Rival Caesars

by Desmond Dilg, Ragnar Redbeard, Arthur Desmond

Rival Caesars is the little known second book by Arthur Desmond (writing under the pseudonym Desmond Dilg), aka Ragnar Redbeard, author of one of the most infamous and controversial books of all time, "Might is Right: The Survival of the Fittest." Peppered with Desmond's fascinating, unique, and thought-provoking philosophy, Rival Caesars is a wildly entertaining "alternative history" account of the famed rivalry between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr that ended in the bloody, fatal duel. Out-of-print for over a century, editor Benjamin Garland has rescued this politically incorrect book from obscurity. Sure to be appreciated by fans of "Might is Right" and casual fiction readers alike, "Rival Caesars" is a piece of history now readily available to all.

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1903

Reviews

[Shaun Phelps · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book after reading Might is Right, which was written by Desmond under penname Ragnar Redbeard. I do not believe I would have found this book otherwise, though I am glad for the experience. This was a wonderful way to see the oft overwhelmingly offensive views from MiR in romantic action.

All of the content that was so offensive to be banned from the emotional shelves of Amazon.com is presented here as virtues within the lives of our founding fathers, with many natural consequences as a result. This book adds a lot of context for how Redbeard thought the world should work in MiR and makes it a lot more relevant in action. As for historical accuracy, Desmond artfully fills in many gaps. The history matches up well with what I remember from watching Burr vs Hamilton in Drunk History (tv show). This is to say, I'm no historian. I'm glad for this read, though, and am pleased with my experience.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a secret-society-esque view on the American Revolution and the Burr-Hamilton duel.