Not my usual genre, but this was a fast-paced WWII thriller that I enjoyed immensely. Audio was outstanding. ( )

This novel gets high marks for one thing, the extreme tension that builds when the reader wonders which of the motley group of intended escapees is going to come through alive, if any. There are four things that are hard to believe in this plot-1. that the Germans did not know the significance of this scientist. 2. The incredulous way in which Blum finds the professor in the camp. 3. finding his sister that he thought was dead in the camp 4. the escape itself even though the Germans seemed to know all about it. At.the end, the atomic bomb build-up is treated almost as though it were insignIficant, and the genius chess player marries the sister, more out of pity than love it is implied. ( )

Very good. It kept my attention . ( )

3.5 stars

The American military recruits a Jewish Polish man, Nathan Blum, who managed to get out of Europe before the rest of his family was rounded up to Auschwitz. He already works for the U.S. military and they convince him to go to Auschwitz with a detailed plan to help get someone out! But he only has 72 hours.

Meanwhile in the camp, Professor Mendl is an expert in physics and recruits a young 17-year old, Leo, to memorize a bunch of his formulas. The professor is pretty sure he won’t make it out, but is hoping Leo might one day. This info he is having Leo memorize is very important, though he won’t tell Leo why it’s so important. In his “spare” time, Leo plays chess with one of the camp’s SS officer’s wives.

This was good. It may also be a “victim” of me being fully saturated with WWII books (as I know many others are, as well). I listened to the audio and I had no issues with it. In all honesty, I can’t imagine anyone would agree to do that rescue, as they knew enough about Auschwitz by then. Oh, but the test they had Nathan do ahead of time to “prove” he could? No. Just no. If they wanted him to go so badly, I think he could/should have called them on it and not done it. He was already trained by then. I can’t imagine they’d find anyone else to do it, so let them call it off; I can’t imagine Nathan wanted to go in so badly… ( )

3.5 stars. Full of action. Thought-provoking at points. ( )