copyright 1977; St. Martin's Press publishers, New York; hardbound; Book Club Edition; very good condition with unmarked pages; dust jacket good with minor edge wear.
Description -
Robert Jackson selects and writes about the fighter pilots of World War I, who were fresh out of school, unprepared for the terrors of War that greeted them. Through vivid descriptions that portray the gruelling truth of War, Jackson transforms this historical novel into a gripping masterpiece.
The sky is filled with layers of smoke as the planes fall like meteors onto the burning grounds below, evoking the tension and terror felt by the youthful pilots as the reality of War becomes clear... Those who were more afraid suffered more quickly in this deadly battle, as each man learnt that only acting with extreme caution would give them some hope of survival. As the novel continues, it becomes clear that very few remained to pass on the lessons that they learnt to future generations, but many names will be remembered for decades to come.
Jackson displays the story of just some of the young men – British, French, American and German – who fought for the mastery of the sky between 1914-1918: the Aces whose names still hold significance today.