Kursk - greatest story fought
Last Citadel

By David L. Robbins.
Orion Trade
$29.95

Reviewer :: Pte John Wellfare

David Robbins' fifth novel excels in some ways and fails in others so equally that I can't decide whether I like it or not.

Set during WW2, a time visited by Robbins twice before, Last Citadel focuses on the clash of Russian and German forces at Kursk, widely regarded as one of the decisive battles of the war.

David Robbins is a storyteller more than he is a writer and like so many elements of this book, it works both for and against him.

The story of Kursk is relayed from the viewpoints of a number of different people on both sides of the conflict, a great approach and Robbins, to his credit, has not portrayed either the Russian or German soldiers unfairly.

As each individual's story unfolds, every minor conflict experienced is nail-bitingly intense and a number of incredible WW2 anecdotes are woven into the story seamlessly.

Robbins has also researched his subject extensively, down to the quirks exhibited by certain vehicles of the time and the nature of certain famous battlefields.

Where Last Citadel falls down is in the writing; Robbins is never able to do more than tell the story.

When the viewpoint shifts from a female Russian pilot to a male German tank commander, there is nothing in the writing to signal this change.

The writing also fails to convey the period in a way that, like so many elements of Last Citadel, both adds to and detracts from the novel's sense of presence.

What really ruined this book for me was the fact that all the characters, Russian and German alike, had the same inner voice; a decidedly modern, American voice. Last Citadel is a good story and a bad piece of writing all at once, there are some moments when it's hard to put down, but it could be so much better if only it were better written.