'The Man with the Iron Heart' by Harry Turtledove - Book Review

The Man with the Iron Heart by Harry Turtledove is an alternative history novel in which Reinhard Heydrich leads a violent Nazi uprising in a chaotic post-war Germany. It is an enjoyable page-turner with intriguing parallels to our modern wars and politics. I came to the book skeptical of the idea of a major uprising in war weary and defeated Germany, but finished the book with many of my doubts allayed. The Man with the Iron Heart seems to be the start of a new Turtledove series. This reviewer can't wait.

The Man with the Iron Heart is told through characters from several sides and opinions. This allows the reader to more fully appreciate the events. The technique leads to short scenes and can weaken character development, but Turtledove keeps the book from feeling jumpy and builds complete, believable characters.

Turtledove compares the German uprising and America's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan without betraying his own feelings or making it a simple allegory. Readers will enjoy comparing the beliefs, rhetoric, politics, and international repercussions of the German uprising and the Iraq War. Astute readers may find other worthy analogies, such as the Korean War Truman presidency vs. the hypothetical German uprising variety.

I do have a few quibbles with the book. The German partisans are too brilliant and too eager to give up their lives. The occupiers are dysfunctional. There's essentially no mention of how the bleeding sore in Germany affects the conclusion to the war with Japan or its aftermath. Finally, was American morale at the end of World War II really as fragile as Turtledove portrays?

I came to The Man with the Iron Heart deeply skeptical regarding its premise of a German revolt. The author not only convinced me of its plausibility, but also proved that the question hardly matters to this brilliant work. Whether read as a gripping novel of war and political intrigue, an historical what if, or a comparison to our own time, The Man with the Iron Heart is an excellent piece. Bravo!