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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
Fatherland by Robert Harris is alternative history fiction. The author set this story in Nazi Germany in the 1960s. In this story Hitler is still in charge and all of Germany is about to celebrate his 75th birthday. The main character is a German police detective of lowest order of police in Nazi Germany, the criminal police. As this policeman, Detective March, begins to investigate a drowning all kinds of other things emerge. Other characters include an American woman journalist and a bunch of Nazis and also Germans who are just keeping their heads down. There are two many twists and surprises for the reader to reveal any more of the plot or characters. This book was on my "to read" list for several years. It was on a list of books, fiction and non-fiction, about fascism in our times.
Good but until the last quarter of read like any other mystery thriller ...
Was alright. Would probably read again. Writing poor in places, especially in scenes involving Charlie. Very predictable and slightly uncomfortable in places.
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Робърт Харис е автор на някои наистина чудесни книги, като серията за Цицерон, на която се надявам да има преиздаване на български, щото сега стари копия се продават антикварно на абсурдни цени.
Най-популярната му книга обаче е историческа фантастика относно Втората световна война, в която Оста е победила Съюзниците и Третия райх властва над Европа.
За хора, незапознати с другите форми на тоталитаризъм, описанието на контролираното от партията и построено по идеологически модел общество могат да се стори новаторско, но за всеки, който е чел нещо относно комунизма в която и да е от държавите, дето той е безчинствал, Фатерланд звучи доста познато.
Като изключим обстановката, самата книга е криминален роман и не ми беше особено интересна.
Най-популярната му книга обаче е историческа фантастика относно Втората световна война, в която Оста е победила Съюзниците и Третия райх властва над Европа.
За хора, незапознати с другите форми на тоталитаризъм, описанието на контролираното от партията и построено по идеологически модел общество могат да се стори новаторско, но за всеки, който е чел нещо относно комунизма в която и да е от държавите, дето той е безчинствал, Фатерланд звучи доста познато.
Като изключим обстановката, самата книга е криминален роман и не ми беше особено интересна.
I just read this book for the first time in about eleven years. I had completely forgotten what the story was about so it was like reading a brand-new book. It is a mystery set in 1964 Germany, except in this reality Hitler won the war, giving it an interesting historical twist.
Got halfway through listening to to this on CD, but one of the last ones had a scratch. Now have it out from library as a book - much more reliable.
I worry about this book losing its relevance to readers as time passes. I feel that it is a product of the 60's, when there were plenty of war vets around and everyone was well-versed in the outlines of Nazism and the problems caused by WWII in Europe. There is an assumed familiarity with the subject matter that seemed puzzling to me until I read the copyright date.
Having already done my history revision, I didn't have too much trouble understanding where Harris was taking us. The middle section wants a bit more action but the ending was brisk.
Having already done my history revision, I didn't have too much trouble understanding where Harris was taking us. The middle section wants a bit more action but the ending was brisk.
While the idea of speculating about what the world would be like if the Third Reich had won WWII is nothing new (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1757943864), it remains an idea that pulls at the imagination. I wonder if that might be because on some level, we know that it all hung on a handful of events unfolding the way they did, that that it’s a very scary thought to dwell on. I had enjoyed Harris’ book on Cicero (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2407837540), and the idea of a murder mystery set in this kind of alternate history really intrigued me.
Xavier March in an investigator with the criminal police, and he is as stereotypical a noir detective as they come: divorced, disillusioned, unhealthy, incapable of letting go when he smells something fishy… He works in Berlin, the capital of what is now Greater Germany, a veritable monument of a city entirely devoted to the glory of the F. He hates wearing his uniform, he knows the news printed in the papers aren’t true – but he walks the party line closely. Early one morning, he is called up to investigate a dead body fished out of a lake. Said body once was an important bureaucrat, so the Gestapo takes over the case, but not before March notices something strange about the case and goes down a dark and dangerous rabbit hole. With the help on a young American journalist, he will follow leads that point towards something the Reich’s government has hidden for many years…
The alternate history Harris gives us glimpses of is tantalizing and chilling: King Edward and Queen Wallis rule England (groan) while Churchill and Elizabeth are in exile in Canada, Joseph Kennedy is running for re-election... It’s eerily easy to imagine and slightly upsetting to dwell on, really. And considering we know how things really turn out, the reveals are not quite a shock so much as an invitation to imagine what it would be like to realize your entire society is built on the fruits of genocide.
But the predictable elements are easily forgiven because the gritty noir novel atmosphere and creepy setting are captured so well. This is not really a game-changer in any of the genres that it blends, but it’s perfect at being exactly what it is.
Xavier March in an investigator with the criminal police, and he is as stereotypical a noir detective as they come: divorced, disillusioned, unhealthy, incapable of letting go when he smells something fishy… He works in Berlin, the capital of what is now Greater Germany, a veritable monument of a city entirely devoted to the glory of the F. He hates wearing his uniform, he knows the news printed in the papers aren’t true – but he walks the party line closely. Early one morning, he is called up to investigate a dead body fished out of a lake. Said body once was an important bureaucrat, so the Gestapo takes over the case, but not before March notices something strange about the case and goes down a dark and dangerous rabbit hole. With the help on a young American journalist, he will follow leads that point towards something the Reich’s government has hidden for many years…
The alternate history Harris gives us glimpses of is tantalizing and chilling: King Edward and Queen Wallis rule England (groan) while Churchill and Elizabeth are in exile in Canada, Joseph Kennedy is running for re-election... It’s eerily easy to imagine and slightly upsetting to dwell on, really. And considering we know how things really turn out, the reveals are not quite a shock so much as an invitation to imagine what it would be like to realize your entire society is built on the fruits of genocide.
But the predictable elements are easily forgiven because the gritty noir novel atmosphere and creepy setting are captured so well. This is not really a game-changer in any of the genres that it blends, but it’s perfect at being exactly what it is.
Half speculative historical fiction, half detective novel. Maybe some wanted more of one or the other, but I think together they make for something really compelling and unique.