Dominion Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway

Publication Date: January 28, 2014
Mulholland Books
Hardcover; 640p


Synopsis from the book jacket:

 C.J. SANSOM REWRITES HISTORY IN A THRILLING NOVEL THAT DARES TO IMAGINE BRITAIN UNDER THE THUMB OF NAZI GERMANY.

1952. Twelve years have passed since Churchill lost to the appeasers and Britain surrendered to Nazi Germany. The global economy strains against the weight of the long German war against Russia still raging in the east. The British people find themselves under increasingly authoritarian rule–the press, radio, and television tightly controlled, the British Jews facing ever greater constraints.

But Churchill’s Resistance soldiers on. As defiance grows, whispers circulate of a secret that could forever alter the balance of the global struggle. The keeper of that secret? Scientist Frank Muncaster, who languishes in a Birmingham mental hospital.

Civil Servant David Fitzgerald, a spy for the Resistance and University friend of Frank’s, is given the mission to rescue Frank and get him out of the country. Hard on his heels is Gestapo agent Gunther Hoth, a brilliant, implacable hunter of men, who soon has Frank and David’s innocent wife, Sarah, directly in his sights.

C.J. Sansom’s literary thriller Winter in Madrid earned Sansom comparisons to Graham Greene, Sebastian Faulks, and Ernest Hemingway. Now, in his first alternative history epic, Sansom doesn’t just recreate the past–he reinvents it. In a spellbinding tale of suspense, oppression and poignant love, DOMINION dares to explore how, in moments of crisis, history can turn on the decisions of a few brave men and women–the secrets they choose to keep and the bonds they share.

So what did I think about the story?:

What C.J. Sansom does with Dominion - presenting an alternative history in which Winston Churchill does not become Prime Minister of Britain in 1940 and the men who do come to power agree to an appeasement with Germany that finds the now authoritarian government of Britain heavily influenced by their new Fascist friends - is simply fascinating! I love the idea of exploring how every little alteration and change of events can so heavily impact every aspect of our world. And the changes here make for some devastating and far reaching consequences.

I have to admit that I got bogged down at times with the various political and social factions discussed and had a hard time keeping them straight (Socialism, Communism, Fascism, Nationalism, Imperialism....just so many "ism's"!). There is so much intricate history here as well - the various countries involved with this ongoing war for German domination, their various leaders and the shifting allegiances between countries, the scientific advancement during this time - that I found myself having to stop reading the book to go look up the many bits and pieces of factual history in order to be able to determine the changes taking places in this alternative world. This slowed down my reading somewhat and caused some confusion but the historical notes at the end of the novel did help alleviate some of that confusion.

For me the driving force and what kept bringing be back into the story was the human element. Taking these broad and perplexing ideals and showing how they affected and influenced the people having to live under them made this shifted history seem real and frightening. It was sad yet inspiring to see the many reasons these characters joined Churchill's Resistance and was awe-inspiring to witness the bravery and selflessness they presented. On the flip side it was horrifying to see the greed, prejudice and cruelty of some of the other characters. All of these people came to life for me and thoroughly captured my attention.

In particular the two characters that fascinated me the most were Frank Muncaster and Gunther Hoth. Both are such complex, well developed characters that kept surprising me with their growth throughout the story. Frank, the scientist holding a dangerous and deadly secret, is such a sad, scared, introverted character that spent his life being bullied and unloved by everyone but who proved to have more bravery than most could imagine when it mattered. Most surprising of all, I found myself remarkably feeling compassion for Gunther Hoth, a  Nazi man through and through, who had lost so much throughout his life but carried on with a purpose and determination to do what he felt was his job and his duty to Germany. He is a monster for what he did and what he supported but one that had a heart, although a twisted and misjudging one in my opinion. I am always delighted to find a novel that makes me feel for characters that are so multidimensional.

All in all Dominion is a thought provoking and complex look at how our world and its history can change on a dime based on the wills, egos, and actions of others and how the actions of the few can so alter the lives of the many. This is  my first novel by C.J. Sansom but it will definitely not be my last.

So what did I think about the cover?:

The cover is perfect for the story, with the ever present and all consuming fog and what it represents for the dank and dreadful place the world found itself in. It also made me think about the shrouded yet insidious hold Germany seemed to have on Britain, with the average, grey looking constable banded with the bright, intrusive swastika armband.

My rating: 4.0/5.0


It's Giveaway Time!:

Thanks to Amy at Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours I am beyond thrilled to offer a giveaway for one hardcover copy of Dominion! The giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents and will run through Friday, March 21st. To enter, just leave a comment below and I will pick a winner at random on March 22nd. Please be sure to leave your email address in your comment so I can notify you if you are the winner (no email, no entry). For extra entries please share online and post in a separate comment where you shared and leave a link.  Good luck!!!  And don't forget to check out the author information and tour information below!



Purchase the Book

Amazon (Hardcover)
Amazon (Kindle)
Barnes & Noble
Book Depository
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About the Author

C.J. Sansom is the bestselling author of the critically-acclaimed Matthew Sharlake series, as well as the runaway international bestseller Winter in Madrid. He lives in Sussex, England.
You can find more information on C.J. Sansom and his novels at www.cjsansom.com or on Facebook.

 

 

 

 

 

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Virtual Book Tour Schedule

Monday, February 17
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Tuesday, February 18
Interview at Flashlight Commentary
Wednesday, February 19
Guest Post & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Thursday, February 20
Interview & Giveaway at Closed the Cover
Friday, February 21
Review & Giveaway at Staircase Wit
Monday, February 24
Review at She Reads Novels
Tuesday, February 25
Review at Sir Read-a-Lot
Wednesday, February 26
Review at Confessions of an Avid Reader
Friday, February 28
Review & Giveaway at Just One More Chapter
Monday, March 3
Interview at Historical Boys
Tuesday, March 4
Review & Giveaway at Julz Reads
Wednesday, March 5
Review & Giveaway at Bibliophilia, Please
Thursday, March 6
Review & Giveaway at Carole’s Ramblings
Friday, March 7
Review at Impressions in Ink
Review & Giveaway at Must Read Faster
Monday, March 10
Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book
Tuesday, March 11
Review at Okbo Lover
Interview at Oh, for the Hook of a Book
Wednesday, March 12
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews
Friday, March 14
Review at Diary of an Eccentric
Review & Giveaway at Historical Tapestry

Dissolution by C. J. Sansom

It is 1537 and Thomas Cromwell has ordered that all monastries should be dissolved. Cromwell's Comissioner is found dead, his head severed from his body. Dr Shardlake is sent to uncover the truth behind what has happened. His investigation forces him to question everything that he himself believes.

I have to start the review by saying that I enjoyed it very much and I can't wait to continue with this series. Master Matthew Shardlake, hunchback and commissioner to Lord Thomas Cromwell, is a very interesting and complex character, and Sansom creates a very interesting mystery with plenty historical detail namely the turbulence that surrounded Henry VIII's closing of the monasteries, the political intrigues that were very much a part of his court and the corruption that was common to both places.

Master Shardlake is ordered by Cromwell to go to the Scarnsea monastery and investigate the murder of the commissioner previously sent there to organise the closing of the place. Shardlake goes with his assistant Mark Poer and finds that the previous comissioner had found some problem with the accounts when he was murdered. While the Abbot and the Prior would like to convince themselves and Shardlake that someone from the outside is the murderer, Shardlake is convinced that one of monks must be responsible. Corruption seems to run rampant and more than one of them is hiding a few secrets. Could it be the murder? While trying to understand their motivations, Shardlake also starts to reflect on his life, his choices and his blind faith in Thomas Cromwell...

Unexpectedly a young novice dies and the plot thickens when it discovered that he was poisoned. Shardlake also discovers that the previous helper at the infirmary, a girl named Orphan, disappeared eighteen months before and the mystery of her disappearance may well be related to everything else...

This is one of those books where the mystery is as interesting as the background story; one can't help like Shardlake, not because he is terribly sympathetic but because he is human. He starts very confident in his beliefs and actions and slowly starts to doubt his faith and the rectitude of the man he follows, all that reflex ion of what was going on in England at the time and the worries of the common people whose situation is not improved by the Reform made this a very engaging story and I can't wait to continue reading the series.

Grade: 4.5/5