Book Description

For fans of Band of Brothers and Masters of the Air, Blue Man Falling brings to life the exhilaration and fear of aerial warfare with astonishing power and narrative skill. Above all, Frank Barnard lays bare the meaning of war, and the selflessness of those prepared to fight until the end. In September 1939, war is declared and Europe holds its breath. For RAF fighter pilots patrolling the Franco-German border, it is a bizarre time: one moment they are chasing an elusive Luftwaffe, the next ordering champagne in Paris. Then, in May 1940, Hitler launches Blitzkrieg, and the Hurricane squadrons find themselves engulfed in battle. Blue Man Falling follows the fortunes of two RAF pilots: Englishman Kit Curtis, and American Ossie Wolf, who clash not only with Germans, but also with each other, fighting for different reasons and employing different methods as France collapses and the Allies face humiliation and defeat. They also encounter the insidious Fifth Column, the enemy within, and those intent on profiting from chaos... What readers are saying about Blue Man Falling: 'Brilliantly conceived and superbly written. There is humour and a fascination throughout. Without doubt this is a must-read book - one that grips you from start to finish' 'Captures the harrowing, insidious shadow of despair that swept across France and the civilised world in the wake of Blitzkrieg. Each character is drawn with touching, intimate detail and it is the many finely portrayed action scenes that gives this novel a life of its own' 'Takes you to another world effortlessly. Pacy, gripping and full of unexpected twists and turns'