Angel Down: A Discussion with Daniel Kraus

Angel Down: A Discussion with Daniel Kraus

Author: Mike Cunha October 1, 2025 Duration: 46:08

NYT bestselling author Daniel Kraus comes on the podcast to talk about his novel set in the Meuse-Argonne battle "Angel Down." 

 

From Simon & Schuster:

 

Private Cyril Bagger has managed to survive the unspeakable horrors of the Great War through his wits and deception, swindling fellow soldiers at every opportunity. But his survival instincts are put to the ultimate test when he and four other grunts are given a deadly mission: venture into the perilous No Man's Land to euthanize a wounded comrade.

 

What they find amid the ruined battlefield, however, is not a man in need of mercy but a fallen angel, seemingly struck down by artillery fire. This celestial being may hold the key to ending the brutal conflict, but only if the soldiers can suppress their individual desires and work together. As jealousy, greed, and paranoia take hold, the group is torn apart by their inner demons, threatening to turn their angelic encounter into a descent into hell.

 

Angel Down plunges you into the heart of World War I and weaves a polyphonic tale of survival, supernatural wonder, and moral conflict.



Where to buy "Angel Down" in the UK -

 

https://titanbooks.com/72777-angel-down/

 

Where to buy "Angel Down" in the US -

 

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Angel-Down/Daniel-Kraus/9781668068458



The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. 

 

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on BlueSky at @WW1podcast.bsky.social:

 

https://bsky.app/profile/ww1podcast.bsky.social

 

and the BFWWP website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com with any questions, comments, or concerns. 

 

Please review the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes! :)

 


Hosted by Mike Cunha, Battles of the First World War Podcast is a dedicated exploration of the Great War’s defining confrontations. Each episode focuses on a single battle, moving beyond dates and maps to examine the intricate decisions, tactical realities, and human experiences that shaped these events. Cunha’s approach is to unpack the how and why, piecing together the sequence of command choices, logistical challenges, and frontline conditions that led to each clash’s outcome. Within this framework, the podcast gives voice to the individuals-soldiers, nurses, officers, and civilians-whose personal stories are woven into the larger narrative of this titanic twentieth-century struggle. Listening feels less like a lecture and more like a detailed, respectful reconstruction, where the scale of history is measured in both grand strategy and individual courage. For anyone seeking to understand the First World War beyond the textbook summaries, this series offers a thorough and compelling audio journey into the battles that changed the world.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Battles of the First World War Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Meuse Argonne - An Oppressive Silence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:03
In the last days of the First World War, the Americans continued to pursue and batter German forces as they retreated behind the River Meuse. Even as armistice negotiations began, the AEF continued attacking. It kept doi…
Sir Philip Gibbs: A Conversation with Clint Heacock [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:51
Dr. Clint Heacock of the Mindshift Podcast joins us to discuss his second-favorite subject, the First World War. Today he talks to us about the life and experiences of Phillip Gibbs, a British war correspondent during th…
Meuse Argonne - A Total D–k Move [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:26
In the last days of WW1, some AEF commanders in the Meuse-Argonne embarked on a rash, dangerous, and deadly race for a coveted battlefield prize. Interested in the 2024 Lost Battalion Tours' Meuse-Argonne battlefield tou…
Forgotten Warriors: The US 7th Infantry at Belleau Wood [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:04
James Gregory and Steve Girard come on the podcast to discuss James' latest article in the US Army's Infantry journal "Cottonbalers in the Wood: The Forgotten Role of the 7th Infantry Regiment at Belleau Wood." Read the…
Meuse Argonne - "We Can Kill Them But We Can't Stop Them" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:42
LTG Hunter Liggett's patience, preparations, and plans all come together on November 1, 1918, when his new attack is launched. The AEF breaks through. The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWor…
Meuse Argonne - Continuous Pressure [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:28
AEF 1st Army's corps shape the battlefield as they fight to secure jump-off points or divert enemy forces for LTG Hunter Liggett's next attack plan. The 78th, 89th, 3rd, and 26th Divisions fight sharp battles within thei…
Meuse Argonne - Wings Over the Meuse [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:32
A look at the American Air Service during the Meuse-Argonne offensive. The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the…
The French Army in the First World War, a Discussion: Pt 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:30
Part 3 of the ongoing discussion looks at the French Army in 1914: its readiness for a potential conflict with Germany, its underlying preparation and strategy for war, and its performance in the battles that raged in th…