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1882: Custer in Chains
NATIONALLY BEST-SELLING AUTHOR. A world where Custer survives Little Bighorn and becomes president goes seriously awry.
Following his unlikely but decisive (and immensely popular) 1876 victory over Sitting Bull and the Sioux at the Little Big Horn, George Armstrong Custer is propelled into the White House in 1880.
Two years later, he finds himself bored and seeks new worlds to conquer. He and his wife Libbie fixate on Spain’s decaying empire as his source for immortality. What President Custer doesn’t quite comprehend is that the U.S. military isn’t up to such a venture. When a group of Americans on a ship headed for Cuba is massacred, war becomes inevitable—and unless calmer, patriotic citizens and soldiers can find a way to avoid debacle, this war may be America's last stand!
Following his unlikely but decisive (and immensely popular) 1876 victory over Sitting Bull and the Sioux at the Little Big Horn, George Armstrong Custer is propelled into the White House in 1880.
Two years later, he finds himself bored and seeks new worlds to conquer. He and his wife Libbie fixate on Spain’s decaying empire as his source for immortality. What President Custer doesn’t quite comprehend is that the U.S. military isn’t up to such a venture. When a group of Americans on a ship headed for Cuba is massacred, war becomes inevitable—and unless calmer, patriotic citizens and soldiers can find a way to avoid debacle, this war may be America's last stand!
512 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published April 26, 2016
14 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
About the author
Robert Conroy
26 books196 followersRobert Conroy was a best selling author of alternate history novels. His 1942, which is set within a Japanese conquest of Hawaii, won the prestigious Sidewise Award for alternate histories.
After taking early retirement from automotive management, Conroy decided to combine his loves of history and writing. After discovering that Kaiser Wilhelm had plans to invade the U.S., he wrote his first alternate history, 1901 in which the invasion took place. He found alternate history fascinating and the possibilities never-ending. He also wrote for Military History Magazine.
Conroy had a MBA, was a US Army Veteran and was a retired instructor at Macomb Community College. He had a married daughter and two grandsons. He lived in southeastern Michigan with his wife of forty-plus years. He passed away in December 2014 from Cancer.
After taking early retirement from automotive management, Conroy decided to combine his loves of history and writing. After discovering that Kaiser Wilhelm had plans to invade the U.S., he wrote his first alternate history, 1901 in which the invasion took place. He found alternate history fascinating and the possibilities never-ending. He also wrote for Military History Magazine.
Conroy had a MBA, was a US Army Veteran and was a retired instructor at Macomb Community College. He had a married daughter and two grandsons. He lived in southeastern Michigan with his wife of forty-plus years. He passed away in December 2014 from Cancer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
February 3, 2025
I enjoy alternate history stories and Robert Conroy was one of the better authors of the genre. But he did follow a formula and I felt this one certainly fits it. I did like it that the story involves an often overlooked conflict--the Spanish-American War. In this AH, the war occurs in 1882 and the President of the USA is George A. Custer, not William McKinley. Custer survives Little Bighorn and goes on to get elected President in 1880. He runs as a Republican--although I believe Custer was a Democrat.
Custer comes across as buffoonish and dominated by his wife Libby. It's a cartoon character that I don't think fits reality. Custer had a streak of recklessness as a cavalry commander, which led to his death at the Little Bighorn in 1876, but I think he would have been at least somewhat better as Commander-in-chief than Conroy shows him to be in the book. Anyway, in 1882, the US is much less prepared for war than it would be 16 years later, and the Spanish stronger on the island of Cuba. So it's a bloodier war and America comes closer to losing. I don't think it's a spoiler to say that America wins the war, as America always does in all of Conroy's books. This is not S.M. Stirling's Draka series!
Custer comes across as buffoonish and dominated by his wife Libby. It's a cartoon character that I don't think fits reality. Custer had a streak of recklessness as a cavalry commander, which led to his death at the Little Bighorn in 1876, but I think he would have been at least somewhat better as Commander-in-chief than Conroy shows him to be in the book. Anyway, in 1882, the US is much less prepared for war than it would be 16 years later, and the Spanish stronger on the island of Cuba. So it's a bloodier war and America comes closer to losing. I don't think it's a spoiler to say that America wins the war, as America always does in all of Conroy's books. This is not S.M. Stirling's Draka series!
June 19, 2015
A little of the story I had read in Custer's Luck. A better title would have been good, it tells you would will happen to Custer. 1882: American-Spanish War, Custer's Cuban War or something else would have been a better title. Would liked to have known where the president's secret service detail was at. Surprised that the Hotchkiss Mountain Rifle wasn't mentioned or made us of in the story.
June 12, 2015
Imagine, if you will, a world in which Custer is NOT killed at the Battle of Little Big Horn. What might have happened? Robert Conroy crafts another strong alternate history novel exploring just that. In this book Custer survives Little Big Horn because an officer disobeyed his orders and brought up the Gatling Guns, that arrive just in time to save him. As a result, Custer is regarded as a hero and gets elected President. Hothead that he is and prodded by his beautiful wife Libby, Custer manages to get a war started between the US and Spain to take over Cuba and Puerto Rico. Well, in 1882 the country really isn't ready for such an adventure, but it does manage to get cobbled together.
Conroy creates a believable world and his major characters are always well fleshed out. He has a good working knowledge of military capacities that existed during the time and he portrays the politicians accurately. The battle is definitely in the balance, Spain proves to be no push over in 1882 and the Cubans have their own agenda which does not include becoming a colony of the United States.
I find Conroy's portrayal of Custer to be spot on. He is reckless and very much depends on the counsel of his wife Libby. He makes a crucially poor decision when he goes off to the war zone without her and ends up, literally, in chains.
The only reason I am not giving this book five stars is because of the sex in it. Some would be fine, but this time it goes beyond his usual and it does not, in my opinion, move the story forward. Overall, this book is a great read and an interesting journey into "what if?"
Conroy creates a believable world and his major characters are always well fleshed out. He has a good working knowledge of military capacities that existed during the time and he portrays the politicians accurately. The battle is definitely in the balance, Spain proves to be no push over in 1882 and the Cubans have their own agenda which does not include becoming a colony of the United States.
I find Conroy's portrayal of Custer to be spot on. He is reckless and very much depends on the counsel of his wife Libby. He makes a crucially poor decision when he goes off to the war zone without her and ends up, literally, in chains.
The only reason I am not giving this book five stars is because of the sex in it. Some would be fine, but this time it goes beyond his usual and it does not, in my opinion, move the story forward. Overall, this book is a great read and an interesting journey into "what if?"
July 19, 2016
Another Robert Conroy American alternate history and for the most part a good read.
Custer doesn’t die at Little Big Horn - (no spoilers here -read the book).
He’s elected President and he is out of his league. His wife Libbie seems to be the mover and shaker and Custer defers to her.
So things are too quite in 1882 so the two put their heads together and decide what the USA needs is a foreign war. Hey Spain is a third rate country and Cuba is just 90 miles south of Key West and off it goes, rolling out of control as only real history can do.
Good character development, lots of action, some nice twists and turns.
I will say this for all of Conroy’s alternate histories involving the USA, we always win. You know we’re going to win when you pick up the book. But the fun is the story Conroy weaves around the journey he takes us on to get to the final page.
By the way - I might be wrong, but based on what he wrote, the man doesn’t like Custer.
Custer doesn’t die at Little Big Horn - (no spoilers here -read the book).
He’s elected President and he is out of his league. His wife Libbie seems to be the mover and shaker and Custer defers to her.
So things are too quite in 1882 so the two put their heads together and decide what the USA needs is a foreign war. Hey Spain is a third rate country and Cuba is just 90 miles south of Key West and off it goes, rolling out of control as only real history can do.
Good character development, lots of action, some nice twists and turns.
I will say this for all of Conroy’s alternate histories involving the USA, we always win. You know we’re going to win when you pick up the book. But the fun is the story Conroy weaves around the journey he takes us on to get to the final page.
By the way - I might be wrong, but based on what he wrote, the man doesn’t like Custer.
May 18, 2017
Custers New Last Stand
This is a good fast paced book with some interesting characters to keep things interesting. The plot was a bit too predictable because the foreshadowing of the next event were a bit to on the nose. I read the novel in just over a day which indicates just how fast a read it is and how engaging I found the story to be.
This is a good fast paced book with some interesting characters to keep things interesting. The plot was a bit too predictable because the foreshadowing of the next event were a bit to on the nose. I read the novel in just over a day which indicates just how fast a read it is and how engaging I found the story to be.
June 9, 2016
Well the writing itself was okay. Conroy has down the formula for writing a readable Alternate History story down pat. The cast is likeable, the villains are hateable and the period related details seem reasonably well researched.
The only problem is... this novel has a hard time to find an intriguing angle to its premise... Custer gets elected and the Spanish-American War will start 20 years early... and it will be fought in like 4 skirmishes around a hill protecting the landing zone and a few weeks of siege on Havanna... it makes look the two "world powers" USA and Spain look like tired, toothless lions that even though they are kind of enthusiastic to fight can't really scrape together armies, weaponry or naval forces and so end up with kind of a weekend warriors campaign somewhat like the War of Jenkins' Ear or the Toledo War but not really parallel to the real world cuban fighting 1900/1901...
Sure, Conroy touches on lots of interesting points of historical interest like the advent of hygienic standards in medicine, the lack of soemthing like vaccination to fight diseases despite the somewhat growing understanding of germs being responsible instead of bad airs or similar factors, the slow changeover from wooden hull fighting ships to the soon to dawn age of the Dreadnought-style battleships or the impracticability of fighting connected to your headquarters/government on the end of long telegraph lines only a few years before wireless communication arrived. But nothing of it is really handled in depth or effects the story on more than a casual level, as can be shown with the surprising new weapon used to sink the last spanish "battleship" inside Havannah Harbor... but "Torpedos" weren't new... they used them in the Civil War all the time... it just referred to something that had no power of its own and is today known as "Spar torpedo", more like a mine carried on the front of a long pole that will either explode on contact to your target or somehow (glue, spikes) stay attached to it while the fuse is lit and the mothership retreats... the results were mixed especially as the submersibles employing this weapon somewhat stealthily were not all that reliable in their early incarnations... but the thing is everybody would know what a torpedo is and does and the spectacular new thing would be "just" that it now can be started from a ship and will close the distance under power of its own.
So a lot of these scene verge between realistically depicting the times in which the book plays and feeling like just a bit more of trivia thrown in to show how well the author knew the times.
The most condemning bit is the almost genretypical "what happened next" montage in the epilogue where a lot of fascinating stuff is told in throwaway lines, people of importance have died of infectious diseases we never got to read about and the US now are engaged both in Hawai'i and the Philippines without a single line wasted to any of these places before.
Instead we got Mount Haney and the army of the Unwashed.... dominated not by strategic talks or the intricacies of war in a foreign country but by people having extramarital sex and thinking about it in the most unlikely situations to stimulate your sex drive... the side-tales that generally support the character growth of your acting characters here have totally taken over and the result is that we do not get to see a lot of military action or actual development but rather get some snippets of war in between a lot of pillow (or heaps of stacked up tents) talk.
Don't get me wrong it's not a bad book as it is written, Conroy knows how to do that well. It just seems like a bad idea to write a book about. Maybe a dash of fascination with Custer's personality and the seemingly highly praised attractiveness of his wife led the author astray into seeking despearately for a topic to put both into and it didn't translate well. The pov characters flood the narration with their lovetroubles and the fighting and its problems take a backseat.
You might well be fascinated by such exploits, to me it came as a disappointment. Not a bad book, not a good one either.
The only problem is... this novel has a hard time to find an intriguing angle to its premise... Custer gets elected and the Spanish-American War will start 20 years early... and it will be fought in like 4 skirmishes around a hill protecting the landing zone and a few weeks of siege on Havanna... it makes look the two "world powers" USA and Spain look like tired, toothless lions that even though they are kind of enthusiastic to fight can't really scrape together armies, weaponry or naval forces and so end up with kind of a weekend warriors campaign somewhat like the War of Jenkins' Ear or the Toledo War but not really parallel to the real world cuban fighting 1900/1901...
Sure, Conroy touches on lots of interesting points of historical interest like the advent of hygienic standards in medicine, the lack of soemthing like vaccination to fight diseases despite the somewhat growing understanding of germs being responsible instead of bad airs or similar factors, the slow changeover from wooden hull fighting ships to the soon to dawn age of the Dreadnought-style battleships or the impracticability of fighting connected to your headquarters/government on the end of long telegraph lines only a few years before wireless communication arrived. But nothing of it is really handled in depth or effects the story on more than a casual level, as can be shown with the surprising new weapon used to sink the last spanish "battleship" inside Havannah Harbor... but "Torpedos" weren't new... they used them in the Civil War all the time... it just referred to something that had no power of its own and is today known as "Spar torpedo", more like a mine carried on the front of a long pole that will either explode on contact to your target or somehow (glue, spikes) stay attached to it while the fuse is lit and the mothership retreats... the results were mixed especially as the submersibles employing this weapon somewhat stealthily were not all that reliable in their early incarnations... but the thing is everybody would know what a torpedo is and does and the spectacular new thing would be "just" that it now can be started from a ship and will close the distance under power of its own.
So a lot of these scene verge between realistically depicting the times in which the book plays and feeling like just a bit more of trivia thrown in to show how well the author knew the times.
The most condemning bit is the almost genretypical "what happened next" montage in the epilogue where a lot of fascinating stuff is told in throwaway lines, people of importance have died of infectious diseases we never got to read about and the US now are engaged both in Hawai'i and the Philippines without a single line wasted to any of these places before.
Instead we got Mount Haney and the army of the Unwashed.... dominated not by strategic talks or the intricacies of war in a foreign country but by people having extramarital sex and thinking about it in the most unlikely situations to stimulate your sex drive... the side-tales that generally support the character growth of your acting characters here have totally taken over and the result is that we do not get to see a lot of military action or actual development but rather get some snippets of war in between a lot of pillow (or heaps of stacked up tents) talk.
Don't get me wrong it's not a bad book as it is written, Conroy knows how to do that well. It just seems like a bad idea to write a book about. Maybe a dash of fascination with Custer's personality and the seemingly highly praised attractiveness of his wife led the author astray into seeking despearately for a topic to put both into and it didn't translate well. The pov characters flood the narration with their lovetroubles and the fighting and its problems take a backseat.
You might well be fascinated by such exploits, to me it came as a disappointment. Not a bad book, not a good one either.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2015
Another interesting book by Conroy. Custer survives the Little Big Horn Massacre and, thanks to his wife and a creative press, becomes a hero. Again, thanks to his wife, he becomes President of the United States at a time when the western hemisphere was ripe for takeover from European Powers.... but not quite as good as in reality.
Custer's bored. His wife pushes him along to be a great president, not just a sitting one. What's one to do to become a great president? Expand the country, win a war, triumphant parades, happy cheering people.
Except some people remember what really happened at Little Big Horn and that Custer wasn't much of a hero after all. Not to mention that the weakened European powers still have a little bite into them and the rebelling populations haven't totally given up hope of independence immediately.
Pretty classic story line for Conroy. Set up a what if in history that's plausible and go from there. Overall it was a quality read and very enjoyable alternate history. It's not quite up to the level of the first few books of his I've read, 1862 and 1903, but it's close.
If you like alternate history, this is the guy to read. Well researched and thought out. Good characters. I'm looking forward to more of his works.
Custer's bored. His wife pushes him along to be a great president, not just a sitting one. What's one to do to become a great president? Expand the country, win a war, triumphant parades, happy cheering people.
Except some people remember what really happened at Little Big Horn and that Custer wasn't much of a hero after all. Not to mention that the weakened European powers still have a little bite into them and the rebelling populations haven't totally given up hope of independence immediately.
Pretty classic story line for Conroy. Set up a what if in history that's plausible and go from there. Overall it was a quality read and very enjoyable alternate history. It's not quite up to the level of the first few books of his I've read, 1862 and 1903, but it's close.
If you like alternate history, this is the guy to read. Well researched and thought out. Good characters. I'm looking forward to more of his works.
November 20, 2016
I've been meaning to check n Robert Conroy for a while, and this one happened to be at the library the other day.
Conroy does a good job creating interesting, believable bit players (not sure if they are based on real people or not) but there's really not a whole lot of interesting speculation here.
In fact, he ends the story with history exactly as it is supposed to be, despite his alternate road of a Custer Presidency and a war with Spain in Cuba. I think I would have preferred a few less romantic scenes (of which there were quite a few) and a bit more on his alternative historical scenario.
Conroy does a good job creating interesting, believable bit players (not sure if they are based on real people or not) but there's really not a whole lot of interesting speculation here.
In fact, he ends the story with history exactly as it is supposed to be, despite his alternate road of a Custer Presidency and a war with Spain in Cuba. I think I would have preferred a few less romantic scenes (of which there were quite a few) and a bit more on his alternative historical scenario.
July 9, 2018
General Custer is not killed at the Battle of Little Big Horn. He is later elected President of the United States. He wants to be a great President and decides the only way to be on is to have a war. Spain is picked as his target giving us the Spanish-American war about 16 or 17 years early. Neither America or Spain are prepared for war and the poorly trained armies of both sides eventually clash. Better technology, a some Civil War vets, and anger over a Spanish atrocity against the US give America the edge. Spain is hindered by distance to their Cuban colony, out-of-date equipment, and Cuban rebels. This story follows the standard Robert Conroy formula, but it is entertaining.
July 4, 2015
Custer survives the great victory at Little Big Horn, and becomes President of the US. This is the beginning of Conroy's newest alternate history with the Spanish-American war occurring n 1882. As usual with Conroy, the alternate history is simply a backdrop for his well crafted characters intertwined with real historical figures. This is one of those classic "can't put it down" type books.
August 20, 2018
It was decent - better pacing that Turtledove, less character development or mental meandering that Turtledove.
February 4, 2022
It toke me awhile to get around to this novel has the author died in 2014 and it was released posthumously in 2015 has knew that wasn’t sure how to fill if it was has good has his previous novels I can she it was abit shacks near at time that can how publisher tryed to has mugh done with out his finale input for it. Has this was shown how at the very end there’s apart that mentions “storm clouds in the horizon” this is important has I found articles that the author has entente for this to be a 3-part book series that would show the radical history changes because of Custer’d actions but we where only gave the first book which left me disappointed has story could’ve been done better when compared to his first novels but beggars can’t be choosers especially with the author dead.
June 11, 2022
A what if Custer was not killed and Little Bighorn and went on to become president. This is a good read where President Custer is not the main character. This book shows that when we disarmed after the Civil War, we did so. A nation cannot prepare to fight a war on the spur of the moment. This is what happens when you get a president or his wife who starts a war then finds reality intruding. Good characters, although the ending was predictable. I like Conroy's alternate history novels and as far as I know, I have everything he wrote. This one is not quite as good as the others, but so what!
January 22, 2020
CUSTER LAST STAND.
September 30, 2024
I'm beginning to really like alternate histories. This is the second Conroy I've read, and while not as good as "1942", you do learn a lot about historical figures, and it's fun to explore what would have happened if, say, Custer survived Little Big Horn. A lot of it, like in "1942", is military battles. I could follow the land battles better than the naval encounters, but I have wondered what happened to the Spanish Empire in the Americas.
If you like alternate histories, I'd still recommend "1942", but this did make me curious about how arrogant Custer was to end up how he did IRL, as well as in this book.
If you like alternate histories, I'd still recommend "1942", but this did make me curious about how arrogant Custer was to end up how he did IRL, as well as in this book.
August 19, 2015
Not much to say, really. The book is really fun, as I was really caught up and even read during work. It's vastly better than Liberty "it feels like the number of pages is" 1784, as it has more action, more likeable characters and interesting twists.
But it's still a bit less interesting than his older works, especially 1920: America's Great War.
There is a lot of space between the actions, and a large siege that goes on for most of the book. But that said the strategies and meetings are quite good.
So, it's an average Conroy book, but an average Conroy book is still way better than a lot of Alternate History being published today, so enjoy
But it's still a bit less interesting than his older works, especially 1920: America's Great War.
There is a lot of space between the actions, and a large siege that goes on for most of the book. But that said the strategies and meetings are quite good.
So, it's an average Conroy book, but an average Conroy book is still way better than a lot of Alternate History being published today, so enjoy
August 20, 2016
I enjoyed this book but it was not Robert Conroy's best work. The action and multiple storylines kept it interesting. The US seemed too invincible though and the Spanish too bumbling and evil. A sympathetic Spain or Spanish character would have made it much better-after all, the US did provoke this needless war. The book followed the formula Conroy follows, and I'd like some variety. The writing quality is excellent. I wouldn't recommend it like I have some of his other books, although it did keep me interested. It had a good, fast pace, and didn't over-describe details, which often bores me. I have no regrets.
May 16, 2015
I always enjoy Mr Conroy's books
As usual Robert Conroy has written a great alternative military history story that completely fascinated me. It looked at a time period that is rarely written about. If I could make a suggestion to the author it would be to rein in the romance a bit. There was a bit too much for my taste. Still I can't wait for the next Robert Conroy book.
As usual Robert Conroy has written a great alternative military history story that completely fascinated me. It looked at a time period that is rarely written about. If I could make a suggestion to the author it would be to rein in the romance a bit. There was a bit too much for my taste. Still I can't wait for the next Robert Conroy book.
September 29, 2015
Custer survives Little Big Horn and becomes President of the United States of America. Custer however cannot sit still while politics play out so he just has to stir up some trouble. I believe this is the second alternate history by Conroy I have read. I did enjoy this book just found it to be a bit on the light side.
August 4, 2016
An interesting what if...
So Custer lives becomes President (can't be that bad right). Starts the war with Spain over Cuba, commits the U.S. into Manifest Destiny, shows that he is arrogant (surprise), can't hold his drink, manipulated by his wife...Great read, what if, just needs to be believable, and it is.
So Custer lives becomes President (can't be that bad right). Starts the war with Spain over Cuba, commits the U.S. into Manifest Destiny, shows that he is arrogant (surprise), can't hold his drink, manipulated by his wife...Great read, what if, just needs to be believable, and it is.
June 19, 2015
Loved it. George Armstrong Custer as President and Invading Cuba.
April 19, 2015
Great book
Plausible alternate history assuming Custer is saved at the Little Big Horn. Characters well developed and believable. Thanks to author for the story.
Plausible alternate history assuming Custer is saved at the Little Big Horn. Characters well developed and believable. Thanks to author for the story.
April 28, 2015
An interesting alternate history novel. I enjoyed the read but it isn't one I will read again.
May 17, 2015
Entertaining but very, very similar to his other books in terms of characterization and tempo.
Read
June 11, 2016For once an alternate history wasn't about "proving" that the Germans will always lose eventually. I enjoyed this.
July 12, 2015
An obscure historical period for the most part for Americans, interesting choice. The villains are not quite so over the top as they've been in other works.
January 3, 2016
I enjoy Robert Conroy's books for the alternate history even if they tend to be very formulaic.
February 22, 2016
A plausible alternative history story . Custer survives his fateful meeting with the Indians at Little Big Horn . Then, he becomes president .
March 30, 2016
Enjoyable, but not my favorite
This book was enjoyable, but not my favorite from one of my favorite authors, Robert Conroy. I will try another very soon.
This book was enjoyable, but not my favorite from one of my favorite authors, Robert Conroy. I will try another very soon.
June 3, 2015
I'm beginning to see that all of Conroy's alt-history novels are basically the same.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews