Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

The alternative historical fiction novel 1805 by Nigel Seed begins as Admiral Villeneuve plans to invade England, sending dispatches through a disguised ship. The French fleet breaks the blockade to the coast and Napoleon leads the invasion with cavalry attacks, capturing key locations. The British government evacuates London as the French forces approach. Marshal Jourdan cleverly secures a bridge during an armistice, then launches a surprise attack on the Austrians that leads to their surrender. Irish leaders, aligned with the French, ambush British patrols to show their commitment to freedom. The French face heavy casualties against Russian and Austrian armies; in Ireland, Marshal Bessières struggles to engage British troops in a strong defensive position. The British inflict heavy losses on the French during battle, and the French forces retreat from Ireland. As Napoleon prepares to withdraw entirely, Ensign Frossard delivers crucial messages, and Wellesley receives intelligence on the French fleet's movements. It is here that Napoleon positions his troops for a stand in South Cave and Brough.

Nigel Seed's 1805 is one of those novels where going in, unless you missed the history lesson where Napoleon was defeated, you think you know on a macro level how the war ends. This is not that story. Seed's story is an alternative history where Napoleon actually gets to England, and all that follows. As exciting as books that do more than just ask the what-if questions and build a plot around them, none of that matters if it reads like a textbook. Seed's 1805 does not and is a fully-fleshed-out story about all the little snowflakes that became an avalanche. It is a fictional rendering of what might have happened on a micro level, based on the historical facts and what did happen. Where Seed excels is in the more nuanced aspects. It is the conversations, the feelings, the personal relationships, the men with their boots on the ground, and the women who supported them in every conceivable way that make the novel beat. One very sweet, very personal area that stood out to me is when Wellesley implores his dispatched friend Pakenham to ensure his survival for the sake of his wife, Kitty. There is a war to be won, but there are also loved ones who, whatever the outcome, are forever impacted. Overall, this is a wonderful romp into a world where history is changed and is well worth the time spent reading it. Very highly recommended.