Breaking Point

Book 1

Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this Island or lose the war (Winston Churchill)

The hour will come when one of us will break—and it will not be National Socialist Germany (Adolf Hitler)

And now the hour has come…

It is August, 1940. Hitler’s triumphant Third Reich has crushed all Europe—except Britain. As Hitler launches a massive aerial assault, only the heavily outnumbered Fighter Command and the iron will of Winston Churchill can stop him.

Johnnie Shaux, a Spitfire fighter pilot, must summon up the fortitude to fly into conditions in which death is all but inevitable, and continue to do so until the inevitable occurs…

Eleanor Rand, a brilliant Fighter Command mathematician, must find her role in a man’s world. She studies the control room map tracking the ebbs and flows of the conflict, and sees the glimmerings of a radical breakthrough…

Breaking Point is based on actual events in the Battle of Britain. The story alternates between Johnnie, face to face with the enemy, and Eleanor, using ‘zero-sum’ mathematical theory to evolve a strategic model of the battle. Their parallel stories merge as the battle reaches its climax and they confront danger together.

Winner of the silver award for historical fiction (IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award)

Full praise
Discussion Guide
Authors on the Air interview

Listen to the introduction:

Praise

“Superb!”
—Paul Davies, Aviation Historian, Battle of Britain site

“Rhodes memorably portrays Europe’s terrifying crisis….
A gripping, emotionally bracing account of a critical moment in history.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“If you like historical fiction, or stories of women’s successes, read this book.
I highly recommend both this book and the writing of this author, John Rhodes.”
—Authors on the Air Review Crew

“…a fair degree of subtle British humor, an intelligent woman who is allowed to shine, a stoic embodiment
of Yeats’ poem about a dying airman, and an understated romance that curled my toes.”
—Jayne, Dear Author

“Brilliantly written historical novel…. Readers will also be pleasantly surprised by how the author flawlessly—even captivatingly—weaves mathematics into a war/love story. This is a WWII novel to savor.”
—Blue Ink

“A good story in its own right, the historical power and significance of this book’s backdrop
lead to a read that is fast-paced, dangerous, and addictive.”
—US Review of Books

“This is an excellent novel.… the book which is well researched and an enjoyable read. I hope Johnnie flies again and Eleanor moves to provide more insightful analysis…”
—Professor Les Bell

Sign up for John's Newsletter:Subscribe