Intense. Yet another great one by MacLean. ( )

A great World War II adventure, espionage mystery, with many twists and turns ( )

Along with Guns of Navarone and, perhaps, The Secret Ways, this is probably MacLean's best. A commando raid on a Nazi schloss during World War II. ( )

2380 Where Eagles Dare, by Alistair MacLean (read 3 May 1991) Before I read this book I saw the movie on TV three times, enjoyed it greatly each time, and still found the book fascinating! Actually I enjoyed the book in part because I knew all would come out all right! I think reading this book is the first time I have ever read a book because I saw the movie. It is a fantastic story of Major Smith leading an expedition to Nazi Bavaria and getting a fake American general out of the Gestapo castle headquarters. The plot is fantastic but really the book enthralled. I believe I'll read more by MacLean. This book was an adventure. ( )

A group of allied soldiers are dropped by parachute into Germany in order to find a way inside Schloss Adler (the castle of the eagle), the combined headquarters of the German Secret Service and the Gestapo. They have to rescue Lieutenant General Carnaby, an American general who is the overall co-ordinator for Operation Overlord, the Second Front, before he talks.

Someone though is sabotaging their efforts; can a member of the six British and one American Special Forces team be a traitor? The commanding officer, Smith, has brought a woman with him too, a fact unknown to the other team members. Added to that are the problems of the elite Alpenkorps being stationed at the foot of the mountain and the Castle, built on the side of the mountain, being only accessible by cable car.

This book was an extremely enjoyable read, with the twists and turns and plot loops, focussing on one then another as the guilty party. With the finale as exciting and explosive as one could wish for.

Although I already knew the story from watching the movie countless times (staring Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood), it was definitely well worth reading the original, especially for the ironic wit of Schaffer and Smith’s exchanges.

All in all, a World War II thriller, action packed and full of suspense, which I have come to expect from MacLean’s writing. I wasn’t disappointed at all. ( )