Robert Harris brilliantly imagines a triumphant Nazi Germany succumbing to its own venom. Never before or since has such a powerful, detailed and scary picture of a victorious Third Reich been painted.

The characterization isn't perfect - the protagonist is the been-there-done-that "good Nazi", and his sidekick is a spunky, feisty all-American gal - but the strength of this book is the world it creates, where the whole planet (not just Germany or Europe) is a very different place because of the Nazi victory. Lots of books and media have postulated what the world might look like if the Nazis triumphed in World War II, but Roberts takes it further by looking at how every facet of human existence would be different under the swastika - economically, technologically, culturally (even the sports world is radically different). It's enough to make you wonder if Roberts has seen something we haven't. 

To say that Harris' detail is astounding would be a grave understatement. History, alternative history, a political thriller, and yes, a love story all weave together remarkably well. As much as this book is a work of fiction and alternative history, its roots are firmly in the world we know and have studied, and that simply adds to the surreal "what if...?" that Harris puts together. Suspension of disbelief comes easily with how concretely and solidly the world of Fatherland is painted. 

Such is the level of detail that this book won't appeal to those looking for a fun anti-Nazi romp (a la Where Eagles Dare). The myriad Nazi organizations and bureaucratic levels might confuse and alienate casual readers - or, alternately, it might spur them to discover more, and see for themselves how plausible Fatherland really is. 

A review wouldn't be complete without mentioning the ending, which is probably one of the (much) better climaxes and denouements to a novel I've read yet. 

Fatherland is a must-read to see what thankfully never happened...and the full extent of what might have been.