Codes of Courage

Author: A.L. Sowards
Genre: Historical Fiction
Series: Heirs of Falcon Point #1
Pages: 344
Release Date: October 10, 2023
Publisher: Covenant Communications

1940
Austrian refugee Karl Lang has lost everything—his country, his home, and his family. All that is left to him is a burning ambition to see the Nazis defeated. Desperate for work and a way to help the war effort, he finds the one place that will take a refugee like him: a supply steamer traversing a deadly path past enemy U-boats.

Since their first meeting, Millie Stevens has felt an undeniable connection to Karl. As the war rages, she shares his determination to oppose the Nazis and finds work at the British codebreaking center at Bletchley Park. There she uses all her intellect and determination to break German codes and read U-boat transmissions—or risk losing the man she loves.

Rolf Denhart will do anything to defend the Fatherland, including long patrols in a cramped U-boat. But rumors from Germany leave him uneasy, forcing a choice between loyalty to his homeland, the safety of his family, and his peace of conscience.

In the midst of war, three lives are woven together to create an epic tapestry of love and loss, joy and pain, sacrifice and courage.

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Reviewer: Elizabeth Rucker

This book was well thought out and well written. It took me longer to read it because I am not used to the military lingo, but the effort was well worth it. This was far away from my comfort zone, but it definitely met a high standard now that I read it.

The relationships between all of the characters that intertwined were genius. I felt as if the writing was well planned. Nothing seemed like it lacked a plot. There were no gaps at all.

The character development in the book was very good! And the story was beautiful. I loved the characters, and I cried with them. I loved the way it ended. The resolution was very well crafted. 

The trust that the characters had in God and the prayer element in it were very good. It made me feel as though I could trust in God and that no matter what, I could rely on Him! That message was amazing! I can’t find anything wrong with this book! 

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Covenant Communications through Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion.

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Reviewer: Laura J. Davis

If you enjoy WWII historical fiction, then you may like Codes of Courage by A.L. Soward.

While most WWII novels look at the perspectives of the allies, in Codes of Courage, the author has also included a German officer's (Rolf) perspective as he fights the "enemy" beneath the waters in a submarine. The level of research the author did is evident. At times, I felt claustrophobic as Rolf and his fellow officers endured all the smells one would encounter in an enclosed space.

The battles at sea and the results of those lost at sea were incredibly real and so well described that I had to keep reading to see who would get rescued and who would not. This was a very tense book!

Much of the novel takes place through letters between Karl and Millie, as he was at sea most of the time. Unfortunately, for me, their love story fell a little flat. While the letters indicated how long they were apart and how their feelings changed toward each other, in the end, it still felt rushed to me.

While the story moved along at a brisk pace and kept me reading, at times I also felt like part of the story was missing and had the feeling that this wasn't the first book in the series. And yet it is! I felt like I was supposed to know about Karl, his past, and his missing sisters. I suppose if the story hadn't just rushed everything, I would have felt more for him as a character. The end of the story threw me for a loop, and while it eventually tied everything up, it was not what I expected and still left some unanswered questions regarding some characters. I hope there will be a second book to clear them up!

In the end, this is a great WWII historical novel that will keep you entertained but also leave you with many questions.

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Covenant Communications through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

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