The Unsinkable Herr Goering by Ian Cassidy

Contrary to what the so-called history books tell you, Hermann Goering, Hitler's Deputy, Head of the Luftwaffe and second most powerful man in Nazi Germany, did not leave this world courtesy of a cyanide tablet secreted in the heel of his jackboot minutes before his appointment with the hangman. The truth is far more bizarre. THE UNSINKABLE HERR GOERING is a monumental debut novel by Ian Cassidy. It follows Goering, a man blindsided by hubris, on his attempted escape - from both Germany as well as from the Allies - and the inept men of mettle who put a stop to it. It is a hilariously depraved story of of villainous villains, slightly less villainous heroes, bad behavior (and even worse beer), and uncomfortable underwear. Not since A Confederacy of Dunces has a book brought to life such audaciously flawed characters. It gets so much wrong, yet so much right.


Goodreads Summary

“The Unsinkable Herr Goering,” is an account of the last few days of World War II when the downfall of the Nazi 3^rd Reich was in full swing. Specifically, this magnetizing blend of fact and farce paints a picture of the all but debonair Herr Goering, World War 1 flying ace, the leader of the Nazi party, and Hitler’s legal heir. The story follows Herr’s attempts to escape trial for war crimes through his many lies, dodges, and intelligently designed schemes. It takes you all the way to the bitter end and never fails to produce a captivating moment that will keep you reading until every word of the story has extinguished. The author, Ian Cassidy, delivers this tale with hilarity and charm and keeps you wondering what ridiculous scheme Herr will cook up next.

This story really shines in its attention to visual detail that begins right at the start of the book and continues to deliver again and again. You truly get a glorious picture of the blatant excess spending of the Nazi Regime on unneeded luxury and the gluttony, greed, and ego of the German Empire. The author also does a stellar job at presenting the quirky personality of Herr: how it affects his mood and also his decision making skills in every scene. Along with this is a great supporting cast of bizarre characters to deliver the whole picture and other sides of the story. The first line of the book is a great example of this as we learn that Herr regrets his decision of underwear for the day and goes into his inner complaining monologue. It leaves you chuckling and adds to the allure of the story. If you like the era of the Second World War, enjoy a great funny read, and like a good story about a dodgy Nazi leader then this book is definitely for you.

4 Stars

*Reviewed by Chris*



This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.