A Paper Statue

Roger Naylor
iUniverse (2006)
ISBN 9780595407682
Reviewed by William E. Cooper for Reader Views (11/06)


I have long been a reader of military history, particularly as it applies to the United States.  Roger Naylor has written a work of fiction that is premised on the realities of WWII era pilots and their operations, as well as interactions with one another.  His descriptions of the geography applicable to this element of the war put the reader right in the tent, the cafeteria, and certainly in the pilot’s seat.  The differing personalities of the pilots, the need for having a team, and the leadership that applied to decision making are well articulated.

Mr. Naylor’s descriptions of aerial battles are excellent, as are the preparations the pilots engage in.  Their personal battles, as well as with one another, and often the elements, are woven into the story in a manner that requires the reader to just keep reading.  “A Paper Statue” really is a good book.  I found myself unwilling to put the book down.  I highly recommend it.  I also have to give Mr. Naylor two thumbs up on this one.

 

Reviewed by William Phenn for Reader Views (12/10)

It was the South Pacific, specifically, New Guinea. Second Lieutenant Lee Marks was about to embark on the biggest adventure of his life, flying a P-38 Lightening into battle. Lee is an aggressive, hot shot pilot that makes his name known quickly in the squadron. He is so good at his job that he makes Ace in no time and becomes noticed by his commander Major Mo Brennan. Mo was not the easiest guy in the world to figure out. Just when Lee thought he had Mo pegged, he would do something to throw him off. One day he would chew Lee out for causing a delay in the landings, the next day he would be joking and calling him “Killer.”

When Lee finally got his five kills to achieve his Ace rating, Mo came around and began to confide in Lee, telling him about his master plan for both of them and what they had to do to make it happen. Mo put Lee in for a promotion and had plans for both of them to become famous flying Aces by the time they got back home. As Lee gets closer to the coveted Triple Ace designation, the missions become more and more dangerous.

The moment of truth comes when Mo is shot down over enemy territory. Lee is his Wingman and goes down to protect him from the Japs in the area. But as luck would have it, Lee’s plane is shot down and he takes a bullet in the leg. Even though he is shot in the leg, Lee manages to land his plane and crawl into the jungle to hide from the enemy. Not being able to walk very far, Lee hunkers down and tries to hide in the jungle. He is found by Mo and what happens after that is a twist in the story that will have the reader on edge.

“A Paper Statue” is a great book that will keep you glued to its 311 pages from the first to the last. The adventure never ends with the vivid descriptive language, fast-moving story and the attention to detail. I definitely recommend this exciting war novel to any one that appreciates good war stories. I gave it an A because it was well written, had good editing, has nice cover art and will appeal to general audiences.

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