The Shepherd

By Frederick Forsyth, Lou Feck (illustrator),

Book cover of The Shepherd

Book description

*Now a major Disney+ short film starring John Travolta*

The chilling thriller from the international bestselling phenomenon.

'A cunningle wrought tale' Financial Times
'A stirring and beautiful story' The Times
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Christmas Eve, 1957.

For one Royal Air Force pilot, one last hurdle remains between himself and a cozy Christmas…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked The Shepherd as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Elizabeth L. Young

Author

I could not think of a more suspenseful tale involving flight than this story. I wanted the pilot to make it home to England and read with my heart in my mouth how everything began to go wrong for him until the mysterious World War II bomber appeared–as either friend or enemy.

His characterizations are vividly drawn, as are the descriptions of the aircraft. This is one of Forsyth’s best books, in my opinion, and I like them all.

From Elizabeth's list on stories of flight by aircraft and spaceships.

Mark Stibbe

Author

I absolutely love this tale of a lost and endangered RAF pilot on his way home because it’s set on Christmas Eve and runs into Christmas Day. I love its two timelines, 1957 (the Christmas Eve flight) and 1945 (WW2, when the ‘shepherd’ last flew). I also love it because Forsyth wrote it as a Christmas present for his wife.

I love the idea of brave pilots in WW2 guiding lost airmen home and that these selfless guides were called ‘shepherds.’ I also love the way Forsyth suggests different layers of meaning, including references to the Good Shepherd, which Christmas,…

From Mark's 3 favorite reads in 2023.