The Eagle Has LandedThe Eagle Has Landed
Score Classic
What it's about
In 1943, Hitler's high command approves a daring plan: German paratroopers will land in a quiet English village on the Norfolk coast, disguised as Polish soldiers, and kidnap Winston Churchill, who is spending a weekend nearby. They are led by a decorated, honorable colonel named Kurt Steiner and helped by an Irish IRA agent who has made the village his home.
Why it's worth reading
It's one of the best-selling thrillers ever and a classic of wartime adventure. Its German heroes make it unusual, and the 1976 film stars Michael Caine.
You'll love it if you liked
The Day of the Jackal
The Odessa File
Red Storm RisingGood to know
It mixes real history with fiction. It's fast and tense, with a sad ending.
By the numbers
- Readers76 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller62 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Adventurous
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Quick answers
Is The Eagle Has Landed worth reading?
Yes. It's one of the best-selling thrillers ever and a classic of wartime adventure. It ranks #636 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 76.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Eagle Has Landed about?
In 1943, Hitler's high command approves a daring plan: German paratroopers will land in a quiet English village on the Norfolk coast, disguised as Polish soldiers, and kidnap Winston Churchill, who is spending a weekend nearby. They are led by a decorated, honorable colonel named Kurt Steiner and helped by an Irish IRA agent who has made the village his home.
How long does it take to read The Eagle Has Landed?
About 13 hours (516 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Eagle Has Landed?
If you liked it, try The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth, The Odessa File by Frederick Forsyth or Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy.