Customer Reviews

SS-GB

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's November 1941 in Nazi-occupied Britain, and Detective Inspector Archer of Scotland Yard finds himself reporting to SS Gruppenfuehrer Fritz Kellermann. The King is a prisoner in the Tower of London; Churchill has been shot after a brief trial in Berlin; Germany and the USSR are still the best of friends; and the USA is reluctant to intervene. Austerity holds Britain in its icy grip, with luxuries more or less limited to the German occupying forces and those who succeed in ingratiating themselves.

The successful invasion left swathes of ruin and destruction that have not yet been repaired. The blackened shell of a Panzer IV tank still sits halfway up Wimbledon high street. Anyone violating curfew, or breaking regulations, is likely to be shot or sent to a concentration camp. Yet there is no point in rebellion - that would just get more people killed. Apparently, the only way forward is to cooperate with the Germans. Kellermann hints to Archer that his young son might possibly attend the good German school in Highgate... On the other hand, perhaps he should be sent to a training school for young Nazis in Germany.

While developing one of his usual opaque plots, Deighton cleverly shows the dilemma facing Archer and others in positions of responsibility. We see the British resistance as more like the present-day Iraqi insurgency ("terrorists, thugs and diehards") than in the heroic light that has retrospectively fallen on those who fought the Nazis after their countries had surrendered.

As usual in a Deighton story, it is no use trying to work out which side anyone is on. Mostly, each of the leading players is on his (or her) own side. The question is: who can profit most by cooperating with whom? The answers turn out to be surprising indeed. Tension starts to build with the abrupt arrival of SS Standartenfuehrer Huth from Berlin - a man who stands for no nonsense, works for Himmler, and has dauntingly direct methods. Can the Resistance exploit tensions between the German Army and the SS to rescue the King? What is the secret of the scientist who is found shot dead, apparently suffering from an extreme case of sunburn? Add a beautiful American journalist, a sinister British secret service officer, a US military expedition, sundry criminals, black-marketeers and collaborators, stir vigorously... and get ready for some stunning entertainment.

This book does not feature pitched battles between the resistance and the Germans, but a real "what if" scenario. Life under Nazi rule, as experienced in many European countries, was oppressive, dull and dangerous. The central character, a police detective, has to work with the new masters, and make the best of it. The petty rivalry between the German army and the SS is exposed, and is a central factor in the story. And the machinations of the British politicians as they try to avoid being suspected by the Germans is as frustrating as it is realistic. A really great and underrated novel.

What happens when one's commitment to their duty conflicts with their loyalty to their country? That is the dilemma facing Detective Superintendent Douglas Archer in Len Deighton's alternate history scenario. A leading member of Scotland Yard's Murder Squad, he finds himself working for the German occupation in the aftermath of their conquest of Great Britain. This tension becomes unavoidable when Archer is called upon to investigate the murder of a man found in an apartment in Shepherd Market. Though initially unremarkable, the case quickly draws attention from the highest circles of the German government, as Archer finds himself pulled into a dangerous world of political intrigue that forces him to resolve his priorities and take a side - no matter what the cost.

Deighton's book is an dramatic story of intrigue in a world that might have been. He does not explain how Britain was defeated or what the point of divergence was, leaving details to trickle out naturally as they would in a normal conversation, without any of the clunky exposition too many writers adopt when explaining the worlds they have constructed. Instead his focus is on the plot and characters, as he constructs a grim yet plausible world in which a depressed population is still coming to terms with their defeat. The mystery itself unfolds gradually, and while some readers may figure out the particulars fairly quickly Deighton still puts together an ending that is difficult to forecast before getting there. Taken together, it makes for one of the best alternate history novels ever written, as well as a suspenseful tale that readers who are not familiar with the genre will enjoy nonetheless.

Intriguing story which you probably need to read twice to understand fully. A glossary for the German officer titles would have been very helpful. I preferred Bomber but still enjoyed this.

In this complex reworking of history, the Germans won the second world war in 1941 and now rule Britain. The story line weaves several layers - a murder story seen through the eyes of a British Scotland Yard Superintendent, a plot to rescue the King from the Tower of London, and a desparate race of the main nations (US, USSR and Germany) to be the first to create the atomic bomb - and rule the world.

With many Deighton books it is hard to determine who are the good guys and who are the bad guys - and this is no exception. We have an English Resistance "army" who are not as good as they ought to be, some "good" coppers, a variety of upper class Brits (up to no good), a beautiful American reporter, and so many different flavours of SS, SA, SP, SIPO each of who are trying to outdo the others that it all gets a bit confusing, and one needs a bit of a lie down.

After a slowish start the pace picks up and gets pretty exciting towards the end. Highly recommended for alternate history fans.

I'm a big fan of alternate history especially ones where the Nazis win the WW2 - but somehow SS-GB managed to slip beneath my radar till someone bought it for me for Christmas.

I have to say I was disappointed. Maybe it was because I was hoping it to be like 'Fatherland' too much but my expectations were dashed. It begins well but lost me about half-way through for several reasons. The characters aren't strong enough (Douglas just isn't sufficiently engaging to carry the book; I didn't care about him), the plot is overly complicated with too many strands (is it about the Bomb or rescuing the king?), the tone... well, all a bit depressing. The love story also failed to convince and seemed to fizzle out in the last quarter. I was expecting some kind of twist with Barbara. I won't give away what happens but it's certainly anti-climatic. Maybe it's the girlie-romantic in me, but if you're going to put a love strand in it should go somewhere (compare March and Charlie in 'Fatherland').

On the plus side I liked Len Deighton's version of Nazi-occupied Britain and it certainly seems well researched and authentic. It's quite well written and the prose is engaging enough. There are some good jokes too amongst all the doom and gloom.

Perhaps it just got me on a bad day. Or maybe 'Fatherland' has raised the bar too high on these kinds of book. SS-GB = good but not great.

PS - great cover though!

I am quite fond of "what if" novels.This one is really well thought out and to my mind and that of of my late father,who was a young army officer at that time.

A believeable account of a detectives investigations after the germans had conquered GB and his enforced relationship with those Germans who were now in charge at Scotland Yard.

Len Deighton's 'SS-GB' is a book full of twists and torment, It is based on a several dichotomies: 1941 Britain is split between those who profit from Britain's defeat and those who don't, suffering an existence which reminded me of Oceania in Orwell's '1984; political and military conflict exists between British resistance and German occupying forces; and German authority consists of rivalries and deceits between competing elements such as the Wehmacht, Abwehr, SS, and SD - having taught Nazism Germany at AL History level I know that such rivalries were largely encouraged by Hitler. It is this last dichotomy which provides my title.
The central character is Superintendent Douglas Archer who's investigating a murder. However, it soon appears that 'Archer of the Yard' is only sometimes on top of events and more often behind. I far prefer the enigmatic figures of Standartenfuerher Oskar Huth ( the cold SS agent of Himmler) and Gruppenfuehrer/ General Fritz Keller, the avuncular boss of police who hate each other but are they also rivals for political reasons? Sergeant Harry Woodswho hates the 'Herberts' but is he something else? The shadowy Mayhew appears the manipulator but is he really?.
Of course, the confusion / mystery dominating the book depends on the reader seeing events through Archer's eyes. This produces distortion of personalities and half-truths in analysis. By the end I was OVER-adjusting for this approach. So full marks to Len Deighton. It may well require serious adjustment by the reader when the solutions are produced.
One possible spin-off for those interested in the period arises from the excellent creation of a Britain defeated in 1940 is to challenge oneself with what MIGHT have happened if had that happened. Would Hitler have attacked the USSR in June 1941 (probably yes) and, if so, would the Russians have collapsed by December 1941 (POSSIBLY yes)and, if so, would Hitler declared war on America - if not, would America have fought Hitler. And..... the list is endless and reminds one just how crucial was the time when Britain stood alone vs. Nazism and survived.

Len Deighton shows here, in this superbly written book, just what life could have been like in a world where Adolf Hitler and the Nazis had won the second world war, and Britain had been invaded. Terrifying,and an excellent read. Richard Goffin-Lecar.