'The Last Mission' Book Review
*Harry Mazer is the author of 'The Last Mission.' He also wrote a great book called 'Snow Bound.' He won the New York Times Best Seller award for both novels. Most of his books go around the point of the story a little bit so you have to use your imagination to really understand what is happening.
*Most of Harry Mazer's novels are in the genre of suspense and action. The novel is meant to be for young adults, but I bought it when I was seven years old. I think the purpose of the novel is to educate the reader about the real lives and jobs of U.S.A.F. bomber pilots.
*The novel's title, 'The Last Mission,' fits the book because on the last of the U.S.A.F.'s 25 required bombing runs, the main character and his friends are shot down over Germany and captured, that is the men that didn't already die. The title is very interesting because it foreshadows the climax of the story.
*The story takes place during WWII. The setting is real. The main characters lived in the United States and shipped-off to Europe to bomb Germany. *The story is mostly about the main character, Jack Raab, a 15 year-old Jewish kid from New York, and his friends in the U.S.A.F.
*The story is about a Jewish boy in New York during the beginning of WWII. He is outraged by the things Hitler and Rommel have done, and decides to join the United States Air Force, (U.S.A.F.) to kill them himself. On his last of 25 bombing runs over Europe, Jack and his friends are shot-down over Germany by A-A Flak cannons. Jack's friends are either dead or fatally wounded so he leaves them behind and searches for help. As he scouts through the Black Forest, he finds a road that seems too good to be true, which it is. A german patrol rolls by him and he is captured. Two German gards want to surrender to the Allied Forces and take Jack and another soldier south-west to the allied lines. The Russians and Americans attack the German village they stop in. The two guards, Jack, and his friend escape and cross into allied Europe. ...
*This would have to be my favorite quote of the book!... Early-on in the story, Jack says to himself, 'I've made it too far, too long, too close to my moment of fame. Can I take my chances of telling my real age, or should I leave it out of my thoughts?'
*I think this book shows a great example of why most people fight in a war. WWII was a major turning-point in the history of war and even the world. I'm a big war buff and I realize the reasons for war, and religion and ethnicity are certainly huge ones.
*I think Harry Mazer was trying to paint a picture in the reader's mind about war back in 1979, and it still does for me! This novel really opens my thoughts and I couldn't put it down. Anyone that is into war or suspense will find this book to be engulfing them with interest and curiosity. I strongly reccomend everyone to give it a chance. You won't be disappointed!