1901: A Thrilling Novel of a War that Never Was

by Robert Conroy

Book Overview

The year is 1901. Germany's navy is the second largest in the world; their army, the most powerful. But with the exception of a small piece of Africa and a few minor islands in the Pacific, Germany is... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0891418431
• Release Date: December 2003
• Publisher: Presidio Press
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.8" x 0.9" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

Very good story

I enjoy the book it was very detail and action packed.. An price was a steal

Great book

The whole premise for the story is a bit far fetched but the rest of the story and the believability of the scenario as it unfolds more than makes up for it.

Totally underrated!

This is an excellent book! It isn't the start of a series, like some authors are fond of writing, but a well-written, fast-paced and adventurous book that has a beginning, a middle, and an action-packed and satisfying end! Based on something that was actually planned by Imperial Germany, the air of genuine possibility sets this book apart from other alternate history books that are merely speculative. This was a story that really did come close to being reality and that makes the book all the more compelling. If you like history, this is a good book to read. If you like alternate history, as I do, this book should define the genre for you. I *HIGHLY* recommend this book and I recommend that when you're done with it you hang on to it and read it again and again!

A very enjoyable read

Alternate historical fiction is one of my favorite reads, and 1901 is an excellent example of the genre. Taking plausible circumstances, and tweaking history just a bit, 1901 gives the reader a could-have-been invasion of the United States by an aggressively imperialistic Germany, led by Kaiser Wilhelm II. Robert Conroy makes his characters come alive, and his images are impressive (especially the burning of Manhattan, and the initial German landing that results in the massacre of American civilians). Germany's brutal treatment of the civilian population - a historical fact borne out by its actions in conquered territories during World Wars I & II - gives the story a passion that has you rooting for the Kaiser's defeat. Anyone who enjoys alternate historical fiction will enjoy this book.

Could it have happened?

Always a fun question. Robert Conroy decides to ask a What-If - What if Germany invaded the US when we refused to give them our newly captured territories that we had taken from Spain? In real life nothing had happened. But what if the Kaiser had launched an invasion against America? The book is plot driven, but is full of colorful characters, from Teddy Roosevelt and James Longstreet, to the grunts and fictional characters fighting in the mud. The European ideas of war vs. the New World ideas of war at the turn of the last century are also interesting to view. Scenes of naval combat, the torn landscape of trench warfare and the horror, and the cost, of war is used to bring some reality to what might seem like a clean, super-fast string of events. By page 50 the Germans ARE in The USA! Very interesting and should be added to one's library, either as sci-fi or as historical fiction.

Definitely a MUST read for Alternate History Buffs!!

Conroy's 1901 is a joy of a book and a great read! Alternate history is by nature painted with a broad brush and its stories are more generalized than specific. It IS an "alternate" history, after all, and not meant to be 100% consistent with actual history as we know it. I question some of the negative reviews in that the author wrote a novel and should not be slammed for not being "historical". If you liked "1945" by Gingrich and Fortschen, or "Fox on the Rhine", you will enjoy "1901". I just want to know if the sequel is in the works......