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Die Gottin des Schicksals
WAS WARE, WENN DURCH DEN VORFALL VON NUR ZWEI EREIGNISSEN JAPAN UND DEUTSCHLAND DEN ZWEITEN WELTKRIEG GEWONNEN HATTEN? Als ein Werk historischer Fiktion enthullt Andrew Blencowes Die Gottin des Schicksals die personlichen Schwachen, Eigenarten und Begierden der Beruhmten (und oft Reichen) dieses Zeitraums. ...Es gelingt Blencowe, bekannten Ereignissen eine ungewohnliche Wendung zu geben und eine Menge neuer Vorkommnisse zu erschaffen. Er erforscht die dunkleren Beziehungen zwischen Regierungen, Konzernen und dem Militar in sachkundiger Weise ( Nationen haben keine permanenten Freunde oder Verbundeten, sie haben nur permanente Interessen," sagt eine der Figuren), und er verbindet die Nebenhandlungen an ausserst unterschiedlichen Schauplatzen mit relativer Leichtigkeit." -Kirkus Reviews Die Gottin des Schicksals ist eine Glanzleistung alternativer historischer Fiktion. Die Handlungsorte springen von einem Ende der Welt zum anderen, aber die Handlung ist fast durchgehend. Das Buch ist voller Spannung, oftmals sexueller Art, die den Leser reizt und ihn nach mehr verlangen lasst." -San Francisco Book Review Diese alternative Geschichte des Zweiten Weltkriegs ist auch ein Spiegelbild der heutigen wirtschaftlichen und sozialen Fehltritte. Wenn die Leute bekleidet sind, zeigt Blencowe solides Geschick darin, auf glaubwurdige Weise Gesprachsinteraktionen zu schreiben, besonders in den Hallen der Macht." -Foreword Clarion MACHEN SIE SICH DARAUF GEFASST, SICH GESCHICHTE NEU VOR AUGEN ZU FUHREN."
416 pages, Paperback
First published March 12, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
January 2, 2017
Tried reading this after getting it from Goodreads. The premise, that Germany and Japan won World War II, has been done before by Len Deighton in the late 1970s.
I only made it through the first 20 pages, realizing this is not my cup of tea. Poorly written, with confusing use of quotation marks. Using the adjective "nubile" to describe a fresh Cuban cigar was a stretch, and comparing Ford Motor and Krupp by saying "it makes Krupp look like a Lego factory" was a stretch since the discussion was set in 1940 and Legos were not manufactured until 1949.
After that, the book descended into a somewhat pornographic discussion of four Japanese prostitutes. Not my cup of tea.
If you want to read an alternative history in which Germany won WWII, find a copy of Deighton's SS-GB.
I only made it through the first 20 pages, realizing this is not my cup of tea. Poorly written, with confusing use of quotation marks. Using the adjective "nubile" to describe a fresh Cuban cigar was a stretch, and comparing Ford Motor and Krupp by saying "it makes Krupp look like a Lego factory" was a stretch since the discussion was set in 1940 and Legos were not manufactured until 1949.
After that, the book descended into a somewhat pornographic discussion of four Japanese prostitutes. Not my cup of tea.
If you want to read an alternative history in which Germany won WWII, find a copy of Deighton's SS-GB.
January 8, 2017
I gave up on this book at page 88.... Either my imagination doesn't stretch as far as the author, or this was just an excuse to write about sex!
January 9, 2017
I won this book through a Goodreads Giveaway.
This was a well-researched book but I think it counted against it. I kept being pulled out of the story with details that I simply did not need to know but I'm sure were historically accurate.
The story itself played out like vignettes loosely connected by the framework of World War II. I struggled to connect with or even distinguish other characters from one another. They all seemed to be interchangeable racist jerks. I know that the book is set in the 1940s and I do expect a certain amount of racism to pop up in historical novels, but this was just everywhere. As I suppose it was back then and still is (in a different form) today. Still, not everyone was racist in the pre-civil rights movement world but everyone in this book was.
I like alternate history stories and have a special affection for World War II but this book failed to connect with me on any level.
This was a well-researched book but I think it counted against it. I kept being pulled out of the story with details that I simply did not need to know but I'm sure were historically accurate.
The story itself played out like vignettes loosely connected by the framework of World War II. I struggled to connect with or even distinguish other characters from one another. They all seemed to be interchangeable racist jerks. I know that the book is set in the 1940s and I do expect a certain amount of racism to pop up in historical novels, but this was just everywhere. As I suppose it was back then and still is (in a different form) today. Still, not everyone was racist in the pre-civil rights movement world but everyone in this book was.
I like alternate history stories and have a special affection for World War II but this book failed to connect with me on any level.
December 16, 2016
First, I am to tell you this book was a goodreads win. Honestly, that is the only reason I finished reading the book; because I was obligated to do so. This book has a gorgeous cover. That is about the nicest thing I can say. This book rambled, had extremely poorly written gratuitous and ridiculous sex scenes that read like a 15 year old boy wrote, conversations - no, long ramblings - that would never happen anywhere nor with anyone, and scenarios that made little sense and did not really belong with anything else, language that bordered on the ridiculous, not to mention the "author" completely changed the characteristics of its real characters. The typographical and grammatical errors were horrifying. I cannot recommend this book to anyone. Sorry.
January 18, 2017
I am a fan of alternate history and a historian by training, so I was interested to give the Goddess of Fortune a read. After all, building a credible Axis victory in the Second World War is a challenge and I wanted to see how Blencowe went about it.
Unfortunately, the answer is not very well. Blencowe makes some major changes on how both the Germans and Japanese wage the war and makes the assumption that the US and other allies would just continue on the same blind path as they did in real history. This does not make for good alternate history nor is it skillfully written. I cannot recommend this book. I made my way though because I felt obligated to do so to review it, but it is not a good book.
Further, spoiler laden, discussion follows.
The primary historical changes Blencowe introduces are:
• That the Japanese are able to perfectly counterfeit American $100 bills and thus can finance their espionage in North America without effort and that they are willing and able to use those funds to build a network to coordinate sabotage across the US.
• On the Germany side it is that first Goring and then Hitler is killed -the first deliberately, the second in a plane crash- and then the Germany military effortlessly seizes control of the German state and suddenly everything works perfectly for them once Hitler is removed from the equation.
• Blencowe further assumes deep cooperation between the German spies in the US and the Japanese agents there, while some cooperation did exist, it was not the hand in glove level portrayed here. The extreme competence of the German agents in the book bears little resemblance to the actual limited effectiveness of the historical German espionage activities in America.
While there are some interesting ideas of what the Japanese could have attempted with greater vision, and monetary backing. However, everyone one of their plans works perfectly from hiring disaffected Quebeckers to commit acts of sabotage to blocking the Panama Canal. All of these work exactly as planned and the US reacts (or fails to act) exactly as they did in our history, even though things have changed and obviously so. The US would have responded to the Japanese posting a carrier and destroyer at one end of the Panama Canal, especially if they then sailed a heavy cruiser to the other end. If a group of saboteurs set the rubber stockpiles alight with magnesium flares (no way it was an accident) security would have been increased at other vital locations. All of his masterful plans by the Japanese and German spies happen in a perfect vacuum where only they are active and capably of having real effects, while the US counter intelligence capability was far from perfect it was there (as were British and Soviet agents who were acting against the Axis).
Equally, how the Germans go from being locked in a life or death struggle with the Soviet Union in late 1941 to being in a position to force terms from the Soviets is briefly outlined and then just happens, flawlessly, by early 1942 Blencowe just has Germany not only is a position to force terms on the Soviets but having forced regime change on the UK as well partly though a new air war against Britain. As if by simply having the military in charge of the German state would have magically solved all of the problems facing Germany. Saying such things can be done does not make them so and Blencowe fails to show, it all happens off stages, how his proposed changes to Germany’s strategic vision were successful accomplished, he has the Germans say they can do this things and so, they are done. Germany might have been able to knock Russia out of the war, but it was not going to happen by February 1942 especially not if they were trying to mount a major air offensive against the British at the same time, splitting the Luftwaffe’s focus in late 1941/early 1942 would have almost certainly have doomed both efforts.
There are other issues, such as the US coming to a peace accord and functional alliance with the Japanese within three months of Pearl Harbor, the closing of the Panama Canal by Japanese action, the sinking of the carrier USS Saratoga, and a number of obvious sabotage attacks on US soil, letting the Japanese keep everything they had conquered in the Pacific. It beggars belief on so many levels. While there is the hint of an interesting alternate history here, it is poorly developed on the history side making too much use of wishful thinking and authorial fiat to achieve the fictional ends desired by Blencowe, such as having people who were committed enemies of Nazism and the Imperial Japanese in our history just agree to let the US give up on opposing either of those two powers. It just fails to ring true, lacking that feel of plausibility that a good alternate history needs to work.
Now, apart from the flawed history, there is the writing. First, there are a handful of anachronistic phrases, which always distract me from a historical novel, but those I can usually let slide. However, the sexual politics of the book are bizarre at best, deeply disturbing at worst, every female character that shows up (including historical figures such as Eva Braun and Wallis Simpson) is portrayed as nymphomaniacs, in the popular rather than the scientific use of the term, and any of the men who are shown as having a sex drive are almost all serial philanderers or worse. And the sex goes on for pages, wasted pages, it is not even well written, it just fills space, a small amount of it is tangential to the plot but most of it is just porn for porn’s sake.
Lastly, there is also a fair amount of political lecturing about the failure of FDR’s failure to revitalize the US economy because he is drowning it in government programs and how small businesses are the lifeblood of an economy. There is even a nine-page pastiche of Ayn Rand’s thought delivered, in the book, by . . . Ayn Rand (or Mrs. O’Connell as she is called there). All this while giving victory to Imperial Japan and German militarism, neither of which care about small businesses or people at all except as tools of the state. It is very strange work with politics and philosophy all over the place and not in a pleasing or interesting way.
Unfortunately, the answer is not very well. Blencowe makes some major changes on how both the Germans and Japanese wage the war and makes the assumption that the US and other allies would just continue on the same blind path as they did in real history. This does not make for good alternate history nor is it skillfully written. I cannot recommend this book. I made my way though because I felt obligated to do so to review it, but it is not a good book.
Further, spoiler laden, discussion follows.
The primary historical changes Blencowe introduces are:
• That the Japanese are able to perfectly counterfeit American $100 bills and thus can finance their espionage in North America without effort and that they are willing and able to use those funds to build a network to coordinate sabotage across the US.
• On the Germany side it is that first Goring and then Hitler is killed -the first deliberately, the second in a plane crash- and then the Germany military effortlessly seizes control of the German state and suddenly everything works perfectly for them once Hitler is removed from the equation.
• Blencowe further assumes deep cooperation between the German spies in the US and the Japanese agents there, while some cooperation did exist, it was not the hand in glove level portrayed here. The extreme competence of the German agents in the book bears little resemblance to the actual limited effectiveness of the historical German espionage activities in America.
While there are some interesting ideas of what the Japanese could have attempted with greater vision, and monetary backing. However, everyone one of their plans works perfectly from hiring disaffected Quebeckers to commit acts of sabotage to blocking the Panama Canal. All of these work exactly as planned and the US reacts (or fails to act) exactly as they did in our history, even though things have changed and obviously so. The US would have responded to the Japanese posting a carrier and destroyer at one end of the Panama Canal, especially if they then sailed a heavy cruiser to the other end. If a group of saboteurs set the rubber stockpiles alight with magnesium flares (no way it was an accident) security would have been increased at other vital locations. All of his masterful plans by the Japanese and German spies happen in a perfect vacuum where only they are active and capably of having real effects, while the US counter intelligence capability was far from perfect it was there (as were British and Soviet agents who were acting against the Axis).
Equally, how the Germans go from being locked in a life or death struggle with the Soviet Union in late 1941 to being in a position to force terms from the Soviets is briefly outlined and then just happens, flawlessly, by early 1942 Blencowe just has Germany not only is a position to force terms on the Soviets but having forced regime change on the UK as well partly though a new air war against Britain. As if by simply having the military in charge of the German state would have magically solved all of the problems facing Germany. Saying such things can be done does not make them so and Blencowe fails to show, it all happens off stages, how his proposed changes to Germany’s strategic vision were successful accomplished, he has the Germans say they can do this things and so, they are done. Germany might have been able to knock Russia out of the war, but it was not going to happen by February 1942 especially not if they were trying to mount a major air offensive against the British at the same time, splitting the Luftwaffe’s focus in late 1941/early 1942 would have almost certainly have doomed both efforts.
There are other issues, such as the US coming to a peace accord and functional alliance with the Japanese within three months of Pearl Harbor, the closing of the Panama Canal by Japanese action, the sinking of the carrier USS Saratoga, and a number of obvious sabotage attacks on US soil, letting the Japanese keep everything they had conquered in the Pacific. It beggars belief on so many levels. While there is the hint of an interesting alternate history here, it is poorly developed on the history side making too much use of wishful thinking and authorial fiat to achieve the fictional ends desired by Blencowe, such as having people who were committed enemies of Nazism and the Imperial Japanese in our history just agree to let the US give up on opposing either of those two powers. It just fails to ring true, lacking that feel of plausibility that a good alternate history needs to work.
Now, apart from the flawed history, there is the writing. First, there are a handful of anachronistic phrases, which always distract me from a historical novel, but those I can usually let slide. However, the sexual politics of the book are bizarre at best, deeply disturbing at worst, every female character that shows up (including historical figures such as Eva Braun and Wallis Simpson) is portrayed as nymphomaniacs, in the popular rather than the scientific use of the term, and any of the men who are shown as having a sex drive are almost all serial philanderers or worse. And the sex goes on for pages, wasted pages, it is not even well written, it just fills space, a small amount of it is tangential to the plot but most of it is just porn for porn’s sake.
Lastly, there is also a fair amount of political lecturing about the failure of FDR’s failure to revitalize the US economy because he is drowning it in government programs and how small businesses are the lifeblood of an economy. There is even a nine-page pastiche of Ayn Rand’s thought delivered, in the book, by . . . Ayn Rand (or Mrs. O’Connell as she is called there). All this while giving victory to Imperial Japan and German militarism, neither of which care about small businesses or people at all except as tools of the state. It is very strange work with politics and philosophy all over the place and not in a pleasing or interesting way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2018
i won this from a Goodreads giveaway. i am new to this author. I love the cover and enjoy the different style of writing. enjoyable characters. i never get how folks get their panties in a bunch ... did these read come off as he was writing history ... i assumed he was just taking it on his own creative ways??! that is okay with me ... his book his style, right!??!
Read
February 18, 2018Um, so yeah. This is going to be QUITE the review. Stay tuned.
December 17, 2015
The Goddess of Fortune by Andrew Blencowe is definitely a must-read for all, especially those who are history buffs. A plot unike any other before it. Taking historical figures, places, and using his magical pen, Blencowe has created an interesting alternate universe of World War II. Every page will intrigue readers further into his brilliantly well-written world of fiction. The characters are so realistic that they will drag readers deep into the story. A novel that will keep readers turning the pages. I felt myself molded to the book in my hands. The Goddess of Fortune is indeed the most addictive read yet.
Inside of The Goddess of Fortune, Blencowe takes readers deep into exploring an element of fiction that makes this a stunning read. The what-if element that explores what would have happened if Japan and Germany had won World War II. Each of the characters are placed into specific roles and places that would have changed everything. Blencowe's writing takes readers during the 1940s, leaving them in suspense as they follow the plot further. I would highly recommend this novel to all. History is my favorite to explore, and to combine it with one talented individual’s words, will leave readers with a fascinating read. Whereas anything with history would make for a dull read, the opposite can be said with Blencowe's novel, The Goddess of Fortune.
Inside of The Goddess of Fortune, Blencowe takes readers deep into exploring an element of fiction that makes this a stunning read. The what-if element that explores what would have happened if Japan and Germany had won World War II. Each of the characters are placed into specific roles and places that would have changed everything. Blencowe's writing takes readers during the 1940s, leaving them in suspense as they follow the plot further. I would highly recommend this novel to all. History is my favorite to explore, and to combine it with one talented individual’s words, will leave readers with a fascinating read. Whereas anything with history would make for a dull read, the opposite can be said with Blencowe's novel, The Goddess of Fortune.
March 7, 2016
What if a signficant event in history such as a world war was re-written? How about if Japan and Germany had won World War II? Such is the premise of The Goddess of Fortune, a most interesting historical what if? written by Andrew Blencowe. This is a book about sex, politics and powerful alliances and Blencowe’s book pretty much confirms what most of us have always suspected: that everyone in power has a hidden agenda. The writing is good, albeit a bit on the reserved side, but there’s plenty of treachery and duplicity to keep lovers of history entranced. The Goddess of Fortune also seems to confirm that the more powerful the man, the more robust (or deviant, depending on one’s view) his sexual appetites and it is into this miasma of sexual and political power plays, that the reader is introduced to young Louise who, despite her tender age, has the presence of mind to use the tools she was born with to bring the men in her life to submission. The Goddess of Fortune has plenty to speculate over and to enjoy.
December 17, 2015
The Goddess of Fortune is a twist on how history could have happen around the time of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The hardest part about the book to read is my lack of knowledge of the political leader of that era. I struggled to keep straight which leader went with which country.
Interesting to see how easy it was to gather information from even the most secretive meetings. Plus how easy it was to get rid of the politicians that didn’t agree with the views higher forces wanted to implement or project. Unsure why prostitutes played such large role in this book, this was quite descriptive.
My favorite part was watching the strategic plot unfold at the end. Amazed at how the Japanese where several steps ahead of even the best minds. I did not care how Prime Minister Churchill was portrayed. Unsure if he really was a drunk, but I always admired his historical image.
Interesting to see how easy it was to gather information from even the most secretive meetings. Plus how easy it was to get rid of the politicians that didn’t agree with the views higher forces wanted to implement or project. Unsure why prostitutes played such large role in this book, this was quite descriptive.
My favorite part was watching the strategic plot unfold at the end. Amazed at how the Japanese where several steps ahead of even the best minds. I did not care how Prime Minister Churchill was portrayed. Unsure if he really was a drunk, but I always admired his historical image.
March 7, 2016
I’ve always been enthralled by this subject. The what if element to WWII is so strong, that it can bring about so many new and exciting stories. I’ve read a few, but this is definitely one of my favorites. Perhaps, it is because the story line works around the wealthy of the time. It just seems like a lot more insight and action happened with this group.
The writing is quite impressive. I found myself glued to each page and often I would push past my allotted reading time just to squeeze in a few more pages. I really like this author’s voice and the use of dialect and descriptors.
In my opinion, this book really stands out from others in the same category because it uses so many different genres to give the audience a full spectrum. It’s fascinating and I’m sure I’ll pick this book up again to catch even more of the details that I may have missed along the way.
The writing is quite impressive. I found myself glued to each page and often I would push past my allotted reading time just to squeeze in a few more pages. I really like this author’s voice and the use of dialect and descriptors.
In my opinion, this book really stands out from others in the same category because it uses so many different genres to give the audience a full spectrum. It’s fascinating and I’m sure I’ll pick this book up again to catch even more of the details that I may have missed along the way.
December 19, 2015
This book answers alot of what ifs about WW II. Very interesting reads. Could have done better without graphic sex details. Sometimes less is more. Otherwise a great what if story.
This book answers a lot of what ifs about WWII. Very interesting reading. Could have done better without graphic sex details. Sometimes less is more. Otherwise a very good story.
Not recommended for young readers.
This book answers a lot of what ifs about WWII. Very interesting reading. Could have done better without graphic sex details. Sometimes less is more. Otherwise a very good story.
Not recommended for young readers.
March 1, 2018
I received this book as a goodreads giveaway. I found the premise intriguing and was excited to read an alternate history. Unfortunately, I didn't make it past the first few chapters. In the beginning of the book, the entire plot takes place in dialogue and internal reflection. The first action occurs when two politicians conclude a meeting by spending time with four Japanese prostitutes. Their commentary on the prostitutes was so abhorrent, that I didn't make it any further.
August 29, 2017
Awful. I don't usually review unfinished books, but I felt so strongly about this one..! It alternated between repetitive, whingey diatribes against politicians and pro-businessmen and 2 dimensional crass soft porn, again accompanied by windy commentary by puffed up businessmen. What sounded like an interesting premise was hideously disappointing.
August 22, 2017
When recollecting events that occurred based on history in books, many of us at least once thought about altering the past. I honestly can definitely think of quite a few instances where the aforementioned would be a delightful option. With all twists, turns, tragedies, and everything in between, it’s no wonder why this book came to be. In “The Goddess of Fortune,” author Andrew Blencowe, starts his readers off with an exciting conversation between two characters, discussing all the events that occurred in the past. By reading this book, you’ll come to an understanding that our past is nothing like their history and some things you might have appreciated to be different.
It was interesting that a few erotic scenes were also written in a way that wasn’t considered far-fetched, just eased in naturally amongst the book. Each country have their flaws and weak points about them, but to have them pointed out in such a way made it more realistic. Author Andrew Blencowe wrote about the Swiss and its dullness on quite a few occasions throughout the book. One thing that caught my attention was when Stein was reading a magazine that opted to call itself a ‘newspaper’; he read that, “in the five years from 1933 to 1938 Roosevelt has spent more money than the total money spent by all his 31 predecessors combined”. Given that his predecessors had to fund wars, it’s impossible for a president to spend an excessive amount of money, making you wonder what he spent the money on. It would mean that America is not considered the most successful country in this time and that “Germany’s economy has been freer than that of the United States”, comes off as difficult to believe. After reading this book, I’m trying to comprehend on which reality or history would’ve given all countries a better outcome and yet appreciative to witness one or the other outcomes. Definitely, it gives you an insight at would a future might have been like in comparison to what we’re living in today.
The author Andrew Blencowe wrote in such a way that the altered history seemed believable. The scenarios are what made their history seem like it could’ve been our history in reality. I enjoyed reading an alternate history and the events that led up to them, it was very well written, a truly interesting read. I recommend everyone who enjoys a well-written, somewhat believable alternative to what the world could have been if events were handled in a different manner.
It was interesting that a few erotic scenes were also written in a way that wasn’t considered far-fetched, just eased in naturally amongst the book. Each country have their flaws and weak points about them, but to have them pointed out in such a way made it more realistic. Author Andrew Blencowe wrote about the Swiss and its dullness on quite a few occasions throughout the book. One thing that caught my attention was when Stein was reading a magazine that opted to call itself a ‘newspaper’; he read that, “in the five years from 1933 to 1938 Roosevelt has spent more money than the total money spent by all his 31 predecessors combined”. Given that his predecessors had to fund wars, it’s impossible for a president to spend an excessive amount of money, making you wonder what he spent the money on. It would mean that America is not considered the most successful country in this time and that “Germany’s economy has been freer than that of the United States”, comes off as difficult to believe. After reading this book, I’m trying to comprehend on which reality or history would’ve given all countries a better outcome and yet appreciative to witness one or the other outcomes. Definitely, it gives you an insight at would a future might have been like in comparison to what we’re living in today.
The author Andrew Blencowe wrote in such a way that the altered history seemed believable. The scenarios are what made their history seem like it could’ve been our history in reality. I enjoyed reading an alternate history and the events that led up to them, it was very well written, a truly interesting read. I recommend everyone who enjoys a well-written, somewhat believable alternative to what the world could have been if events were handled in a different manner.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 21, 2022
Ich habe dieses Buch in einem Goodreads Giveaway gewonnen.
Nach dem Lesen der Synopsis war ich als Japanfan sehr interessiert zu sehen, wie der Autor eine "was wäre wenn"-Geschichte spinnt, in der Deutschland und Japan den zweiten Weltkrieg gewonnen haben.
Schon recht früh fiel auf, dass das Buch viele Orthographie-Fehler hat. So etwas ist immer sehr ärgerlich, insbesondere wenn man an einigen Stellen ernsthaft überlegen muss, wie das Geschriebene nun gemeint ist. Der Autor kann sicherlich erst einmal nichts dafür, da es sich um eine Übersetzung handelt, aber vermutlich wird so eine Übersetzung in einem Verlagshaus noch einmal von jemandem Korrektur gelesen. In dem Zusammenhang stellt sich mir auch die Frage, ob das Buch von einem Muttersprachler übersetzt wurde. Stellenweise klang das Gelesene nicht Natürlich. Vor allem die gesprochene Sprache.
Daneben haben mich auch andere Dinge an dem Buch gestört. Zum einen das vermittelte Frauenbild. Die Frauen wurden als lüsterne und oberflächliche Sexobjekte dargestellt, die von der Gegenwart mächtiger, gutaussehender, unter Umständen auch intelligenter Männer derart angemacht werden, dass sie ein feuchtes Höschen bekommen, wenn sie sich nur im selben Raum befinden. Während ich verstehe, dass z.B. der Charakter Louise ihre weiblichen Reize zum Spionieren genutzt hat, ist mir unklar, was einige andere Szenen, u.a. die mit Eva Braun, zum Gesamtbild der Geschichte beizutragen hatten, ausser mir das Gefühl zu geben, dass damals alle Frauen nur auf das eine aus waren und sonst keine wirkliche gesellschaftliche Funktion hatten.
Zum anderen werden viele Dinge parallel besprochen und es erschließt sich nicht immer gleich inwiefern das nun für die Story relevant ist. Der Autor hat versucht, möglichst viele Seiten zu beleuchten, um dem Leser aufzuzeigen, wie die einzelnen Parteien miteinander interagieren und warum der Krieg am Ende so ausgeht wie er ausgegangen ist. Ein bisschen weniger wäre in meinen Augen mehr gewesen.
Die Idee des Buches fand ich recht spannend und in Ansätzen auch gut umgesetzt. Im Großen und Ganzen hat es jedoch nicht wirklich meine Erwartungen erfüllt. Daher leider nur 2,25 Sterne.
Nach dem Lesen der Synopsis war ich als Japanfan sehr interessiert zu sehen, wie der Autor eine "was wäre wenn"-Geschichte spinnt, in der Deutschland und Japan den zweiten Weltkrieg gewonnen haben.
Schon recht früh fiel auf, dass das Buch viele Orthographie-Fehler hat. So etwas ist immer sehr ärgerlich, insbesondere wenn man an einigen Stellen ernsthaft überlegen muss, wie das Geschriebene nun gemeint ist. Der Autor kann sicherlich erst einmal nichts dafür, da es sich um eine Übersetzung handelt, aber vermutlich wird so eine Übersetzung in einem Verlagshaus noch einmal von jemandem Korrektur gelesen. In dem Zusammenhang stellt sich mir auch die Frage, ob das Buch von einem Muttersprachler übersetzt wurde. Stellenweise klang das Gelesene nicht Natürlich. Vor allem die gesprochene Sprache.
Daneben haben mich auch andere Dinge an dem Buch gestört. Zum einen das vermittelte Frauenbild. Die Frauen wurden als lüsterne und oberflächliche Sexobjekte dargestellt, die von der Gegenwart mächtiger, gutaussehender, unter Umständen auch intelligenter Männer derart angemacht werden, dass sie ein feuchtes Höschen bekommen, wenn sie sich nur im selben Raum befinden. Während ich verstehe, dass z.B. der Charakter Louise ihre weiblichen Reize zum Spionieren genutzt hat, ist mir unklar, was einige andere Szenen, u.a. die mit Eva Braun, zum Gesamtbild der Geschichte beizutragen hatten, ausser mir das Gefühl zu geben, dass damals alle Frauen nur auf das eine aus waren und sonst keine wirkliche gesellschaftliche Funktion hatten.
Zum anderen werden viele Dinge parallel besprochen und es erschließt sich nicht immer gleich inwiefern das nun für die Story relevant ist. Der Autor hat versucht, möglichst viele Seiten zu beleuchten, um dem Leser aufzuzeigen, wie die einzelnen Parteien miteinander interagieren und warum der Krieg am Ende so ausgeht wie er ausgegangen ist. Ein bisschen weniger wäre in meinen Augen mehr gewesen.
Die Idee des Buches fand ich recht spannend und in Ansätzen auch gut umgesetzt. Im Großen und Ganzen hat es jedoch nicht wirklich meine Erwartungen erfüllt. Daher leider nur 2,25 Sterne.
September 8, 2017
I won this book in a Shelf Awareness (an e-newsletter) a couple of years ago. Judging a book by its cover, this looks like a great read. Although I knew it alternate history, the time period was World War II, so how could it be a disappointment?
Over the past couple of years, I’ve tried five or six times to read this novel, but alas, I could never get past page 40.
The dust jacket says that the story is about, “What if by the passing of just two events, Japan and Germany had won World War II?” However I have no idea what Blencowe was talking about in those 40 pages. There is a well-described sex scene, which from flipping through and scanning several pages, seems to be pre-dominate plot.
The Goddess of Fortune isn’t my cup of tea. It gets 1 out of 5 stars (for a great cover) in Julie’s world.
Over the past couple of years, I’ve tried five or six times to read this novel, but alas, I could never get past page 40.
The dust jacket says that the story is about, “What if by the passing of just two events, Japan and Germany had won World War II?” However I have no idea what Blencowe was talking about in those 40 pages. There is a well-described sex scene, which from flipping through and scanning several pages, seems to be pre-dominate plot.
The Goddess of Fortune isn’t my cup of tea. It gets 1 out of 5 stars (for a great cover) in Julie’s world.
February 21, 2021
*I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway
Wow. I read the reviews before starting this book, so I at least had an idea what I was getting into, but wow.
This book needs a fantastic editor to take it in, rip it apart, and create the masterpiece that this book tried so failingly hard to be. Seriously.
The history, the story, the intrigue is all there, but smashed between some (ok, A LOT of) very disturbing sexual vignettes that show more of the author's perverse nature, than that of the historical narrative.
I enjoyed this story as a draft, not as a final book; something that has potential, but needs a lot of work to get there.
Wow. I read the reviews before starting this book, so I at least had an idea what I was getting into, but wow.
This book needs a fantastic editor to take it in, rip it apart, and create the masterpiece that this book tried so failingly hard to be. Seriously.
The history, the story, the intrigue is all there, but smashed between some (ok, A LOT of) very disturbing sexual vignettes that show more of the author's perverse nature, than that of the historical narrative.
I enjoyed this story as a draft, not as a final book; something that has potential, but needs a lot of work to get there.
February 17, 2020
Yes and No
Fabulous analysis of the political and economic working off the world's governments. A wonderful theory of what could have happened had the Nazi atrocities never happened.
Now the no. Blencowe's opinion of women is horribly skewed. Yes the female spies of that era often used sex as a way of getting information and cooperation but assuming all women fall at the feet of men in power is incorrect. Assuming all women discuss sex with their friends is incorrect. Assuming all women are just dogs in heat is abominable and insulting.
Fabulous analysis of the political and economic working off the world's governments. A wonderful theory of what could have happened had the Nazi atrocities never happened.
Now the no. Blencowe's opinion of women is horribly skewed. Yes the female spies of that era often used sex as a way of getting information and cooperation but assuming all women fall at the feet of men in power is incorrect. Assuming all women discuss sex with their friends is incorrect. Assuming all women are just dogs in heat is abominable and insulting.
June 9, 2018
I'm not even sure how I managed to finish this rambling, semi-focused work. Not sure what I was supposed to get out of it, or how I was supposed to feel. I just couldn't wait to be finished. It's over 300 pages that feel like 3,000. It's not that the author has no talent-- he does-- I just never engaged in the material or the style with which it was told.
I received a copy through Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy through Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
November 15, 2016
"The Goddess of Fortune" was a very an interesting and intriguing read that I really enjoyed. I am always looking to read about World War II and this one did not let me down and has you wondering "What if?".... I won this great book on GoodReads and like I do with most my wins I will be paying it forward by giving my win either to a friend or library to enjoy.
December 19, 2016
Great premise, however I am a fan of historical fiction and nonfiction. If you are not familiar with the history the author is referring to, it might be difficult to follow at times. I would have liked more of an afterward of how the author's alternate history turned out through the years, maybe there will be a sequel. I won the book, but probably still would have read it even if I hadn't.
June 29, 2018
I received this ebook in a Goodreads Giveaway. It was an alternate history novel of WWII. Very different take on what happened, and on the main political leaders in the world. Like most good historical novels, it made me want to go back and check on these characters and how close the traits they were portrayed with. Like early Ken Follett there were gratuitous sex scenes, but a lot more.
August 27, 2017
This is a good book. I liked it I didnt love it. The cover is absolutely beautiful!
February 18, 2016
`The Swiss were dull, boring, with lives centered on money and prestige, but they were fair'
Australian author Andrew Blencowe lives a life that challenges expected thinking. He has been a motorcycle racer, a technology expert, a founder and CEO of an international software company with offices on five continents, and now an author consumed by history and the variations of results that could have happened with a series of `what ifs' - how a seemingly trivial action had such immense consequences. His observation that people's time frames are always myopically short and is' becoming worse and worse as the destruction of the intellect by mobile "telephones" accelerates. Combined with iPads and other electronic reading devices, the ability of the human mind to think and ponder disturbance-free is being destroyed one interruption at a time.' In many ways Andrew has placed before those of us who look askance at the `technological advances' a story that on many levels confirms our concerns. Or as he states to beware `the arrogance and massive overconfidence in the new (blithely and wrongly considered better); the panoply of quick fixes rather than a thoughtful analysis of the unexpected consequences of these often dangerous modern expedients.' His mind is fascinating in its dissection of current thought processes - a welcome and exhilarating posture that he weaves in to a very fine debut novel.
Even before his preface he offers an Author's Note: `On a very hot Sunday morning in June 1914, Gavrilo Princip ducked into a sandwich shop in Sarajevo for an early lunch a little before noon. Earlier that day he had failed to kill Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Outside the sandwich shop quietly eating his cheese sandwich, Gavrilo could not believe his luck: The large limousine carrying the royal couple stopped directly in front of him. Princip dropped his sandwich, took three steps forward, and fired just two shots, killing both Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie. Had the sandwich shop been located two doors further down the street, Princip would have been too far from the car. This is not to say that the proverbial powder keg of central Europe in 1914 would not have exploded from another spark a little later. But who knows, and who knows when? The Second Balkan Crisis of 1912-1913 had been resolved peaceably. Perhaps the tiny spark that started the catastrophe of the First World War was the location of the sandwich shop.
Andrew's novel is to tightly written that a synopsis is near impossible, but he offer the following:' What if, by the passing of just two events, Japan and Germany had won World War 2? The Goddess of Fortune is a work of speculative fiction in which alternate history is explored, and consequences examined. Kaito Sasaki of the Bank of Tokyo, inspired by Lenin ("The best way to destroy the capitalist system is to debauch the currency"), proves just that with his printing of U.S. 100 dollar bills. Beautiful Louise, while only 24 years old, uses her intelligence, wiles, and body to dominate the so-called "stronger sex." The treachery of Hermann "Fatso" Goering is uncovered and his punishment is swift. The duplicity of Roosevelt and his so-called Brains Trust is exposed and the doubts of the urbane gentleman, Henry Morgenthau, are made clear. As a work of historical fiction, Goddess reveals the private foibles, quirks, and lusts of the famous (and often rich) of the period. How could the end goals of the Axis possibly have come to fruition under the circumstances of the war's eventual events? Goddess explores just how, and in doing so brings to light in imaginative prose the lives of historical figures we have only known from our history books.'
Though this touches the salient concepts of the book, the joy is in the page-by-page reading of this inordinately imaginative and intelligent and retrospective revision of history aw it could have bee. Brilliant on every level. We can only hope more books from his gifted author are brewing. Highly Recommended.
Australian author Andrew Blencowe lives a life that challenges expected thinking. He has been a motorcycle racer, a technology expert, a founder and CEO of an international software company with offices on five continents, and now an author consumed by history and the variations of results that could have happened with a series of `what ifs' - how a seemingly trivial action had such immense consequences. His observation that people's time frames are always myopically short and is' becoming worse and worse as the destruction of the intellect by mobile "telephones" accelerates. Combined with iPads and other electronic reading devices, the ability of the human mind to think and ponder disturbance-free is being destroyed one interruption at a time.' In many ways Andrew has placed before those of us who look askance at the `technological advances' a story that on many levels confirms our concerns. Or as he states to beware `the arrogance and massive overconfidence in the new (blithely and wrongly considered better); the panoply of quick fixes rather than a thoughtful analysis of the unexpected consequences of these often dangerous modern expedients.' His mind is fascinating in its dissection of current thought processes - a welcome and exhilarating posture that he weaves in to a very fine debut novel.
Even before his preface he offers an Author's Note: `On a very hot Sunday morning in June 1914, Gavrilo Princip ducked into a sandwich shop in Sarajevo for an early lunch a little before noon. Earlier that day he had failed to kill Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Outside the sandwich shop quietly eating his cheese sandwich, Gavrilo could not believe his luck: The large limousine carrying the royal couple stopped directly in front of him. Princip dropped his sandwich, took three steps forward, and fired just two shots, killing both Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie. Had the sandwich shop been located two doors further down the street, Princip would have been too far from the car. This is not to say that the proverbial powder keg of central Europe in 1914 would not have exploded from another spark a little later. But who knows, and who knows when? The Second Balkan Crisis of 1912-1913 had been resolved peaceably. Perhaps the tiny spark that started the catastrophe of the First World War was the location of the sandwich shop.
Andrew's novel is to tightly written that a synopsis is near impossible, but he offer the following:' What if, by the passing of just two events, Japan and Germany had won World War 2? The Goddess of Fortune is a work of speculative fiction in which alternate history is explored, and consequences examined. Kaito Sasaki of the Bank of Tokyo, inspired by Lenin ("The best way to destroy the capitalist system is to debauch the currency"), proves just that with his printing of U.S. 100 dollar bills. Beautiful Louise, while only 24 years old, uses her intelligence, wiles, and body to dominate the so-called "stronger sex." The treachery of Hermann "Fatso" Goering is uncovered and his punishment is swift. The duplicity of Roosevelt and his so-called Brains Trust is exposed and the doubts of the urbane gentleman, Henry Morgenthau, are made clear. As a work of historical fiction, Goddess reveals the private foibles, quirks, and lusts of the famous (and often rich) of the period. How could the end goals of the Axis possibly have come to fruition under the circumstances of the war's eventual events? Goddess explores just how, and in doing so brings to light in imaginative prose the lives of historical figures we have only known from our history books.'
Though this touches the salient concepts of the book, the joy is in the page-by-page reading of this inordinately imaginative and intelligent and retrospective revision of history aw it could have bee. Brilliant on every level. We can only hope more books from his gifted author are brewing. Highly Recommended.
March 11, 2017
Couldn't even finish the book. I'm sure this book was greatly researched, but I just couldn't get into it. There's way too much detail that was just overwhelming. In the first chapter I couldn't tell if I was reading a historical fiction or an erotic fiction. Just not my cup of tea.
*i won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
*i won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
December 1, 2016
Ich habe die deutsche Übersetzung von Die Gottin Des Schicksals bei dem Goodreads-Giveaway gewonnen und möchte deshalb hier ein Review hinterlassen.
Als ich die Synopsis gelesen habe, habe ich mich sehr gefreut, da diese "Was wäre, wenn..."-Geschichten mir sehr gut gefallen. Ich liebe es, dass es schier endlose Möglichkeiten gibt, wie manche Ereignisse hätten ausgehen können, falls nur irgendjemand irgendwann anders entschieden bzw. gehandelt hätte, als er/sie es in Wirklichkeit getan hat.
"Die Göttin des Schicksals" ist das zweite Buch, das ich gelesen habe - nach The Man in the High Castle von Philip K. Dick - das eine dieser Möglichkeiten als Tatsache darstellt: Was wäre gewesen, wenn Deutschland und Japan den zweiten Weltkrieg gewonnen hätten? Bzw. wie hätten sie handeln oder was hätte passieren müssen, damit dies hätte geschehen können?
Von dieser zentralen Fragestellung ausgehend, hat Andrew Blencowe sein Buch geschrieben, das den Leser um den Globus - von Bayern über Barcelona bis hin nach Tokio, Mexiko, etc. - führt und dabei eine Fülle von Charakteren - darunter auch berühmte Persönlichkeiten der Geschichte - vorstellt, die alle - mehr oder minder - zur Handlung beitragen.
Liest sich ja sehr schön und toll, doch warum hat das Buch von mir nur 2 von 5 Sternen bekommen?
Die Gründe hierfür sind mannigfaltig und haben mir leider die Freude an diesem Buch vermiest, sodass ich mich stellenweise dazu zwingen musste, weiterzulesen und im Endeffekt drei Wochen gebraucht habe, bis ich fertig wurde.
Wenn ich ein Buch lese, in dem es sehr viele Rechtschreib-, Grammatik- und Satzbaufehler gibt, dann kann ich nicht umhin, einen Teil meiner Lust an der Geschichte zu verlieren, da es mich einfach unglaublich beim Lesen stört und der Geschichte viel von dem Reiz nimmt. Außerdem gibt es sehr viele Wortwiederholungen, derer es nicht bedurft hätte. Deshalb -1 Stern.
Dann die deutsche Übersetzung: Im Buch ist kein Vermerk, wer dieses Buch ins Deutsche übersetzt hat, aber der- bzw. diejenige hat keinen guten Job gemacht: Die Sprache ist hölzern und gesteltzt. Manche Ausdrücke sind so komisch - wahrscheinlich wortwörtlich aus dem Englischen übersetzt - das es beim Lesen wehtut. -0.5 Sterne.
Mein größter Kritikpunkt ist aber, dass es meiner Meinung nach keine wirkliche Handlung gab: Der eine Protagonist tut das, woraufhin eine Gruppe was anderes tut, was irgendwie miteinander zusammenhängt, aber dann wird darauf nicht wirklich eingegangen, sondern neue Protagonisten vorgestellt, von denen man nicht weiß, warum sie wichtig für die Handlung sind
Es gibt also keine in sich abgeschlossene und sinnige Handlung, sondern nur eine Aneinanderreihung von verschiedenen Handlungen. Deshalb: -1.5 Sterne.
Zusammenfasseng kann ich sagen, dass ich sehr positiv eingestellt angefangen habe, das Buch zu lesen, aber dass im Laufe der Zeit ich mich wegen obiger - und anderer Gründe - zum Lesen zwingen musste. Deshalb nur 2/5 Sterne.
Als ich die Synopsis gelesen habe, habe ich mich sehr gefreut, da diese "Was wäre, wenn..."-Geschichten mir sehr gut gefallen. Ich liebe es, dass es schier endlose Möglichkeiten gibt, wie manche Ereignisse hätten ausgehen können, falls nur irgendjemand irgendwann anders entschieden bzw. gehandelt hätte, als er/sie es in Wirklichkeit getan hat.
"Die Göttin des Schicksals" ist das zweite Buch, das ich gelesen habe - nach The Man in the High Castle von Philip K. Dick - das eine dieser Möglichkeiten als Tatsache darstellt: Was wäre gewesen, wenn Deutschland und Japan den zweiten Weltkrieg gewonnen hätten? Bzw. wie hätten sie handeln oder was hätte passieren müssen, damit dies hätte geschehen können?
Von dieser zentralen Fragestellung ausgehend, hat Andrew Blencowe sein Buch geschrieben, das den Leser um den Globus - von Bayern über Barcelona bis hin nach Tokio, Mexiko, etc. - führt und dabei eine Fülle von Charakteren - darunter auch berühmte Persönlichkeiten der Geschichte - vorstellt, die alle - mehr oder minder - zur Handlung beitragen.
Liest sich ja sehr schön und toll, doch warum hat das Buch von mir nur 2 von 5 Sternen bekommen?
Die Gründe hierfür sind mannigfaltig und haben mir leider die Freude an diesem Buch vermiest, sodass ich mich stellenweise dazu zwingen musste, weiterzulesen und im Endeffekt drei Wochen gebraucht habe, bis ich fertig wurde.
Wenn ich ein Buch lese, in dem es sehr viele Rechtschreib-, Grammatik- und Satzbaufehler gibt, dann kann ich nicht umhin, einen Teil meiner Lust an der Geschichte zu verlieren, da es mich einfach unglaublich beim Lesen stört und der Geschichte viel von dem Reiz nimmt. Außerdem gibt es sehr viele Wortwiederholungen, derer es nicht bedurft hätte. Deshalb -1 Stern.
Dann die deutsche Übersetzung: Im Buch ist kein Vermerk, wer dieses Buch ins Deutsche übersetzt hat, aber der- bzw. diejenige hat keinen guten Job gemacht: Die Sprache ist hölzern und gesteltzt. Manche Ausdrücke sind so komisch - wahrscheinlich wortwörtlich aus dem Englischen übersetzt - das es beim Lesen wehtut. -0.5 Sterne.
Mein größter Kritikpunkt ist aber, dass es meiner Meinung nach keine wirkliche Handlung gab: Der eine Protagonist tut das, woraufhin eine Gruppe was anderes tut, was irgendwie miteinander zusammenhängt, aber dann wird darauf nicht wirklich eingegangen, sondern neue Protagonisten vorgestellt, von denen man nicht weiß, warum sie wichtig für die Handlung sind
Es gibt also keine in sich abgeschlossene und sinnige Handlung, sondern nur eine Aneinanderreihung von verschiedenen Handlungen. Deshalb: -1.5 Sterne.
Zusammenfasseng kann ich sagen, dass ich sehr positiv eingestellt angefangen habe, das Buch zu lesen, aber dass im Laufe der Zeit ich mich wegen obiger - und anderer Gründe - zum Lesen zwingen musste. Deshalb nur 2/5 Sterne.
February 18, 2016
Helpful
Fortuna the Roman Goddess of Luck, Fate and Fortune in International Politics during WW II
By Scarlett Jensenon September 21, 2015
Verified Purchase
As her name implies, the Goddess of Fortune is associated in this book to fortune in war, victory in battle while she is a personification of luck. In Machiavelli's Prince, he says, Fortuna only rules one half of men's fate, the other half being of their own will. Fortuna was a woman of favours and her Roman cult was variously attributed to Servius Tullus whose exceptional good fortune suggested their sexual intimacy.
What inspired this intellectual writer's content of the story? History and the truth. While this is a work of fiction, his history is accurately researched and he gives a bibliography of works consulted. Some notes are "quoted verbatim" and others again, are fiction. Some true events form the historical background of place and time (WW II). Hints are found and deductions are made which he amusingly transcribes as he says: It does happen that the whole truth is ever to be told by "a certain wild old bird". Then " if the world just new how frail we actually are" and " if the truth comes out, simply deny it".
With the author, we realise that fiction has power inside a historical novel, as it brings truths to us about what might have happened if....the dice fell the other way; if political leaders who lied told the truth; if their forbidden political affairs surfaced--- thus, if all elements of force had brought change in their destiny-- what would the impact be on international politics and economy, on wartime intelligence, secrecy, mistakes, misunderstandings and defeat? The author plays with the concept of premature truth: so timing of events and truths/non-truths is of the essence.
We see how leaders want to gain power " hidden under the pretence of helping people". It was believed that business men are more immoral than politicians-- in fact the opposite is true. There was brutality for power; power to yield more power surged and they were fanatical about rank.
Meaningful quotations which carry the story are given: " irritated by the disintegration of life and by the lies and filth of politics"......."it will flare -up, fume, poison us". "Anger, hate, revenge will cause killing one another and you will be unable to suppress your own stupidity."
Then, we see how Fortuna the Goddess of favours entice political fanatics who plan and plot erotic escapades, searching the finest young mistress for intimacy to exult their power.......but then find that she could stab them in the back.
Politicians make history or rather alter the course of history. They think they are the modern day god's. We realise that with this quotation that history's course could alter: "What IF, or Now IF and it is the world's largest if; but if we come to an understanding....., perhaps, just perhaps, we can move forward."
A book for the historically and politically-minded; a lesson for those who do not know politics, while you receive a lesson in ethics and philosophy. Highly educational and highly recommended.
Scarlett Jensen
20 September 2015
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Fortuna the Roman Goddess of Luck, Fate and Fortune in International Politics during WW II
By Scarlett Jensenon September 21, 2015
Verified Purchase
As her name implies, the Goddess of Fortune is associated in this book to fortune in war, victory in battle while she is a personification of luck. In Machiavelli's Prince, he says, Fortuna only rules one half of men's fate, the other half being of their own will. Fortuna was a woman of favours and her Roman cult was variously attributed to Servius Tullus whose exceptional good fortune suggested their sexual intimacy.
What inspired this intellectual writer's content of the story? History and the truth. While this is a work of fiction, his history is accurately researched and he gives a bibliography of works consulted. Some notes are "quoted verbatim" and others again, are fiction. Some true events form the historical background of place and time (WW II). Hints are found and deductions are made which he amusingly transcribes as he says: It does happen that the whole truth is ever to be told by "a certain wild old bird". Then " if the world just new how frail we actually are" and " if the truth comes out, simply deny it".
With the author, we realise that fiction has power inside a historical novel, as it brings truths to us about what might have happened if....the dice fell the other way; if political leaders who lied told the truth; if their forbidden political affairs surfaced--- thus, if all elements of force had brought change in their destiny-- what would the impact be on international politics and economy, on wartime intelligence, secrecy, mistakes, misunderstandings and defeat? The author plays with the concept of premature truth: so timing of events and truths/non-truths is of the essence.
We see how leaders want to gain power " hidden under the pretence of helping people". It was believed that business men are more immoral than politicians-- in fact the opposite is true. There was brutality for power; power to yield more power surged and they were fanatical about rank.
Meaningful quotations which carry the story are given: " irritated by the disintegration of life and by the lies and filth of politics"......."it will flare -up, fume, poison us". "Anger, hate, revenge will cause killing one another and you will be unable to suppress your own stupidity."
Then, we see how Fortuna the Goddess of favours entice political fanatics who plan and plot erotic escapades, searching the finest young mistress for intimacy to exult their power.......but then find that she could stab them in the back.
Politicians make history or rather alter the course of history. They think they are the modern day god's. We realise that with this quotation that history's course could alter: "What IF, or Now IF and it is the world's largest if; but if we come to an understanding....., perhaps, just perhaps, we can move forward."
A book for the historically and politically-minded; a lesson for those who do not know politics, while you receive a lesson in ethics and philosophy. Highly educational and highly recommended.
Scarlett Jensen
20 September 2015
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
February 14, 2017
'Bitte, nein' - dieser Gedanke war mein ständiger Begleiter während ich dieses Buch 'gelesen' habe. (Ich habe 'gelesen' in Anführungszeichen geschrieben, da ich das Buch nicht beendet habe). Ich fand das Konzept extrem interessant (deswegen habe ich mich auch für ein Goodreads-Exemplar beworben) nicht zuletzt, da ich im The Man in the High Castle-Wahn war (die Serie wohlgemerkt, das Buch habe ich noch nicht gelesen) und da ich durch meinen Blood for Blood und Front Lines-Kauf nur noch mehr in meiner 'Kauf Bücher, die mit Nazi-Deutschland zu tun haben'-Euphorie bestärkt wurde, habe ich mich gefreut, als Die Gottin Des Schicksals im Briefkasten zu finden war.
Leider hat diese Freude für nur 10 Seiten angehalten. Solange hat es nämlich gedauert bis ich gecheckt habe, dass das Buch überhaupt nicht nach meinem Geschmack ist. Ich habe es dann weggelegt, mich schlecht gefühlt, es wieder zur Hand genommen und weitergelesen. Mich ein bisschen durchgequält. Und ich meine, durchgequält. Alles hat mich gestört. Besonders das Frauenbild und die Sexszenen. Und der Schreibstil. DER SCHREIBSTIL. Großes fettes Nein.
Ich fand es uninteressant und langweilig. Ich bin jedes Mal aufs Neue wütend, wenn ich das Buch neben meiner Komode sehen liege. Ich werde es wahrscheinlich an die städtische Bibliothek verschenken (darf man das machen?). Ich bin auf jeden Fall glücklich, dass ich es endlich dnf'd habe.
Leider hat diese Freude für nur 10 Seiten angehalten. Solange hat es nämlich gedauert bis ich gecheckt habe, dass das Buch überhaupt nicht nach meinem Geschmack ist. Ich habe es dann weggelegt, mich schlecht gefühlt, es wieder zur Hand genommen und weitergelesen. Mich ein bisschen durchgequält. Und ich meine, durchgequält. Alles hat mich gestört. Besonders das Frauenbild und die Sexszenen. Und der Schreibstil. DER SCHREIBSTIL. Großes fettes Nein.
Ich fand es uninteressant und langweilig. Ich bin jedes Mal aufs Neue wütend, wenn ich das Buch neben meiner Komode sehen liege. Ich werde es wahrscheinlich an die städtische Bibliothek verschenken (darf man das machen?). Ich bin auf jeden Fall glücklich, dass ich es endlich dnf'd habe.
February 21, 2016
The Goddess of Fortune by Andrew Blencowe proposes a “what if” during one of the most pivotal times in world history. The author poses the question “What if the Japanese and the Germans had managed to win World War 2?” The narrative follows a basic premise of high ranking officials meeting and discussing the positions of power that all major players in World War 2 held. It is known that the Japanese are running dry on oil and that the American War Machine can easily out produce all of the other countries involved. It is then decided that if the Americans are going to be defeated, it will not be through brute force or surprise attacks, but through cunning decisions that could reshape the way that history was written.
I personally truly love speculative history. When I came across this novel, right away I thought back to the other two series I had read by Newt Gingrich and William Forstchen: Pearl Harbor and Gettysburg. Both took pivotal moments in history and changed just one or two minor details; where an army chose to march or whether to attack a second time. The results were two amazing rethinkings of history. This novel was very similar to those with two differences. The first is that there wasn’t nearly as much emphasis on key battles and more focus put on the behind the scenes decisions that kept said battles from happening. Different, but still interesting in its own right. The second difference was also the major downfall of this work: sex. I am no stranger to coming across these scenes in literature or seeing their effect on different storylines, but this genre of book and the story itself were not benefited from having these explicit scenes in them. Near the beginning of the work, there is a lengthy orgy scene that almost stopped me from reading any further. I am giving this three stars because I believe this story was good but was truly dragged down by some very poorly chosen scenes.
I personally truly love speculative history. When I came across this novel, right away I thought back to the other two series I had read by Newt Gingrich and William Forstchen: Pearl Harbor and Gettysburg. Both took pivotal moments in history and changed just one or two minor details; where an army chose to march or whether to attack a second time. The results were two amazing rethinkings of history. This novel was very similar to those with two differences. The first is that there wasn’t nearly as much emphasis on key battles and more focus put on the behind the scenes decisions that kept said battles from happening. Different, but still interesting in its own right. The second difference was also the major downfall of this work: sex. I am no stranger to coming across these scenes in literature or seeing their effect on different storylines, but this genre of book and the story itself were not benefited from having these explicit scenes in them. Near the beginning of the work, there is a lengthy orgy scene that almost stopped me from reading any further. I am giving this three stars because I believe this story was good but was truly dragged down by some very poorly chosen scenes.
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