Title: The Isle of the Dragon: The Last Flight of the Bugs Bunny
Author: Rolf Stibbe
Publisher: Author Reputation Press, LLC
ISBN: 1649617127
Pages: 194
Genre: Historical Fiction
Reviewed by: Liz Konkel
Pacific Book Review
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, any military in the South Pacific were removed by Imperial Japan forces. Set against the backdrop of World War II, the adventure follows a bomb squadron in New Guinea that set out on a raid against the Tokyo Express. The mission takes a sour turn when the US Army Air Corps (and their B-25 Mitchell bomber Bugs Bunny) are captured. Now they must fight for their survival and band together to employ a plan to escape. The Isle of the Dragon: The Last Flight of the Bugs Bunny follows a well-rounded cast of characters as they embark on a harrowing adventure to break free from a tropical purgatory. The book also features a visual look through black and white photography, and an inclusion of the real story of the Bugs Bunny.
The story opens with a reporter writing a letter to his mother which is used as a way to introduce the characters, the setting, and the historical background. War World II is the focus of this historical adventure that takes you along for the ride on the Bugs Bunny as they embark on a harrowing aerial raid. The letter is poignant in how it sets the tone of the story and takes you into the time period. The characters are realistic portrayals of these soldiers at war and the bravery, stress, and hardships they faced, especially during this time in our history. Even the bombers have personalities that are attributed to them based on the names they’re affectionately given such as Ace of Spades and Bugs Bunny. The latter of which is what the story revolves around and serves as a focal point, detailing the story of the last flight it ever took.
The backdrop of War World II puts them in a specific time period which is seen through how author Rolf Stibbe weaves in various moments from the war descriptions to the dialogue that immerses you into the time. Several references are made throughout such as to Rita Hayworth, the Titanic, Tarzan, Harry Houdini, and not having the guts that Jonah had. The setting is set up from the beginning by detailing a hot place that was sticky and had swarms of mosquitoes which creates a vivid image in the background of war. After they’re captured, the details of a hot climate are used to create a sensory understanding of what they were experiencing in their tropical purgatory. The story weaves the adventure that unfolded from the aerial attack to their capture to their escape with the Bugs Bunny remaining a constant presence. Stibbe weaves poignant details of the war and their escape that you feel as liberated as they do in what they view as their Redemption Day. Their escape is fueled by their desire for freedom and their refusal to give up which is evident in the rich details.
The adventure they undergo is brought to life through vivid details that capture the hazardous moments and the strength it took for them to escape. This is a fictionalized story of these events which draw you in from the opening letter. Stibbe adds the real story behind the Bugs Bunny along with photos that provide a visual of the Bugs Bunny and an attack on a Japanese warship. The inclusion of the real story adds to the realism of the story to deliver a well-rounded experience that allows you to connect with the characters. Stibbe uses the fictionalized story as a way to draw you into the experiences of these soldiers and then shows the history behind it which only adds more depth to the plot. The Isle of the Dragon: The Last Flight of the Bugs Bunny is a harrowing tale of survival, escape, war, and bravery set against the historical backdrop of the US fight against Imperial Japan and a bomber affectionately named Bugs Bunny.
