The Boy Who Wanted Wings, James Conroyd Martin
The Boy Who Wanted Wings, James Conroyd Martin
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The Boy Who Wanted Wings
Love in the Time of War

Author: James Conroyd Martin

Narrator: James Gillies

Unabridged: 17 hr 27 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 02/14/2018


Synopsis

AN IPPI GOLD MEDAL WINNERExpert archer Aleksy has his heart set on joining the elite hussars at the Battle of Vienna.Countess Krystyna turns his heart in a different direction.As an outsider, Aleksy knows that both dreams are forbidden. And yet, one day he finds that he must choose between the two.-~Romeo and Juliet with a Twist~~"A pitch-perfect follow-up to his Poland Trilogy"~Historical Novels Review It is September 11, 1683, and the Ottoman Turks stand at Vienna poised to bring down the weakening citadel and impose jihad. Their sights are set on all of Europe.Aleksy, a Tatar raised by a Polish peasant family, holds in his heart the wish to become a Polish winged hussar, a Christian lancer who carries into battle a device attached to his back that holds dozens of eagle feathers. As a Tatar and as a peasant, this is an unlikely quest. When he meets Krystyna, the daughter of the noble who owns the land that his parents work, he falls hopelessly in love. But even though she returns his love, race and class differences make this quest as impossible as that of becoming a hussar. Under the most harrowing and unlikely circumstances, one day Aleksy must choose between his dreams. An IPPY GOLD MEDAL 2017 winner from the Independent Publisher Book Awards Historical Novels Review"This classic different-worlds love affair provides the human grounding for a larger story replete with well-researched period details about the struggle of 17th-century Europe against the forces of Islam, and Martin is a skilled enough storyteller to keep the whole narrative moving forward briskly to a very satisfying conclusion. The author has written a pitch-perfect follow-up to his Poland Trilogy." 

Reviews

Goodreads review by Anntonette on November 19, 2016

This author knows how to tell a story - how to hook the reader in and elicit complex emotions. This novel grapples with religion, race, class, war, violence and the power of love to make all impossible things right. It is a hopeful book for our troubled times.......more

Goodreads review by Carole on December 04, 2016

I could hardly put this down. So good, so good. The beginning was a little slow, but after a few pages, I was utterly hooked. I finished this book in a couple of sittings. I needed to know how Aleksy was going to get what he desired and what he deserved. I loved Aleksy! Even though some people treat......more

Goodreads review by Helen on July 14, 2017

This book has received a Discovering Diamonds Review: Helen Hollick founder #DDRevs "The author impressed me with the detailed depiction of warfare, military operations and equipment, class, culture and societal norms. While such details can be distracting in other novels, here they were spot on and......more

Goodreads review by Jo on February 05, 2017

I won this in the giveaways in exchange for an honest review. This novel set in 17th century Poland centres around peasant boy Aleksy, his forbidden love for a girl of a higher status and his adventures. I struggled with the author's writing style at times and found the story dragged a fair bit.......more

Goodreads review by Kevin on October 08, 2016

Martin's latest historical fiction tale is all at once an endearing love story and a spectacular war story, rich with complex underdog protagonists, fascinating slices of European history, vivid imagery, and timeless themes of tradition vs. passion, fate, and prejudice. The Boy Who Wanted Wings is a......more