"LIBERTY: 1784 The Second War for Independence," by Robert Conroy, Baen Books, $25, 368 pages (f)

Only a few months after the release of 1920: America's Great War, novelist Robert Conroy gives readers another story that turns history on its side. His new offering, Liberty: 1784 The Second War for Independence, supposes a British victory at Yorktown and a very different final act to the American Revolution.

The story begins with George Washington's execution for treason in the Tower of London. Readers are soon introduced to Will Drake, an American officer wasting away in a British prison ship in the Hudson River. Escaping, Will soon makes his way west, to the last rebel enclave known simply as Liberty. Somewhere near present-day Chicago, Liberty is a series of free communities keeping the spirit of the American Revolution alive.

Along the way Will meets several characters such as a beautiful young woman named Sarah, fleeing the cruelty of American loyalists; Major Fitzroy, a British officer determined to do his duty to the crown; and Owen, a deserter from the Royal Marines who joins the Revolutionaries. These characters and more mix with actual historical figures like Benjamin Franklin, John Burgoyne, John Paul Jones, and John Hancock.

Soon, a British army under Burgoyne marches west to destroy Liberty and finally bring the American Revolution to an end. Dramatic tension builds as the rebels must frantically train their ramshackle army and prepare their defenses for the final showdown with the king's troops.

Like most of Conroy's novels, Liberty: 1784 is a thrilling adventure tale that offers an interesting perspective on one of history's most important events. Alternate history can illustrate just how fragile a series of cause and events can truly be. Here, Conroy brilliantly explores America's beginnings with a generally engaging and fun story.

Unfortunately, Conroy falls back on sex far too often in this book. Sexual scenes are a staple for most of Conroy's novels, and rape is frequently explored as a by-product of war. In Liberty: 1784, Conroy pushes these themes to an uncomfortable and often quite off-putting degree. Additionally, some of the foul language employed seems a bit anachronistic.

In most respects Liberty: 1784 is an entertaining novel, though it is marred by too many of these unnecessary elements. In addition to the sex and language, the novel does contain some scenes of intense war violence and atrocities.

Cody K. Carlson currently teaches history at SLCC, and is an avid player of board games. You can check out his blog at thediscriminatinggamer.com. Email: ckcarlson76@gmail.com

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Book review: 'Liberty: 1784' marred by unnecessary elements