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A review by danubooks
The Last Kingdom by Steve Berry
5.0
An eccentric 19th century king’s wish. A 21st century global free-for-all.
In a weakened Germany, there are those who want the state of Bavaria to return to being an independent country. One such person is a descendant of King Ludwig II, one of Bavaria’s last kings. in his final days, Ludwig had tired of the politics and responsibilities of being a king at that moment in history, and wished to start another….das letzte Koningreich, the last kingdom. When he died under mysterious circumstances soon after being removed from the throne, there were rumors that he had indeed found and secured that new kingdom, but no proof has ever been found. His descendants, the Nazis, the CIA, and a mysterious group of black-hooded men have all dedicated time and resources to the search to no avail.
Luke Daniels is on loan to another government agency while the future of his own, the Magellan Billet, is in doubt. He calls on his sometimes mentor and fellow renegade, Cotton Malone, to do him a small favor. Luke is undercover, working for the brother of the current Duke of Bavaria who hopes to return his family to the throne. The small favor quickly expands, and Cotton finds himself maneuvering between the many warring factions who have an interest in solving the mystery of the last kingdom, once and for all.
The exploits of Cotton and Luke find geopolitics and the lessons of history intertwined. The last days of the Bavarian royal family, a connection to the overthrow of the kingdom of Hawaii, the music of Wagner, the ambitions of the Chinese government to become the leading superpower, and the ambitions of a noble German family provide a challenging puzzle to solve and all manner of clashes, ambushes, gunfights, and betrayals. Can Cotton and Luke find the truth behind the rumors and, if so, what will they do with the information….because it could dramatically affect the future of the United States.
A plot that moves quickly, a mixture of familiar characters and new faces, and an assortment of interesting tidbits of history from a fascinating period in time make this another enjoyable read from Steve Berry. It isn’t necessary to have read the previous books in the series, the mystery stands on its own….but if you haven’t read the preceding books, you just might want to go back to the beginning once you’ve read this entry. Fans of history, particularly German history, will enjoy this, as will lovers of thrillers set against the backdrop of world intrigue. Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the advanced reader’s copy.
In a weakened Germany, there are those who want the state of Bavaria to return to being an independent country. One such person is a descendant of King Ludwig II, one of Bavaria’s last kings. in his final days, Ludwig had tired of the politics and responsibilities of being a king at that moment in history, and wished to start another….das letzte Koningreich, the last kingdom. When he died under mysterious circumstances soon after being removed from the throne, there were rumors that he had indeed found and secured that new kingdom, but no proof has ever been found. His descendants, the Nazis, the CIA, and a mysterious group of black-hooded men have all dedicated time and resources to the search to no avail.
Luke Daniels is on loan to another government agency while the future of his own, the Magellan Billet, is in doubt. He calls on his sometimes mentor and fellow renegade, Cotton Malone, to do him a small favor. Luke is undercover, working for the brother of the current Duke of Bavaria who hopes to return his family to the throne. The small favor quickly expands, and Cotton finds himself maneuvering between the many warring factions who have an interest in solving the mystery of the last kingdom, once and for all.
The exploits of Cotton and Luke find geopolitics and the lessons of history intertwined. The last days of the Bavarian royal family, a connection to the overthrow of the kingdom of Hawaii, the music of Wagner, the ambitions of the Chinese government to become the leading superpower, and the ambitions of a noble German family provide a challenging puzzle to solve and all manner of clashes, ambushes, gunfights, and betrayals. Can Cotton and Luke find the truth behind the rumors and, if so, what will they do with the information….because it could dramatically affect the future of the United States.
A plot that moves quickly, a mixture of familiar characters and new faces, and an assortment of interesting tidbits of history from a fascinating period in time make this another enjoyable read from Steve Berry. It isn’t necessary to have read the previous books in the series, the mystery stands on its own….but if you haven’t read the preceding books, you just might want to go back to the beginning once you’ve read this entry. Fans of history, particularly German history, will enjoy this, as will lovers of thrillers set against the backdrop of world intrigue. Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the advanced reader’s copy.