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This book is exactly as racist as you would expect from the title, which is especially unfortunate as it's otherwise a really good story with an unusual, clever plot. It's a wartime mystery and it's very well-done.
In WWII, Biggles and his squadron are transported in deep secrecy, finally ending up on a base in India. There's an important supply route between India and China, but planes which fly it have been crashing inexplicably. There's no apparently sabotage, nor are they getting shot down as far as anyone can tell. At some point in a routine flight, they drop out of radio contact, fly erratically for a minute or so, then crash. So far there have been no survivors, and so many men and planes have been lost that the base is having a collective nervous breakdown, with men drinking heavily and generally coming undone.
Biggles proceeds to investigate this under incredibly tense circumstances in which he or his men are liable to die any time they fly the route, all the obvious checks have already been done, and he's now in charge of men who are already burned out and ready to throw their lives away just to get it over with.
The mystery plot is great, there's some good adventure scenes, and one of the aerial battles is among his best aerial battle sequences that I've read so far - it's terrifying, horrifying, and beautifully written.
Aaaaaand also there is a lot of racism. A LOT of racism. Though at one point Biggles tells his men not to call Indians "natives" because it's discourteous. JOHNS. You were so close!
Spoilers!
( Read more... )
In WWII, Biggles and his squadron are transported in deep secrecy, finally ending up on a base in India. There's an important supply route between India and China, but planes which fly it have been crashing inexplicably. There's no apparently sabotage, nor are they getting shot down as far as anyone can tell. At some point in a routine flight, they drop out of radio contact, fly erratically for a minute or so, then crash. So far there have been no survivors, and so many men and planes have been lost that the base is having a collective nervous breakdown, with men drinking heavily and generally coming undone.
Biggles proceeds to investigate this under incredibly tense circumstances in which he or his men are liable to die any time they fly the route, all the obvious checks have already been done, and he's now in charge of men who are already burned out and ready to throw their lives away just to get it over with.
The mystery plot is great, there's some good adventure scenes, and one of the aerial battles is among his best aerial battle sequences that I've read so far - it's terrifying, horrifying, and beautifully written.
Aaaaaand also there is a lot of racism. A LOT of racism. Though at one point Biggles tells his men not to call Indians "natives" because it's discourteous. JOHNS. You were so close!
Spoilers!
( Read more... )
