Robert Mawson

Set during the First World War, Across the Blood-Red Skies offers a wild ride with the pioneers of aerial combat, the courageous men who fought high above the trenches in their flimsy machines.

In a war notable for grim statistics, one number stands out for newly promoted flight leader George Duckwell of the Royal Flying Corps: eighteen hours is the average survival time of a reconnaissance pilot in the spring of 1917.

I really enjoyed reading about the women of the FANY (First Aid Nursing Yeomanry), a group that I previously knew anything about. But of the three main characters, it’s George’s engaging voice that dominates and gives the story much of its appeal. George is immensely likable, a bit of a lad, reckless, loyal, resourceful, and possessed of an irrepressible dry sense of humour. This book has it all: strong storytelling, sympathetic characters, action, human drama, comradeship and romance.… (mer)