Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Dr Brown is dying in hospital and his nurse takes interest in his past. We learn about the Nazi preoccupation with ancient artefacts which mysterious powers. Lives are in danger and horrific things happen to innocent people.
A gripping read that gives an insight into Nazi rules and the consequences for individuals. Great read.

I received and ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, ACM Retro Ltd, and the author, Simon Laffy.
A thrilling WW2 espionage (and part science-fiction) novel which is fascinating and gripping at the same time. The historical elements were so well researched that the more fantastical parts did not feel incongruous.
I feel like there was opportunity to make the story and the background a lot more detailed and developed, I wish it had been longer!
3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Enjoyable!

The scientific secrets are unveiled!

In 1977, the doctor was the dying patient in Alexandria Hospital in Washington, DC. The young nurse met him after she had heard him speaking with a German accent. She started to listen to the doctor's story about ancient interstellar travel. The following night, he revealed to Savannah, the nurse, that he was part of the Apollo Missions at NASA. Then, he told her about his background.

Someone from the British government plotted the doctor's death during the Second World War. That young man, Alfred “Alfie" Wallace was the researcher in the museum. His cousin, Major Robert “Rob" Jacob’s of Military Intelligence in the British Army. Rob summoned Alfie to accompany him to the secret mission inside the German Reich to eliminate the rocket attacks in London, and the doctor was Wernher Von Braun.

That was the terrifying espionage adventure inside Germany as the characters met the arch-enemies such as the Butcher of Prague, Reinhard Heydrich and the leader of SS, Heinrich Himmler. I had goosebumps while reading the book. That was a brilliant novel.


Caesar XIII

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

FIRE OF THE SUN takes the reader to early 1939, when a cold chill grips the spy networks of Europe. There are terrible rumours, dark whispers of the discovery of a vast reservoir of ancient knowledge by the Axis Powers. Wrapped up in the chaos and confusion of the rising tensions across the continent, these stories make no sense.

Overall, the unique mix in genre’s and the roles of espionage and mystery made this a great book to read. With a lot of information and events in the story, it created a feeling of reality and pulled me in deeper into its pages.

So ultimately I did find this book a bit confusing. There was so much to take in, and I hadn’t realised it would take a sci fi turn. Set amidst world war 2, the emotions around the world are already heightened as well as the distrust, and this shone through. A deep read, one I read in small bites.

Interesting take on alien visitors and what they left behind. Linking to use as weapons of mass destruction. Good story and very readable. Definitely recommended.

I struggled with this book a bit. Two aspects of the work broke my involvement witg the narrative. Firstly a number of errors in terminology or history: e.g the term spread sheet rather than ledger or referring to India's government as federal. Secondly the story line jumps about and lacks a thread. Jazz's trip to Germany seems pointless, Lily's storyline adds nothing. The Von Braun aspects do not link in either. The prose is quite readable and lots of good ideas, but I could not find the cohesive story in here. I dislike writing this sort of review, but feel obliged to give honest feedback as I was given an eBook. I have not posted this review elsewhere

This was a complicated story crossing several time lines and several countries. A nurse talking to a cancer patient who she discovers is a famous scientist partially responsible for the Apollo missions. He tells her of the Nazi search for proof that they were a pure race and descendant from the Gods . In their quest for this, they did come across something which proved to be beyond the understanding and imagination of the scientists of the 1940s.

British Intelligence is also keen on knowing what this subject was but it seems as if all doors are closed to them and they always arrive a tad late to discover what actually happened. The story is fantastic, but very plausible and in this lies its attraction.

Can this knowledge be used constructively and why is it that so many people die in the pursuit of finding out the truth.


This was not an easy read, I took a number of days to read the book but when I finished it eventually, I did think it was an unusual subject.

Fire of the Sun by Simon Laffy – 5 Stars
Publisher: ACM Retro Ltd
ISBN: 9781908431592

There are myths and conspiracy theories about the secret Vril Society and the German’s belief that the master race was spawned by a superior, maybe extraterrestrial species way before man inherited Earth. As a matter of fact, there was a German nationalist by the name of Maria Orsic (not mentioned in this book) who bent the ear of High German officials claiming to be a medium between humans and the aliens. Her transcriptions were in some strange language derived from Sumeria which supposedly entranced the Germans so much they sought out designs of space craft and weaponry materials. The Internet is full of information about the conspiracy theories that developed.

This book does an excellent job bringing the full details of the conspiracy theories and history related to the German’s search for advanced, futuristic technologies and development during WW II in the author’s unique way. The plot begins with a student nurse listening to a story by a dying patient by the name of Mr. Brown, who is really Wernher von Braun, the famous German rocket scientist who worked on projects for the Nazis and later for the Americans. The author’s Mr. Brown tells it his way as told to him by Ober, an ancient extraterrestrial – note, Ober is very similar to Oberth, a real top rocket scientist who worked with von Braun. Throughout the novel the mysterious search pursues across countries and under the eyes of spies from Britain and other Allies. Alfie is the main character from a British Museum who is called upon to help the British Military Intelligence locate the extraterrestrial secrets before the Germans can obtain them and use them against the Allies in WW II. His secret love is a Miltiary Intelligence woman by the name of Jazz who gets trained as a spy and leads a dangerous operation in German territory.

The story amazingly blends the history and myths through the eyes of Germany’s von Braun with the mystery and excitement of spies and close, often sensitive relationships of the British entities that cast them in dangerous situations and escapes.

You won’t be disappointed in this excellent book. Although it was tagged in the Adult Fiction and Historical Fiction categories, the theories and theory interpretations definitely add reasons to include in the Sci Fi category. Kudos to the author Simon Laffy.

Reviewer: Rich

A young student nurse in a Virginia hospital in 1977 strikes up a friendship with an older patient, a cancer sufferer. As their friendly discourse continues, she discovers his identity: Dr. Wernher von Braun, famous both as a Nazi rocket scientist, and as one of the NASA scientists responsible for the Apollo Missions. Also unfolded is the secretive Nazi drive to acquire evidence of the Aryan "race's" heavenly descent (like the emperors and pharaohs of many ancient civilizations, considered to be Divine). The Nazis also sought advanced alien technology. Dr. Braun had believed himself to be directly guided by a higher level entity since childhood, and reveals theories that rival, perhaps exceed, those of "Ancient Astronauts."