NIGHT RUN

An American pilot trapped behind Russian lines winds up flying for the Soviet Air Force and becomes involved with one of the "Night Witches," a female Soviet regiment who silently glided vintage biplanes at night, bombing German positions.

"Night witches," the Germans called the Russian women who flew obsolete biplanes against the Wermacht under dubious cover of darkness during WW II. U.S. pilot Mike Gavin, who bails out over the Soviet Union just before his B-17 explodes, feels almost as negatively about female combat pilots--until he meets Lt. Galina Tarisova. Serving as a temporary volunteer with the Red Air Force, Mike flies Yak fighters and Stormovik attack planes against the Luftwaffe while courting Galina. Despite the unlikely premise, Denny ( Aces ) accurately depicts the relatively unknown air war over the Soviet Union. Although it can be gripping at times, the novel suffers from lack of focus: Denny takes much too long getting Mike to the Soviet Union, then distracts readers with a parallel--and predictable--plot line concerning the U.S. bomber offensive against Germany. More disciplined storytelling and sterner editing might have produced a top-flight WW II techno-thriller with an original perspective. Instead, Night Run proves to be a routine mission.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Good fiction is often written by people familiar with their subjects. Such is the case with this novel; Denny flew B-17's in World War II. His plot focuses on the war exploits of Mike Gavin, who joins up with Soviet "night witches" after being forced to abandon his B-17 behind Soviet lines. One of the novel's particularly interesting aspects is the role of women in combat. The Soviets utilized women in a greater variety of military roles in World War II than most other nations did, and the treatment of women in this novel is in many ways a commentary on the current movement to allow them to serve in more combat-oriented roles in today's military. Night Run is a well-told tale with a distinct air of authenticity that will be enjoyed by both military history buffs and technothriller fans looking for a refreshing change of pace. Recommended for public libraries.
- Jim Cunningham, Illinois Mathematics and Science Acad . , Aurora
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.