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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
WWII Fiction for Award-Winning DELTA GREEN, October 27, 2004
DELTA GREEN is the modern adaptation of Call of Cthulhu. Drawing on
the same body of UFO lore and paranormal activity as the X-Files, DELTA
GREEN has tapped into something very deep. And of course, once you have
a successful RPG, you might as well start the fiction flowing, right?
Do you trust your government? Would THEY withhold information from the citizenry, information on a plot to colonize humanity, in order to keep society functioning as THEY wish? Is it better to die not knowing what waits in the darkness? DELTA GREEN knows that since 1928 the FBI has had knowledge of an undersea race, implanting their genes into coastal communities, establishing a population of collaborators for the coming invasion. And things only got weirder from there...
"Denied to the Enemy" is a story about Nazis during WW II, and their attempts to use occult powers to further their eugenic agenda. However, a secret cabal has found ancient knowledge, knowledge their Nazi masters cannot be trusted with. Knowledge that falls into the hands of the Allies during a raid to stop the cabal from tapping into the power of the undersea race.
But that's just the beginning. "Denied to the Enemy" is also a story of WWII espionage. Yanks and Brits have to decide how much they can trust each other, and how much of their secrets they can reveal. Each partner has had a glimpse of The Truth, the reality that lies outside the comfortable, sane picture of the universe that humanity collectively constructs. Each side hungers for the knowledge of the other, but worries about the sanity of the other should they, too, know all. An interesting dilemma, no?
But now we get to the meat of the story. "Denied to the Enemy" is a story about a time-traveling race, establishing their own future. However, time is not static; our future turns on a knife's edge, and this time-traveling race must ensure its own survival in the future by carefully orchestrating our own demise in the present. However, one member develops a sense of morals, and decides that it would be more fair if EVERYONE dies (has a certain charm, huh?). The agents are pawns of both sides, but who to trust, if anyone? Changing the future is a dicey business, considering that every moment, the future becomes the past.
But, of course, "Denied to the Enemy" is a story about one man. If all the world's a stage, then there's an audience of one. All of those around us are mere scenery as we wend our way through Time in infinite isolation. The real story, the drama, is the monologue we carry on as we parcel out our measure of time. One man knows his script ahead of time, and that makes all the difference. Does he have the courage to ad-lib his lines? Do any of us, really?
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Masterful and Entertaining, August 26, 2004
Simply put, this book is brilliant. The story is well done and clearly the author did considerable research for the Second World War setting. Furthermore, it is a great read, unlike many post-HPL-circle stories. It is a true credit to the Delta Green concept. More, Detwiller's story is so well done it very well could be one of the best post-HPL circle mythos stories around and should be read by not just those interested in the Delta Green concept but anyone interested in Cthulhu Mythos stories.
Suggestion: Read HPL's "Arthur Jermyn" and "The Shadow Out of Time" BEFORE reading this novel. Detwiller mentions his love of and use as building blocks of these stories in the "Author's Note" at the novel's end, which is a shame; his modest "additional layer" to the stories shows all the better if one has read the two HPL tales before reading his novel. (Indeed, it would be nice if all post-HPL-circle stories mentioned in the beginning which stories they built upon.) Also, if you can read Detwiller's short story in the Delta Green: Dark Theatres anthology before, that is all the better. (Not necessary, but beneficial to enjoyment and appreciation of this novel.)
Hopefully, as they are great fun, Armitage House will produce many more Delta Green novels and anthologies, as well as reprint their previous releases (such as the impossible to purchase DG: Alien Intelligence). Again, these books are some of the best post-HPL-circle stories available today and are highly recommended to anyone who enjoys Cthulhu Mythos stories.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Riveting World War II Supernatural Thriller, June 11, 2004
Dennis Detwiller delivers an exciting Cthulhu novel set against the battle for world supremacy in World War II. The fascinating characters and fast-paced plot will keep you hooked until the end. This is an outstanding addition to the Delta Green series which I recommend to both Cthulhu fans and also those who love thrillers and mysteries.
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