Drawing inspiration from an actual kidnapping plot hatched in 1776 by a member of Washington's own Commander-in-Chief's Guards, this novel envisions what would take place if the leader of America's fledgling rebellion were taken from the nation at the height of the war, imperiling any chance of victory.
Charles Rosenberg plays an older political parlor game, 'What if?' in his slow- moving yet ultimately entertaining new novel ... The author kindly includes a cheat-sheet at the end of the novel giving the casual student of Revolutionary history a CliffsNotes’ version of the war and its major players ... The most compelling aspects of [The Trial and Execution of Traitor George Washington] is the history center around the very real politics of the time and place.
Washington [as in The Trial and Execution of Traitor George Washington an intriguing characterization, allowing Rosenberg to explore the importance of force of personality in leadership and victory. He also offers an interesting take on American-British relations ... The plotting showcases how “slow” things used to be (months for news of any battle), while at the same time giving a sense of immediacy to the American cause.
Charles Rosenberg’s The Trial and Execution of the Traitor George Washington charts a creative alternative-history tale filled with action, adventure, and twists ... Rosenberg obviously did his homework on Washington; the first president’s manner and physical characteristics are well-drawn. Washington’s behavior is depicted in a way consistent with his contemporaries’ descriptions ... Both American forefathers and British personages take part in Rosenberg’s story. The student of history will find much to recognize but won’t be able to predict the course of events ... The Trial and Execution of the Traitor George Washington by Charles Rosenberg breathes fresh life into the sometimes stagnant annals of history. The reader will come away hard-pressed not to feel the consequences of these fictional events. But sometimes, perhaps, to get the larger picture, the picture must be altered.
