Guy Saville

La esvástica ondea desde el Sáhara hasta el océano Índico. Unas relucientes autopistas bisecan la jungla, mientras los reactores de caza patrullan en el cielo. Gran Bretaña y una victoriosa Alemania nazi se han dividido el continente, pero ahora los planes de Walter Hochburn amenazan a las debilitadas colonias británicas. En Inglaterra, el ex mercenario Burton Cole es reclutado para un trabajo que le permitirá saldar una cuenta pendiente con Hochburn, a pesar de los recelos de la mujer a quien ama. Si Burton fracasa, toda África será presa del horror y nadie estará a salvo. Sin embargo, cuando su misión se ve abocada al desastre, Burton tendrá que huir para recuperar su porpia vida.… (mais)

A very effective, well paced thriller, especially if you like a lot of action. Personally, I was more interested in the alternative history aspect and came away slightly disappointed that we didn't get more background and texture on that - which is why I'm only giving it 3 stars, not 4. But this may not be a fair criticism because it looks to me as if the author took a conscious decision to go for the action-thriller market, so my reaction may be more a product of my own tastes and expectations. For a longer review including comparisons with "Fatherland" and "The Man in the High Castle", see http://www.paulsamael.com/blog/afrika-reich… (mais)

When I learned I'd won this book via Early Reviewers, I decided to borrow the first in the series from the library, so I wouldn't be missing anything starting this one. After reading that book, I noted that The Afrika Reich "was practically non-stop gore, and the characters who weren't obsessed with revenge were total sadists. Just ridiculous quantities of torture and misadventure were heaped on the 'heroes,' none of whom were particularly engaging or sympathetic, and nearly all of whom lived and died grotesquely. Honestly, I expected a certain amount of nastiness from the premise, but I've read a fair amount of 'Nazis win WWII' alternate history, and it can be really excellent and quite nuanced with intriguing characters. This was not. At all."

So I wasn't thrilled by the idea of picking up the sequel and wouldn't have done so if I didn't have to give it some sort of review. I decided three chapters were enough to tell that this book was going exactly the same direction as its predecessor, namely down the drain. In theory, this series could be interesting, dealing as it does with the scenario of what might have happened had Nazi Germany conquered Europe and Africa while the UK and US stood aside. But there's too much relishing of violence for my tastes, and I have no intention of finishing this book or picking up the third volume.… (mais)