Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Rising Sun

Top positive review

On the whole I like alternate history novels

Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2017

On the whole I like alternate history novels. I especially like WWII alternate history because I enjoy learning about history from that era. Robert Conroy does a pretty decent job of taking us back to yesterday. Though I know that the Japanese were brutal in their treatment of prisoners, it’s still hard to wrap your mind around such atrocities (though ISIS probably comes close).
I believe that even changing a few parameters, like the Japanese winning at Midway, that America would have still come out on top. Our people and resource would have prevailed in the long run (Yamamoto stated that before his attack on Pearl Harbor). Conroy mixes fictional and real characters together to tell his story. You can see some of the story arcs happen in just the way he describes them. 75 years removed from the subject gives a perspective we would not have seen at the time. It works.
That era of time is ripe with variations on a theme: The Japanese 3rd wave going into Hawaii. Hitler not declaring war on the US after the attack forcing us to deal with the Japanese instead of Hitler first. Germany getting the ‘bomb’ first. Etc… Like I said the variations are endless…

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Jeffrey T. Munson

Not As Good As Some Of Conroy's Earlier Works

Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2013

In "Rising Sun", alternative history author Robert Conroy theorizes what might have happened if the Japanese had won the Battle of Midway.

Indeed, this is the plot for "Rising Sun". Instead of a huge victory, the American navy has suffered a terrible defeat at Midway. Instead of losing one carrier, the Americans lost three, and now Hawaii and the West Coast is wide open to attack.

Attack is exactly what the Japanese do. Soon, the Panama Canal has been sabotaged, Alaska has been invaded, and West Coast cities such as Los Angeles and San Diego have been shelled. With only one carrier left afloat, the American Navy is practically powerless to stop the Japanese. Despite these defeats, the Americans are determined to fight back, and a plan is drawn up that will hopefully lead to the ambush and destruction of the Japanese fleet, but will it work?

I've read Conroy's earlier works "1942" and "1945" and I enjoyed both very much. "Rising Sun" is not on the same level, in my opinion. There are many characters in "Rising Sun", so it's somewhat difficult to keep track of who is doing what. Further, many of the actions are extremely predictable, so there is no real element of surprise. Some events are somewhat far-fetched, such as the miracle torpedo hit on the Japanese battleship Yamato, which is strangely similar to the one that damaged the German battleship Bismarck.

Overall, I thought the story line was interesting; I just thought the eventual outcome was too predictable.

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From the United States

Jeffrey T. Munson

Not As Good As Some Of Conroy's Earlier Works

Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2013

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Steven Woodcock

Fine Alternate History Story, if a Bit Uneven

Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2012

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I'm a big fan of the alternate history genre and have collected many novels and stories over the years, and so was quite excited to add this to my bookshelf. The subject matter (what if America had lost the Battle of Midway) is one that's been covered by others of course, but I'm a fan of Conroy's works and looked forward to his take on this historical turning event.

In a word I found the book frustrating...well written in some chapters, alternating with others that almost seems uneven. The story picks up slightly after the defeat with America reeling in the Pacific and Japan licking its metaphorical chops, but it starts and stops storylines abruptly throughout. There's a generally implausible focus on one particular naval officer who happens to be at every significant battle, which anybody familiar with how the military works would snort at. We move mostly up and down the West Coast with occasional forays into Hawaii but there isn't often much *point* to some of the interludes--it's almost like the big battle at the end had already been written and we just needed to add enough "filler" to get there.

When Conroy does it right he hits on all cylinders and (in my opinion) is right up there with Turtledove....but this was an uneven read for me. Recommended for the alternate history completest or Conroy fan; others might be frustrated.

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James C. Wolf

Interesting story but...

Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2014

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the story premise is interesting, but for some reason Conroy's writing always seems a bit 'flat' to me, anyway. He comes up with good plots and tells an interesting story but it leaves me wanting more.

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Dr. Bruce

good Idea

Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2013

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Showed a good working knowledge of military relations and the story line is believable. Character development is poor, all of the characters think, act, and talk the same, differing only in their roles.

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Landlocked in the sandhills

OK Story

Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2015

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Questionable military assumptions; but a readable yarn. Purchased by accident, as I was reading a sample and suddenly realized it was the whole book.

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Wingnut

Rising Sun sets!

Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2013

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I like alternate history books in general and this was a good one. But editing was not good and a lot of misspelled word. Also, that early in the war, the P-47 was not available and if it was, no Zero could knock one down. At least as easy as they were perceived to have. They were tanks of the air.

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