And All the King's Men

by Gordon Stevens

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical

544 pages, Paperback

First published September 24, 1990

Reviews

[Chris Wray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent thriller, set in an alternative 1940-42 where Nazi Germany goes ahead with operation Sealion and conquers most of Great Britain. This is predicated on the defeat of the RAF by the Luftwaffe, something we now know to have been a virtual impossibility, but which seemed like a realistic enough fear at the time. Having beaten down Britain's defences, the seemingly unstoppable Wehrmacht crossed the Channel and rolled up a British Army still reeling from Dunkirk. The focus of the book, however, isn't the regular forces but rather a relatively unknown group of men and women, the Auxiliary Units. Recruited to slow any German invasion and to become the nucleus of a British Resistance, in reality, the Auxiliaries were never called upon, and most of them took their secret wartime role to their graves. In Stevens's reimagining of 1940-42, the worst fears of the British government are realised, and most of the country is occupied.

Stevens' novel is the only one I'm aware of that focuses on the Auxiliaries, and this makes it interesting in and of itself. He also executes his story with panache and has created a believable and compelling alternative reality. The pacing is good, the tempo increasing as we move from the recruitment of the Auxiliaries and the Battle of Britain to invasion and occupation. His characters are also plausible and behave consistently, with enough depth that we care what happens to them.

All in all, this is a great novel, I'm delighted to have discovered it, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.

[Nigel Earnshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great alternate history in a setting I enjoyed. A really good tale of how easy it would be for good people to slide into collaboration during an occupation.

[Nicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wartime tale set in a world where the Nazis successfully invaded Britain in the autumn of 1940. If alternative histories float your boat, you'll probably enjoy this.

The novel follows many characters, both real and fictional, with Winston Churchill, King George VI and American spymaster William Donovan all putting in an appearance. However, the main characters are fictional. Jack and Fran Masters are a married couple, separated by the war, who both play important roles in the fight against the Germans. Charles Holdaway is a police inspector, sucked into the role of collaborator.

The formatting could have been better. Often, the narrative slips from one character to another without any warning and there are too many unspoken conversations and instant understandings going on for my liking, but this is still a solid story. In amongst the main storylines are little snippets that highlight what life could have been like if the RAF had lost the Battle of Britain. In particular, I thought the way the vicar dealt with an unpleasant, profiteering parishioner was exquisitely done.

I really enjoyed this book. I read it many, many moons ago when it first came out and it's now difficult to get hold of, which is a shame. I'll be lending it out to friends who also have an interest in the Second World War.

[Katelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I devoured this book! I highly recommend this book for fans of spy thrillers, including Ken Follett. It is an alternative history. When Britain is invaded and occupied by Germany during WWII select people rise to the occasion and form a resistance effort. The way this book skips between multiple characters with little warning was jarring at first, but I appreciated it once the book really got going. All of the characters tie together. If you love this type of book, you won't be able to stop reading. This book kept be thoroughly entertained for days. I wish I was still reading it.

[Mariejeanne26ff · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there was a fire and I could only save one book from my house, this would be it. And not just because it is hard to find in print.
It is a captivating story, a 'what if' alternative version of history where Germany succeeds in invading England in 1940. The author has clearly done a lot of research, based on genuine accounts of covert operations in occupied Europe.
The plot is full of twists and turns, kept me guessing til the end.
It makes you wish you were English (for those of us that aren't), and proud to be English (for those of us that are).
Highly recommended.

[Grey Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most powerful books I have ever read, and has much more heart, human warmth and cutting the bone emotion than most of the other books set in a Nazi occupied Britain.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very readable alternate history.