The Last of Seven by Steven Hartov
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Thank you to the publisher, Hanover Square Press and NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC of The Last Of Seven in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Gist
Steven Hartov definitely knows what he is writing about. He joined the U.S. Merchant Marine Military Sealift Command in 1973 and has weaved his experiences into his novels.
This story is bold, based on true events and a true male version of WWII.
But it also held the hopes and heroic attempts of ordinary soldiers and for that I had to bow.
The Details
Bernhard Froehlich, a German soldier, or is he??
I don’t want to reveal too much here, but this man is part of a secret group, known as X-Troop. Their existence is well documented and the story is based on those brave men.
Maybe this is why I could not really connect with them or in particular Bernhard Froehlich. Even though all was very descriptive, it still felt abstract to me.
I assume this story was supposed to come across as brave and captivating, even exciting.
But in fact, it felt hectic. That’s the word that came to my mind when reading it.
Interesting was that the author brought in a kind of poetry, a bit of a flowery style, while he was talking about the gruesome aspects the characters experienced.
If the author wanted to show that there is no beauty in any aspects of a war, just very small pockets of hope, when there is a tender moment or unexpected beauty, then he accomplished that.
The “nice” moments in this book lasted one breath and it then went back to the bold cold truth.
Bernhard Froehlich is part of a group of men who were German or Austrian Jews and fought the Nazi regime, not for any heroic reasons, but vengeance and vengeance alone.
They want revenge for what happened to them and their families.
That drives them to work with British allies to fight against Hitler and his butchers.
The Verdict
Overall, reading this book was exhausting.
I felt like I was fighting and trying to survive, not knowing for what.
I did not enjoy it. And more than once I wanted to quit, but I knew I had to write a review and as disciplined as I am sometimes, I finished it.
It is well researched, but I would only recommend it, if you have a scientific interest in that subject, a strong stomach and endurance.
About the Author
Steven Hartov is the coauthor of the New York Times bestseller In the Company of Heroes, as well as The Night Stalkers and Afghanistan on the Bounce. For six years he served as Editor-in-Chief of Special Operations Report. He has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, FOX, and most recently the History Channel’s Secret Armies. A former Merchant Marine sailor, Israeli Defense Forces paratrooper and special operator, he is currently a Task Force Commander in the New York Guard. He lives in New Jersey.
