Customer Reviews

Black Cross

5 star:		(88)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I've now read all of Greg Iles' books, and Black Cross just might be his best. Black Cross, along with Spandau Phoenix, are unlike his more recent efforts in that they relate to WWII and mix actual history with fiction to come up with an exciting story that could actually be true.
Black Cross is the story of an American pacifist Dr. Mark McConnel and a Jewish soldier Jonas Stern who are sent to Germany to make the Germans believe the Allies have just as much poison gas as the Germans do. This is done to convince Germany that the allies will retalliate if the Germans use gas to stop the Normandy Invasion.
Black Cross stands out because Iles takes us inside a German concentration camp and lets us meet all kinds of characters. We get to know Jewish and Polish prisoners, sympathetic German nurses, spies, and even a German officer is made to look somewhat sympathetic. Iles portrays him as a soldier who puts up with the German brutality because he has no choice, and because it is his duty to fight for his country.
Iles also bookends the book with McConnel's grandson finding out the truth about his grandfather. So what happened in WWII isn't a secret, but is tied to the present. Therefore while reading, we want to know how everything turns out but you want to know what happened to these characters for the rest of their life. The conclusions aren't breathtaking or startling, but they are satisfying.
I do think Black Cross might have been a bit two long. The ending seems to go one and on until the mission is accomplished. Also some of the logistics of the plan seemed a bit far fetched. Like what were the German guards in the tower doing when all this was happening. But these are minor problems in what is a great novel. Maybe in the future Iles will return to this genre.

This book has everything: history, adventure, espionage, even a dash of romance. It's a page turner, with not a wasted word, and is unbelievably gripping. Definitely worth staying up all night and losing sleep for. It's also thought-provoking. How do you cope with sheer horror on a day-to-day basis without losing your sanity and humanity? Set in the concentration camps of WWII, it answers (in its way) the question of why Hitler never used his stockpile of poisonous gas. Get this book NOW and spread the word!

this was the first book about WWII i read and i must admit that i was a bit timid when i started, but the first line teased my curiosity and i felt compelled to read more. the characters: the angry Jewish terrorist, the american pacifist, the desperate Jewish mother, and the nurse employed by the Nazis were wonderfully and honestly written, which is truly the treasure of this novel. the last 100 pages held me at the edge of my seat as if i were on a rollercoaster and Iles conducted the story like a true master of fiction.

If you have read some of the authors books in the past you have a good idea of what you are going to get. An easy to read and understandable book that is full of action. This is an overall great book, it is not often that an author can come up with such a comprehensive book as this. This had it all, a great story, good characters, wonderful action and a quick pace. This is an exciting book. It really made me happy reading the book; it was like a great game of treasure hunt where you find everything. Each time I was ready for a plot twist, action of drama it was there. The characters just explode in your memory - you do not get them out of your head. Overall this was a great effort.

I remember Quentin Tarantino mentioning in a tv interview that 'Where Eagles Dare' was in his opinion the ultimate men-on-a-mission movie. Well, in that case 'Black Cross' is the ultimate men-on-a-mission novel.

I won't go into the plot (see other reviews for that). I also won't go into the book that much. I just want to give my whole hearted two VERY BIG thumbs up to this novel. It had Stephen King raving and I completely agree with him.

I understand Greg Iles moved onto other thriller subgenres with later novels and that's a shame. I read a few of them and 'Black Cross' still is his best work. Without ruining anything I think I can best describe this as Alastair Maclean pushed into overdrive, but besides that Iles also doesn't glamorize the war or forgets it's horrors (the concentration camp where most of the action takes place is enough evidence of that). If it's Maclean, than cross him with 'Schindler's List' and you get the idea.

I read this book last Christmas and from page one (a flash forward to 1995 so to call) it had me hooked. All I can say is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

This proved to be an outstanding book by Greg Iles. A Jewish warrior and a doctor from Georgia team up to destroy nerve gas that is bein produced by the Nazis in a concentration camp. This book portrays the toughness of the Jewish warrior by very ably pointing out some of the trauma that the Jewish warrior has been through. In a plan that is devised the warrior is teamed with a Georgia doctor to halt the production of the deadly nerve gas. The race against time will keep you on the edge of your seat.The final ending situation will give you bad nerves. This Jewish warrior shows no fear as he accomplishes his mission. I was very pleased to discover the warrior in old age in Spandau Phoenix. Read this book and you will become a Greg Iles fan also.

This book was a pleasant surprise. The underwhelming titles "The Master Sniper" and "War of the Rats" had not ingrained me with high expectations about WW2 fiction. "Black Cross" manages to wrap suspense, characterization, and a fast-paced plot into one neat little package that will have the reader wondering where the hours went.

The writing is excellent. Descriptions are concise and easily visualized, action is both exciting and believable. One star.

The plot is another gem. Learning the Germans have developed nerve agents, the allies are confounded as to how to prevent them from being employed. A raid on the concentration camp where the gas is being developed is the answer. Without giving away too much, the covert action is engrossing and thrilling, and there is a true sense of urgency (and a few, but not too many, twists). Ons star.

There are two protagonists, an American pacifist physician and a Jewish Zionist fighter (Stern gang? I don't recall.) Naturally, the personality conflict is substantial. Both are well-developed and sympathetic, and have good, well-explained reasons for their personal beliefs and biases (I, for one, can't stand it when a character acts uncharacteristically just to advance the plot. There is none of that here.) It is truly a character-driven story. One star.

The supporting cast is similarly well-done. Churchill acts in true-to-life fashion. A nurse at the gas-research camp struggles internally with her service of an evil regime. A Jewish mother in the camp does whatever it takes to save her children. The camp's security chief, honorable despite his service in the Waffen SS, loathes his current assignment and the men he commands. An NCO of the camp guards displays the sadism typical of that position. And the commandant of the camp, a physician conducting vile research, is a very suitable villian. All characters have convincing motivation and personalities, and there are no stereotypes. One star.

The ending is suitably climactic, exciting, and provides good resolution. There is no silly deus-ex-machina that comes to save the day (rahter, the characters find their own solutions.) One star.

Other notes: The details of this book are truly great. The author did his research concerning topics as diverse as organic chemistry and firearms. There is little, if any, eye-rolling. The heroes are not supermen (though they do have the hero's luck and are somewhat exceptional.)

Conclusion: Fans of action, suspense, or military literature will probably enjoy this book thoroughly. If the author likes WW2 stories, then that is just more icing on the cake. Buy it!

Voice performer Jay O. Saunders gives spellbinding reading to this sometimes horrifying always compelling tale of World War II.

All eyes were on Europe in January, 1944, waiting for the Allied invasion of Europe. While elsewhere and known only to few a dramatic and life threatening scenario has begun. Winston Churchill has become aware that top Nazi scientists have produced Sarin, a ghastly new weapon, a nerve gas that could kill untold numbers.

Obviously, this must be stopped and the one way to do it is chilling and dangerous. An unlikely pair, a pacifist Southern doctor and a Jewish assassin undertake this task. Their mandate is to destroy Sarin, no matter the cost, even the loss of their own lives.

From opening words to final tape author and reader take listeners on a roller coaster ride of harrowing escapades and unimaginable terror.

- Gail Cooke

I found it very difficult to put this book down once i got it stated. Just like all ther other Greg Iles books. This author by the way, is on par with all the other thriller writers of our day. I especially enjoyed his "footprints of god" book, and "the quiet game". These books are all part of the same genre, and on a level of the wildly popular "DaVinci Code".

About the book: sometimes disturbing, sometimes creepy, and sometimes a little too much detail about Nazi war crimes than i'd care to know about, but the mechanism usually advances the story, and carefully crafted to paint the location and breathe life into authenticity of the location.

Actually, as this book is written, it could really have happened. There's enough evidence to give real credence to the story, but not enough to dispute it either. The author, as usual treads the find line between known facts, and speculation, and ties it together in a gripping read.

5 stars *****

At some point while I'm reading a work of historical fiction, I'll ask myself "Is this story believable?" Well, not only is Black Cross believable, it's hard to imagine that it didn't occur. Iles has written a story that seamlessly merges historical fact with dramatic narrative. Yet, a believable story isn't the book's only positive feature. Iles also masterfully paces the story, resulting in a tale that is difficult to stop reading until the conclusion. Additionally, Iles has created realistic characters that act in ways which are credible. All these elements combine to make a book that is near perfect. In fact, if one took out the superfluous love affair and the epilogue that wraps things up a bit too neatly, this book is perfect. Historical fiction fans owe it to themselves to add Black Cross to their libraries.