THE YOUNG EAGLES

by Ian Cameron ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 7, 1980

A predictable English WW I aviation romance with a few exciting moments aloft but verging on YA blandness most everywhere else. Before the War, teenage narrator Jack and best friend Otto, a German, both fall for lovely Jessica--who prefers Otto. But when the war breaks out, the two lads face each other in rival air forces (they meet in battle yet never fire on each other) while Jessica goes into nursing and awaits Otto's return. Jack's comrades are dying, the Germans have the new Fokker with front-mounted machineguns, the war gets bloodier, Jack works his way up in the squadron to become an ace with 23 kills--and then Jessica's brother Gavin arrives as a fledgling pilot and is shot down by Otto while Jack watches. Finally, after Otto tries to lead Jack into an ambush by von Richthofen, Jack downs Otto and loses Jessica forever. Veterans of war fiction will find most of this implausible and edgeless, but--for young or otherwise undemanding readers--an inoffensive enough recycling of battle/romance clichÉs.

Pub Date: March 7, 1980

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: St. Martin's

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1980

Categories: FICTION