Scorched Earth
ISBN: 9781444902334
Description
As Allied soldiers prepare to land in France, Marc and his friends must destroy a battalion of German tanks that could halt the invasion in its tracks. The tide of war has turned against the Nazis, but desperation has made them more brutal than ever.
Reviewed on 9th December 2023
The final novel in the Henderson’s Boys series, a prequel to the Cherub series, depicts the brutal end period of the nazi occupation of France, from the points of view of a group of child secret agents working for the British.
As always, Muchamore feels like he does not shy away from graphic realism. That means that the sorts of things that happen in mid-20th Century wartime are going to be depicted in detail, so be prepared for that.
As a specific entry in the series, this one felt bitty to me. It’s clear from the timeline that these books are set that this needed to be the wrap up, but it achieves that by being made up of distinct episodes which don’t really ever feel like they flow together into a narrative. It’s more just a set of steps to get to the end. If this had all been one book, then maybe this would work as the climax, but it doesn’t feel like it strongly stands alone as a story.
Overall though I’ve found the series interesting to read. I think I enjoyed the original series more with its contemporary setting, but this one feels more educational, and assuming the realism extends to at least some historical accuracy, I feel I’ve learnt things.
