David S Poepoe
Banned
ZRS by Rowan Partridge, Atlantis Productions. 351 pages.
I had picked up this book last year and finally got around to read it recently. Its a very nice and concise ATL where the losses of the airships Akron and Macon never happened and the US Navy's airship program continued on onto larger ships. The main character is actually a Royal Australian Navy officer that finds himself trying to renzdevous with the USS Long Island on December 7th, 1941. This is more reflective of the fact the the author is from Queensland, Australia.
The whole story unfolds between the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the Battle of the Coral Sea. The US airship is sent to operate from a base nearby Darwin, Australia and we receive a vivid account of the Japanese attack upon that port. A major appearance is made by the British R101, converted into a hospital ship that is attacked by the Japanese as it departs Singapore. Even the Hindenburg show up since the Germans have resorted to using her as the means, via South America, for them to still trade information with the Japanese.
There are few flaws in the book, tho the major one rests with the author and publisher using large run on paragraphs. There a few 'as you know Bob' scenes, but on the whole its a good read. Great detail is given to the operations of the airship and nothing seems out of place. I highly recommend this book to those interested in the airship carrier concept.
Four out of four hourglasses.
I had picked up this book last year and finally got around to read it recently. Its a very nice and concise ATL where the losses of the airships Akron and Macon never happened and the US Navy's airship program continued on onto larger ships. The main character is actually a Royal Australian Navy officer that finds himself trying to renzdevous with the USS Long Island on December 7th, 1941. This is more reflective of the fact the the author is from Queensland, Australia.
The whole story unfolds between the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the Battle of the Coral Sea. The US airship is sent to operate from a base nearby Darwin, Australia and we receive a vivid account of the Japanese attack upon that port. A major appearance is made by the British R101, converted into a hospital ship that is attacked by the Japanese as it departs Singapore. Even the Hindenburg show up since the Germans have resorted to using her as the means, via South America, for them to still trade information with the Japanese.
There are few flaws in the book, tho the major one rests with the author and publisher using large run on paragraphs. There a few 'as you know Bob' scenes, but on the whole its a good read. Great detail is given to the operations of the airship and nothing seems out of place. I highly recommend this book to those interested in the airship carrier concept.
Four out of four hourglasses.