I picked up this book purely by chance and, in doing so, I did myself a great favor. I have not been as captivated by a book since "The Godfather." Author Leo Gutman has crafted a tale of boxing and the Mafia that ought to make a movie just as good as the Godfather saga. The plot is intricate, the characters are fascinating, the boxing bouts are riveting. I am fervently wishing there could be a sequel. Thank you, Leo Rutman, for a terrific read!!

WHAT A GREAT FIND. NEVER THOUGH I'D LIKE A BOOK ABOUT BOXING AND THE MOB BUT I JUST COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN. I WAS UP UNTIL 2 AM. THE SUSPENSE WAS RIVETING. I RECOMMEND HIGHLY AND CANNOT WAIT FOR HIS NEXT RELEASE. PLEASE , WRITE AGAIN SOON RUTMAN!!

This impressive new novel is a well crafted blend of gritty NY gangster life, the sport of boxing, and an intriging, albeit semi-believable, love story. I felt that I was truly taken back to a time uncomplicated by 21st century technology. A great escape. This book is easy and fun to read, but has layers of complexity.

I had a bad feeling about this one, when within the first few pages the author refers to a German Corps commander as a colonel. This would be at least a two star general. And unfortunately it did not stop there. The author uses catch phrases and words associated with WWII, but not quite in the right context. I understand that it is a work of fiction, but at least some nod to reality should have been made. The author is very knowledgable about New York and does an OK job developing the characters, but he shows his ignorance of the realities of Nazi Germany and the German army and Gestapo of the time.

I almost did not finish reading this book. It is hard to get started and the flow is very disjointed. The author uses a date and time chronology to frame the story, however he interweaves each substory within the chapters, instead of one chapter at a time like most authors do. This makes it very hard to follow what is going on and to pick up where you left off when the sub stories change.

The only exciting part to me was about the last 50 pages, but even that was soured with an anticlimatic ending that did not fully explain the fate of all of the characters. Also, no epilogue, leaves the reader wondering how America fares in the war.

If you are interested in an intrigue story set in WWII and do not care too much about any historical background, then you might like this story. If you want an alternative history novel of WWII based on the facts available, stay away.

Rutman turns in a spectacular story in Clash of Eagles. Set prior to American involvement in World War II, he explores what might have happened had President Roosevelt kept the United States out of the European conflict. When Britain falls to the blitzkreig, America is left to stand alone when the Nazi war machine moves across the Atlantic and down through New England into New York. This is a moving tale of political intrigue, romance, and honor. It explores the depth of pride and love that Americans feel for their country and becomes a powerful testament to the determination of the human spirit. Also, for those who like those sorts of things, there are lots of explosions.