Book Review: Biggles and Co
Jul. 7th, 2022 08:27 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
osprey_archerBiggles and Co is my first Biggles book with von Stalhein, and I am DELIGHTED to inform you that Biggles and von Stalhein, Honorable Enemies, are just as slashy as promised.
So at the beginning of this book, a sleazy financier approaches Biggles to fly gold across the English channel. Biggles smells a rat and is about to refuse… when he receives a phone call, and a voice he almost recognizes tells him to turn down the job!
The voice is of course von Stalhein’s, and I strongly suspect that subconsciously Biggles DOES recognize it - later on, after all, he refers to it as a well-remembered voice - but he can’t quite grasp it because von Stalhein is supposed to be dead. Anyway, upon hearing this voice, Biggles performs an instant about-face and takes the job.
As the story develops, Biggles ends up as a prisoner in a German castle, where he is served tea and homemade cake. (I’m assuming von Stalhein has staff for this sort of thing but it is delightful to imagine von Stalhein baking a cake just for Biggles.) Biggles escapes from captivity, but as he is sneaking around the castle looking for his captive comrade Algy, he runs into von Stalhein!
“Major Bigglesworth,” he said quietly, “years ago I reported to my Higher Command that you had more nerve than any other officer in the British Flying Corps - no, don’t move, please.”
At the sound of the well-remembered voice Biggles’ nerves slipped back to normal like a piece of elastic when it is released from tension. He bowed. “And I, Hauptman von Stalhein, once had the honour to make the same report concerning you to the Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force in Palestine,” he said gravely.
Obviously if you run into your supposedly-dead nemesis, THE most important thing to do is to establish that you have the highest mutual respect for each other’s skills.
They proceed to snark at each other through the castle in a night-long cat-and-mouse game. At one point Biggles picks up a firearm from the castle’s museum of weaponry and bursts into von Stalhein’s office (where von Stalhein is having a talk with Algy), intending to shoot out the chandelier for a diversion - only for the gun to fail to explode.
“Your powder seems to be a trifle damp, Bigglesworth,” he observed dryly.
Biggles had lowered the rifle. “Yes, he said quietly. “I hope you’ll tell your armourer what I think about it.”
Finally, Biggles manages to gather all his comrades together for a final escape! Unfortunately, von Stalhein stands in their way, so Biggles “brought the butt [of the rifle] down sideways on the German’s closely cropped head. He hated doing it, but it was a matter of life or death now, and he had no alternative.”
He does not, I should note, have this same qualm about clocking von Stalhein’s minions: earlier, with nary a regret, he knocked out a footman to steal his uniform. (Von Stalhein teases Biggles that the uniform doesn’t fit right, and Biggles replies that he hasn’t yet been so see his tailor about it).. Hitting his arch-enemy von Stalhein, however? Only if he absolutely HAS to.
Epic. Glorious. Exactly the kind of sixty-book slow burn that we all deserve in our enemies-to-lovers stories.
So at the beginning of this book, a sleazy financier approaches Biggles to fly gold across the English channel. Biggles smells a rat and is about to refuse… when he receives a phone call, and a voice he almost recognizes tells him to turn down the job!
The voice is of course von Stalhein’s, and I strongly suspect that subconsciously Biggles DOES recognize it - later on, after all, he refers to it as a well-remembered voice - but he can’t quite grasp it because von Stalhein is supposed to be dead. Anyway, upon hearing this voice, Biggles performs an instant about-face and takes the job.
As the story develops, Biggles ends up as a prisoner in a German castle, where he is served tea and homemade cake. (I’m assuming von Stalhein has staff for this sort of thing but it is delightful to imagine von Stalhein baking a cake just for Biggles.) Biggles escapes from captivity, but as he is sneaking around the castle looking for his captive comrade Algy, he runs into von Stalhein!
“Major Bigglesworth,” he said quietly, “years ago I reported to my Higher Command that you had more nerve than any other officer in the British Flying Corps - no, don’t move, please.”
At the sound of the well-remembered voice Biggles’ nerves slipped back to normal like a piece of elastic when it is released from tension. He bowed. “And I, Hauptman von Stalhein, once had the honour to make the same report concerning you to the Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force in Palestine,” he said gravely.
Obviously if you run into your supposedly-dead nemesis, THE most important thing to do is to establish that you have the highest mutual respect for each other’s skills.
They proceed to snark at each other through the castle in a night-long cat-and-mouse game. At one point Biggles picks up a firearm from the castle’s museum of weaponry and bursts into von Stalhein’s office (where von Stalhein is having a talk with Algy), intending to shoot out the chandelier for a diversion - only for the gun to fail to explode.
“Your powder seems to be a trifle damp, Bigglesworth,” he observed dryly.
Biggles had lowered the rifle. “Yes, he said quietly. “I hope you’ll tell your armourer what I think about it.”
Finally, Biggles manages to gather all his comrades together for a final escape! Unfortunately, von Stalhein stands in their way, so Biggles “brought the butt [of the rifle] down sideways on the German’s closely cropped head. He hated doing it, but it was a matter of life or death now, and he had no alternative.”
He does not, I should note, have this same qualm about clocking von Stalhein’s minions: earlier, with nary a regret, he knocked out a footman to steal his uniform. (Von Stalhein teases Biggles that the uniform doesn’t fit right, and Biggles replies that he hasn’t yet been so see his tailor about it).. Hitting his arch-enemy von Stalhein, however? Only if he absolutely HAS to.
Epic. Glorious. Exactly the kind of sixty-book slow burn that we all deserve in our enemies-to-lovers stories.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-07 04:11 pm (UTC)I love that von Stalhein also suggests that maybe Biggles might want to get changed back into his regular clothes instead of the stolen uniform, and politely gives him time to do so. They are so ridiculous <3
no subject
Date: 2022-07-07 08:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-07-08 12:09 am (UTC)The cake cracks me up.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-08 01:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-07-08 02:51 am (UTC)I have to feel that von Stalhein calling Biggles to warn him off was his subconscious trying to get them to meet again, honestly. He knows enough about Biggles, even at this point, that he could guess that would absolutely make Biggles take the job. The heart wants what it wants, Erich.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-08 01:14 pm (UTC)Also yes, 100% von Stalhein called Biggles in the hope (probably subconscious?) of luring Biggles in with these dire warnings. "I'll call him and tell him not to get involved," von Stalhein decides.
"But boss," says a minion, who has presumably just listened to a recital about how brave, brilliant, and all-around wonderful Biggles is, "won't that just make him more likely to take the job?"
"Oh no," says von Stalhein, already dialing the number. (Has he had this number for a while? Has he just been waiting for a chance to call?) But his heart is saying oh yes.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-08 05:34 am (UTC)And of course I love the fact that the first time Biggles sees EvS after nearly 20 years he's wearing a purple velvet jacket and knee breeches.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-08 01:11 pm (UTC)And EvS recognizes Biggles INSTANTLY in that outlandish get-up!
no subject
Date: 2022-07-08 05:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-07-08 01:17 pm (UTC)I also love the part where Biggles whistles for Ginger to douse the lights, and EvS is like "nothing is happening" and Biggles replies, "It will." His faith in his team! And of course the lights go out RIGHT THEN. And again with Algy climbing down the chimney into von Stalhein's office right when Biggles and Ginger need his help.
(I've started reading Ginger's introduction book and this kid is great.)