• Hornet Flight

  • By: Ken Follett
  • Narrated by: John Lee
  • Length: 14 hrs and 1 min
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (4,036 ratings)

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Hornet Flight  By  cover art

Hornet Flight

By: Ken Follett
Narrated by: John Lee
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Publisher's summary

It's June 1941, and the low point of the war. England throws wave after wave of RAF bombers across the Channel, but somehow the Luftwaffe is able to shoot them down at will. The skies, indeed, the war itself seem to belong to Hitler.

On a Danish island across the North Sea, Harald Olufsen stumbles upon a secret German installation. With England preparing its largest aerial assault, what Harald has discovered may turn the course of the war, but the race to convey the information could have terrible consequences for everyone close to him. For his older brother, Arne, a pilot in the Danish air force, and for Arne's fiancee, Hermia, an intelligence analyst desperate to resurrect the foundering Danish resistance. And most of all, for Harald himself.

Filled with knife-edge suspense and rich, tantalizing characters, this is Ken Follett writing at the top of his form, unforgettable storytelling from an unforgettable writer.

Don't miss Ken Follet discussing the history of the thriller and its role in literature at the 92nd Street Y.
©2002 Ken Follett (P)2002 Penguin Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"An intricately woven espionage yarn... a gritty picture of the spy game and wartime Europe." (People)

"Follett at his compelling best." (The Hartford Courant)

"Zips along to an exhilarating climax." (Entertainment Weekly)

What listeners say about Hornet Flight

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,408
  • 4 Stars
    1,205
  • 3 Stars
    334
  • 2 Stars
    62
  • 1 Stars
    27
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    2,250
  • 4 Stars
    652
  • 3 Stars
    137
  • 2 Stars
    37
  • 1 Stars
    15
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,970
  • 4 Stars
    815
  • 3 Stars
    245
  • 2 Stars
    38
  • 1 Stars
    22

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

An Outstanding Spy Novel

As a fan of the spy novel, especially World War II spy stories, this is on top of my list with the best I have read. I enjoyed the reader, John Lee's, exceptional ability to read with appropriate accents for the Danish and German characters, it added much to the listen. This is the first time I have read anything by Kem Follett, but I guarentee it will not be the last. I was intrigued and captivated by the plot and the characters. It was a plausable plot, with very little strech on one's imagination, it could have been a true story. I recommend this to any Spy Novel fan as a book they are sure to enjoy! I Loved it.

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50 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

An entertaining listen

You can never go wrong with Ken Follett and this book does not disappoint. An interesting plot, exciting ending and a good reading all contribute to an enjoyable listen.

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31 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Never a Dull Moment

This is one of the better Audible books I have heard. It is set in Nazi-occupied Denmark. The author leads off with the statement, "Some of what follows really happened." Sometimes that is an indication that the plot will be preposterous. Not in this case. The story has an authentic feel to it. The characters are likeable or hatable as appropriate and well developed. Best of all, the story grabs you quickly and never lulls.
Try Hornet Flight; you will enjoy it.

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25 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Thoroughly enjoyable

This was a long book, and honestly, all the action could probably have been written in half the length. And yet, I was never bored - the period details, the characterizations, and the highly detailed settings made for a compelling listen in addition to the excitement of the plot. As mentioned by others, this is rarely a edge-of-your-seat thriller, although at least one scene left my heart pounding. But it's a fascinating, entertaining, and unique tale. John Lee is not a narrator I believe I have heard before, but I may seek out more by him now - his deep baritone and subtle speaking accent were quite compelling (picture a mix of James Earl Jones and Sean Connery), and his choices of voicings for the characters were well-done and consistent.

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22 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

A Fun WWII Yarn

But not one of Follett's best efforts. I always enjoy John Lee as reader and this book with keep you engaged but won't tax you much. Read in between some more difficult books to cleanse the palette, so to speak.

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21 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Great story about brothers and lovers

I learned a lot about arial fights in WWII and about a Nazi resistance I never knew existed. The characters were well developed as I've come to expect from Ken Follett. I'd give it a five star, but there are other books out there like Pillar's of the Earth that get the fiver.

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20 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

A Great Listen...

Listened to this driving to and from visting relatives out of state over the Easter weekend. Kept my attention the entire time, just as one would expect from Ken Follet. Good story, good narration. I recommend it!!

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19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Good War Time Adventure

A fairly good story for those who want a drama set in war time, do not want to get overwhelmed by the technology of war, and don't mind seeing a relationship develop along the way. I would not say that the book was riveting or a real page turner, the flashes of intensity are few and far between. On the other hand, there are enough compelling characters and enough intertwining of events to keep you intrigued enough to move along and to begin cheering for the main character by the end. This is probably a real good recommendation for true Follett fans.

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17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

What a great adventure!

You won't be disappointed with this wonderful story. The plot had several interesting twists and the characters were very well portrayed. This spy novel really makes you feel connected to each and every character. Also, the narration was easy to understand and the accents were believeable. I found the story very entertaining and will definately try other Ken Follett titles.

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15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

John Lee is the best narrator ever! Great Book Too

Would you consider the audio edition of Hornet Flight to be better than the print version?
Absolutely! The narrator somehow knows exactly how the book is to be read.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Hornet Flight?
I don't want to say without spoiling it for others.

What about John Lee’s performance did you like?
Everything! He is a master at changing his voice for each character! How he does it is a mystery! Beautiful job!

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12 people found this helpful