Book Review for: The Boy Who Wanted
Wings
Written by: James Conroyd Martin
Published by: Hussar Quill Press
ISBN: 978-0-9978945-0-9
I read: ARC PDF. This ARC was given
to me in exchange for
a fair and honest review.
4 Stars
Engaging and Full of Intrigue
Martin pens an engaging story full of
intrigue with “The Boy
Who Wanted Wings.” Set in 1683, an
Ottoman/Turkish
invasion force has surrounded Vienna,
intent on bringing
Islam to a Christian Europe. If
Vienna falls, so falls Europe.
Nations band together to repel the
threat. King Jan Sobieski
III of Poland gathers his Hussars and
Army to join the fight.
According to Martin’s historical
note, this event was a pivotal
one in European history.
“The Boy Who Wanted Wings” is told
through the fictional
lens of Aleksy Gazdecki, a polish
peasant who longs to be a
Hussar. Though of Tatar
origins, Aleksy was raised Polish
and Christian. He’s fashioned his own
lance and is a good
archer. The local nobleman’s sons, Roman and
Marek, are
Hussars, planning to join King Jan as
he marches on Vienna.
When Aleksy meets Krystyna Halicki, Roman and
Marek’s
sister, sparks fly much to the
brothers’ disapproval. Aleksy
gets his wish to go to war as a
retainer for Marek, however
he has to deal with Roman’s ire.
Will the Polish army help to defeat
the Grand Vizar who
holds Vienna hostage? Can Krystyna
and Aleksy find a
way to be together despite his lack
of a title and the war
that threatens to tear them apart?
Martin’s writing is easy to read and
understand. The plot
and pacing are well balanced. The
characterization is spot
on. Aleksy is honorable and decent despite the
hardships
he has to face. Krystyna is spirited
and independent, which
will appeal to the modern reader. The
immediate threat of
the Ottman invasion is one readers
will connect to as even
in modern times, there are struggles with
insurgent Islamic
forces.
One of the reader’s questions asks if
Roman’s change of
heart in the end is genuine.
This is a big change for Roman
and for me it doesn’t ring true, as
he’s been duplicitous
throughout the novel. Roman is the
character the readers
love to hate. He does have some redeeming
qualities,
though he is awkward in how he
presents them.
Overall, “The Boy Who Wanted Wings,”
is a story that will
keep the reader turning the pages to
find out what happens
next. While most historical fiction
novels tend to be placed
in an English setting, I find Martin
unique in that he looks
at history through Polish eyes.
I highly recommend this
story
for readers 13 years and older.
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