Robert Ryan (1) (1963–)

'The Last Sunrise' is set in South East Asia between 1941 and 1948 and centres around an American pilot, Lee Crane. Crane had been rejected as a fighter pilot by the USAAF because he was too tall so instead went to Burma en-route to China to join the Flying Tigers, a volunteer American air force assembled to aid the Chinese in their fight against the Japanese, under Colonel Chennault. Whilst training in Burma he meets an Anglo-Indian widow, Kitten Mahindra, and they start a romantic affair.

When the Japanese attack Pearl Harbour and invades Burma, the Flying Tigers are absorbed into the regular USAAF. However, Crane falls out with Chennault and is transferred from flying fighters to flying cargo planes transporting goods, personnel, mail and gold to fund the Chinese war effort between India and China over the towering Himalayas, 'the hump'.

In 1948 Crane is now based in Singapore and is still ferrying cargo around South East Asia if the price is right but his wartime experiences still haunt him. When a woman from his past unexpectedly turns up he is forced to confront memories of a shared secret.

The narrative shuttles between 1941, 1943/44 and 1948, and draws on real historical events. Yet despite the changes in the timeline, this is a straightforward tale of wartime adventure and romance.

Whilst the flying scenes are well written and the overall story is reasonably engaging peppered with various action sequences I felt it lacked drama and any real surprises. Crane, as the principled but naive pilot, is well drawn but the minor characters (the femme fatale, the scheming spies, the resourceful but straight-laced young operative etc) failed to really sparkle.

Overall I found this a pleasant, quick and easy read, but not as good as others that I've read by the same author.… (more)

The Dead Can Wait - Ryan
Audio performance by Richard Burnip
4 stars

The second book of a series that I continue to enjoy. As with the first book, the mystery was convoluted and not quite realistic. But, the historical context was excellent. I could believe in the good Dr. Watson as a pioneer in the humane treatment of shell shock. Winston Churchill’s involvement in the early development of tank technology was an interesting addition (although, probably highly fictionalized). The very evil German spies pushed this book into the suspense/thriller category; a bit over the top in violence and improbable escapes, but entertaining.… (more)

Dead Man’s Land - Robert Ryan
Audio performance by Richard Burnip
4 stars

I just can’t resist books from the ever expanding Sherlock Holmes universe. In this book, Dr. John Watson (yes, That Dr. Watson) steps away from his aging partner and into the trenches during WW1. Defying his own age limitations (and requiring the reader to suspend disbelief) the good doctor takes a new blood transfusion method straight to the front lines. His method and his expertise come into question with the strange and horrible death of a soldier following an emergency transfusion.

The plot was very convoluted with a high body count of willfully murdered soldiers in addition to the carnage of war. Watson is forever underselling himself for his lack of Holmesian detective abilities, but he gets there in the end (with some very minor support from his old mentor.) Despite the incongruous presence of Dr. Watson actually in the trenches, I was impressed with the historical detail of this book. The descriptions of field hospitals and the carnage are graphically realistic. There’s a bit of subplot involving Winston Churchill that sent me to google to check the facts. There’s professional competition between the qualified nursing staff and the VAD’s (volunteers). Watson struggles with his Victorian moral standards while depending on female support in surgery and detection. The VAD’s, especially ‘Mrs’ Georgina Gregson have a suffragette backstory, and the murder victims all seem to come from mill towns with histories of union violence. Clearly, all’s not quiet on the home front.

The book seemed a bit long with unnecessary detail as I was reading it. But, I find that I’m appreciating all of those atmospheric, historical details more as I think about it now. I’m definitely interested in continuing with this series.… (more)