The story follows the lives of three 20 year olds in the months leading up to the outbreak of WW2; Karl, an ambitious member of the Sicherheitsdienst is in Austria keen to ease the road for the German takeover. Felix, works with his father in their bike shop in the Jewish quarter of Vienna. Adela is a young government employee in Prague.
Their paths cross as Europe moves towards war.
An insight into the lives of those caught up in extraordinary times. My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc.

An interesting view of World War II from the perspective of life prior to the outbreak of war in 1939. Set in 1938 this story covers the annexation of Austria and the growth of the Third Reich through the perceived growing Jewish problem.
Felix Wolff is Jewish and he watches as his city of Vienna and particularly the Jewish district of Leopoldstadt transforms into a nightmare. As people are rounded up and sent to unknown destinations, Felix's father is bound for Dachau. Felix makes a decision that puts him directly in the Gestapo's sights.
Karl Vogt is a rising star of the Third Reich. He is entrusted with solving the Jewish problem and his zeal unknowingly helps lay out the groundwork for one of history's greatest atrocities.
In Prague, Adela Beran works as a translator in the foreign ministry. Feeling powerless to protect her country and loved ones, Adela seizes the opportunity to resist. To fail will mean certain death, but success could mean freedom for herself and her loved ones.
As war moves closer, the fates of these three collide and no one, not the oppressed or the oppressors, is truly safe.
I have read many fiction stories set during both WWI and WWII but have not read or learned enough about the events leading up to either war. Fiction stories always lend to reading more and learning the history of both world wars. For this, I thank authors like Michael Reit for prompting further education about a time that effects the world still.
I believe there may be further books about Felix, Karl and Adela and I certainly hope so.
Thank you Michael Reit and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story prior to publication.

The entire story was difficult to follow and felt disjointed. I urge you to persevere through the beginning. I learned quite a bit about events leading up to WWII. A gift the author has is character development. By the end of the story I was well invested into the lives of Felix, Dieter and Adela. I abhor Karl. I believe there will be a follow up book and I do plan to read it. The history was well researched.

I was blessed with an ARC from NetGalley and my opinions are unbiased.

Questa storia è dura, struggente e ti rimane addosso. Ti fa arrabbiare, ti spezza il cuore… ma, in mezzo a tutto questo buio, c’è anche qualche piccolo spiraglio di speranza. Reit ha una penna che va dritta al cuore: si sente tutta la sua ricerca, la cura nei dettagli, la potenza del racconto, i personaggi vivi e l’ambientazione che ti avvolge. Alcuni particolari, tipo il sistema di voto manipolato, sono agghiaccianti e affascinanti insieme. Una bella lettura che tutti dovrebbero fare per fare sì che non succeda mai più, ovunque nel mondo.

Despite the slow start, this turned into an interesting and hard hitting story of the Nazi’s take-over of Austria and Czechoslovakia from both the points of view of a German Nazi eager to make his career, an Austrian Jew trying to survive Buchenwald, and a Czech woman working for Czech Intelligence. I hope there will be more of this story!

An edge of your seat WWII novel. The characters do all they can to protect their Jewish heritage. It is very well researched. Michael Reit is a fantastic author.

This book was eye opening to say the least. A beautifully woven story that leaves you thinking and wanting more. I will think about this book for a while!!

This is my seventh book that I've read by the amazing Michael Reit. Like all of his books 📖, The Eagle's Shadow is a page turner. All of the characters are written so that you really get to know each of them. The writing is so descriptive & captivating, you see & experience what each of them does. It's remarkable what Felix endures. He goes to hell and back a few times. "Don't drop the rock. One step at a time. Don't let go." (Words that help you go on, when it's getting difficult to move forward).

Question, can one person make a difference? The answer is yes. Adela, along with Olaf, and Mattias are three that make a difference. Our actions may it be small, it can change the future for one person and for many lives.

Karl, the Nazi that helps put things in motion in fixing the Jewish problem. It's unbelievable seeing what he strives to do and what he accomplishes. ("I live only to serve you." He bowed his head. "My Fuhrer.")

I look forward in seeing what lies ahead in the future of our characters in the books to follow.

Publication date of April 24, 2025 for this 5 star ⭐ read. Enjoy ❤️.

Thank you Netgalley for an ebook advanced reader copy.

Michael Reit is a reliably brilliant historical fiction author, one of my personal favourites. The Eagle's Shadow is the wonderful opener in his new Covert War Chronicles series which takes place mainly in Austria on the cusp of World War II. But unlike many novels of the era, this one gives a fresh pre-war perspective, including the Czechoslovakia connection.

In 1938, Hitler and his Nazis are sweeping in and Jewish persecution escalates. The Wolf family members are Austrian first, Jewish second. Felix and his father stand firm until impossible to do so. When his father is taken to Dachau, Felix makes a desperate decision. In doing so, his fate is sealed and he witnesses and endures horror after horror every second of every day. Prisoners are humiliated, demoralized, tortured, starved, diseased, crawling with vermin, and murdered for sport. Families do not know whether their loved ones are dead or alive. Meanwhile in Prague, translator Adela risks her life in the resistance as she does everything she possibly can to secure aid for others. The cost is couldn't be higher. She knows exactly what will happen if she gets caught. Her selfless actions put a target on her back.

Karl Vogt is on fire for the Nazis and stops at nothing to climb the Sicherheitsdienst ladder. He makes himself known to those in high ranks and constantly is thinking of ways to expediently remove the Jewish problem. His suggestions are met with approval and evil begets evil.

The story is harrowing, haunting, poignant, emotionally crushing and infuriating. But there are also slivers of hope even in the grimmest circumstances. Reit's writing always gets me in the heart with his insight, obvious research, storytelling, setting and characters. Details such as the twisted voting are fascinating. But the sacrifices are what shattered me most. There are no words for what millions of innocent people endured during the Holocaust. The more we become informed, the better.

This a very interesting book about how, people believed what they were told but didn't understand! Kinda scary how many of us think this maybe happening again!! The world let Hitler take over thinking it wasn't as bad as they were told!

This novel was a startling experience! Whereas most WWII novels deal with the actual war, this book is about what actually led to the conflict and very importantly here , how it all happened. This is extremely interesting: how subtle and with good psychological knowledge, many events were orchestrated ! Through some ordinary people in Vienna and Prague, we follow the development of this enormous strategic organisation step by step... The reader clearly understands how the pre-war situation affected the general population and somehow how it all came to what we know about the Second World War. A cleverly structured plot! I will impatiently for book 2 in the series.

I have received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.

The Eagle's Shadow has taken me out of the shadows. Most of the books I have read only deal with one situation, one group. Most of the books are about the allies. I have gained a lot of peeks into what happened to the allies, what happened to those that remained. I have little knowledge about the Nazi perspective. I don't even know where to even look to gain knowledge.

This story gave me glimpses into those that were at risk, those stuck in the middle and those that were out to take over as much as possible to create the perfect world within their eyes. I have gained knowledge as I tried to keep my emotions out of my reactions (Oh my, that was difficult). I have been given places to look. I have been given more people to search and explore. Although this is a work of fiction; the historical connection had be fascinated.

Travel back in time and see how the Germans planned and manipulated to reach their goals. Learn of the struggles of Felix, a Jew, as he tries to survive. Follow Adela as she helps work against the Germans from within. She is constantly at risk as she gains knowledge and shares with the resistance. Through these characters and those that surround them; the author paints a picture that must not be repeated.

Covert War Chronicles, book #1

This page-turner historical fiction focusses on the lesser-known events and people in World War 11

March 1938, Vienna, Austria

The story brings us to Leopoldstadt Austria at the time its residents were being rounded and sent to unknown destinations. Felix Wolff’s plays a pivotal role in this story.

Known for his ruthless efficiency Karl Vogt of the Sicherheitsdienst will unknowingly lay the groundwork for one of history’s greatest atrocities.

While in Prague we follow Adela Beran, a translator, aiding the resistance…failure is a certain death but success will mean freedom….

My thoughts:

The author’s chilling words paint beautifully the treacherous game of survival in a world consumed by fear. Rich and graphic it is easy to visualize each moment. Imagine seeing cities destroyed, friends and family killed or seeing yourself in a concentration camp …. your world as you know it gone for ever. Through the eyes and voices of the characters you will feel this in “The Eagle’s Shadow”

The pacing is smooth, steady and perfectly done, everything is natural. Integrating local flavour, foreign words, streets names and food as examples adds authenticity to the account.

I love historical fiction and when it is well done as this story is you not only are captivated by it, you may even learn something new.

Excellent as always Mr. Reit keep the interesting account of past events coming.

“The Eagle’s Shadow” is a WWII historical fiction book by Michael Reit. This book begins with the Nazi’s invading Austria then continuing on their journey to Poland. I know so little about Hitler’s takeover of Czechoslovakia, that learning more about that was interesting. The largest fault I had with this book was the pacing, which was uneven and, at times, the not always smooth writing.

The Eagle's Shadow is an interesting read, though it didn't fully captivate me. The plot has potential with its action and historical elements, but the pacing felt uneven at times, and some characters could have been more developed. Overall, it’s an enjoyable story, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression.

I've read all of all of Michael Reit's novels, but I found this one the least compelling. I did find the historical elements very informative. I was interested in the maneuvering of the Nazi's as they invaded Austria, then the Sudetenland, the Czech's, and finally Poland. I was involved with the characters and cared about their struggles to evade capture, their confusion over which way to escape or where to go that would be safe. The situations Adela either put herself into or found herself in were really quite heroic. Felix's struggles were enormous, yet he never gave up. He was obviously the symbol of the whole of the few jews during the holocaust who were lucky enough to just "make it" through the help of friends, networks or pure perseverance.

Sometimes awkwardly written, this book soon began to capture my attention, and in the end I rate it a four-star introduction to the beginnings of the Second World War in Europe, from the Austrian Anchluss to the invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939. I especially enjoyed (if that's the right word) Hitler's takeover of Czechoslovakia, when a clever and relentless bully outwitted Britain and France to get his way, just as Putin is playing the Trump administration today. A cast of sympathetic characters, from Karl the opportunistic Nazi to Felix the enterprising Jew, brings these events to fictional life. Well done, altogether.

I found this to be an intriguing historical fiction that is set on the cusp of the second world war. It portrays the takeovers of Austria and Czechoslovakia from 3 different viewpoints, Felix: a young jewish man living in Vienna, Adela: a young women in Czechoslovakia who works for the government, and finally, Karl: a Nazi who's work for the party has him deployed into several key areas as the story unfolds. This was my first novel that explored the years leading into the war and it was such a fascinating look at what life was likely like for those living in the counties that first fell under Nazi control. It took me a couple chapters to get into the storylines but once I was in, I was hooked! The pacing of the story was perfectly done, and the POVs shifting felt insanely natural with the progression of the plot. The characters were unique yet relatable in their own ways and each brought something different that added to the story. I really like how the author integrated many German and Czech words throughout, anything from street names, titles, foods etc, as it added to the authenticity, making you feel as though you're in the story with the characters.
This is the first book in "The Covert War Chronicles" and I cannot wait for the author to continue on in the series.