DragonFly by Charles A. CornellMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
DragonFly by Charles A Cornell
(A complimentary copy from the author for my vote in the Ebook Miner’s Book of the Month group.)
DragonFly is a fast-moving World War2 adventure that has a tough and smart female pilot as its central hero. We also have a clever mixture of fantasy and science fiction throughout the story to lift it above the usual WW2 tale of historical fiction. The book was very well-written and the story flowed with one exception that I found unsettling. The majority of the tale is told by Ronnie, our excellent pilot heroine, but for a couple of chapters (e.g. chap. 7, 22, 23) it suddenly switches from the first person to third person. This was without warning and was obviously necessary since the events described took place without Ronnie’s presence. It illustrated perfectly to me the reason why I find narrative to be best using third person, since first person can be so restrictive. The action sequences in the air were particularly well done and I found them gripping.
I liked the illustrations and photographs of the aircraft and characters; a nice touch Mr Cornell. The dialogue between Ronnie and her fellow pilots and senior officers is realistic and often amusing, though I thought the five year-old boy at the beginning of the book spoke more like a ten year-old. However, it is a compelling story with fascinating characters that are well-drawn by the author. The Nazis are very nasty while the female pilots are likeable, courageous and completely honourable. The fantasy and science fiction was a little far-fetched for my taste but in the context of this story each adds an intriguing angle that most fans of either genre would find attractive and interesting. We have magic and Druids and amazing new chemicals and crystals with remarkable properties. There is an excellent balance between fast and furious action and the personal stories and events that unfold around his characters. Overall I did enjoy Charles Cornell’s highly entertaining book and feel certain that any future similar novels will attract an enthusiastic following.
An exciting and entertaining read.
View all my reviews
RSS Feed
