| Title | : | Munich Signature (Zion Covenant, #3) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 141430109X |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781414301099 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 448 |
| Publication | : | First published April 1, 1990 |
Or is it?
Munich Signature finds Leah and little Louis attempting to escape Austria over the treacherous foot paths of the Alps while Murphy and Elisa begin their trip toward New York and the promise of healing for Charles' disfigurement.
But then Elisa is once more caught in the web of international intrigue. While Jewish refugees from Germany float homelessly on the open seas, she stands precariously between Hitler's domination of Europe and the possibility of destroying his power once and for all.
Munich Signature (Zion Covenant, #3) Reviews
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I'm working through this series for the second/third time.
This book focuses on the fall of Czechoslovakia to the Nazis. It also documents the plight of a ship containing Jewish refugees as the boat is passed from country to country, each lamenting the suffering of the people but refusing to accept the additional immigrants themselves.
Still enjoying this series although it can be slow at times and perhaps some of the detail is unnecessary as it makes the books very long. The history is fascinating and accurate as I recall it from my studies at school! The books bring the horror and terror home in a way that studying facts and figures is unlikely to do.
There were a few scenes that had graphic violence and a few with sexual innuendo. The language in these books tends to be clean with the odd word that some might find offensive.
This book has more Christian content than the previous ones and even explains the Gospel message in one place.
I recommend this series and will be reading the rest of the books. -
This one was definitely the most heart-wrenching story yet ... mainly because of the plight of the ship The Darien laden with German Jewish refugees that no nation will take in because their quotas of immigrants are full. I've read about ships that left Germany laden with Jewish refugees in the 1930s, but leave it to the power of Bodie Thoene's storytelling to show what it may have truly been like.
On to book 4 ... I can't stop now. -
I appreciated the historical research and backdrop presented in this story and how it occasionally left the main characters to show a key scene in history with Churchill, Hitler and/or Franklin. Kudos for how well this was laid out.
The story itself was pretty good too, with a lot of plot and/or action happening. More of a "Hallmark Movie" feel to it, so possessing a somewhat predictable story-line with a leading female who's obviously gorgeous and a few love quadrangles thrown in, of course. What was unlike Hallmark, however, was how this book went a little passed the line of morality standards that Hallmark follows (see Cleanliness below). By the third book, I felt that the authors had pushed it a little too far for my comfort (and I was losing interest in the new characters and the bunny trails they were making away from the main characters I wanted to read about).
Ages: 17+
Cleanliness: Even though the books in this series are published by a Christian publishing house, I didn't really think they felt all that Christian. The characters may mention God once or twice but it's fairly trivial and most of the characters certainly don't live an obvious Christian lifestyle. If you think of these books as perhaps just clean fiction with non-Christian characters, you might not be disappointed.
There is drinking and smoking mentioned throughout, and characters getting drunk to drowned their sorrows. There is kissing, lustful glances, and thoughts of adultery/fornication (not detailed or explicit). Lingerie is mentioned. There are characters thinking of suicide as a way out. There are about two swear words in each book (b*tch is one of the words used).
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on Etsy! -
Once more I was held captive by this book. Elisa and the struggle of the Jewish people is clearly portrayed in this book. Though it is fiction, often I forgot this as I read as I recognized many of the key events from the Holocost we incorporated into this book. Brock and Bodie Thoene showed us the great struggle as the few tried to raise the alarm to Hilter's dark nature. Murphy was an unforgettable character as he tried to get American's to open their eyes to the suffering and horror of the Jews, Elisa's own struggle to deliver messages with the hope to open the eyes of the people of England, Anna (Elisa's mom) who's heart was opened to the refugees, all of these characters will stay with me always.
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I am enjoying this series. For some reason, I am drawn to books, about these dark hours in history.
I am reading a kindle book, and for some reason book content(chapters) is not accessible. Buyers beware. -
When I was a teen, a young man told me about his parents being on a ship and traveling from country to country. Everyone turned them away and they were finally made wards of the United Nations. Some of the events in Munich Signature could have been their story. His parents too were fleeing from Nazi controlled territories.
The book is part of the Zion Covenant series of historical fiction covering WWII. Munich Signature relates events in the European Theatre in the late 1930's as Hitler expanded his powerful grip into Austria and Czechoslovakia. I felt so much a part of the unfolding story with the key facts that the Thoenes included. The characters pull you into the story so much that I felt dismay when they wanted to go to Poland or France to escape from the Nazi's. I enjoyed Thoene's storytelling so much that I will probably read the other books in this series. -
Even though I know the history of WWII, these books put a very personal insight into what went on with the people. Elisa is very "cloak and dagger" in this book as she is forced to be an undercover agent for the British to get her family passports to leave Praque.
I was brought to tears with the story of the "Darien", a ship full of jewish refugees, with no port to land in. They left there homes with nothing but the clothes on their back and the hope of a better future for their children. It is crushing to see how everything seems to boil down to money and political power and since they had none, no country was willing to give these refugees a home.
I will continue this series, but need a short emotional break. -
This is the third book in the series and I've read all three. I LOVED the first two books...the author does a great job of writing and I feel I've learned so much about the time leading up to WWII. I also feel invested in the characters. Although it's a continuing story she does a good job of wrapping up the story and giving a satisfying ending. Having said that, I did not love this book. Well, let me rephrase that...I really enjoyed it up until the ending. It felt rushed and frankly I was angry about its conclusion without any explanation. I felt cheated!! I will give book 4 a chance before I drop the series...I'm hoping this was just a fluke and the next book will redeem the series for me.
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Good history-driven story, but not quite as historically accurate as some think (4 stars)
The previous volume (Prague Counterpoint) of the Zion Covenant series focuses on the Anschluss (annexation of Austria). This next book (Munich Signature) focuses on the events leading up to the 1938 Munich Agreement, in which Western leaders conceded the Czech Sudetenland (largely inhabited by Germans) to Hitler in an effort to avoid war and avoid an invasion of the rest of Czechoslovakia. Although Shimon and Leah Feldstein play some role in the narrative, along with the two orphaned boys Louis and Charles, most of the action revolves around John and Elisa Murphy, by now familiar and beloved characters to readers of the series.
The story is a good read, and I appreciate how it is very history-driven, and gives good insights into the events of the time. One example is Hitler's fascination with the Franz von Stuck painting "The Wild Chase", which depicts the god Wotan, and has an uncanny likeness to Hitler. A proposed plan by some in the German military to overthrow Hitler (because they believed going to war with Czechoslovakia was a suicidal military move) is also well featured in the story-line, even though it doesn't use the actual name of the key person behind the Oster Conspiracy of 1938.
The book also details the plight of Jewish refugees who fled Germany by boat, leading to the failed Evian Conference. At times different names are used where the authors have taken some liberties with the historical facts, e.g. the SS Darien clearly refers to the SS St Louis, a ship with 908 Jewish refugees that was denied entry to Cuba and United States. Although in reality the SS St Louis wasn't a rust-bucket with horrible conditions like those described about the Darien in the book, but a luxury cruise liner with swimming pools, movies, and good food.
But at times I couldn't help but wonder if the authors at times took too many liberties with the facts. For instance, does the mass conversion of 729 Jews to Christianity on one day (p.382) have any historical basis? In another example, the story describes a failed assassination attempt on the Czech President Benes which didn't actually happen.
That I can live with - it's fiction after all. But a more serious issue is how the paganism of the Nazis is presented. While Nazi brutality is generally handled tactfully, at times the authors suggest a dark side that can't easily be corroborated with the historical record. For example, a state funeral given to a Nazi is described as follows: "in pagan ritual, his right arm was cut off, and at the hour of midnight, it was offered up to the German gods on a burning altar" (p159). I've not been able to find any evidence of such things ever happening. In another instance, they describe young Nazis singing a song of praise to Hitler as an Aryan god (p296), but in actuality this particular song is from an Allied propaganda film (Prelude to War), and is based on a questionable source (Gregor Ziemer) rather than historical fact.
But it's not only the Nazis who aren't always depicted objectively. The authors are also very critical and even hostile towards British PM Chamberlain's policy of appeasement. In reality Chamberlain's critics were quite few, Churchill often being a lone voice in the pre-war period. At the time of the Munich Agreement Chamberlain was widely hailed as the "saviour of Europe", some European voices even suggesting he receive the Nobel Peace Prize, and the Egyptian PM sending him a telegram of thanks that read: "Your name will go down in history as a statesman who saved civilisation from destruction." From the perspective of hindsight it is easier to see how Chamberlain's policy failed, but it wasn't obvious to everyone at the time, and even some historians today still defend his approach. It is important for readers to realize that like all historians, the Thoenes are subjective in their interpretation of history, and not all historians are as unsympathetic or sharply critical towards Chamberlain as they are.
As such, it is a stretch to say that this novel is "historically accurate". It not only takes some liberty with the facts, but also presents a very one-sided viewpoint of historical events, and it offers a perspective that not all historians would agree with. That being said, this won't be a big issue for most people, myself included, although the above examples do make it harder to trust the authors, because what many readers will take to be historical fact as presented in this book isn't always quite the case.
As for the rest of the novel, by and large the storyline is fairly compelling and makes for exciting reading. There are some implausible events (e.g. one of the main protagonists has a personal meeting with Churchill; and another protagonist is the unlikely survivor of an explosion and then goes on to be the only one who survives the sinking of a ship), but that's fiction for you - these things happen in books. Also be aware that there is some adult-only content; while it's not explicit, there are some descriptions of intimacy between a married couple that are only suitable for mature readers and not younger children.
Overall, "Munich Signature" is a great read that helps kindle an interest in this historical period. I look forward to reading the rest of the Zion Covenant series, and I commend the authors for contributing some great and thoughtful fiction that helps bring to life an important part of history that we should not forget. -
Okay, gonna be honest and say I did not like this one as much as the first two! It's so interesting though to read about the history so I stuck with it for that. I do enjoy following the character's stories and I'm still looking forward to reading the fourth book, but hoping it's more intriguing than Munich Signature...
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I read this whole series several years ago. Each book was so well written. I was captivated by the characters, their stories and struggles. It was this series that really peaked by love for historical fiction.
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I enjoyed reading this historical novel. It explains better than most historical fiction, the weakness of Prime Minister Chamberlain prior to WWII. “Peace in our Time” satisfied some as political slogan, but retrospectively, that ‘Munich Signature’ signalled the end of peace.
I found that Thoene’s writing tool of interpolation from one period to another worked initially; however, that same tool used geographically became cumbersome. Also, the novel lacked the epilogue description of fact versus fiction. I appreciated reading the author’s version of the Darien ship, but in the end it was too contrived and lacking research. I understand the storm scene could well have been factual. I do give the author credit for creating a credible scenario until a casket is found bobbing in the waters! It didn’t help that the author chose the name Trump as a New York publisher, although it could not have been known about the current politics when the book was published. Not quite good enough for 4 stars, but I know for some it could easily be a four star. -
I wasn't sure I wanted to read the 3rd book right after the 2nd b/c of the amount of detail, characters and storylines buuut, I was sucked in right away and barely put the book down until I finished it.
I really have nothing profound to say about it--this is such an exciting series full of great characters, political intrigue and beautiful miracles. It's also so interesting b/c of the refugee conversation that's been happening in our country right now. It's almost the exact same thing that happened to the people of the Darien in this book.
I can't find book 4 and I think I might need to get on ebay and order another one... -
Munich Signiture is the third book in the Zion covenant series by Bodie and Brock Thoene.
Given that this series is historical fiction it is interesting and fascinating learning about elements of world war 2 that I previously had no idea about. However some of the more detailed chapters about newspapers and government meeting for me are a bit of a slow read. It has took me longer to get through this book that is predecessors as it was not as action packed or fast paced. But I persevered nonetheless! You will not get through a Thoene book and not get something out of it! I love these authors and even though I struggled through this one will continue reading their work! 👌🏼 -
MunichSignature the third book in the #ZionCovenantBooks. We continue with the same characters and we several more, including those in board the Darian. This boat of Jewish refugees just wants someone to take them in, a safe place to land. The characters continue to bring to like the atrocities of World War 2 and the Holocaust. Out really makes me think about the gate of immigrants today in America.
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The first time I read this book years ago, I was a high school student. I stayed awake until 2:30 am on a school night just to satiate the suspense - I had to know how this book ended. I will not include spoilers despite the book being decades old... but I will tell you that I threw the book across the room then and my second reading now has elicited a similar response. Thoene writes superbly, draws you in as if you were in each scene. Such a horrid time in history to be an observer. Fantastic.
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The Jews are desperate to leave Germany – but no country will take them. Hitler has his sights set on Czechoslovakia – and no country will stop him.
We often hear the phrase, “You don’t know what tomorrow holds.” After reading this book and re-living the reality that many people faced in the events leading up to World War II, all I can say is…that phrase is so true. One moment, everyday people like you and me were happily living their lives in pre-WWII Europe, and then the next moment their world was turned upside down…and it wasn’t just the Jews Hitler was after.
In Munich Signature, Murphy, Eliza, Anna and Theo had to leave Czechoslovakia. Why? Weren’t they safe from Hitler there? No. The truth was, Hitler wasn’t satisfied with ruling Germany alone…nor Austria. He wanted it all and Czechoslovakia was his next target. While all of this was going on, the Jews were doing their best to leave Germany. Desperate, some spent the little resources they had for passage on what history called ghost ships. The Darien was such a ship, and it just so happens to be one of the main focuses of the storyline in Munich Signature. We are introduced to those on board the Darien for two purposes, 1) Shimon (Leah’s husband) ends up on this ship and 2) Murphy meets a lady named Mrs. Rosenfelt on his way to America, and her grandchildren were on that ship.
What is the definition of a ghost ship, like the Darien? They were called this because they left Germany with no official destination. Immigration quotas were full in every country, and no nation was allowing Jews to cross their borders. Therefore, the ship is stranded on the open waters. The Darien first sailed to London, but was refused to even enter the harbor for fear that people would attempt to jump off the boat and swim to land. Then it sailed to New York, where, by the mercy of God they were allowed to dock and receive supplies, but not disembark. Cuba was to be the next destination, but alas, you’ll have to read the story to see how that one turned out… After spending 396 pages with the little family of Mrs. Rosenfelt, you will begin to understand the desperation and hope families like these put into these ships. They hoped desperately for a nation to show compassion, and I guess that’s the hard part to swallow about this time in world history…no one did. No one. Yet, there they were, families – good people – abandoned, with no one who considered that their lives had any value.
Though the Darien wasn’t the sole topic of the book, it was another example of how Jews suffered at the hand of Hitler, and unfortunately, the nations that didn’t want to help them. In addition to that part of the storyline, the book also followed the lives of our favorite characters from the previous books and introduced us to new ones. Here, I should probably admit, that there were two characters from the previous books who breathed their last in this book…and I was so glad they did! Sporer, a high up in Hitler’s terrorist club, was executed by the Czech government for an attempt at assassinating their president. (The attempted assassination all happened in the last book.) Never had I felt so relieved when a bad guy bit the dust! Just the thought of that guy roaming free in Europe to work Hitler’s evil gave me goosebumps! Then, there’s George Wand. George was sent to murder Eliza, so he’s naturally someone we’re going to dislike. He almost succeeded, but by a sacrificial act of courage from Thomas, Wand was shot instead of Eliza. If anything could redeem Thomas from his original rejection of Eliza, then that scene was it. I won’t spoil it for you, because it’s too good not to be read as part of the story as a whole. With these bad guys out of the way, surely the danger was past…right? We’ll have to wait until the next book, Jerusalem Interlude, to find out!
Conclusion: The fate of a whole nation was decided by one signature on a piece of paper in Munich. That paper gave Hitler the right to step into Czechoslovakia…and all the nations of the world sat by and watched. America was too burdened by the struggles of the Great Depression to take on another country’s problem. England thought they were far enough away that such problems wouldn’t reach them, and the list goes on… The sobering fact, as Murphy pointed out to an opinionated cab driver in London, was that Germany was only a 20 minute flight from England. Of course, this makes England just as vulnerable to Hitler’s air force as any other country, but the sad part? The English couldn’t see that yet. Wow. What a lesson. The thing I learned the most from this book is simply that when evil is in power, no one is safe. No one. You think you’d be okay in Germany if you weren’t Jewish? Nope. Not so lucky! Charles Kronenberger was German. German! And still the Reich was out to end his life, even though he was just a child. (See my review of Prague Counterpoint to see how this.) In the end, Hitler succeeded and no one thought that his random power hungry streaks would ever bother them. If Munich Signature will teach you anything, it is this – don’t ever say, “That will never bother you.” If a problem is allowed to grow continually with no accountability, it will eventually take over. -
I have loved all the books I have read by the Thoenes. This one is no exception. Sometimes it's hard to remember the impact historical events had on people who lived in that time, but the Thoenes really make history come to life. This book made me think a lot about events today, too, since the world today isn't really very different from what it was like in 1938.
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These books have made me think about so many things from our past and see how they are happening in our present as well. This particular book places a lot of focus on the immigration/refugee issue, and I found myself having to rethink the way things appear and how issues aren't black and white. I'm still hooked and have #4 ready to start tonight.
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This story was a bit of a slow read and a lot of sad choices were made among the leaders. The story shows how easy people can be deceived and not honor the oath they made with others. I’m grateful to understand better how WW2 started to grow from there and hopefully remember to recognize patterns of a war coming.
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As we continue on, Elisa Murphy and Leah Feldstein are called to risk everything to protect the lives of two Jewish refugee children. And interwoven in the plot is the glorious truth in a Lutheran hymn, a mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing. What wonderful relief, as this book ends with all the family members alive and together.
