Initially this novel sounded goofy but you know what Steven R. Boyett has never let me down with any of his novels. They all have heart at the core, they all have action and they all live in my conscience since the first day I've read them. Highly recommended.

Annoyingly this expired before I was able to read it - would have liked to as have heard good things

This book was a very interesting read and it was a great break from sadness that deals with WWII. I liked how the characters from two different times interacted with each other in order to help each other in their goals. I do like how Farley's crew taught Wenda's people how to play baseball in order to unite everyone. Hope to read more books by Boyett.

At the height of the air war in Europe, Captain Joe Farley and the baseball-loving, wisecracking crew of the B-17 Flying Fortress Fata Morgana are in the middle of a harrowing bombing mission over East Germany when everything goes sideways. The bombs are still falling and flak is still exploding all around the 20-ton bomber as it is knocked like a bathtub duck into another world.

Suddenly stranded with the final outcasts of a desolated world, Captain Farley navigates a maze of treachery and wonder – and finds a love seemingly decreed by fate – as his bomber becomes a pawn in a centuries-old conflict between remnants of advanced but decaying civilizations. Caught among these bitter enemies, a vast power that has brought them here for its own purposes, and a terrifying living weapon bent on their destruction, the crew must use every bit of their formidable inventiveness and courage to survive. Climb aboard and hold on tight for this cinematic, meticulously researched adventure that’s part Band of Brothers, part James Cameron movie, part Casablanca, and 100% edge-of-the-seat breakout thriller.

Steven R. Boyett and Ken Mitchroney’s Fata Morgana is an excellent genre-crossing adventure melding sci-fi, romance, and alt-history to create a great read. We meet our crew in the prologue as they crash land their damaged bomber on the shores of England after a harrowing bombing run, after which they receive their new plane: The B-17 Flying Fortess named “Fata Morgana”. Emblazoned with the image of a mysterious woman who haunts the dreams of Captain Joe Farley, the Fata Morgana is the epitome of technology for the time, designed to barrel through flak and anti-aircraft shots on its mission to bomb a Nazi weapons base. However, during their maiden flight, a mysterious interference causes them to be transported to a desolate world, where the survivors of a truly global war eke out a stark existence, battling each other and hiding from a war-machine called the Typhon.

I really enjoyed how the perspective moves between the crew members of the Fata Morgana, creating an almost 3 dimensional view around the plane as they maneuver through incredibly harrowing battle scenes! The depiction of aerial warfare is thrilling, edge-of-your seat stuff.

The authors use brief interjections to really emphasize and reorient impactful moments experienced by the crew members. This creates interesting tableaus, but are sometimes a little disruptive to the flow of the story. The authors’ experiences writing for film and television is really well-applied, as the whole book has a very cinematic quality. However, after digesting the book for a while, certain elements felt a little shallow. For example, depictions of the mysterious device the Typhon guards didn’t really hit home for me, as the descriptive elements overwhelmed the point of what it was actually supposed to be. As well, the romantic plot, though emotional, didn’t really have much depth, but relied instead on the (albeit clever) shorthand of the painted plane to lend it significance (not to give too much away).

These few shortcomings are nothing in the overall scheme of the book though. If you want a rollicking fun read with just enough romance and loss to create an emotional impact, then you’ve got that plus a really unique addition to the science fiction genre full of action, twists and turns! I give it 4.5 glasses of wine, because it packs a punch and made me want to keep reading!

Quick read, fast action, lightweight. Lots of improbable deus ex machina escapes, even accepting the suspension of disbelief necessary in speculative fiction.

I'm not totally sure what I expected when I picked this one up, but I'm glad I did. Normally, I stick to one genre or the other, but this had a mix of Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, and Fantasy. You can tell just by reading that so much research went into this book. I'm serious. It's evident from page one.

I don't know that I would have intentionally sought this book out, but the flight scenes were gorgeously written and the humor was pretty spot on. Although out of my comfort zone, I don't regret it one bit.

Rating: 4/5 stars

What a fabulous book- I highly recommend it! My main reading genres are science and historical fiction. What a joy these two genres are melded in Fata Morgana, a very special B-17 Flying Fortress. I thoroughly enjoyed Steven Ambrose’s characters, who have a timeless feel. Fata Morgana was well-researched, fun and hard to put down. The pacing and action kept me up into the wee hours.

I received a free copy of Fata Morgana in exchange for an honest review-thanks NetGalley!

I thought I would be disappointed as this book started out as another 'how the americans won the war'....how wrong I was. It was stunning, thrilling, completely unexpected and I couldn't put it down. History, time travel, science fiction, emotion... amazing! Well worth a read and I highly recommend it.

When I started it I thought it was going to be some sort of historical fiction novel, but after finishing it I would say it's a blend of historical fiction and science fiction. The plot revolves around a young group of B-17 bomber crewmen and the author really nails the time period and American slang used among young soldiers in the war. The crew each have noticeable personalities which made it easy to feel like I was hanging out with "the guys" as their conversations danced across the pages. The author had me laughing in the opening paragraphs and then at periods throughout the rest of the book.

The story keeps you guessing as the mysteries of the "other world" unfold, and the author does an excellent job weaving a tale of mystery and adventure. I was pleasantly surprised at how good this book was as I'd never heard of this author, and I'm not generally a fan of historical fiction. It's hard to write much more about it without spoiling it for a future reader. I'll just say by the latter half of the book I was swiping pages (Kindle) with excitement to figure out what would happen next.

The nitty-gritty: An exciting time travel adventure that is, at its heart, a love letter to the B17 Flying Fortress bomber.

It’s been six years since Steve Boyett published Mortality Bridge, and so I was thrilled to find out he had a new book coming out this year, co-authored by his good friend Ken Mitchroney. Fata Morgana is set in two time periods, first in WWII Europe, where the crew of the B17F bomber the Fata Morgana is getting ready for their next mission, and later in a far-flung future Europe where the world has more or less been destroyed. As you might guess, both these time periods are connected by the Morgana, who somehow manages to fly through a rift in midair during a brutal flak attack.

Upon landing in this strange new world, Captain Joe Farley and his crew meet some of the locals, including a woman named Wennda who takes an interest in Farley. But not everyone in this world is friendly, and before they know it, the Fata Morgana has been captured for some nefarious purpose. Farley and the boys want nothing more than to go back home, but first they’re going to have to get their bomber back.

Boyett and Mitchroney have clearly done their homework, and then some. The beginning scenes of the book drop the reader firmly in the middle of the action, where we meet the crew members and are given a detailed and loving tour through the belly of the bomber. If you don't already know what ball turrets and bombardiers are, don’t worry. The authors manage to convey a lot of technical information about just how a B17 bomber runs without sacrificing story or characters. Usually I’m not that interested in war stories, but I have to admit the scenes in the air, flying along with Farley, Broben, Shorty and the rest, were some of my favorites. And despite the banter and laughter among the crew, this is war, and the violence is often unexpected and shocking.

And boy does the dialogue feel authentic! I can imagine Boyett and Mitchroney watching hours and hours of old movies starring Humphrey Bogart and Spencer Tracy in order to get their patter down. The story is filled with cheesy expressions like “Now we’re cooking with gas” and “What’s the beef?” but as cheesy as these are to the modern reader, they certainly added to the story. And true to the times, feminism is nowhere to be found (at least until Wennda enters the picture), so a word of warning to female readers who may not be too keen on hearing a “dame” described as a “blue plate special.” But all in all, it was great fun and I loved these details.

Once the Morgana winds up in the future, the story abruptly shifts gears. The world was a fascinating one—although the “event” that destroyed the world isn’t really explained, and you’re going to have to suspend your disbelief about how the entire planet has been blown up, except for a small group of people living in a crater. Once on the ground, Farley and his crew soon discover that there are two factions who don’t get along: those who live in the Dome, like Wennda and Yone, and those in the Redoubt. The authors spend quite a bit of time describing the lay of the land, but for some reason I could never clearly picture what was going on. This middle section was also the slowest, and after finishing the book I much preferred the action in the air to that on the ground.

But some of the SF details were wonderfully done. I especially loved the dangerous creature/robot called the Typhon (and I would have loved a whole story centered around it!). Part machine, part organic something, the few scenes with the Typhon were some of the creepiest in the book. I also enjoyed the biobots, spider-like mechanical repair drones who seem to be one thing, but turn out to be much more. The only futuristic detail I didn't care for—and made me laugh every time it was mentioned—was a “cellophone,” a cell phone made of, you guessed it, cellophane. It felt like Boyett and Mitchroney were trying to be too clever, and it just felt out of place with the rest of the story.

Stories about people from two different time periods coming together and trying to understand each other have been done plenty of times before, but I thought the authors did a great job. Some of the funniest moments were Wennda and Farley getting to know each other, but they were also some of the sweetest. Yes, there’s a romance, but it’s not the main focus of the story. Just like an old black and white movie, their relationship was sweet and G-rated.

The last quarter of the book is non-stop, as the Fata Morgana crew tries to get back home. Because the story takes place over Germany, I wasn’t surprised when the Nazis entered the picture, and I thought the authors did some very clever things with that scenario. I absolutely adored the Epilogue, which yes, ties just about everything up very nicely. The ending was unexpectedly bittersweet, which is how I like my endings, by the way.

A lot goes on in Fata Morgana, but Boyett and Mitchroney handle it all with grace and style, and for two seasoned writers, I wouldn’t expect anything less. Thrilling and nostalgic, with a cast of lovable characters that I couldn’t quit rooting for, history buffs and sci-fi fans alike are going to love this book.

Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.

If you like WWII stories, you'll like this. If you like them with lots of accurate detail about the planes and their crews, you'll REALLY like it, because the authors have really done their homework. This meticulously researched yarn had me glued to my kindle until the very last page and wishing it were just a few pages longer. It was that good.

Wow this was a mashup of Sci Fi .alternate universe and the Twilight zone.How do you describe this book? I'm not sure I know,I guess you have to suspend your disbelief and just go along for the ride and just jump into the story.It was certainly different, I love authors who think outside the box, this one most definitely didn't have a box to start with. What they do have is great imagination and a sense of fun and the book reflects that,if you are looking for something completely different, pull up your chair, you've found it.Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for an honest review.

“Fata Morgana” eBook was published in 2017 and was written by Steven R. Boyett (http://www.steveboy.com) and Ken Mitchroney. Mr. Boyett has published six novels and this is the first for Mr. Mitchroney.

I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The story is set during World War II. Captain Joe Farley and his B-17 crew are on a bombing mission over Germany. While trying to avoid pursuing German fighters, they fly through an odd storm and end up in another place and time. A desolated world with two groups of humans at war with each other.

Farley and his crew struggle to survive. They fall in with one group of humans, but must struggle on their own to regain their aircraft and try to find their way back home. Farley meets the beautiful Wennda, who is mysteriously the girl of his dreams that is depicted on his plane’s nose art.

Farley and his crew struggle to make it home, fighting the humans they encounter on the desolate world as well as autonomous weapons which attack anyone caught in the open. Will the crew survive? Will they be able to get back to their England? What will happen to the lovely Wennda?

I enjoyed the 8.5 hours I spent reading this 329 page Science Fiction novel. I did have a little trouble as to why the humans found on this desolate world spoke understandable English. An explanation was given but it was a weak one in my opinion. Ignoring that detail I thought that this was an interesting story. I wasn’t a fan of all the wisecrack responses that the crew gave to one another and their new allies. The cover art is OK. I give this novel a 4.4 (rounded down to a 4) out of 5.

Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

"Fata Morgana" is an interesting read. For one thing, it, initially at least, defies easy classification. It puts this reader in mind of an episode of "The Twilight Zone." Now for those of you who recall that series, this is not such a bad thing. It is a mishmash of Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Science Fiction, with a large dose of 1940's era nostalgia and modern whimsey thrown in. The writers demonstrate a clear and often moving mastery of English prose; I have seldom encountered a more visceral description of the horrors of flying bombing missions over Europe in WWII. At the same time, the nostalgia I referenced, together with the whimsey. serves to take the hard edge off and offer other, more lyrical delights. It is, candidly, not a book I would purchase for myself (this review is a result of my having access to a prepublication copy), but my tastes are a bit too hard edged for most, and I suspect that there is quite a market out there for this sort of thin. The authors' attention to detail is admirable for the action/technology enthusiast without in any way detracting from the human interest angles of the tale (and there are many). Remember a film called "The Final Countdown"? In some respects, there are similarities. If you enjoy action/adventure/fantasy/history you might find this just the thing to pass a quiet afternoon.

The first section of the book is a terrifically exciting account of a B17 bomber raid over Germany in World War 2 that has a real sense of authenticity. It’s here we are first introduced to the wise-cracking but close-knit crew of the Fata Morgana, led by Captain Joe Farley. Suddenly, however, from WW2 historical fiction, the book mutates into science fiction as the aircraft and its crew is transported through some kind of vortex into a seemingly alien world.

They find themselves and their stricken plane in a bleak, desolate landscape where two competing cities are all that remains after a global apocalypse. Given shelter by one of the cities, the crew are introduced to the inhabitants’ advanced technology but, in a nice twist, they are still able to use their 20th century skills to solve some problems. The world they encounter has an unfamiliar social structure where, from necessity, both sexes perform equal roles, including combat. This is just one of the nods to the changes brought about by WW2 in the real world.

Conveniently the inhabitants of the new world speak English but there are some amusing exchanges as they are introduced to the crew’s American idioms. For example, this conversation between Farley and Wennda, the woman he finds himself attracted to and senses some strange connection with.

Farley scratched beneath his crush cap. “Look, I’ll level with you, okay?”
“Okay”, she said. “Whatever levelling with me means.”
“It means I’ll be honest.”
“Have you not been?”
“No, I’ve been straight with you.”
“Is that the same as being level?”
“You’re making my head hurt.”

I won’t spoil it by explaining much more of what happens but the whole thing is a glorious mash-up of The Twilight Zone, The Flight of the Phoenix and The Time Machine (not so much the H G Wells book as the 1960 film starring Rod Taylor). It’s well-written, funny, with plenty of action and I really enjoyed it. I found the ending quite touching.

I received an advance reader copy courtesy of NetGalley and publishers, Blackstone Publishing, in return for an honest review.

I received this book for free via Netgalley in exchange for a fair review
This WWII meets sci-fi story is very much in the tradition of H Rider Haggard and Edgar Rice Burroughs’ John Carter series, and indeed draws on a theme going much further back in legends and sagas. You can also point to similar themes in many works include those of HG Wells and CS Lewis
The hero (here accompanied by a band of followers, here in the guise of a WWII bomber crew) is pulled into a mysterious realm where he faces challenges, falls for the “princess” and encounters tricksters and in the end must make hard choices to fulfil his “quest”. All of which leaves him unable to quite fit in either “world”.
In the course of his adventures we have some engaging set piece sections from war-time air battles to unrelentless sci-fi creatures. This is not a surprise given the authors both have connections to film industry – indeed some of the sections would perhaps work better on screen. This may be particularly true of the surreal, “deus ex machina” sequence which didn’t particularly work on the page and didn’t leave me with a clear idea of what the “monster” had been protecting.
There are plenty of “twists” along the way, although some are predictable because of the story telling traditions drawn on. However, some, especially one towards the end are cleverly put together and the clues are all in the story when you look back.
Beyond the action set pieces, this book is strongest where it looks at people’s relationship with technology and this is the subtlest part of the story telling. From getting the plane in the air at the start to the final denouements we see people who have both symbiotic or problem-solving relationships, to those who are effectively in thrawl to it. The idea of coxing limping technology along and generations of engineers signing their work are great images that feed into this key theme and are well handled.
For those like me, who read a lot of si-fi and fantasy – a warning, there is a frustrating element in the ending that left me muttering about paradoxes
This is an easy read on the whole and the story carried me along but not one I will particularly remember.

I tried reading this one, but I just wasn't into it.. I wanted to try something different from what I normally read, but it is just not my cup of tea.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars (rounded up to 3)

This was a weird book. I don't really know how to categorize it. The book is set during WWII and follows a group of men that crew a B-17 bomber. They are flying a mission over Germany when the plane is sucked into another dimension. The crew is stuck in a decaying world between two groups of last survivors. Their plane is confiscated by one group and the men are rescued by the other. Then there's the problem of a huge machine guarding the portal that seems to be alive. The rest of the book covers the crew's experience with this strange world and their attempt to recover their plane and return to the world they know.

The first third of the book is bogged down by far too much detail about planes and their mechanics and operation. I'm sure that some people would enjoy these details, but I feel that they dragged the story down considerably. I found myself skimming huge sections of the book during this part of the story. Once the plane enters the new dimension, it picks up a bit, but still found myself skimming sections that got bogged down in too much detail. Some of the crew members were entertaining, but overall I found the story blah. I liked the interaction between Farley and one of the females from the other dimension, but I didn't really buy their instant love connection and undying love for each other. It just seemed forced and out of place.

I guess this book is historical science fiction (Is that a thing?) because I can't think of any other way to describe it. It was just meh, and honestly, I couldn't wait to finish the book to just get it over with. All things considered, I'd pass on this book.

This was a nicely put together sci fi read, but it was far too technical and military in terms of genre for me.