Desperate Times [Paperback]

Pat Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 11, 2001

Harry Lloyd, a former British officer turned diplomat andcurrently assigned to the British Embassy in Washington as military laison, is called upon to retrieve the best kept secret of the war; the Enigma ciphering machine. The Germans will soon occupy the British Isles and they must not discover the existence of the machine. Harry, at the request of Churchill and the American president, returns to England to recover the machine. Harry discovers that the new government, for fear he may try to rally the British people from exile, is detaining Churchill. Harry knows that the arrival of the Germans spells grave danger for Churchill and altershis plans to include the rescue of the former Prime Minister.Harry allies with Anthony Eden, British Foreign minister and friend of Churchill, and William 'Wild Bill' Donovan, an American on an observation mission in England, to retrieve the Enigma and rescue Churchill. Time is short and together with George, a former bodyguard for Oswald Mosley, the leader of the British Fascist Union, they put Harry's plan into action. An attack on Harry and a close encounter with a German SS General are some of the obstacles overcome by the men in accomplishing Harry's mission.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

What if Britain had fallen in WW2? British soldier/diplomat Harry Lloyd fights to free his homeland. WW2 was won by the allies with overwhelming industrial power, courageous soldiers and a lot of luck. This story tells us what happens if luck had differed from that which the allies enjoyed during the war years?

About the Author

Pat Johnson is a native of Ontonagon Michigan and a 20 year veteran of the U.S. Air Force. Now residing in Tucson, AZ, his interest in history has resulted in publication of non-fiction articles in a national magazine. This is his first novel.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 172 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse (April 11, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595178553
• ISBN-13: 978-0595178551
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,574,634 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Why are the times so desperate, August 13, 2001

By 

David N. Knudson (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Desperate Times (Paperback)

Pat Johnson's book deals with a common AH theme - a Nazi takeover of the UK in the wake of the defeat of France in 1940 - in an uncommon way - there is no SeaLion, but Britain accepts a negotiated peace. The book is told in pseudo-adventure style, with a young British civil servant embarking on a dangerous mission to soon-to-be fascist Britain to retrieve the enigma machine and the recently deposed Winston Churchill, to carry on the struggle against the Third Reich from Canada and other, still-defiant parts of the British Empire. He goes on the mission with the blessing of no less than Franklin Roosevelt, as the US gets more involved in the struggle. As a spy-adventure novel, it is an entertaining book, populated by many historical figures such as Mosley, Churchill, Hitler, Roosevelt, Eden, and Halifax. The action is concise, and well-written, and the setting in normally placid, democratic Britain being converted to fascism is eerie. My problem is with the alternate history behind the novel that led to Britain's plight. There is little indication of what changed; it is implied that Dunkirk went badly, and that the small, but modern German surface fleet controlled the Channel. This is very implausible; the German surface fleet was decimated in the Norwegian Campaign (something that still presumbably happened in this timeline); had what was left ventured out into the Channel, the Royal Navy would've blown it to the moon. All in all, however, an entertaining read.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very realistic..., April 10, 2003

By 

Michael Valdivielso (Alexandria, VA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: Desperate Times (Paperback)

Desperate Times is a novel about history gone wrong. In this timeline England fails to save the British Expeditionary Force at Dunkirk, where the German army, instead of waiting for England to roll over and give up(as in our timeline), defeats the 500,000 of the UK's best troops before they can escape.
The England in this timeline is not as hopeful as in our's. Their morale is in the pits after the 'failure' of Dunkirk. The German bombing and the U-boat attacks have a much greater effect on the British (adding salt to the wound).
The author does not invent super-weapons nor does he have Hitler replaced by somebody smarter. He decides to work on the people of England. Parents worrying about their kids, leaders worrying about their people and a nation that is hurt and war tired. People who decide they DO want peace at any cost, even their freedoms.
A short spy novel, only 161 pages, with some spelling mistakes, but a great first try for a fiction novel.

1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining - sure to spark debate, July 7, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Desperate Times (Paperback)

An interesting premise - a defeated Britain in WWII - is treated with an entertaining storyline and interesting look into the personalities of the time. Mr. Johnson has created a fictional world within a factual world that is believable and thought provoking. Harry Lloyd is sure to become an unsung hero.

I sincerely hope he continues his saga in future writings