Reviews
Colonel David Fitz-Enz has written a fascinating full-length story of 'what might have been' in the War of 1812. That he has made it into an entire book, rather than taking the more conventional option of writing only a chapter, is a feat in itself: but even more remarkable is that he manages to sustain the dramatic tension until the very last page--and the dnouement is as unexpected as it is thought-provoking. Along the way, the author quietly teaches us a great deal about many diverse and unfamiliar subjects, such as the technicalities of transporting horses by sea, or the methods for laundering money on a large scale in the conditions of 1814. Overall, it is a book that is well worth reading., eoeColonel David Fitz-Enz has written a fascinating full-length story of e~what might have beene(tm) in the War of 1812. That he has made it into an entire book, rather than taking the more conventional option of writing only a chapter, is a feat in itself: but even more remarkable is that he manages to sustain the dramatic tension until the very last pagee"and the dnouement is as unexpected as it is thought-provoking. Along the way, the author quietly teaches us a great deal about many diverse and unfamiliar subjects, such as the technicalities of transporting horses by sea, or the methods for laundering money on a large scale in the conditions of 1814. Overall, it is a book that is well worth reading.e, Alternative history requires the deep knowledge of a subject if the author is to retain credibility in leading the reader along the border between fact and fiction. As he demonstrated in his best-selling non-fiction account of The Final Invasion , Col. David Fitz-Enz possesses just such expertise on the War of 1812. The result is a well-written, fast-paced novel that entertains and informs by plausibly describing how in the war's latter years, far removed from the Napoleonic Wars' denouement, the activities of the Duke of Wellington in North America could have decisively altered the history of both continents., Colonel David Fitz-Enz has written a fascinating full-length story of 'what might have been' in the War of 1812. That he has made it into an entire book, rather than taking the more conventional option of writing only a chapter, is a feat in itself: but even more remarkable is that he manages to sustain the dramatic tension until the very last page--and the dénouement is as unexpected as it is thought-provoking. Along the way, the author quietly teaches us a great deal about many diverse and unfamiliar subjects, such as the technicalities of transporting horses by sea, or the methods for laundering money on a large scale in the conditions of 1814. Overall, it is a book that is well worth reading., eoeAlternative history requires the deep knowledge of a subject if the author is to retain credibility in leading the reader along the border between fact and fiction. As he demonstrated in his best-selling non-fiction account of The Final Invasion , Col. David Fitz-Enz possesses just such expertise on the War of 1812. The result is a well-written, fast-paced novel that entertains and informs by plausibly describing how in the ware(tm)s latter years, far removed from the Napoleonic Warse(tm) denouement, the activities of the Duke of Wellington in North America could have decisively altered the history of both continents.e, Col. Fitz-Enz conjures an intriguing retelling of very plausible roads not taken in the War of 1812, by bringing Old Hickory and the Iron Duke to epic collision on the same battlefield to decide the fate of the young republic. It is a bold tale, well-told, and breathing fire., eoeCol. Fitz-Enz conjures an intriguing retelling of very plausible roads not taken in the War of 1812, by bringing Old Hickory and the Iron Duke to epic collision on the same battlefield to decide the fate of the young republic. It is a bold tale, well-told, and breathing fire.e, Colonel David Fitz-Enz has written a fascinating full-length story of 'what might have been' in the War of 1812. That he has made it into an entire book, rather than taking the more conventional option of writing only a chapter, is a feat in itself: but even more remarkable is that he manages to sustain the dramatic tension until the very last page-and the dénouement is as unexpected as it is thought-provoking. Along the way, the author quietly teaches us a great deal about many diverse and unfamiliar subjects, such as the technicalities of transporting horses by sea, or the methods for laundering money on a large scale in the conditions of 1814. Overall, it is a book that is well worth reading.
