I read the book twice. I noticed several paralels to 1984. George Orwell once mentioned that he was pessimistic that democracy would survive WW2 and that either it would be an Axis victory or a Bolshevik takeover. 1984 is alternate history of a sort. I noticed March and Winston were both non conformist government workers in a totalitarian society. Both are divorcees who find love and uncover the true dark nature of their society. However, the ending of Fatherland I feel was much more satisfactory than 1984. While 1984 ended in utter defeat for the protagonist, Fatherland is left ambiguous.
After reading this fantastic Book, i found another one i can recommend to you. Its called "Kaisertag", in this Novel WW1 never started and it is set in the 1980s in the German Empire. Also a Detective Thriller.
An advanced warning to viewers: this vid and comments contain some SPOILERS to the plot of the novel. That's the trouble with reviews, whether it's books, films, or video games. No 'nice' Nazis, only those who had charm - and that's not the same thing. Xavier March is a patriot of Germany, a clever detective with a military past, but this novel is also about a man's journey to the tragic truth. March, like many others, has been hoodwinked by his own government. He's the sort of man who acknowledges that Germany is his country, and if he'd be much happier if the Nazi government of this alternate 1964 would collapse to become a more democratic state. As things are, he endeavours to solve crimes at the 'Kripo' level (vice) and serve the current State as best he can. But he doesn't share their racist views nor truly believe in Nazi dogma. Also, at the back of a set of drawers (which had fallen down at the back and remained undetected by the round-up squad), he discovered something from the terrible and turbulent pre-war past that made him question a what had really happened: in return the answer was very disturbing. March is no fool, and such a finding has disturbed him ever since, its relevance coming to light during the plot's narrative. In such a world, Ian Fleming might have been writing from his exile in Canada or perhaps the USA - ironically, all those famous James Bond stories might still have been written 'as is' but with the Greater German Reich taking place of the Soviet Union, in this alternate 60's Cold War.
To some extent it's impossible to avoid spoilers, because I met people who consider knowing the overall plot a spoiler, but I put a lot of effort in my scripts especially in the synopsis part. Where did you find spoilers in the video or comments (except your own comment)?
@@thebookworm6554 Hi, thanks for the reply :). I enjoyed both the novel and your review very much. 'SS-GB' by Len Deighton is in a similar vein to Fatherland, and likewise an alternate history. I'm a big fan of the genre. I think the attraction is 'exploring' these parallel worlds with a different history - and this backdrop is both setting and partially influencing the plot itself. 'Dominion' by C J Sansom follows an unusually different course of WW2. Another favourite of mine is 'Pavane' by Keith Roberts.
@A1 I'm not judging anybody A1, please don't start causing arguments with me. I have studied quite a lot about the Second World War. And I am aware of Germany's harsh political system at the time, forcing ordinary German soldiers into a terrible war. I take offense at being called arrogant and uneducated, that simply is not true. You yourself were born in this 'safe' world, please try to remember that.
I just finished it. What a page-turner. Even though you know the secret ahead of time, it still turns your stomach to read March discover it and the story delivers several sucker punches at the end that I never would have seen coming.
The ending isn't a surprise, it was never going to end well for him at least. His son and ex wife hate him, and he has no real friends, apart from Maguire.
please any one can help? spolier alert- the ss killed 6 people in many years and then a lot in a year. why? what was the rush? i didnt get that. please of anyone knows help!
@@thebookworm6554 I'm sure it's great, I love historical books (fact or fiction. Thank you so much for the review xx anymore recommendations are welcome
Aaaaadolf Hitler - that isn't how it it said in German. Plus, Xavier March wasn't a Nazi, so there is no Nazi protagonist......this is a fundamental point of the book so this review is built on a false premise.
But wasn't March a major in the SS? I know the SS in this timeline had been reorganized into a peacetime police force but aren't they still Nazis given that all police are still part of the government? I might be getting this idea from the movie starring Rutger Hauer from 1994 where he wears a black SS uniform with a swastika arm band. But even if I hadn't seen the movie I'd probably assume March was technically a Nazi. But please let me know if there is anything in the narrative that makes that distinction as I'm just starting the book. Thanks.
6 minutes into the review and its like "Whoa guys so like, its set into nazi alternate universe and like nazis are bad and like main character nazi and like nazis dude"
Nice review! This is a version of history that I don't even want to contemplate. A nice gay Nazi? Not very believable. I had read Harris' Archangel and I found that he can tell a story quite well, to his credit.
Remember the book takes place in a Nazi regime, People had to comply but not all of them supported this ideology 100%. Even in the most totalitarian regimes you'll always have those who "don't fit".
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
I remember reading while on a plane back from the US in 95. I couldn't put it down. Cracking good read, it's due another read.
I read the book twice. I noticed several paralels to 1984. George Orwell once mentioned that he was pessimistic that democracy would survive WW2 and that either it would be an Axis victory or a Bolshevik takeover. 1984 is alternate history of a sort. I noticed March and Winston were both non conformist government workers in a totalitarian society. Both are divorcees who find love and uncover the true dark nature of their society. However, the ending of Fatherland I feel was much more satisfactory than 1984. While 1984 ended in utter defeat for the protagonist, Fatherland is left ambiguous.
If only the movie was as good as the book...
After reading this fantastic Book, i found another one i can recommend to you. Its called "Kaisertag", in this Novel WW1 never started and it is set in the 1980s in the German Empire. Also a Detective Thriller.
Okay, now that sounds awesome!
Looked it up but could only find it in Deutsch, and I think reading it in German would be too difficult, but I'll put it on my list.
An advanced warning to viewers: this vid and comments contain some SPOILERS to the plot of the novel. That's the trouble with reviews, whether it's books, films, or video games. No 'nice' Nazis, only those who had charm - and that's not the same thing. Xavier March is a patriot of Germany, a clever detective with a military past, but this novel is also about a man's journey to the tragic truth. March, like many others, has been hoodwinked by his own government. He's the sort of man who acknowledges that Germany is his country, and if he'd be much happier if the Nazi government of this alternate 1964 would collapse to become a more democratic state. As things are, he endeavours to solve crimes at the 'Kripo' level (vice) and serve the current State as best he can. But he doesn't share their racist views nor truly believe in Nazi dogma. Also, at the back of a set of drawers (which had fallen down at the back and remained undetected by the round-up squad), he discovered something from the terrible and turbulent pre-war past that made him question a what had really happened: in return the answer was very disturbing. March is no fool, and such a finding has disturbed him ever since, its relevance coming to light during the plot's narrative. In such a world, Ian Fleming might have been writing from his exile in Canada or perhaps the USA - ironically, all those famous James Bond stories might still have been written 'as is' but with the Greater German Reich taking place of the Soviet Union, in this alternate 60's Cold War.
To some extent it's impossible to avoid spoilers, because I met people who consider knowing the overall plot a spoiler, but I put a lot of effort in my scripts especially in the synopsis part. Where did you find spoilers in the video or comments (except your own comment)?
@@thebookworm6554 Hi, thanks for the reply :). I enjoyed both the novel and your review very much. 'SS-GB' by Len Deighton is in a similar vein to Fatherland, and likewise an alternate history. I'm a big fan of the genre. I think the attraction is 'exploring' these parallel worlds with a different history - and this backdrop is both setting and partially influencing the plot itself. 'Dominion' by C J Sansom follows an unusually different course of WW2. Another favourite of mine is 'Pavane' by Keith Roberts.
@A1 I'm not judging anybody A1, please don't start causing arguments with me. I have studied quite a lot about the Second World War. And I am aware of Germany's harsh political system at the time, forcing ordinary German soldiers into a terrible war. I take offense at being called arrogant and uneducated, that simply is not true. You yourself were born in this 'safe' world, please try to remember that.
I just finished it. What a page-turner. Even though you know the secret ahead of time, it still turns your stomach to read March discover it and the story delivers several sucker punches at the end that I never would have seen coming.
Indeed.
The ending isn't a surprise, it was never going to end well for him at least. His son and ex wife hate him, and he has no real friends, apart from Maguire.
Nice video, I’m going to start reading it
please any one can help? spolier alert- the ss killed 6 people in many years and then a lot in a year. why? what was the rush? i didnt get that. please of anyone knows help!
Just bought this book
Hope you'll like it!
@@thebookworm6554 I'm sure it's great, I love historical books (fact or fiction. Thank you so much for the review xx anymore recommendations are welcome
Aaaaadolf Hitler - that isn't how it it said in German.
Plus, Xavier March wasn't a Nazi, so there is no Nazi protagonist......this is a fundamental point of the book so this review is built on a false premise.
But wasn't March a major in the SS? I know the SS in this timeline had been reorganized into a peacetime police force but aren't they still Nazis given that all police are still part of the government?
I might be getting this idea from the movie starring Rutger Hauer from 1994 where he wears a black SS uniform with a swastika arm band. But even if I hadn't seen the movie I'd probably assume March was technically a Nazi. But please let me know if there is anything in the narrative that makes that distinction as I'm just starting the book. Thanks.
6 minutes into the review and its like "Whoa guys so like, its set into nazi alternate universe and like nazis are bad and like main character nazi and like nazis dude"
For the fiesta question... the re are no "sides of history". They are not in the "evil side" jajaja
The victor writes history
@@1945joshuaruiz No they don't
Nice review! This is a version of history that I don't even want to contemplate. A nice gay Nazi? Not very believable. I had read Harris' Archangel and I found that he can tell a story quite well, to his credit.
Remember the book takes place in a Nazi regime, People had to comply but not all of them supported this ideology 100%. Even in the most totalitarian regimes you'll always have those who "don't fit".
@A1 please stop the condescending judgment and commenting on other people's intentions or mindset.
wait till u hear about Rohm
@@joinedthenavy Oh yeah, I read about Rohm a little time ago, in Len Deighton's novel Winter. Very interesting.
...blond?!
National socialism gets such a bad rep because of losing the war.
No-one likes Hitler because he was a vegetarian.
National Socialists should get sent into the gas chamber
nazis get such a bad press 😢
Wonder why...
@@thebookworm6554 trying to work it out for a long time 🤔
No one knows where the Jews are 😉