The premise of this book and because I'm a history nerd is literally the reason why I finished this book. Otherwise, the presentation and the writing were boring and the characters were just characters - truly lifeless and unrelatable. The story could have been better told in a standard narrative format instead of whatever that was. However, the whole what if question did keep me intrigued till the end.

What a captivating book, a spin on history that thrills from start to finish. Portrayed as excerpts from accounts, it absorbs the reader into family affairs during the rise of Hitler, espionage, all woven into world-wide politics and ending with the downfall of the dictator. Loved every page, an excellent read.

Karl is the son of Heinrich Von Haydenreich and the step-son of Rosamunde. Heinrich and Rosamunde -- theirs was an epic love story, which most of their family frowned upon. Karl, the son of Rosamunde's heart, was loved by his step-mother just as much as his birth mother would have. She cared for him while his father was away at the war. However, life wasn't very kind to Karl. Never knowing his birth mother, he lost his step-mother before he was ten and never really knew his father. Luckily, the influence of his step-mother and of her mother was lasting, and as fate would have it, other men of influence were brought into Karl's life at just the right time. Growing up a privileged young man, he attended school in England and made friends, eventually returning to Germany with the desire to pursue composing. However, facing rejection in the composing world and with the events leading up to WWII happening all around him, Karl's path changed, and he landed in a place of favor. The decisions that he and the other brave men around him make could quite literally change the world.

I struggled at first to enjoy this book. It is formed by a compilation of journal entries, excerpts from books, written army orders, telegrams, and the like. The format was a little stilted in my opinion. I'm sure some people would enjoy it. However, in the end, I was thoroughly impressed. Despite the style, I loved it! I was drawn in by the depth of the story, by the complexity and the beauty of it. Firstly, it is a beautiful story, a story of deep and abiding love, heroism, and the willingness to sacrifice for the greater good. The story is also complex, more complex than I thought possible using this style of composition. The book seems very solid historically, the setting encapsulates Nazi Germany for the reader, bringing to life the turbulence and the energy of that time period.

The premise of the book is also very interesting. What is someone had been able to stop Adolph Hitler early on? What if he had not been allowed to bring about World War II? However, the story isn't as much about the answer to those questions as it is about what kind of men would it take to stand up to Hitler and stop his schemes before they embroil the world in WWII? And the answer to that question is worth reading about.

Thank you to NetGalley and Jospeh Wurtenbaugh for an electronic copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions above are my own.

A very well written book, specially the letters, they felt very real. Is a must buy book. I Highly recommend A Prophet. Without Honor.

I found this book to be interesting and well written. I've always found books written correspondence style to be enjoyable, and this was no exception. Great for history buffs!

The story of A Prophet Without Honor by Jospeh Wurtenbaugh almost fooled me that the Haydenreich family and their story is real. There are a lot of long correspondences between the family of Haydenreich to other people, and there were several letters of Dwight Eisenhower also especially to Karl's widow; thus, I nearly believe their existence.

The first part of the book is one of the best portion of this book and my favorite because the exchange of letters between Karl's father, Heinrich, and of her Jewish stepmom, Rosamunde, is immensely romantic. Aside from that, the life of Karl Haydenreich growing up, and the story of how his German grandfather and a fanatic of Hitler had almost corrupt his young mind, should not be missed .

I had read several memoirs of the Holocaust survivors in the past; and this historical fiction from the account of German who's a Jewish sympathizer, is a fresh take because it shows a different perspective during the Nazi Germany. If you are just like me who love historical fiction, notably the WWII, I highly recommend this novel of Wurtenbaugh because I'm certain that you will have a pleasant time reading this.

4/5 Stars, Surprisingly Good!
“Heil Schicklgruber!” ~Joseph Wurtenbaugh, A Prophet Without Honor

Ahh History and the world of ‘Might-have beens’, The ‘What-if’s’ always hold us don’t they, If only a small thing would have changed, if only! ,the butterfly effect on the world as we know it would have been immense.

Goodreads Blurb :- ……..The plot focuses on the one great, unrealized opportunity of the Twentieth Century.
In the first months of 1936, Adolf Hitler risked everything by ordering his untrained military to reoccupy the Rhineland. It was a bluff. The Germans would have been forced to retreat if the French or British had offered the slightest opposition. But the bluff succeeded. History changed decisively. Hitler quieted the opposition at home, and marched the world relentlessly on, to the edge of destruction and beyond.The story examines that lost chance in detail. The result is a compelling story full of intrigue, danger, romance, and action, culminating in the reckoning that Hitler might have faced, had events taken a different course……...

The novel is written as a collection of letters, telegraphs, extracts from journals, memoirs & history books(of the might-have been world). We are exposed to each character through this epistolary form. And despite the limitations that one would think this would pose on the story and it’s narration, it was surprisingly engaging, entertaining, absolutely believable and absolutely fantastically written.

We follow the “Haydenreich” family from Bavaria, through the years, from 1910’s to the 1940’s, through WW1, the rise of National socialism in Germany and ultimately to Hitler, the characters are sketched well enough, as well as they could be given the restrictions of the style but that’s what added to the intrigue of it all, with many real characters whose lives would have taken different turns had the events of the novel could come to pass. The story itself was interesting, though sometimes the book seemed too long, but no detail was redundant I found, every letter had to be read, every interjection adds to the flavor, so despite it being a little too long it is amazingly composed.

To compare it to other Alternate History novels won’t be fair, though it could stand it’s ground if it comes to that, but “The Man in the high Castle“, “Fatherland” and others mostly talk about what if ‘Hitler’ NEVER lost, compared to that this gives a lot more hope, and the perspective of the various characters gives insight about the split in that world that the others could not. Though the gore content (the horrors we generally relate to the Third Reich) in the novel is surprisingly low, the moral conundrums are more highlighted, the politics of it all takes more of the center stage, this could be again due to the way the book is primarily written and due to the fact that the whole premise is that Hitler be stopped before he could unleash the full extent of his mania on the world. So, in the novel, the people who could have done something and didn’t, DO what they could, they realize what they face and despite the consequences to themselves deliver the world from evil, to know How and Why is profoundly satisfying.

A great (albeit a bit long) read, full marks on creativity, research, plausibility and narration. Any history enthusiast would enjoy this extremely, I recommend it wholeheartedly, And thank Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy. To the world of alternative and speculative history this is a welcome addition.

The best alternate history book I have read. The author's use of letters, telegrams and journal entries made it very realistic and personal. I highly recommend this book.

Loved the way this story flowed and how events looked from more than one side. Hitler's coming to power. The story starts in 1910 and carries one family through their life and how the changes in Germany has had an affect on the family were duty was above family at times. Was Hitler ready to lead Germany? Did some follow him blindly? There are real people involved with the characters in an interesting way. The story bring romance, war, espionage and what if this had happened instead of the way history did happen.

Excellent material! The story proceeds, as one might expect, closely resembling accepted historical accounts. The lines begin to blur, the path unclear. Where does history veer into allegory or fiction? "Let me Google that..."

I LOVE thought provoking, research inspiring story telling. Very well done, Sir. I appreciate your mentoring...

A Prophet without Honor by Joseph Wurtenbaugh is a novel of alternative history. The story begins with the birth of Karl von Haydenreich and the tragic death of his mother, Charlotte, while his father, Captain Henrich Haydenreich, is fighting on the western front in World War I. Told through a series of letters, telegrams and memoirs, the reader hears how young Karl is raised by his stepmother, Rosamunde. Rosamunde was his mother’s best friend and a Jew. Despite both families’ objections, Henrich and Rosamunde marry and have a wonderful life until her death during the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918. Left in the care of his father, Karl is groomed to follow in the family’s footsteps and have a career in the military. When he comes of age, Hitler is coming to power in Germany and the road to World War II is set. In 1936, Hitler sets his army to occupy the Rhineland and bluffs the French and British thinking the German army would retreat at the first sight of opposition. The bluff works and Hitler’s military machine marches across Europe with utter destruction. In a world where history took a different path, it is a story of danger, spies, and romance. Would Hitler fully take over the world or would there still be a force to stop him? Who would have the courage to lead such a charge?
A Prophet without Honor is an interesting retelling of history if one event had taken a different course. I have never read an alternative universe story before and I found the idea intriguing. The characters’ voices and actions have a tone of such accuracy you feel you could really be reading a book about our history. As Karl follows his orders, the thought is in the back of your mind that he was raised by a Jewish woman who he called “Mummi” Surely he couldn’t believe in such hatred against the Jewish people. I enjoyed the story as there is no clear hero or villain such as with life. I loved the realism that we often cannot and will never know the heroics of the men and women who fought against Hitler. If you enjoy reading a story about an alternative universe but reads with such realism, I recommend A Prophet without Honor.

A Prophet without Honor
is available on Amazon for the Kindle

An interesting story of the WWII period told through letters between the characters. Therein lies the rub. It is hard to get excited about everything in the past, and the method of storytelling makes predictions of what is to come very easy.pmpm

4 and 1 / 2 stars

What a wonderful book! An “alternative history” for sure, but a great read nonetheless.

We start with the birth of Karl von Haydenreich and the unfortunate death of his mother. Visiting her at the time was her good friend Rosamunde Breslau . Karl’s father Heinrich von Haydenreich was away on maneuvers and was unaware of what was happening due to his own father’s blocking his mail.

Rosamunde stays on to help the family and falls in love with little Karl and his three-year old sister. She delays her leaving and slowly, Heinrich falls in love with her. He marries her against his father and his brother’s wishes, for she is a Jewess. This matters not at all to Heinrich. Most of Rosamunde’s family is also against the marriage, save for her mother.

It is now 1936 and Hitler tries a bluff maneuver. He ordered his troops to re-occupy the Rhineland, a zone that had been demilitarized since the end of WWI. The French and British don’t know it’s only a bluff, and do nothing. History is made! Hitler marches on.

This novel is filled with interesting, likeable and unlikeable figures. Some are historical, although not necessarily playing the roles they played in “real” life and some are totally made up. Written in a letter, telegram and newspaper article format, it is an unusual style, but one that works very well in this novel. Obviously the book is well researched, in spite of its being an alternative version of history. It couldn’t have been written without a sound basis in fact. This book has it all: intrigue, drama, romance and stunning personalities.

What really would have happened?

I want to thank NetGalley and GRealist Ink/ IBPA Members’ Titles for forwarding to me a copy of this great book to read.