Hell Above Earth Audiobook By Stephen Frater cover art

Hell Above Earth

The Incredible True Story of an American WWII Bomber Commander and the Copilot Ordered to Kill Him

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Hell Above Earth

By: Stephen Frater
Narrated by: Pete Larkin
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Hell Above Earth tells an unforgettable story of two World War II American bomber pilots who forged an unexpected but enduring bond in the flak-filled skies over Nazi Germany. But there's a twist: one of them was related to the head of the Luftwaffe, Reich Marshal Herman Goering, and the other had secret orders from FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover to kill him if anything went wrong during their missions. A heart-wrenching Greatest Generation buddy story, an adrenaline-filled account of aerial combat, and a work of popular history, Hell Above Earth centers around the author's discovery of a half-century old secret that has far-reaching and deeply personal repercussions for the pilots, and profound consequences for the FBI and the "Mighty" Eighth Air Force.

©2012 Stephen Frater (P)2012 Tantor Air Forces Americas Armed Forces Military Military & War Wars & Conflicts World War II War US Air Force Aviation

Critic reviews

"After the twists and turns in Goering's many missions, Frater finishes with a stunning revelation. . . the author delivers an exciting read full of little-known facts about the war. A WWII thrill ride." ( Kirkus)
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What a ride! I can’t imagine what these men went through just trying through just trying to survive a war that killed everyone around them given the high mortality rates of bomber crews in general. Add to that the weight of a secret order of execution, and you have the making of a Hollywood movie. Told with poignant insight and respect to each of the men and fellow comrades in flight, Hell Above Earth is a story of survival, grief, and the bonds of friendship that guide or cement the men of the Greatest Generation. Highly recommend for anyone interested in, or scholars of, WWII Air Wars.

Absolutely incredible!!

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Overall a great listen and well thought out book. Great story telling and lots of information.

How well researched the book was.

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The story telling and depth of the stories was great. There were a few chapters that I felt went off track with the title of the book, however, it was summed up so nicely at the end that I would suggest this to all fellow readers

Would recommend

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Stories and warfare that I was not aware of. The bravery and valor of the boy/men who were thrown into war with little training and understanding of existance and warfare at 25000 feet altitude.

The horrors of war!

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Two very interesting men are descibed in this book. This is one of those stories which lack much historical significance yet is interesting none less. There were parts of the story where I got lost as the author was trying to provide context. Not always sure that the context or asides were necessary. Not sure the author was following a linear time line or not. Still quite an unusual story. I don't want to give away the story as you're quickly told why this pilot can not fall in to German hands.

A very unusual story

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Didn’t happen, don’t believe it. No way they would have put the nephew in that theater of operations if they were that concerned about him being captured or defecting. Just send him to the Pacific or better yet, keep him state side.

Fiction

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The specifics of the actual story are fine and interesting however, much of the book bounces back and fourth between a small part of the title story and repetitive facts most know. And if you don't know the fact, don't worry, several times the exact same information is repeated verbatim.

Ultimately it's a good premise compiled with repetitive filler information that has nothing to do with the context of the subject.

Repetative

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This is probably the most boring book I have ever listened to. If I wanted a pre-war history lesson about Hermann Goering, J. Edgar Hoover and even Charles Lindburgh, I would not have looked for it in a book touted to be an "Incredible True Story of an American WWII Bomber Commander". It's about Werner Goering, the nephew of the Nazi Reichsmarschall and Commander of the German Luftwaffe who immigrated ti the US prior to the war and became a B-17 Bomber pilot. Consequently, his family relationships (and name) caused great concern to the FBI.

Yawwwwwnnnnnn.......

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This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Someone who would enjoy reading, say, the US tax code.

Any additional comments?

Terrible book. The time devoted to the story line would have added up to maybe 31 minutes. The other 9 hours was a collection of disjointed stories, thumbnail biographies and statistics.Pete Larkins narration was dry as could be, although in retrospect, it's a wonder he didn't fall asleep during it....

Dry as dust

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The premise of this book sounds more interesting then it actually is. Ultimately, the pilot was never seen as disloyal by his crew and had a spotless record. The author knows this and spends most of the book using and reusing information that most interested readers would know. Maybe 5% of the book is actually about what it's supposed to be about and it's not all that shocking, exciting, or interesting.

Meh

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