Reviews

SS-GB by Len Deighton

zoer03's review

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5.0

A hard hitting, brutal punch of a book. Loved the alternative feel. Set on what ifs. Loved it

lnatal's review

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4.0

Drama series based on the novel by Len Deighton. It is 1941, and the Germans have won the Battle of Britain. Detective Douglas Archer finds himself working under the brutal SS in occupied London.

Episode 1 of 5
It is 1941 and the Germans have won the Battle of Britain. Detective Douglas Archer finds himself working under the brutal SS in occupied London. Archer investigates the murder of a black marketeer. When the glamorous US journalist Barbara Barga is spotted at the scene of the crime, Archer's gut feeling that this crime is far bigger than it would at first seem is confirmed, and he soon finds himself embroiled in a deadly plot.

Episode 2 of 5
An unexpected meeting with Himmler and Huth's boss, Professor Springer, underlines to Archer why the SS so desperately needs to track down the elusive Dr John Spode. When Archer finds himself unwillingly dragged into the resistance's plans, Huth endeavours to swing Archer's allegiance to the SS cause. Whose side will Archer choose?

Episode 3 of 5
Finding the missing atomic bomb documents becomes Archer's main priority as he frantically tries to track down the elusive Dr John Spode. Still a target for the Resistance, Archer faces a fatal tussle on the underground and a deadly explosion at Highgate Cemetery.

Episode 4 of 5
With the army imposing martial law and a rounding-up of Resistance members, Archer faces life-changing decisions.

Episode 5 of 5
Archer and Harry attempt to drive the king out of London, but things do not go to plan and Sylvia becomes an unlikely ally. Following a rough interrogation with a badly shaken Barbara Barga, Kellermann is hot on Archer's heels.
With Huth desperate for the atomic secrets, will the showdown at Bringle Sands end in triumph for Archer and the Resistance or will Kellermann have the last laugh?

roba's review

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3.0

An entertaining 'what if?', made all the more so by the impossibility of picturing the main Nazi characters as anyone other than Colonel Von Strohm and Herr Flick from 'Allo, 'Allo.

Deighton is good on the 'occupied London' mood; he should never have been allowed to attempt 'poignant' or 'sexy', however.

It's a bit disappointing that the plot ends up hinging on complex rivalries between different parts of the German administration, rather than on a King with an atom bomb up his ass, which would have been more exciting/equally plausible.

Would make a good board game.

brian's review

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5.0

Germany wins Word War 2. Churchill is executed, the King is held in the Tower of London.
In occupied England, Detective Douglas Archer is called to investigate a murder.

Lots of twists and plots within plots. The various branches of the Nazi regime are angling for their own power base in all the confusion.

In a similar vein to Fatherland by Robert Harris (although this book came out first by about 20 years).
The bleak, war ravaged London is described well, as well as the people scraping by in the occupation.

kukkanaattori's review

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3.0

For a book about what would happen if the Nazi's took over Great Britain, along with a murder mystery, this book was one of the dullest things I've ever had the misfortune to read.

kimsly's review

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challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

seano's review

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4.0

Alternate history spy police mystery.

Not as trippy as Man in the High Castle. Probably just as good.

jameskemp's review

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4.0

I read this a long time ago. A thoroughly enjoyable alternate history that made me think a lot about what I might have done had I been around.
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