A Prophet Without Honor

by Joseph Wurtenbaugh

In the first months of 1936, Adolf Hitler risked everything by ordering his untrained military to reoccupy the Rhineland. It was a bluff. The Germans would have been forced to retreat if the French or British had offered the slightest opposition. But the bluff succeeded. History changed decisively. Hitler quieted the opposition at home, and marched the world relentlessly on, to the edge of destruction and beyond. A Prophet Without Honor examines that lost chance in detail. The result is a compelling story full of intrigue, danger, romance, and action, culminating in the reckoning that Hitler might have faced, had events taken a different course. It's a hugely entertaining story, written in epistolary style (though journal entries, letters, excerpts from biographies, etc.) with a richly textured sense of time and place.

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

Audio CD

Published December 7, 2021

About the author

'Joseph Wurtenbaugh' is the writing name of Frank Dudley Berry, Jr. Mr. Berry is a retired criminal law professional and entrepreneurial lawyer.

Mr. Berry's first novel was 'Thursday's Child', an epic love story that infused a conventional romance formula with a rich novel of ideas. The result is one of the most unusual stories that the casual reader is ever likely to encounter - a narrative that manages to construct a modern epic and a heroic love story out of the most mundane materials of everyday life.

His second novel, 'A Prophet Without Honor', is a tightly controlled excursion into the realm of contrafactual history. Written in epistolary form and voiced in a completely different manner that 'Thursday's Child, the book nonetheless has the same epic scope as the first.

Mr. Berry has also published three Kindle Select novellas - 'The Old Soul','Warm Moonlight', and 'Newton in the New Age'. The novellas have the same variety in subject, theme, and voice as the novels. 'The Old Soul' is a cross between science fiction and scientific fiction, with the most unusual protagonist any reader is likely to encounter. It was an Amazon Editor's Choice in the second half of 2012.

'Warm Moonlight' is a story of personal redemption, set in New England circa 1900-1920, and with a soupcon of the supernatural. It has been translated into German and added to the Amazon catalog.

'Newton in the New Age' is a modern domestic comedy. I

Mr. Berry's notes on these pieces can be found at this blog - "http://grealistink.typepad.co

Reviews

[Shai · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of A Prophet Without Honor by Joseph Wurtenbaugh almost fooled me that the Haydenreich family and their story is real. There are a lot of long correspondences between the family of Haydenreich to other people, and there were several letters of Dwight Eisenhower also especially to Karl's widow; thus, I nearly believe their existence.

The first part of the book is one of the best portions of this book and also my favorite because the exchange of letters between Karl's father, Heinrich, and of her Jewish stepmom, Rosamunde, is immensely romantic. Aside from that, the life of Karl Haydenreich growing up, and the story of how his German grandfather and a fanatic of Hitler had almost corrupt his young mind, should not be missed.

I had read several memoirs of the Holocaust survivors in the past; this historical fiction from the account of German who's a Jewish sympathizer is a fresh take because it shows a different perspective during Nazi Germany. If you are just like me who love historical fiction, notably the WWII, I highly recommend this novel of Wurtenbaugh because I'm certain that you will have a pleasant time reading this.

[Liviu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this by chance and the Amazon sample hooked me, so I got it and read it in a few sittings; told through letters, diaries, and excerpts from "books" and the like, the novel is set in a future that wasn't - though with extreme irony, there are various quotes of the type, well if Hitler wouldn't have been overturned then, anyway the iron laws of history would have guaranteed his demise fairly soon and he wouldn't have amounted to much more... (it is not much of a spoiler to note that in this book the Third Reich ends in 1936)

The first 3/4 or so of the book are exceptional as they get the spirit of the times, the 1910's, WW 1 and then the 20's and early 30's and the ascension of Hitler, but I thought the last part somewhat stretching credibility with its coincidences and the way the Reich demise is presented.

Overall a darkly ironic read that doesn't spare the reader and definitely recommended, while with a stronger ending it could have been a masterpiece of speculative "what if"

[Virat hooda · Rating 4 out of 5]

True wonderer
"Heil Schicklgruber!"  ~Joseph Wurtenbaugh, A Prophet Without Honor

Ahh History and the world of 'Might-have beens', The 'What-if's' always hold us don't they, If only a small thing would have changed, if only! ,the butterfly effect on the world as we know it would have been immense. 

The novel is written as a collection of letters, telegraphs, extracts from journals, memoirs & history books(of the might-have been world). We are exposed to each character through this epistolary form. And despite the limitations that one would think this would pose on the story and it's narration, it was surprisingly engaging, entertaining, absolutely believable and absolutely fantastically written.

We follow the "Haydenreich" family from Bavaria, through the years, from 1910's to the 1940's, through WW1, the rise of National socialism in Germany and ultimately to Hitler, the characters are sketched well enough, as well as they could be given the restrictions of the style but that's what added to the intrigue of it all, with many real characters whose lives would have taken different turns had the events of the novel could come to pass. The story itself was interesting, though sometimes the book seemed too long, but no detail was redundant I found, every letter had to be read, every interjection adds to the flavor, so despite it being a little too long it is amazingly composed.

To compare it to other Alternate History novels won't be fair, though it could stand it's ground if it comes to that, but "The Man in the high Castle", "Fatherland" and others mostly talk about what if 'Hitler' NEVER lost, compared to that this gives a lot more hope, and the perspective of the various characters gives insight about the split in that world that the others could not. Though the gore content (the horrors we generally relate to the Third Reich) in the novel is surprisingly low, the moral conundrums are more highlighted, the politics of it all takes more of the center stage, this could be again due to the way the book is primarily written and due to the fact that the whole premise is that Hitler be stopped before he could unleash the full extent of his mania on the world. So, in the novel, the people who could have done something and didn't, DO what they could, they realize what they face and despite the consequences to themselves deliver the world from evil, to know How and Why is profoundly satisfying. 

A great (albeit a bit long) read, full marks on creativity, research, plausibility and narration. Any history enthusiast would enjoy this extremely, I recommend it wholeheartedly, And thank Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy. To the world of alternative and speculative history this is a welcome addition.  

[Russ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alternative history. Another entertaining read told in a unique style - correspondence. Ike, not president, but a military attache in Berlin, involved in espionage. Wrap your mind around that if you will. Other real life persona and others not so. Events based on what ifs, hence alternative history. Thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to more alternative history. Next on my "to read" list: "The Man in the High Castle."

[Jessica Taskinen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karl is the son of Heinrich Von Haydenreich and the step-son of Rosamunde. Heinrich and Rosamunde -- theirs was an epic love story, which most of their family frowned upon. Karl, the son of Rosamunde's heart, was loved by his step-mother just as much as his birth mother would have. She cared for him while his father was away at the war. However, life wasn't very kind to Karl. Never knowing his birth mother, he lost his step-mother before he was ten and never really knew his father. Luckily, the influence of his step-mother and of her mother was lasting, and as fate would have it, other men of influence were brought into Karl's life at just the right time. Growing up a privileged young man, he attended school in England and made friends, eventually returning to Germany with the desire to pursue composing. However, facing rejection in the composing world and with the events leading up to WWII happening all around him, Karl's path changed, and he landed in a place of favor. The decisions that he and the other brave men around him make could quite literally change the world.

I struggled at first to enjoy this book. It is formed by a compilation of journal entries, excerpts from books, written army orders, telegrams, and the like. The format was a little stilted in my opinion. I'm sure some people would enjoy it. However, in the end, I was thoroughly impressed. Despite the style, I loved it! I was drawn in by the depth of the story, by the complexity and the beauty of it. Firstly, it is a beautiful story, a story of deep and abiding love, heroism, and the willingness to sacrifice for the greater good. The story is also complex, more complex than I thought possible using this style of composition. The book seems very solid historically, the setting encapsulates Nazi Germany for the reader, bringing to life the turbulence and the energy of that time period.

The premise of the book is also very interesting. What is someone had been able to stop Adolph Hitler early on? What if he had not been allowed to bring about World War II? However, the story isn't as much about the answer to those questions as it is about what kind of men would it take to stand up to Hitler and stop his schemes before they embroil the world in WWII? And the answer to that question is worth reading about.

Thank you to NetGalley and Jospeh Wurtenbaugh for an electronic copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions above are my own.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the way this story flowed and how events looked from more than one side. Hitler's coming to power. The story starts in 1910 and carries one family through their life and how the changes in Germany has had an affect on the family were duty was above family at times. Was Hitler ready to lead Germany? Did some follow him blindly? There are real people involved with the characters in an interesting way. The story bring romance, war, espionage and what if this had happened instead of the way history did happen.

[Jerry Peace · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really entertaining alternative history that is a warning about current and future dictators and dictator wannabees. Couple quotes- "He himself was a small, feeble person. His misdeeds were the spiteful revenge of a petty man taken on those he considers his betters," and " ...despite the violence of
your hatred she would have taken note of the gap between your ability and your pretensions...She would have taken pity on you. ".

[Clive Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

A superlative alternative history story that many millions around the globe would have wished had played out instead of the truly dreadful human tragedy that unfolded across the 1930's and first half of the 1940's.
Hugely believable account of one aristocratic German family as it navigated through a society riven with historical societal, class, and racial prejudices that ultimately coalesced around a charismatic orator, with an utterly rabid and warped view of racial purity, and his nation's inalienable right to play god with many of Europe's nations, and countless millions of their inhabitants.
The good exhibited by characters within the growing, planned catastrophe, shine out in stark contrast to the growing, pervasive evil being generated by a morally utterly repugnant cabal, but there was a growing sense of grim inevitably about the various endings and cessation some of the main protagonists experienced.
Excellent Audible narration that enhanced my feelings for the story participants, from the intimate romance(s) at the stories start, through the cruel prejudices, and onto the personal horrors necessary for this alternative history arc to successfully play out.

[Jennifer Lara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Prophet without Honor by Joseph Wurtenbaugh is a novel of alternative history. The story begins with the birth of Karl von Haydenreich and the tragic death of his mother, Charlotte, while his father, Captain Henrich Haydenreich, is fighting on the western front in World War I. Told through a series of letters, telegrams and memoirs, the reader hears how young Karl is raised by his stepmother, Rosamunde. Rosamunde was his mother’s best friend and a Jew. Despite both families’ objections, Henrich and Rosamunde marry and have a wonderful life until her death during the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918. Left in the care of his father, Karl is groomed to follow in the family’s footsteps and have a career in the military. When he comes of age, Hitler is coming to power in Germany and the road to World War II is set. In 1936, Hitler sets his army to occupy the Rhineland and bluffs the French and British thinking the German army would retreat at the first sight of opposition. The bluff works and Hitler’s military machine marches across Europe with utter destruction. In a world where history took a different path, it is a story of danger, spies, and romance. Would Hitler fully take over the world or would there still be a force to stop him? Who would have the courage to lead such a charge?
A Prophet without Honor is an interesting retelling of history if one event had taken a different course. I have never read an alternative universe story before and I found the idea intriguing. The characters’ voices and actions have a tone of such accuracy you feel you could really be reading a book about our history. As Karl follows his orders, the thought is in the back of your mind that he was raised by a Jewish woman who he called “Mummi” Surely he couldn’t believe in such hatred against the Jewish people. I enjoyed the story as there is no clear hero or villain such as with life. I loved the realism that we often cannot and will never know the heroics of the men and women who fought against Hitler. If you enjoy reading a story about an alternative universe but reads with such realism, I recommend A Prophet without Honor.

A Prophet without Honor
is available on Amazon for the Kindle

[Roger Briggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am drawn to stories that are told through letters. This style of writing is known as epistolary, written in the form of a series of letters. Before this book I had read William Stegner’s Angle of Repose which followed this style of writing as well. It is a form that may present an initial barrier to the uninitiated reader but quickly becomes fully engaging. You think as a reader, who has the voice of the story, a single character or the author or the character that represents him? But you quickly find that the characters and plot can be efficiently and dramatically revealed through letters and other written source material.

Over the years my wife Sharon and I have performed a play based on entirely the reading of letters. Called Love Letters by A.R. Gurney, letters introduce two characters, Andy and Melissa, and their relationship over the years described through letters to each other. I am easily more drawn to this style of character and plot development since it was so effective in Love Letters.
Combining this style of writing to describe an alternative history that offers a world able to bypass the tragedy of WWII along with Hitler and the Nazis is compelling and a terrific read. The author has masterfully weaved this alternate story through history using facts, important personalities of the period and speculation. If we consider what our country is going through now with a President that continually lies and is suspected of criminal wrong-doing, comparisons to Wurtenbaugh’s story may rest uncomfortably in the back of your mind. I suppose my parallel reading of Michael Wolfe’s Fire and Fury as I was reading A Prophet Without Honor could explain some of that crossover between its fiction and Wolfe’s non-fiction.

In any event I give the highest recommendation to A Prophet Without Honor, An Alternative History, by Joseph Wurtenbaugh. May we have the good fortune to have individuals like the fictional Kurt von Haydenreich who will act against demagoguery and prevent the rise of evil and corruption in America!

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 and 1 / 2 stars

What a wonderful book! An “alternative history” for sure, but a great read nonetheless.

We start with the birth of Karl von Haydenreich and the unfortunate death of his mother. Visiting her at the time was her good friend Rosamunde Breslau . Karl’s father Heinrich von Haydenreich was away on maneuvers and was unaware of what was happening due to his own father’s blocking his mail.

Rosamunde stays on to help the family and falls in love with little Karl and his three-year old sister. She delays her leaving and slowly, Heinrich falls in love with her. He marries her against his father and his brother’s wishes, for she is a Jewess. This matters not at all to Heinrich. Most of Rosamunde’s family is also against the marriage, save for her mother.

It is now 1936 and Hitler tries a bluff maneuver. He ordered his troops to re-occupy the Rhineland, a zone that had been demilitarized since the end of WWI. The French and British don’t know it’s only a bluff, and do nothing. History is made! Hitler marches on.

This novel is filled with interesting, likeable and unlikeable figures. Some are historical, although not necessarily playing the roles they played in “real” life and some are totally made up. Written in a letter, telegram and newspaper article format, it is an unusual style, but one that works very well in this novel. Obviously the book is well researched, in spite of its being an alternative version of history. It couldn’t have been written without a sound basis in fact. This book has it all: intrigue, drama, romance and stunning personalities.

What really would have happened?

I want to thank NetGalley and GRealist Ink/ IBPA Members’ Titles for forwarding to me a copy of this great book to read.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Told primarily in the correspondence among Heinz, his father and his brother, all loyal Germans during the Third Reich. After the death of his wife, Heinz has committed the unforgiveable sin: he has married a Jewish woman. In the beginning, there is only the outrage of their families to contend with; however, as war escalates and aktions against the Jews become more frequent, there is more cause for alarm.

This is an alternative historical novel; based on facts, with inventive facts interspersed. Due to the expertise of the writing, it is hard to draw the line between fact and fiction, between that which is real and that which is imagined.

I read this EARC courtesy of Edelweiss and G Realist Ink. pub date 06/17/17

[Richard Armstead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Not what I expected, but what a read. If you like history, especially WWII, you should check out this book. What happens when someone sees the chance to step up and do the right thing? To speak out when they see bad/evil happening? How can the choices/actions of one person change the course of history? The plot and the characters are well developed and the author pulls you right along. I knew this was "alternative history," but the promise of 'what if' kept the suspense level pretty high. A good, timely read. Well worth the time and effort; it covers a lot of time and involves you in the lives of several characters. This is definitely not an easy read and it definitely made me think. I'm very glad the ad popped up on my FB feed. TWO thumbs up!

[Adam Carriere · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a slow start the author finds his voice and writes a very good tale. 3.5 stars

[Josephine (biblioseph)]

Curious, going to look into this.

Mutuals: if you read this and still see this ambivalent comment, please leave a reply and let me know what you thought, or tell me to go read your review. ;)

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be interesting and well written. I've always found books written correspondence style to be enjoyable, and this was no exception. Great for history buffs!

received as a gift

[Richard Hakes]

Kirkus

A PROPHET WITHOUT HONOR
A NOVEL OF ALTERNATIVE HISTORY
BY JOSEPH WURTENBAUGH ‧ RELEASE DATE: JUNE 12, 2017

Ahistorical novel that imagines an alternative ending to World War II.

In 1936, Adolf Hitler boldly ordered the invasion of Western Germany—an undertaking so risky that even his own army’s general staff strongly opposed it. At the time, the German military was in a diminished state and vulnerable to attack by superior forces, but the British and French were caught unaware when the invasion order was given. Many historians have wondered whether much of the bloodshed of World War II could have been avoided if the Allied powers had swiftly responded to this act of aggression. Wurtenbaugh (Newton in the New Age, 2012, etc.) explores precisely this possibility in the novel, in which a young German officer, Lt. Karl von Haydenreich, contacts Dwight D. Eisenhower, then a major in the U.S. Army and a long-standing friend of the family, with stolen documents containing classified military information. The author not only tells the story of the war, but also of von Haydenreich’s life, entirely through excerpted books, journals, correspondence, and periodicals, all fictional—a quilt of information that, stitched together, forms a fully coherent, if unsettled, narrative. Von Haydenreich’s mother died when he was young, and he was raised by a stepmother whose relationship with his father was scandalous. His family were Bavarian nobility and rabid anti-Semites, and as a young man, Von Haydenreich was impressed by Hitler. His father disabused him of his infatuation, and he went on to become a serious student of music, but he eventually quit his studies and joined the Reichswehr. Wurtenbaugh’s account is stunningly original, and he plausibly conjures a remarkably full vision of alternative history. Haydenreich is a beautifully drawn character, rich and complex, and the author allows readers considerable latitude in interpreting his motives. Some of the excerpts presented depict Haydenreich as a hero, some as a traitor, and the author wisely shows great restraint by refusing to offer any narrative commentary that definitively nudges readers toward one option or the other. Wurtenbaugh not only conjures a new historical universe, but also a contentious world of scholarship about it, and he invites readers to join in the dispute. His effort is reminiscent of Philip Roth’s 2004 novel The Plot Against America, as both are wildly imaginative and historically grounded. Most importantly, this book humanizes a global tragedy, making its main character’s inner conflict a microcosm of a nation’s intramural disputes. The entire Von Haydenreich family is memorably, fascinatingly dysfunctional, and the author slowly unfurls his protagonist’s plight in a way that seems fragilely contingent and inexorably fated. One minor criticism is that it would have been better if the author didn’t begin the novel with a prefatory note in his own name, and a concluding historical one. The power of the novel is in the immersive experience it offers, and these two invitations to stand outside the fictional cosmos feel unnecessary and diminishing. Nevertheless, this is an impressive work, as bold as it is meticulous.

A masterful exercise in historical hypothesis.

[Gary Beene · Rating 4 out of 5]

A PROPHET WITHOUT HONOR: A NOVEL OF ALTERNATIVE HISTORY by Joseph Wurtenbaugh

Mark 6:4: And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” (Bible – English Standard Version)

This is quite an interesting book. Wurtenbaugh wrote this novel in the style of THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY by Don Roos and Tom Bezucha. A PROPHET WITHOUT HONOR is told entirely through correspondence, written news reports, and excerpts from the main character’s memoirs. This technique can be distracting for readers initially. But the author does a masterful job with character development, creating tension, and offering a kind of dialogue that can only be understood through the letters the various characters exchange.

The premise is fascinating and the conclusion Wurtenbaugh proposes is both plausible and intriguing.
______________
The following is the author’s description of his novel:
In the first months of 1936, Adolf Hitler risked everything by ordering his untrained military to reoccupy the Rhineland. It was a bluff. The Germans would have been forced to retreat if the French or British had offered the slightest opposition. But the bluff succeeded. History changed decisively. Hitler quieted the opposition at home, and marched the world relentlessly on, to the edge of destruction and beyond.


A PROPHET WITHOUT HONOR examines that lost chance in detail. The result is a compelling story full of intrigue, danger, romance, and action, culminating in the reckoning that Hitler might have faced, had events taken a different course. It's a hugely entertaining story, written in epistolary style (though journal entries, letters, excerpts from biographies, etc.) with a richly textured sense of time and place.


But, although I have labeled the novel an alternative history, for want of a better word, it is considerably more serious than mere 'what if' speculation. There is no fantasy in the book, no extended account of an alternative universe. Rather, I meant the book to celebrate what Wordsworth famously referred to as 'the little nameless unremembered acts of kindness and of love' - or, in this case, the nameless unremembered acts of honor and of heroism. It is possible that we never know or appreciate the greatest heroes among us, because the acts themselves swallow up the consequences, and the actors are forever lost in the shadows of history. In a profound sense, virtue is indeed its own reward, and in fact the only reward. The significance of those unknown and unknowable acts is the real subject of A PROPHET WITHOUT HONOR.
_____________
In the end, Mr. Wurtenbaugh remains absolutely true to the meaning of Jesus’ quote in the Book of Mark 6:4. We highly recommend this book, which is available both as an e-book and in paperback.

(This review was originally posted at https://www.facebook.com/BooksReadand... )

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Prophet Without Honor without a doubt one of the more interesting alt-history novels I have ever read, in part because it is told not through a straight narrative, but via a collection of excerpts from letters, journals, telegrams, and histories with varied viewpoints. The reader realizes quickly we are heading into a different timeline than our own — one in which the Wehrmacht rebelled against Hitler in 1936 — but the story is learning how that happened, and more pointedly in getting to know the man who was most chiefly responsible for that rebellion. This is the story of Karl von Haydenreich, the grandson of a vicious anti-Semite, the son of a principled aristocrat and the stepson of a Jewish woman who the Spanish flu bore away to eternity. Although interesting for its initial premise, this novel’s commanding character drama drove it into the ranks of superb storytelling.

A Prophet without Honor is first and foremost wonderful character drama. We are first introduced to the Haydenreichs via Karl’s father, Heinz, a man who has been forced to deal with tending to his family’s estate after creditors realized his father was absolutely hopeless on financial matters, and his elder brother was little better. Heinz is largely alienated from his family, who regard him as a spineless effete with far too much tolerance for Germany’s enemies, even permitting his wife Lottie to maintain a close friendship with a Jewish woman named Rosamund. When Lottie dies in childbirth giving the world young Karl, Rosamond becomes the children’s unofficial governness — and then, their stepmother, after Heinz and Rosamund fall in love over the course of time. Although Karl will have a youthful dalliance with the exciting Nazi party in his teens, thanks to a summer spent with his hateful grandfather, he is far more his father’s son than his grandfather’s, and joins the army (Reichwehr) out of concern that Germany is sailing into treacherous territory and will need a stabilizing force if it is to survive. The interesting thing about A Prophet is that, beyond the core “Nasties”, few people in this novel are absolutely rotten or virtuous: Heinz’s brother repents of being a bigot on his deathbed, and Karl’s best friend Albert remains wholly sympathetic to the causes of National Socialism even as he aids in some of Karl’s late-novel plans to save those who can be saved. Another character, who is steadily sympathetic, exposes himself at the end as fundamentally lacking in character. Karl’s own experiences as a teenager during the 1923 putsch — witnessing Hitler flee the scene rather than stand and fight with his men — privately galvanize him against the ‘little corporal’, even as he enjoys favor from the upper ranks thanks to his impetuously joining the party as a teenager, and his grandfather’s material support of the NSDAP. A key component of the story is the accidental friendship that emerges between an American officer stationed in Germany after the war — some fellow named Eisenhower who later becomes a military attache — and the Haydenreichs, so much so that “Ike” becomes a godfather and mentor to Karl. When Karl begins expressing doubts about the integrity of Hitler, Eisenhower is only happy to offer him support — and their bond becomes a means of intelligence passing into Allied hands that make the re-militarization of the Rhineland quite different.

In short, this is quite a compelling novel, though it’s unclear as to what happens in Europe after Hitler is removed from the scene: there are occasional hints that de Gaulle rises to power and gets up to mischief, and other hints that Bolshevism runs riot, but these are coming from contradictory sources who we have gotten to know over the course of the novel, and can’t completely trust. While I certainly don’t profess to be an expert in German history, the interwar history has been of morbid interest to me for decades, and lately I’ve been reading more into it: Wurtenbaugh appears to tack pretty close to the changing zeitgeists of the age, made especially obvious in characters whose spirit and morality are sometimes hard to box up. Definitely recommended to alt-history fans who want something more than “WW2 but Hitler wins” or “WW2 but there are space lizard

[Michael Winkler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique, Heartfelt Third Reich Alternate History

Unique among the many alternate histories of Hitler and the Third Reich that I have read, ‘A Prophet Without Honor’, focuses overwhelmingly on the close, loving relationships between the characters and the moral dilemmas they face between protecting those they love and successfully fighting the evil and destruction of Hitler and the Nazis. The main characters feel like real, three dimensional people. There are both strong, loving men and strong, loving women who express their love and strength in ways that differ for men than for women. Many of the military characters, who are generally portrayed positively, struggle with their personal definitions of duty and honor to themselves, their families, their countries and beyond. Hitler and the other Nazi leaders are accurately portrayed as hollow, brutal, empty cowards. Even non-Nazi characters who are racist are often portrayed as positive human beings in spite of their racism. All-in-all, this book has much more depth and heart than a typical alternate history novel. Highly recommended!

[Jeff Berger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite simply the best alternate history book I've ever read. I don't even remember how I heard about this book; I was intrigued enough by the description to spend a couple bucks to buy it on Kindle. There have been many, many novels that start with the question: "What if Germany had won the War?" This one, however, asks "What if officers in the Wehrmacht had succeeded in overthrowing Hitler before the War ever started?" The way that scenario plays out is believable and ingenious.

Another thing that sets this story apart is that it's told entirely through letters, journal entries, excerpts of (fictional) memoirs, and newspaper articles. Together, these build a portrait of a young German nobleman who grows to hate the Nazis, and becomes the center of a conspiracy to bring them down. Aside from the main character, nearly everyone else in the story is a real historical figure--even our own Dwight Eisenhower plays a key role, although nothing like his contributions in real life. Wurtenbaugh does a great job of giving each character a distinct voice, and the story is so well-told, you forget at times that it didn't actually happen this way.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating story of alternate history, laced with persuasive detail, and extremely readable. The format may be challenging for those who do not like epistolary novels, but it is used effectively, with longer passages from fictional memoirs mixed with shorter excerpts from news articles and historical accounts (some extremely polemical). Less credible is the exceedingly quick transformation of Eisenhower from a chance acquaintance to best friend and godfather; that key factor needed more development. It was also difficult to believe that Nazi intelligence had such difficulty tracking down the security breach, although the author did give the reader ample reason to regard "Nazi intelligence" as an oxymoron. Overall, a most powerful and intriguing work.

[Mark Bownas · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have read recently. Wurtenbaugh imagines what might have happened had Britain and Germany reacted forcefully when Hitler reoccupied the Rhineland in contravention of the Versailles agreement. Historically very credible with compelling characters who evince empathy and draw the reader into the story. I was surprised how emotionally involved I became and could hardly put down the book. One small point: Karl and his family would not have been able to see any cricket in England between mid February and mid March as it is a summer game. Overall, I highly recommend this book to those with an interest in the rise of the Nazis in Germany and the run up to the Second World War.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

an interesting take

This excursion into alternate history (one of my favorite genres) takes us back to post-WWI Germany and into the 1930s and the rise of Hitler. Unfortunately, it’s told in an epistolary manner, as excerpts of fictional writings between characters both real and imaginary, that focus on one character whose actions change history. This made it rather slow going for me, as the continual changes in points of view were somewhat annoying and also made for rather dry reading. Even the climactic scenes weren’t what they could have been had this been written in narrative style. For that reason I can’t give it more than 3 stars, or a “gentleman’s C”.

[Nicholas Finch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just about tripped over this book, as it wasn’t what I was looking for, but it was certainly suggestive enough for me to start reading, and I’m very VERY glad that I did.

This is the most well constructed, well thought out, well developed book of ‘alternative history’ that I’ve ever read.

Absolutely incredible!

I seriously recommend this book, and would easily give it way more than 5 stars.

Wonderful, tightly controlled, excellently executed, and brilliantly done.

I’m going to be raving about this book for a long time.

[Anthony Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

History as it might have been

Perfect characterisations showing a nobility often missed in in modern historic novels.
A lively mixture of fact and what might have been combined into a very thought provoking read.
I was tempted to give it only four stars an some of the villains got less than the fate they deserved, but it’s the authors book not mine.

[Claire Sayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engrossing, clever, lively and thoroughly enjoyable

Written in letters, recollections, and wonderfully put together. Each character is roundly displayed and fully explored by a variety of sources. Clever take on the alternative history genre. It's a pity that the what if wasn't the reality

[Mark E Lieberman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating page turnrt

A compelling story in a difficult genre. Wittenberg had me on the edge of my seat perhaps because I wished this had been a true not alternate history. He painted wonderful scenes weaving history until his divergence point. I found myself rooting for.his characters and story.

[Paul H Elliot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting novel

I found the premise of the story to be interesting, the format was a bit strange though. There were some minor discrepancies and one large one. Somehow the author has redirected the Rhine River so that it runs through Berlin!? Sorry, but that sort of killed it for me.

[Dr. Brian F. Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning

Written in the form of letters and book extracts, an alternative history of the early years of the third Reich, this is believable. I loved the contrast between voices, the presence of Nazi apologist entries written as if WWII had not happened. It makes you wonder about how news and opinion today is shaped to misinform and mislead. A wonderful and sad read