Be Very Afraid!: The scurrilous history of the invasion-scare novel

by Richard Freeman

Fake news abounds. Russia is stirring up civil unrest in Britain. Aliens are blamed for job losses. Free trade is accused of causing factory closures. People are losing faith in democracy. Trump’s America? Brexit Britain? No, this is the world of the invasion scare novel, 1871 to 1914. Four hundred of these novels came from the pens of hundreds of antediluvian admirals, early retired army officers, literary authors with no defence experience. All vied to terrify the British population with their lurid tales of invasion followed by massacre, fired-stormed cities and starvation. Many of the books were racy best sellers. Some were laughably ridiculous. All now offer a fascinating insight into the mind of a nation gripped by invasion fever.On the surface, the books seem to be no more than harmless fantasising. But a closer examination reveals authors and backers determined to use the fear of invasion to undermine Parliament and political parties. They disgorged a hatred of foreigners, a fear of immigrants and a distrust of Europe that resulted in the First World War. They offer, in short, a morality tale for our times.Be Very Afraid! looks at a sample of about 50 of the 400 scaremongering novels published in Britain between 1871 and 1914.

267 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 17, 2020

Reviews

[Ed Crutchley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richard Freeman provides an impressive and entertaining critique of a British writing phenomenon of some 400 novels, from 1871 through to the First World War, a genre known as ‘Invasion Literature’. Led by scaremonger authors such as Erskin Childers, John Buchan, and Fred T Jane, and the prolific William Le Queux, this literature capitalised on paranoia over suspected Russian, French, and finally German intentions of invasion. The novels, often written by authors without military experience, capitalised on perceived incompetence and complacency among Britain’s leaders, as well as the Navy needed to protect a heavy dependence on food imports. Using a wide variety of excerpts from dozens of authors, Freeman creates the atmosphere while showing how much so many rushed their work without giving due thought to their plots and accuracy of details. Encouragement came from the likes of Lord Northcliffe, as well as JL Garvin, influential editor of the Observer. Freeman helpfully completes his work by presenting the genre in its evolving historical context, describes its readers, backers, reviewers, and detractors, the rise of campaigning bodies such as the National Service League and the Navy League, and the ultimate improvements in the Navy and security services introduced during the decade leading up to the outbreak of WW1.