On Wings of Eagles

By: Ken Follett

Narrated by: Marcia Hyde, Larry Robinson, Ralph Williams, Joan Tuit, R. Ted Andriese

Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

When two of his American employees were held hostage in a heavily guarded prison fortress in Iran, one man took matters into his own hands: American businessman H. Ross Perot. His team consisted of a group of volunteers from the executive ranks of his corporation, hand-picked and trained by a retired Green Beret officer. To free the imprisoned Americans, they would face incalculable odds on a mission that only true heroes would have dared.

©1983 Ken Follett (P)1984 Brilliance Audio

Critic reviews

"A marvelous, rare, terrific read...as exciting as a novel." ( USA Today)
"Superb....Ken Follett's fans may be reluctant to see him return to fiction." ( The New York Times Book Review)

What the hell is that?

This was a very interesting story that was RUINED by multiple narrators. If they had used multiple people for individual characters that would have been fine, but there were 5 or 6 different narrators used throughout and they would change at odd times.

Read the book.

Good read!

Better than I thought it would be! Really enjoyed it!

Heroes all

This story is so amazing, both because of Follett's treatment of it and because it is true. I remember these events unfolding and being so in awe of Ross Perot's heroism in going to rescue these men. I am also in awe of the people who put themselves on the line in order to do it. In the end, the rescue was so, well, mundane and ordinary. No, that is not quite right. It was so un-violent. No, not quite it either. So well done and unexpected that so much of the planning that went into it was never even used. I like that. What a great way to go! Everyone involved was a hero in one way or another.

Fascinating

I voted for Mr. Perot for President and have often wondered how different things would be today had he somehow won. Follett is a great story teller and manages to turn a complicated tale with too many characters into a great thriller.

Real Life Thriller

Brilliantly written Ken Follett and narrated. H. Ross Perot is a true American Eagle and treasure. Now I look forward to watching the movie.

Great story. Narrators voices fitting. The read speed?

I thought the story was great, engaging and informative. The narrators' voices were pleasant and fitting. The speed that they read the story was ridiculous. I had to check twice to ensure that I had not accidentally increased the playback speed. I was sure when the book started that I had accident lay changed it to 1.5 or 2x normal playback. Took awhile but I got used to it. Otherwise a great read.

Great story read by an auctioneer

I had to listen to this story at .75% speed on my Ipad and deal with the echo that was the result. However, the story is exciting with plenty of suspense, but the one who did the narration needs to lay off the caffine.

Corporate band of brothers

A gripping story of looking out for your fellow employees to the extreme. Ross Perot and the EDS leadership team put employees in harms way as Iran devolved into chaos. Two team members got caught up in the turmoil and were jailed on trumped charges in a very antiAmerican climate. When the government failed to take action,Ross put together a team dedicated to bring their buddies home. A hero full story for sure.

Little Known Historical Account

What did you love best about On Wings of Eagles?

I enjoyed listening to this novel once I got past the change in narrators. This is a little known piece of American History. I remember when Ross Perot announced he was going to run for the Presidency......I admire the way he handled this situation. This is a good book and I would recommend all Americans read it.

Who was your favorite character and why?

"Bull" Simons. He lived as he was. I believe this is the one of the reasons that Perot chose him to head up the mission to get his imprisoned employees out.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When they were reunited with their families.

Any additional comments?

Good book.

What an adventure

The story was very interesting. Lots of characters to remember, and the vision of Iran was captivating. Loved the cultural descriptions, the story line, and a whole new understanding of Ross Perot. I appreciated learning about the commitment he had to care for his employees and the extent of effort, time, and money he invested in their safe return home.

Need to fix the recording of the voices and adjust the volume to be consistent throughout the book.