I liked everything about the book. Thick plot, rich historical tapestry, well fleshed antagonist (that's the real twist). Eventually good guys win, but way the plot thickens, how it twists and turns gave me goosebumps. ( )

College professor turned novelist William Dietrich weaves history and Illuminati-style Nazi mythology together in his take on how physics and magic might have met in World War II and again today. The result is an often engaging period piece electrified by the sharply-drawn German officer Kurt Raeder that is often interrupted by an awkwardly voiced, and even more awkwardly named, Rominy Pickett, who has just been blindsided by her connection to something bigger.

The characters and settings provide plenty of fertile conflicts on which to riff: past vs.present, politics vs. religion, conqueror vs. native, and yes, man vs.woman. But disappointingly, Dietrich only displays a knack for the "Indiana Jones" historical adventure motif. Nazi-era Tibet crackles and hisses while the contemporary Seattle-based romantic action comedy flops.

In the end of this stand-alone novel we are left with an uneven but quick read combining some truly taut, vivid renderings along with others that are simply paint-by-numbers. Despite the missteps, "Blood of the Reich" is ultimately propelled sufficiently by the seductive, wide-eyed belief that some legends and fantasies might be tangible, explainable truth if we simply uncover their secrets.

The review copy of this book was obtained from the publisher via the Amazon Vine Program. ( )

From the mountains of Washington, to the mountains of Tibet, from an aerie nunnery to a Nazi castle. Dietrich’s latest book spans the generations from just before World War II to present day. Jump aboard and come along for an adventure filled with explosions, sex, treachery, and the ever elusive treasure of a lifetime.
We begin in 1938 with zoologist and SS member Kurt Raeder, who is called to a meeting with Heinrich Himmler. The Nazis are gearing for war and the head of the German secret police wants Raeder to help assure Reich domination. Raeder is sent to Tibet to search for the legendary city of Shambhala and a power source that will give Germany guaranteed world conquest.
Jump ahead to present day where publicist Rominy Pickett's life is narrowly saved by a mysterious man claiming to be an investigative reporter who knows about Pickett's ancestry. Apparently, her great-grandfather traveled to Tibet and may have brought home a secret so great people have and will kill to possess it. Together, they sort through clues, avoiding danger at every turn, in order to find what the fascists of yesterday (and their followers of today) sought in the mysterious land of Tibet.
Are you ready to be immersed in the lush northwest then climb the highest peaks in the world? Are you ready to walk with Nazi loyalists and fly with a tomboy aviatrix? Oh, you know there's going to be lies and false-faces. You know there's going to be death-defying chases and heroism involved. This book doesn’t drown you in scientific chaos, but stretches your imagination into ‘what if’ areas. If you like adventure, look no further than “Blood of the Reich.”

Reviewed by Stephen L. Brayton, author of “Beta” for Suspense Magazine ( )

Blood of the Reich follows two parallel stories, one that begins in 1938 with a Nazi expedition to Tibet and the other with a single, cubicle-dwelling woman in present day Seattle. The Nazis are searching for ultimate power in the form of the legendary city of Shambhala. Benjamin Hood, a museum curator and adventurer, races the clock to stop them on orders from the American government thus setting up a battle between good and evil.

This quest for Shambhala reaches out from the past to touch the life of Rominy Pickett. What starts as a completely normal day for Rominy quickly becomes the adventure of a lifetime when a mysterious journalist saves her from a car bomb. Rominy is adopted, but her unknown family history ties her to the events of 1938 and may hold the key to solving the mystery of Shambhala.

William Dietrich’s historical thriller seems well-researched and is definitely imaginative. The expressions of Nazi philosophy were both disturbing and fascinating. Dietrich makes them sound almost logical but with a hint of madness. Though I found myself slightly more interested in Rominy’s fate, both storylines were well-executed and came together artfully. I knew more than Rominy early on in the story and am relatively sure Dietrich meant for that to be the case. There were still surprises along the way though, and I stayed up past my bedtime to finish the last fifty pages.

I’m happy to have been introduced to this author and will definitely be reading more of his work. If you are a fan of historical mysteries and thrillers, I highly recommend Blood of the Reich.

http://iubookgirl.blogspot.com/2011/08/review-blood-of-reich.html ( )

The characters were cartoon caricatures, the writing was atrocious. One example: "...walking into the technology like sperm penetrating the gigantic egg of this vast, bulky machine." I won't spoil it for anyone who wants to read the book, but clunky, silly figures of speech like this abound. The plot is one of the over-the-top pseudo-scientific genus, which can be fun reading. This one could have been, had the author bothered to staff it with somewhat realistic actors.

I guess one could say that I really didn't care for this one. ( )