Surrounded by Enemies: What if Kennedy Survived Dallas?

by Bryce Zabel, Harry Turtledove (Foreword), Richard M. Dolan (Preface)

If President John Kennedy had survived the ambush at Dealey Plaza in Dallas a half-century ago, what other twists might history have taken? In his meticulously researched novel, "Surrounded by Enemies: What If Kennedy Survived Dallas?”, author Bryce Zabel delivers a supercharged but plausible alternative narrative of the turbulent 1960s after our charismatic president escapes unscathed on November 22, 1963.

Since the assassination, other writers have speculated about the important work for peace and equality that President Kennedy could have done had his life been spared. Instead, Zabel -- a Writers Guild award-winning Hollywood writer/producer -- boldly re-imagines a shocking post-1963 political scenario that is painfully disruptive to the nation, culminating in a Constitutional crisis and even calls for the president’s impeachment. Without resorting to sci-fi gimmicks, Zabel instead investigates and explores what we now know about the underbelly of JFK’s presidency to portray him returning to a very different Washington, D.C. where the stakes are high on so many fronts. After all, someone had just tried to execute him in broad daylight on a public street in front of a national television audience. The President and his brother, Attorney General Robert Kennedy, essentially become the first conspiracy theorists, determined to strike back at their formidable and determined enemies. This is not a time-travel story with a protagonist sent back to save JFK. It is not a rose-colored glasses look at an idealized “what if.” Instead we get a hard look at the dark secrets of the Kennedy administration -- and of those who have the motive and means to brutally remove him from office, including government insiders at the CIA, FBI, Secret Service and even suspects such as Vice President Lyndon Johnson.

The provocative and compelling narrative covers the period from Kennedy’s near-miss in Dallas through the subsequent political earthquake of 1964-1966. We witness the president interact with his family and close circle of famous friends and colleagues, with the colorful politicians and government leaders of that era, and with such Sixties icons as the Beatles, Marilyn Monroe, boxer Cassius Clay and astronaut Neil Armstrong. Zabel’s novel is cleverly presented as a commemorative retrospective assembled by contemporaneous journalists on the staff of a fictitious newsmagazine, Top Story -- and incorporates into the narrative realistically designed faux-magazine covers depicting JFK with those luminaries he gets to meet only in Zabel’s parallel universe. "Surrounded by Enemies" literally breathes new life into the Kennedy years, and intimately portrays a decade even more surreal than the one found in conventional history books. "Surrounded by Enemies: What If Kennedy Survived Dallas?" is widely available as an eBook through all major sellers; as a trade paperback; and as an audiobook narrated by Edd Hall (The Tonight Show). It is the first in a series of alternate history novels under the alt.Worlds imprint from Stellar Productions.

Bryce Zabel is the creator of NBC’s Emmy Award-winning Dark Skies which dramatized the UFO cover-up through the perspective of the Kennedy years. He is the winner of the 2008 Writers Guild of America award for “Outstanding Original Longform” for his Hallmark miniseries Pandemic, and has writing credits on Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, Blackbeard and The Poseidon Adventure. Zabel has created five primetime television series, including Fox’s M.A.N.T.I.S. and The Crow: Stairway to Heaven. He served as the elected Chairman/CEO of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and he has taught producing for the USC School of Cinematic Arts. His book, A.D. After Disclosure: When the Government Finally Reveals the Truth about Alien Contact (Career Press, 2012), now in its fourth printing, was a Barnes & Noble “new and noteworthy” selection.

Genres: Alternate History, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Politics, Science Fiction

Audiobook

First published July 29, 2013

About the author

Screenwriter Bryce Zabel has created five primetime network television series, including NBC's Emmy-winning "Dark Skies." He has written for a dozen other popular TV shows, and written and produced feature and television projects for many of Hollywood's networks and studios. He's collaborated with such top creative talents as Steven Spielberg and Stan Lee. A former CNN correspondent, Bryce received the Writers Guild of America (WGA) award in 2008 for writing his third four-hour Hallmark mini-series, "Pandemic," and has written and produced films and mini-series that include "Atlantis: The Lost Empire," "Mortal Kombat: Annihilation," "Blackbeard" and "The Poseidon Adventure." He wrote SyFy's first original film, "Official Denial," a produced film that is now being developed for a feature re-boot. His end-of-World War II true story, "The Last Battle," is now in studio development.

In television, Bryce also created or developed such series as "Kay O'Brien" (CBS), "M.A.N.T.I.S." (FOX), "The Crow: Stairway to Heaven" (SYN) and "E.N.G." (CTV). He has worked on such series as "Steven Spielberg's Taken," "L.A. Law," "Life Goes On," and "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman." After 9/11, Bryce served as the elected chairman/CEO of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the first writer in that position since Rod Serling. His Hollywood career has spanned ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, HBO, Showtime, Syfy, Sony, Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, Universal, Paramount, Hallmark, USA, and Animal Planet.

His journalism and screenwriting work has been nominated for awards from the Environmental Media Association and Mystery Writers of America, and for Golden Mike, Gemini and Emmy awards. He is a member of the Directors Guild of America (DGA), Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA). His debut book, "A.D. After Disclosure" (Career Press, 2012), now in its fourth printing, was a Barnes & Noble "New & Noteworthy" selection.

Bryce lives in Los Angeles with his wife and writing/producing partner, Jackie Zabel.

Reviews

[Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if JFK had survived the attack on his life in Dallas?

This book was really intriguing and well written. Instead of dying in Dallas in 1963 JFK survived and one gets a chance to see how his life and those around him change with him alive. But it is not a fairy tale with everything ending well. His involvement with women, especially affairs with women of questionable reputations that are something everyone knows about nowadays, but something that was not a public knowledge during the 60s is the thing that in this "what if story" will come to light during his presidency. And, that combined with his ill health that he has been hiding from the general public and orders he has given to alleged assassinations of foreign leaders will, in the end, lead to his impeachment. In the end, when they could not kill him they tried in every way to kill his political career instead.

I enjoyed this book immensely. A favorite subject, the Kennedys told in one of my favorite ways of telling a story; a what if story. It helped that it was really good and it felt like it could have happened if JFK had lived. Well except one thing, in the end, something that has to do with John-John was a bit too much even for me!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!

[Bryce Zabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote this book because no one had ever written the version of "if JFK lived" that I wanted to read. This is no "rose-colored glasses" version but one that takes into account how the world would have been changed even by a near-miss in Dallas.

Let's face it: JFK would have know that he'd been targeted for murder on a public street in broad daylight. Things would not have pinged back to normal. President Kennedy and his attorney general brother Bobby would have become the first true conspiracy theorists.

The idea for this book first came to me back in 2003 and I'd been dabbling about its premise for years. As 2013 began, I realized that it was now or never to write it, given the upcoming 50th anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy on November 22, 1963.

It was hard work, but I'm very glad that I took the time and made the effort. While I realize that when it comes to alternate history, no reader will ever embrace 100 percent of the decisions that were made in this story, I hope that all can appreciate they were made with research, thought and care.

Thank you for considering reading "Surrounded by Enemies."

[Suanne Laqueur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy SHIT that was awesome.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Just Wow! This is a book that reads so vividly you will swear you are there. Mr. Zabel has taken the premise of JFK's survival and run with it. His alternative take on the events that day in Dallas and it's aftermath made for riveting reading. The pacing was fast, the believability level high, and the twists and turns well-plotted. The inter-weaving of truth with invention was seamless, and I am guilty of staying up way too late to finish. All in all, a satisfying, well-researched and well plotted novel. I would definitely read more from Bryce Zabel.
*I received my copy from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting premise: what if JFK had survived the assassination attempt in Dallas?

The start of the book was amazing as the author changed history and we get to see how JFK and RFK dealt with the fallout of that day. As time moves forward the president, his advisors and the government tried to determine who was behind the events of 11/22/63. This is where the book gets into the weeds regarding every conspiracy theory out there and devolves from a compulsive read to a conspiracy nut’s dream.

The author weaves some actual historic events throughout the narrative, changing them slightly to fit the alternative history. he is proposing: Teddy Kennedy’s plane crash and Chappaquiddick disaster; landing on the moon; how Jackie became known as “Jackie Oh”, Vietnam, etc.

Some of the story seems to be told through a 21st century lens, especially when the public learns of JFK’s extra marital activities, medical problems and government overreach.

In my opinion, not enough attention is given to Jackie’s reaction to Dallas, which might have humanized the story more and made it less politically wonky. I would have also liked to seen more of how Dallas affected JFK‘s relationship with his children, who he got to see grow up. For me one of the more preposterous sections is about JFK Jr. as an adult. It moves from alternative history to fantasy land.

This book started out great, limped along in the middle and redeemed itself a bit in the end.

BTW, feel free to NOT comment about which conspiracy theory you believe. This is a book review and not a reflection of your beliefs. Any comments like that will be deleted and you will be blocked.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to have read this book during the late stages of its development and I can say that it is a wonderful book for anyone, but particularly if you are interested in the history of the 1960's and its consequences. Bryce Zabel creates a very plausible alternate history. As you read, you feel as if this was the real history of those times because he has spared no detail, he has overlooked nothing in developing an alternative. Like Gregory Maguire's Wicked, Surrounded by Enemies is an alternate world that tells the story of what happens when we dare to think of the alternative. For those of us who have done extensive research into the facts surrounding Kennedy's presidency and the government's responses to the events of that era- Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile Crisis, the assassination, all the way to Watergate- we recognize the competing theories Zabel introduces and how he fleshes out what they might mean. It's thrilling, and it has a cinematic feel to it that Zabel, a television screenwriter, is so adept at. I read this in one sitting. I simply could not put it down. Excellent book!

It is currently available as a kindle edition through amazon.com, but will be out as an ebook Septmeber 1st and in print October 1.

[Drita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second Fiction book i read in years, i don't normally read them not for anything but we are so cough up in everyday lives, TV with so much negativity that i like to escape to a fantasy land for a while.
I don't know what would of happened if Kennedy Survived Dallas, one thing i am mostly sure of we wouldn't have what we have today. Not into politics i just wanted to read and know of ones version about JFK and this authors believes.
So glad i found it and was able to read it, it kept my interest i wanted to know more. Well done Mr. Zabel.

I wish we have more presidents like JFK. Hope one day!!!
Passing it over to my husband.

[Anika · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title and subtitle pretty much tell what this is about: JFK surviving the assassination plot and trying to come to terms with it (who was behind it and why and how to deal with it at all?). That was a refreshing approach: I mean, okay, so JFK survives - but still somebody tried to murder him, that needs to be an issue, doesn't it?

Overall, I liked the approach presented here. It was a fast, entertaining read and offered a scenario that was, in the most parts, very plausible. I especially loved Jack and Bobby teaming up and was intrigued by Oswald's further fate. There were moments, like JFK meeting The Beatles at Ed Sullivan - that made my inner fangirl have a field day.

What I didn't like: the style was too, how to say it, clipped for me. It made the novel fast and action driven, but I would've enjoyed some more words every now and then. Also, the last third of the book was a let down compared to the first two thirds, the whole impeachment plot dragged on for too long and some of the future outlooks - especially John-John's - were way over the top.

A few more details on the main points of this What If containing spoilers: JFK survives Dallas (he's saved by Secret Service Agent Clint Hill, who dies, as does Connally). Oswald does not get shot by Ruby but later dies under mysterious circumstances in prison shortly before his trial begins. When JFK wants to fire Hoover, the FBI leaks the Kennedy files (on his multiple affairs including the East German spy and Mafia liason, his medical condition and drug usage and so on) which ultimately gets him impeached and resigned from office. RFK never runs for Senate, but John-John does (and marries Princess Diana, lol, wtf? That was way too much, sadly).

[Claire Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a timely book with the fiftieth anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s assassination just a few weeks away, but it should have lasting appeal. The question of how the United States, and the world, would have changed had the thirty-fifth president not been murdered will haunt our collective consciousness forever. Numerous books have tackled this question in one form or another. Bryce Zabel has taken an original and logical approach to providing an answer. Zabel is a veteran journalist, and this book reflects his skills in presenting a taut, fast-paced, well-told story.

(WARNING: Partial spoilers ahead.) Most writers who tackle the question “What if Kennedy lived?” are focused on whether he would have continued or curtailed our involvement in the Vietnam War, whether he would have won a 1964 landslide similar to Lyndon Johnson’s and what his second term domestic policies would have looked like. Yet they fail to address the fact that the majority of Americans believe that JFK was not the victim of a lone gunman; this is the true “elephant in the room” for every storyteller presenting a world in which JFK survives Dallas. They also fail to acknowledge that the half-century since the assassination has seen revelations about the president’s personal life that could have been very destructive to his career had that information been exposed while he was still alive.

Bryce Zabel presents a world where the bullets fired in Dealey Plaza failed to find their mark, so those who were determined to remove Kennedy from power had to find a different way to accomplish their goal. Do they succeed? Read the book to find out.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a rule, I do not like fiction. It is not that I think fiction is bad or that it is a genre that has no value. Quite simply, most fiction I have tried to read just does not keep my attention.

So it may seem odd that I chose to read, finished, and enjoyed greatly this work of fiction. A couple of things, my disdain for fiction is becoming less prominent as I am exposed to more good works. Also, I thoroughly enjoy history and have been, like many, inundated with JFK material over the past few years and off and on throughout my entire life. So when a book is going to portray the "what-if" of JFK escaping Dealay Plaza on that fateful Friday afternoon, I was very intrigued.

And I was not disappointed. Zabel keeps the readers attention from beginning to end. There were no "skim-worthy" parts. Some may tire of some of the minute details he includes and the presentation...I did not. Zabel did a tremendous job making this work feel like a media retrospective on the life of a beloved president who narrowly escaped an assassin's(or assassins') bullet.

I do not know how to recap without giving away key aspects so I won't. What I will do is encourage any fiction lover or history lover to give this book a chance to offer a fascinating trip through what could have been. I will add the warning that this deals with the lives of sinful people and some parts are a bit PG-13. With that caveat aside, this was quite a good book.

*I received a review copy from the publisher to offer a review.

[Icy-Cobwebs-Crossing-SpaceTime]

Review: SURROUNDED BY ENEMIES by Bryce Zabeli

I've been a "What If?" person as long as I can remember: the kind of individual with a curious bent of mind who needs to examine the road not taken. So it's no wonder that alternative history is one of my lifelong interests. What If the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor had been circumvented? What If Hitler occupied Britain? What If William the Conqueror didn't conquer? And so forth. Of course, one of the biggies of the last 50 years: what if JFK wasn't assassinated?

To make alternative history live, it must be believable, deeply researched, and well-written. I give you SURROUNDED BY ENEMIES. Mr. Zabel has the advantage of 5 decades of historians' studying the Kennedy Administration, and JFK himself. Many secrets have been opened that contemporaries of the Kennedy Brothers couldn't access. The result is not a pretty rendering of Kennedy's Camelot as an Arcadia; but it is compelling, and a keeper.SURROUNDED BY ENEMIES should be required reading for students and authors of alternative history

[Ailith Twinning · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's no nice way to say it, I'd never found myself wishing Kennedy had lived before I read this book. It was surprisingly interesting and, if not realistic, believable. Who knows how it might have actually gone - but this story is a worthy one.

And there is something intensely disturbing, and deeply wrong about the mere existance of the CIA, NSA, and the entire post-911 Alphabet soup of Gestapo and Stazi forces in this country. . . and the loudest voices against them are, ironically, the people that most benefit them, and from them. I think most Americans probably don't much like most of them, but the loud voices always seem to be right-wing cranks. It's scarier how many CIA operatives are becoming "news" and politcal personalities, openly and proudly.

This book kicked ass - a fiction non-fiction book. Like, where can I get more of these? Because I'm running out of NF books I want to read, and I don't really like narrative fiction as a format. Historical/NF fiction as a format is fun.

[Jerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought-provoking "alternative- history" what-if take on what a post-'63 JFK administration might have looked like... considering that the president (and his attorney general brother Bobby) are now consumed by figuring out who is trying to kill him, and getting back at them. Because it's written by an award-winning screenwriter, it's less an historical tome than a fast-paced thriller with you-are-there scenes and dialogue. Which is not to say that the author hasn't done his homework, for the storyline draws heavily on the various assassination conspiracy theories that have arisen, as well as JFK's own dark personal and political secrets that have come to light, so the meticulous research is evident throughout. Surprising plot twists, and cameo appearances from real-life historical icons, make for a fun read. Especially timely in light of the 50th anniversary of JFK's assassination.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this as an audio book and as such it really worked. It was written in such a way that the audio was like a documentary show discussing the attempt on JFK's life in Dallas and the resulting affect on his Presidency. Being very familiar with the period helped a great deal as I was able to more easily compare what happened in our timeline (OTL) versus this hypothetical one. My main concern with the story is that the author seems to have made *everything* happen to Kennedy that was possible and the result had to be taken with a grain of salt when viewed as a whole. When one looks at only a few of the possibilities happening rather than the whole, things are much more plausible.

The narrator was also quite good and had an excellent voice and pacing.

[Adele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I utterly loved this book! Firstly, I am a JFK nut & will read anything about him, but this is the first time I have ever read anything that made me forget he had been assassinated.
This book reads like complete fact, not alternative-world fiction, at times I struggled to work out which bits were fact & which bits were fiction.
Extremely well written & researched, only downside was towards the end of the book where it went a tad 'Hollywood' with a relationship between John Jr & Princess Diana.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in a single evening. I couldn't put it down. Zabel's done his homework and this re-tread of history past Dallas-1963 are illuminating and sad. I will share this: you don't get the ending that you expect from this book. Still, it was a riveting read and I suggest it to anyone who loves History, speculative non-Fiction, or JFK.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book, I loved every page of it. It was well written and thought out. Things might have been better if this had happened.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

very interesting but very dry I though

[Robert Gonko · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one, written as though it were another "All the President's Men." An interesting look at what could have happened if JFK had survived Dallas.

[Mal Warwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT IF JFK HAD SURVIVED DALLAS?

Anyone who followed the news in the early 1960s is well aware that President John F. Kennedy was, indeed, “surrounded by enemies.” Bryce Zabel chose well when he used the phrase as the title of his 2015 alternate history thriller. JFK’s enemies included the belligerent members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who hated him for seeking peace with the Soviet Union. The CIA loathed him for compromising their invasion of Cuba and firing Allen Dulles. And the Mob was incandescent with rage because of his and his brother Bobby’s campaign against organized crime. So it is not far-fetched to imagine that one or more of these forces might have conspired to assassinate him in Dallas on November 22, 1963. In fact, there is considerable evidence pointing in that direction. But Zabel hasn’t written about what happened. Surrounded by Enemies is a story of what might have happened if JFK survived Dallas.

WHO CAN THE PRESIDENT TRUST?

In fact, in Zabel’s telling, JFK receives a minor wound to the shoulder and cracks his wife’s wrist in leaping to shield her from the bullets. At least seven are fired from two or three directions. Texas Governor John Connolly dies of his wounds. And Secret Service Special Agent Clint Hill dies in a heroic move to save the President and First Lady. But other Secret Service agents appear to act passively at best, casting their loyalty into account. And thus President Kennedy and Attorney General Robert Kennedy emerge from the event feeling as though they can trust nobody. Under the circumstances, it’s not an unreasonable assumption. And in fact it wasn’t it in 1963 as it is today.

DEALEY PLAZA MAY HAVE BEEN ONLY THE BEGINNING

The events that unfold in the aftermath of November 22 confirm JFK and Bobby’s suspicions that a conspiracy was, indeed, afoot. The Dallas Police and DA seem determined to pin the blame solely on Lee Harvey Oswald. So does FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, who shuts down his agency’s investigation after a single day. And soon the President receives credible threats from unknown quarters that his assassins won’t miss the second time. JFK holes himself up in the White House, and his brother puts together a small group of trusted aides in the Justice Department to investigate the attempted murder.

A CONSPIRACY OF BOLDFACED NAMES

If you followed politics on the national scene back in the day, you’ll enjoy Surrounded by Enemies. Zabel brings back to life on the page many of the boldfaced names of the Kennedy Administration and the military and intelligence establishment. Names like Vice President Lyndon Johnson, Chicago Mob boss Sam Giancana, Strategic Air Force Commander Curtis LeMay, Dallas oilman Clint Murchison, and CIA counterintelligence chief James Jesus Angleton are impossible to forget for anyone who kept an eye on the news at the time. And in the aftermath of the events of November 22, 1963, all five men were the subject of speculation about their possible roles in a conspiracy to murder the President. In Zabel’s fictional account, it appears as though they all have been.

Zabel’s story works well as a speculative account of what might have transpired in the years immediately following the events in Dallas. And he might have stopped then, capping off a great yarn. However, he continues the narrative for many years afterward, tracing the careers of many of the major players in the story, often to the end of their lives. He should have stopped when he was ahead.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bryce Zabel is best known for his work on television as a producer, director, writer, and actor. You might have seen his medical thriller Pandemic or the disaster epic The Poseidon Adventure. Surrounded by Enemies is one of his four books.

Zabel was born in 1954 and educated in Oregon, where he received a BA in broadcast journalism from the University of Oregon in Eugene. He has become a prominent figure in the television industry and served for a time as Chairman and CEO of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, which produces the primetime Emmy Awards. He and his writer-producer wife have three children. They live in Southern California.

[Aloysius · Rating 5 out of 5]

There have been a couple of alternate history takes on the Kennedy assassination, but none which focuses much on the possible hidden culprits of the deed. This one does.

In this scenario, Kennedy survives Dallas, only to rush headlong into a web of intrigue, scandal, disappointment, and danger. First, he has to make it pass an alternate 1964 election against a right wing Goldwater who doesn’t sound quite as “nuts” as in our timeline. When the would be killer is himself gunned down in a botched transfer, suspicion of the government spikes in the public, and Kennedy isn’t immune to the backlash.

Even re-election provides little respite. While a less friendly Congress digs through what evidence there in search of possible accomplices to Dallas, Kennedy stares down a wily vice-president and a FBI head not afraid to break a few laws to hold on to his post. But when devastating sex and medical scandals leak, Kennedy‘s judgement and rectitude are seriously called into question, and country may find out there is more than one illicit way to take out a president.

And that’s before throwing such things as Vietnam, civil rights, the space race, and the ongoing dread of nuclear tension into account.

This was much more thrilling than I thought it would be when I first picked up the book. Glad I read it!

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spoilers ahead!

Took me a while to get into this one. Not sure why, but I went into it expecting it to read like a novel, where JFK, RFK, EFK, etc. had dialogue and there was a narrative tying everything together. Instead, it reads like a Carl Bernstein book. So I had to re-adjust my expectations at the beginning of the book, and I wasn't sure I could actually get through it until it got to the point where JFK met The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show, and I found myself thinking I had to Google the photo with JFK shaking their hands because I couldn't recall ever seeing it before and all of a sudden I realized I was actually a lot more into this book than I realized, lol.

Anyway, I really did enjoy this one. It's a very interesting take on how things might have panned out had JFK survived. The parallels between Kennedy/Johnson and Nixon/Agnew were very cool. I loved the idea of avoiding the Vietnam War, too. It also brought me up short to realize that in this timeline, Ford was never president (though it seemed to be leading in that direction for a minute), nor was Carter, and RFK was never assassinated. Little stuff like that sprinkled through the book made it a really fun read. Every time I thought, oh we're now back to the real timeline, something upended it and took me in another direction. This was a fun read.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am sure that many of us have wondered what would have happened had JFK survived the assassination attempt in Dallas. While nobody can be sure, this alternate history novel puts forth some very interesting extrapolations. I can't say much without ruining it for anyone who wants to read it, but I will say that certain things that happened in the real world also happened here, but in very different ways. This is a real page-turner!

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

An alternative history on what might have happened if JFK had survived Dallas, overall a quirky and interesting read, if not the most realistic (JFK Jr marrying Diana made me laugh my head off), but I did like the political side of the drama during the Kennedy administration from 64 onwards. I don't know how realistic it was in how it played out but I enjoyed it the frothy bit of nothing it was anyways.

[Jesse Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was OK

I liked this take on the question, "what if President Kennedy" was not killed in Dallas. I'm not sure if everything that happens in this alternate future made sense but overall a good story. I especially enjoyed the Post Presidental segments.

[Jim Kinkead · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if JFK had survived the assassination?. Getting out of Dallas was the easy part.

[Makarand Mannur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gave a different perspective about enemies n JFK

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting.

[Sherry Schwabacher · Rating 3 out of 5]

What would have happened if Kennedy had survived Dallas? Speculative history.

[Krisann Hagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. Read straight through. Wanted more at the end.