Night Over Water - Ken Follett (Book)

Night Over Water - Ken Follett. Another book which was collecting dust for almost a year or longer :) I get to finish it this week, all thanks to Lock-down still not lifting. I bought two Omnibuses @ 150/- each from Blossoms, one of Ken Follett and another from Wilbur Smith, both my favorite writers of their own genres. Since March mid, I have finished two of the fattest of my reading career this year :) and these two Omnibuses are no petite beauties :) I decided to read them back to back, one of Ken Follett to start with, followed by one from Wilbur Smith followed by second from Follett and finishing it with Wilbur's second :) isn't it fun when you have all the time in the world to read so many books without much disturbance (call it going to office and working). The only disturbance in today's time is number of times wifey wants me to make my special tea for her and a few rounds of washing utensils a day :) I tell you, it isn't much in comparison to travelling to office and spending half a day at work. "Night Over Water" was just about 650+ pages and as we all know what kind of books and stories Follett is famous for :), it was no cake walk. He almost kept me going through the dead of the night to uncover the suspense that too the story starts at the very start of second world war when Hitler declares war on England. A dozen odd characters trying to go as far away from England as possible that too in the very last flight of a Seaplane Boeing B314, luxury wise it was a perfect match to Titanic with wings. The entire description of Cabins, sitting area, dining area, bunks to sleep and the walk around aircraft given by crew to anyone interested was totally amazing. I have read a few Ken Follett's books in recent times and I must say that his books may not have break neck pace or thrilling right from the word go but his stories have so much heart in them that the readers takes away so much from each one of them. And his women are way more stronger than his men for sure :) this is the second book in a row where he made me fall for his amazing women. I guess Follett has a mastery in writing stories from early to mid 20th century, especially revolving around second world war. "Night Over Water" is an incredible story of a transatlantic flight in 1939 taking a little over 30 hours time from Southampton (Britain) via Foynes (Ireland), Newfoundland to New York. The last flight from Britain to USA after Hitler declares war on the country. All the characters taking flight have their own reasons to catch the flight without fail with their own challenges. A German nuclear physicist has to get so far away from country so Nazi forces don't catch him to make their bombs. A half heart Nazi has to catch the flight to save himself and his family from the tough times as he doesn't have the guts to join neither Germans nor British in defying. Although his two daughters have their own agendas against him and how they take him was totally amazing. A local crook who dreams of making it big from millionaires travelling in the last flight with a fake ID to steal what he can to make his future. A runaway wife with her boyfriend being chased by her Husband who tries his level best to board the flight to win her back. A women running a multi-million dollar American company being shot down by her own brother on vacation in London as he plans a hostile takeover while she is stuck. An FBI agent extracting a gangster from Britain, but his friends have a totally different plan for him before the aircraft lands in New York. An Airline engineer whose wife's life is in line and what he is forced to do to save her was something that kept me totally hooked to the developing story at its own sweet pace. If you think all that makes up for a superb thriller only, think again when I tell you there were a few love stories too developing amidst all that chaos. What I loved most about this book as I said earlier other than of-course having so much heart in the characters was the entire description of the luxurious Airplane. Especially in the year 1939, I couldn't imagine that something of this sort could actually exist back then and in the very end how Follett discloses the facts, totally shocked me. And not to forget the incredible lifestyles of a few rich and famous from the days including a film actress were a treat to read. Have you read "Night Over Water"? If you have, do let me know who was your favorite character. And do you have a favorite Ken Follett? Do let me know that too as I would love to give it a read as soon as possible. Eagerly waiting to finish my first Wilbur Smith from his Omnibus before picking up another Follett :).