Author Michael Bockman sent me an e-copy of his and Ron Freeman‘s historical novel The Titanic Plan.
Description from Goodreads:
TRUE:
100 years ago J. Pierpont Morgan and a group of Wall Street bankers took direct control of the American economy.
100 years ago radical firebrands were conspiring to create a workers revolution.
100 years ago the American government was paralyzed by a bitter political struggle.
100 years ago a great ship sank on her maiden voyage.
They said it was an accident. They said it was an error of judgment.
They were wrong.
Book Review:
The Titanic Plan is a meticulously researched historical novel set between 1910 and 1912/13. This was an economically and politically tumultuous time in America’s history, but also a time for great personalities, sweeping social movements, and amazing feats of engineering. A lot happened in those few years. There is no shortage of material to incorporate into fiction and The Titanic Plan doesn’t let you down.
Since it really is necessary to understand the political atmosphere of the period in order to follow the book’s plot and some of the characters actions/attitudes there is quite a lot of historical recap involved. This feels a little slow to read, but unless you happen to be historian to start with it’s necessary and worth it. (Plus some people really like this incorporation of a lesson into a fictional novel. It’s not my thing, but I appreciate the need.) The book makes some of the most famous people of the period feel approachable, Presidents Roosevelt and Taft, John Pierpont Morgan, John Astor, George Vanderbilt, Emma Goldman, and the main character Archibald Butt (what an unfortunate name).
Archibald Butt
J. P. Morgan
John J. Astor
George Vanderbilt
Emma Goldman
Butt’s fierce loyalty and search for the truth, combined with his convenient position as military aide to the president sends him from New York to DC to Italy/England and back again (kind of). There were also a number of loveable side characters. My favourite was Henry, but it would be hard not to love Henry.
If you enjoy historical fiction, have an interest in the early 1900s or the sinking of the Titanic this is a great book for you. I recommend picking it up.