Review of The Secret Eye

[Kibet Hillary]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Secret Eye" by Brad Hanson.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Two ambitious boys from separate continents, stirred by two different motives, are about to join one of humankinds’ oldest institutions; the military. In Kawaguchiko, Japan, fourteen-year-old Hadaki Yamatsumi only desires to see Great Britain and America bow to the mighty emperor. His father died fighting in China, and he wants to join the expansionist military campaign. However, as the only son and sole heir of his family’s property, he cannot be conscripted into the army. Is there a way out? Elsewhere, after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Charles Brand from Little Rock, Arkansas, feels a strong calling to serve his country. Encouraged by a friend who decides to volunteer, Charles approaches his father because he needs his permission.

The Secret Eye is an enthralling historical fiction that ushers the reader to a new era of warfare. The war is not only fought on land, sea, and air but also over the airwaves using organized propaganda. As the author introduces all the primary actors one by one, focusing on the chief motivations, one can identify with their inner drives. I also enjoyed following their transformation and growth as the story progressed. The blossoming romance between Lilly and Charles was a huge relief because the rest of the story centered on either planning a battle or the fighting itself.

History mesmerizes me always. Consequently, it is fascinating to see events through fictional accounts. Some existing gaps are filled, and one receives immense entertainment from the author’s creativity. The author, Brad Hanson, did not fall short of my expectations. Whether I was in an aircraft, battleship, or office, there was something to keep me captivated. I enjoyed the fact that the author included how enemy planes were spotted before the invention of the radar. In this way, it was easy to comprehend the importance of the groundbreaking invention, which changed the course of history.

At first, the pace of the story was slow, and there was little to pique my curiosity. However, I came to appreciate the value of the introductory chapters. They had formed a firm foundation for an exhilarating, action-packed story. As a result, I did not have to revisit the preceding chapters to learn why and how certain characters got involved. Additionally, some mistakes that led to catastrophic defeats, especially repeated miscommunication of directions, sounded too exaggerated to be true. On the contrary, it was easier to come to terms with this fact, as history is rife with wars that were lost in such ways. Eventually, victory was a combination of both excellent strategies and accurate precision.

There is nothing negative I can say about the book. I discovered a few errors, though. Owing to the errors, mainly spelling inconsistencies, I rate it three out of four stars and recommend it to all readers of historical fiction. The book will appeal most to those who enjoy reading about the Second World War. Readers should be aware there are a few instances of swearwords.

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The Secret Eye
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[Victor Kilyungi]

Historical fiction is starting to grow on me of late and this one appears to be very intriguing. I'd love to get taken through that ride back in time. Thank you for such an excellent review.

[Website_guy]

I read many Civil War histories. With this one, it was unrelentingly boring. I quit about 100 pages into it and took it to my CWRT for someone else to love a cherish.

[Eddy E]

I'm not a fan of history but the beginning to the end of this Review makes me want to read the book and research a little more.
I'd like to know whether hadaki is conscripted into the army to decides to take over as an heir to the families property.

[Aarti Jha]

Not a very big fan of Historical fiction, so i would most probably not read this. The review has been articulated very well!

[Uzo_Reviews]

Your review was insightful. Historical fictions are not my thing so I'd pass. Great review.

[collinsogw555]

From the review, this book sounds interesting and I would love to read this book because I want to know if he was permitted to fight in the war. Great review.

[DTamara]

I am also fascinated by history I think mainly because of the exceptional historical fiction I have read. This seems like a great read, well researched and I especially like the idea of hearing both sides of the story in parallel through the young soldiers. Awesome review, thanks

[Astral Magi]

I think romance is a nice way to take the edge off the fighting and battle plans. Thank you for the review.