Rising Sun

It is the summer of 1942 and what our historians have called the Incredible Victory in the Battle of Midway has become a horrendous disaster in this world. Two of America’s handful of carriers in the Pacific have blundered into a Japanese submarine picket line and have been sunk, while a third is destroyed the next day. The United States has only one carrier remaining in the Pacific against nine Japanese, while the ragtag remnants of U.S. battleships – an armada still reeling from the defeat at Pearl Harbor – are in even worse shape. Now the Pacific belongs to the Japanese. And it doesn’t stop there, as Japan has thrust her sword in to the hilt. Alaska is invaded. Hawaii is under blockade. The Panama Canal is nearly plugged. Worst of all, the West Coast of America is ripe for destruction as bombers of the Empire of the Sun bombard west coast American cities at will. Despite these disasters, the U.S. begins to fight back. Limited counterattacks are made and a grand plan is put forth to lure the Japanese into an ambush that could restore the balance in the Pacific and give the forces of freedom a fighting chance once more. “Conroy extrapolates a new and militarily plausible direction for WWII . . . A thrilling adventure.”— “[Conroy] adds a personal touch to alternate history by describing events through the eyes of fictional characters serving on the front lines. VERDICT: Historical accuracy in the midst of creative speculation makes this piece of alternate history believable.”– “An ensemble cast of fictional characters. . . and historical figures powers the meticulously researched story line with diverse accounts of the horrors of war, making this an appealing read for fans of history and alternate history alike.”— “[E]ngrossing and grimly plausible. . .the suspense holds up literally to the last page.”— “ moving and thought-provoking . . .”— “Realistic . . .”— “. . .fans of Tom Clancy and Agent Jack Bauer should find a lot to like here.”— “A significant writer of alternate history turns here to the popular topic of Pearl Harbor, producing. . . this rousing historical action tale.”— “A high-explosive what-if, with full-blooded characters.”—John Birmingham, bestselling author of “. . . cleverly conceived. . .Conroy tells a solid what-if historical.”— “. . . likely to please both military history and alternative history buffs.”— Comprehensive Teacher's Guide available.