Red Sun: The Invasion of Hawaii After Pearl Harbor Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This book is fascinating, and a definite keeper, on many levels. First off, the book gives you a very accurate look into the history of the Hawaiian islands from the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom by greedy American businessmen (a little known fact that is very much overlooked in the annals of history), to the rise of the sugar plantations which led to the import of thousands of indentured immigrant (Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, etc) workers during the 1800s and 1900s to, of course, the fateful bombing of December 7, 1941.
The most fascinating part about this book is the "alternative" history it presents. The primary question posed by this book is "What if Japan had conquered Hawaii following Pearl Harbor?" The fictional events presented in this book are shockingly real possibilities once you examine the evidence (which the book does).
The story unfolds creatively through three dynamic viewpoints: Vignettes, Views and Vistas. Vignettes are events that are told in third person which give an immediate telling of events. Views are events told from first hand viewpoint through the eyes of four fictional members of an American-Japanese family over the course of three generations. Finally, Vistas are the broad historical view of events as presented by a fictional modern day history professor as he presents a lecture series. Collectively, these unique views give a very powerful presentation of the real events that led up Pearl Harbor and the fictional events that very well could have took place in the alternate history.
Overall, the story covers a span of over 100 years from the 1860s when the first immigrant workers arrived in Hawaii till the 1960s. You'll be amazed by the stories that Ziegler and Patterson portray. Plus, you'll learn a good deal of Hawaiian history. The images that they paint are often times horrifying and disturbing and very graphic.
As the book cover says, imagine the following:
1.Diamond Head Crater as a POW camp?
2.Comfort women in Waikiki for Japanese soldiers?
3.Popular beaches teaming with landmines?
4.The restoration of the Hawaiian Kingdom?
Overall, the book is a fascinating read. The political games played by the Japanese to manipulate and control the population are a fascinating read. The military events (campaigns, guerrilla warfare, atrocities committed against POWs) are both griping and horrifying. You'll be glued to the book.
However, be forewarned, you may find some portions of this book to be very controversial (politically speaking). Also, some of the graphic descriptions of war and its horrors are not for the faint of heart. If you can get past these though, I guarantee you'll be entertained (and educated) by this book.
Highest Recommendation.

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