 5, 2019
So many WWII novels focus on the atrocities of the war, the mass killings of horrendous treatment of the Jews and others the Nazis deemed non-human. This novel, however, takes a different stance. Although it does depict the hatred that ran rampant in the war, it centers more around the battles in the air and how the Luftwaffe pilots dealt with defeating their enemy.
It shows how war changes the eager youth who image it as an adventure, the chance to travel and see the world. The first "kill" has a lasting effect on each of them, and they learn to deal with the trauma in different ways. It's a story about human nature. Some are good, and others are bad, and how many people are mislead to believe what politicians throw at them as the truth.
The story is well written and engaging. You hope for the best for each of the young boys who shoulder the responsibility of their government. Yet, you know in your heart that all will come out changed in the end. A touching story that's worth reading.
It shows how war changes the eager youth who image it as an adventure, the chance to travel and see the world. The first "kill" has a lasting effect on each of them, and they learn to deal with the trauma in different ways. It's a story about human nature. Some are good, and others are bad, and how many people are mislead to believe what politicians throw at them as the truth.
The story is well written and engaging. You hope for the best for each of the young boys who shoulder the responsibility of their government. Yet, you know in your heart that all will come out changed in the end. A touching story that's worth reading.
February 5, 2019
This book was an excellent reminder that a people must not be judged by their leader. I suppose I knew that all Germans did not join the Nazi party or support Hitler’s regime, but I don’t think I ever thought that many of his soldiers and airmen were opposed as well. How incredibly sad to know that many of them had no idea the concentration camps existed or what was happening there.
I loved the history lesson and the glimpses into how many of the soldiers treated captured comrade.
It was heartbreaking to read Johann’s thoughts “They should all perish, the samned generation, so that the new one would grow not knowing its warrior fathers, so that it would learn to love instead of hate, for hate was all they knew and could offer them.”
I loved this book and highly recommend it.
I loved the history lesson and the glimpses into how many of the soldiers treated captured comrade.
It was heartbreaking to read Johann’s thoughts “They should all perish, the samned generation, so that the new one would grow not knowing its warrior fathers, so that it would learn to love instead of hate, for hate was all they knew and could offer them.”
I loved this book and highly recommend it.
February 23, 2019
I thought this book would be interesting but I wasn’t expecting it to be as good as it is. I was hooked almost immediately. The characters develop quickly and are likable. For me, a good character should be someone you wish really existed so you could meet them, even if you hate them, and I definitely want to meet the main characters in this book. The story is believable and you get caught up in the lives that are being portrayed. It manages to demonstrate the horrors of war without being graphic or trying to make a point. It simply tells the story of some young men and how the second world war affected their lives in a way that makes you to keep reading.
I will definitely be reading more by this author
I will definitely be reading more by this author
April 23, 2019
Masterfully written!
This was my second read by this author, and as with the first book, I wasn’t disappointed. It was fascinating to read about two friends in the German air force, seeing things through their eyes and experiencing what they experienced. The characters seemed so real and you can’t help but root for them and feel their pain. At first the pilots feel like what they’re doing is an honor, that the cause is a worthy one and they’re helping Germany. But as time marches on and they see and experience what’s really going on, they start realizing they’re on the wrong side. A deeply moving story that shows the goodness of the human spirit in those we’d consider our enemies. Masterfully written and well-researched, I highly recommend!
This was my second read by this author, and as with the first book, I wasn’t disappointed. It was fascinating to read about two friends in the German air force, seeing things through their eyes and experiencing what they experienced. The characters seemed so real and you can’t help but root for them and feel their pain. At first the pilots feel like what they’re doing is an honor, that the cause is a worthy one and they’re helping Germany. But as time marches on and they see and experience what’s really going on, they start realizing they’re on the wrong side. A deeply moving story that shows the goodness of the human spirit in those we’d consider our enemies. Masterfully written and well-researched, I highly recommend!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews