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"Terrific alternate historical thriller"

Following the Pearl Harbor attack, the Japanese invade and conquer Hawaii (see DAYS OF INFAMY). The United States counter assault fails as the Japanese Zero controls the skies. Japan quickly installs a ruthless government that subjects the islands to a harsh occupation though they bring back the royals to allegedly rule (under their thumb). American POWs are worked to death without a second thought and the women are turned into prostitutes for the conquerors amusement.

Japanese-Americans living on the islands are divided. While those born in Japan having a taste of American racism support and help their native country, their children want the return of the United States and freedom. The native Hawaiians see little difference between the two sets of conquerors except that the Japanese are overtly de facto abusive while the Americans were de jure discriminatory. Still most residents regardless of ethnicity just try to survive the food shortages while expecting the battle to return as the embarrassment of the defeat has the White House pumping up the military-industrial complex to win the War in the Pacific.

This is a terrific alternate historical thriller that leaves no prisoners as the audience obtains a taste of racial relationships that leave nothing to the imagination. Harry Turtledove is at his best with the action-packed tale yet the myriad of perspectives (somewhat difficult to follow so expect several days up to a week to read) provide the individual and group dynamics. What if novels rarely reach this pinnacle as the epic saga and the character specific blend into a fabulous alternate WW II drama.

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted October 12, 2005

Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted January 18, 2007

A Novel of Alternate History

The human price of war, regardless of nationality, is the relentless focus of this chilling sequel to Turtledove's alternative history Days of Infamy (2004), in which the Japanese conquer Hawaii after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Times are hard for Americans under the occupation. Scarce food and resources result in privation and a thriving black market. Japanese soldiers work POWs to death with heavy labor on insufficient rations. Women are forced into prostitution as comfort women. But the U.S. armed forces have a few tricks up their sleeve, notably a new kind of aircraft that can hold its own against the Zero. Both the Japanese and American militaries scheme, plan and train, while surfer bums, POWs and fishermen just try to get by. A plethora of characters, each with his or her own point of view, provide experiences in miniature that combine to paint a broad canvas of the titanic struggle, if at the cost of a fragmented narrative. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.