Eighth Champion of Christendom (Portway Reprints) [Hardcover]

Edith Pargeter (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From AudioFile

In September 1939, an ordinary young Englishman joins the army, and nothing in life will ever be ordinary again. Alex Jennings does a remarkable job transforming Jim Benison from an amiable lad with mundane problems to a physically and emotionally shattered man. His tense, deliberate pacing of battle lifts the war, rightfully, to the level of central character. His tone expresses deep sympathy for the demolished Belgians and the overwhelmed but fervently resistant French. He truly excels in capturing the many flavors of English patriotism, from the pub generals' planning strategy with ashtrays and dominoes to the quietly heroic young men who have barely begun to live before they die for an idea. S.F. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 292 pages
• Publisher: C.Chivers; New edition edition (February 1968)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0855942894
• ISBN-13: 978-0855942892
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Remarkable trilogy of WWII, June 24, 2010

By 

A. Grice - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Eighth Champion of Christendom (Paperback)

This book is the first in a remarkable trilogy that was written nearly contemporaneously with the Second World War. The story follows a young country lad through his service in the British military as he suffers, grows, and loves. The writing is evocative and recreates the day to day lives of the protagonist and his fellows, exploring the questions of good and evil without resorting to dramatic devices. This is a story equal in power to Spielberg's movie "Schindler's List", and would lend itself well as supplemental reading for a European History class. For those whose loved ones are currently serving in faraway countries, this book can provide a bridge to understanding the feelings of young men in combat.