Night of Flames: A Novel of World War II [Paperback]

Douglas W. Jacobson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2008

Painting a vivid and terrifying picture of war-torn Europe during World War II, this tale chronicles the lives of Anna, a Krakow University professor, and her husband Jan, a Polish cavalryman. After they are separated and forced to flee occupied Poland, Anna soon finds herself caught up in the Belgian Resistance, while Jan becomes embedded in British Intelligence efforts to contact the Resistance in Poland. He soon realises that he must seize this opportunity to search for his lost wife, Anna.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A taut and twisting thriller with memorable flesh and blood characters . . . Jacobson's clockwork plot draws the reader onto its roller coaster ride [and] clicks along at breakneck speed." --James Conroyd Martin, award-winning author, "Push Not the River" and "Against a Crimson Sky"

About the Author

Douglas W. Jacobson is an engineer and business owner. He lives in Elm Grove, Wisconsin.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: McBooks Press (October 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590131665
• ISBN-13: 978-1590131664
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.9 x 5.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #125,852 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Douglas W. Jacobson is an engineer, business owner and World War Two history enthusiast. Doug has travelled extensively in Europe researching the courage of common people caught up in the most catastrophic event of the twentieth century. His debut novel, NIGHT OF FLAMES: A Novel of World War Two was published in 2007 and released in paperback and Kindle in 2008. NIGHT OF FLAMES won the "2007 Outstanding Achievement Award" from the Wisconsin Library Association. Doug's second book, THE KATYN ORDER was published in 2011 and is now available in paperback and Kindle. THE KATYN ORDER, which won a 2011 award from the Wisconsin Writer's Association, is an historical thriller centered around one of history's most notorious war crimes. Doug has also published numerous articles on underground resistance actions in Europe and is currently working on his third historical novel set in Europe during World War Two. Doug and his wife Janie live in Elm Grove, Wisconsin.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 49 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, gripping tale! December 2, 2007

By An American in Antwerp

Format:Hardcover

I was gripped by this tale from the first page! It is beautifully written and impeccably researched, weaving a heart-stopping and sensitive tale of the experiences and heroics of common people during WWII. The focus on Poland and Belgium lends this WWII story a unique flavor, and the strong main characters take you right along with them across war-torn Europe and into the depths of the tenatious resistance movements. Fascinating story, talented story-telling. Can't wait for the sequel! Highly recommended - not only for historic fiction enthusiasts, but anyone who wants a good read!

55 of 63 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Needs to be more focused and less dispersed May 22, 2008

By Drewry F. Wofford III

Format:Hardcover

I love good historical fiction, and while this has many redeeming feature, it also has a fatal flaw. The author tries to cover too much territory in way too few pages. The book covers all of WW II in 379 pages. Never going to happen. The book is at its best when in focuses on a single event - for example the beginning which deals with the Nazi invasion of Poland and the cities of Warsaw and Kracow. Or the end, which focuses on the battle for Antwerp (well, hardly a battle in the end). Here, Douglas Jacobson gives both color, detail, and strong narrative to the events. Unfortunately, between these two bookends, the characters are thrown all over Europe, over a period of five years, and the book rather meanders without any good purpose. The ending is also contrived. It is a first novel, and a good start. Perhaps next time Jackson wil focus more, deal with a small number of characters around a single defining event, and become less difuse and less scattered. Easy, enjoyable read nonetheless.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Overall Good, But Has Major Flaws December 27, 2008

By Justine Cardello

Format:Paperback

I did enjoy this book overall, as I am a WW II fan and love books relating to that era. I especially liked that the focus was on the Polish and Belgian resistance, two movements which have gotten little attention in movies and literature.

However, while I started out with five stars for this book, it has dwindled to 3 by the time I reached the end. This could have been a fantastic book but unfortunately, the author fell victim to trying to squeeze in too much and to using absurd coincidences and contrivances to wrap up the story.

1) As others have said, there are too many characters and too many small subplots. I could not keep track of the characters, and after a while, the names began to blur. All too frequently, a character would be introduced and then disappear, for no apparent reason.

2) It would have been preferable to focus on either the Belgian or Polish underground, or at least, just one or two activities that were going on. The book skipped from Poland to Belgium to England to France, with an unending array of activities, meetings, and characters. It became repetitive after a while, and towards the end of the book, there were so many "co-stories" going on, I just began to skip pages and then entire sections. The espionage became tedious because it seemed like the same thing was just being retold over and over again, only with an onslaught of yet new names added to the roster.

3) As others have said, a major problem in this book were the main characters Jan and Anna. Both were about as interesting as a slice of Wonder Bread, and not particularly likeable. Jan was completely void of emotion, and for an ordinary cavalry officer, he certainly appeared to have super powers. The man was indestructible. Anna lacked basic common sense and also was blessed with minimal emotions. Throughout the book, people keep referring to Anna as having strength and resourcefulness, but that is never apparent. Rather, it is amazing that she was able to survive.

4) The author resorted to ridiculous coincidences and situations to wrap up the story. Most idiotic was the SS officer's infatuation with Anna. We are told that Anna is an attractive woman at the beginning of the book, but as war drags on, Anna's long hair is cut short, becomes mixed with gray, and her face "very thin." In other words, the woman is aging from the hardships and probably doesn't look so good. But yet, when she is arrested, Anna had been transformed into a gorgeous woman, and the SS officer is totally mesmerized with her beauty, and becomes psychotically attached to her. If this story line wasn't ludicrous in and of itself, Anna gets her freedom when the SS officer's assistant decides to help her and kills several of his own comrades. And he "sees the light" after a five minute soul searching chat with Anna. It was so silly and contrived that it made me wince, and I nearly gave the book two stars because of it. Surely the author could have thought of a more realistic way for her to escape.

5) The character of Irene and her son Justyn was never really explained, or their purpose for even being in the book. It just seemed that the author needed to throw in a Jewish person, being that this was WW II, and the token "child in distress." Irene is introduced as Anna's friend, and it seems that she is the wife of a soldier who serves with Jan. Since Anna has only been married to Jan 2 years at the start of the story, it would seem that she hasn't known Irene very long. But yet, she is fanatically devoted to this woman and her child, for reasons that are completely unexplained. To the point where she would not leave Poland if Irene and Justyn can't come with her. Of course, if Anna stayed, she would be arrested and be deported or executed, and that wouldn't do much for Irene, but nevertheless, Anna will not leave them.

Irene seems more like a 10 year old child, and is completely void of any personality. In fact, Anna acts like both Irene and Justyn are her children that she must protect and care for. What is also bizarre is that Irene appears to have no family or friends other than Anna. She doesn't seem to know anyone in the Jewish community, and is oddly oblivious to what is happening to Jews in her city. Anna also seems to have no friends other than Irene, or relatives other than her father. Jan also appears to have no family--he never seems to wonder if anyone he knows in Krakow or elsewhere in Poland is alive or dead, other than Anna.

Irene's sudden pregnancy is also contrived and stupid, as is her death--which happens when they are escaping, of course. I almost stopped reading at that point, as it was so idiotic. Justyn the orphan (father also dies in battle) serves no purpose in the rest of the story, and adds nothing to it.

6) The ending is again a ridiculous coincidence, of how Jan and Anna meet up again. They've only been separated for 5 years, and somehow the chips fall exactly in place, and here they are together.

It is really a shame that a good editor didn't sit down with the author and tighten up the story and bring the characters to life. And make it less predictable. You could tell what was going to happen in many places almost immediately.