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I wasn't going to write a review since there are 92 reviews out there right now. But I thought, what the heck, I would add my 2 cents and become reviewer number 93. How do I start--I guess by saying that I would rate this book EXCELLENT PLUS! Bryan and James, lifelong friends and British pilots, on a mission to Germany during WWII are shot down, parachute out and land, without any major injuries, in hostile German territory. Their main objective is to stay alive and make it back in one piece to Allied territory. In order to do this they manage to evade German soldiers and dogs hot on their trail and jump onto a German train heading West. They eventually kill a porter and 2 German soldiers and take the place of the 2 soldiers in their beds, discovering that this is a medical train enroute from the front lines to a hospital. What they do not know early on is that this medical train is transporting mental patients. They assume the identities of the 2 high-ranking German soldiers and realize that they must now pretend to be mentally ill. James does speak a little German, but Bryan does not, and since they are supposedly mentally ill and unable to converse or respond they pretend not to know each other and they eventually make it to a hospital for the mentally disturbed. But now the game begins, as Bryan and James know they must not recognize each other in order to survive. They soon realize that if they are discovered to be faking a mental condition by the Germans, they will be promptly executed. There are others in the hospital who also are pretending to be mentally ill to avoid returning to the front lines and the suspense builds. Beware of Horst Lankau, Warner Fricke, Dieter Schmidt, Wilfried Kroner and maybe even beautiful Petra, a nurse, all within The Alphabet House. Bryan and James know that they must eventually escape the hell in this hospital, such as shock treatments, poor conditions, etc. Eventually one of the British pilots does manage to escape and returns to Germany in 1972 to find out thefate of his friend. In 1972 all of the above mentioned individuals still exist and they turn out to be pure evil, with the exception of one. This is an excellent book and read it to find out which pilot survived and which pilot remained in Germany. Is he still alive or dead? Who out of the cast of the above turns out to be a savior in disguise? Whether you are reading about Bryan and James in 1944 or 1972, this is a most pleasurable read. Go for it!Really going to go with 3 and 1/2 stars here. The odd thing is that I have spent several days thinking about the book and still cannot decide how I feel about it. I had a great deal of trouble keeping the characters straight between the "real" names and the nicknames. That aside, the story kept me engaged enough to keep reading to find out what happened to Bryan and James. Perhaps my problem with the book is the effect the Alphabet House had on the various characters. SPOILER ALERT!! I had difficulty believing that only James would be so negatively affected by his experience. The other "malingerers" seemed to come through the experience relatively unscathed psychologically. In other words, they could still function. I wondered at the psychiatrists' competence to have so many men so obviously play-acting. I am not sure if it was the repeated physical abuse James took or the forced drug addiction. I wanted James to get better, and it upset me that he didn't.The book does, however, raise the issue of just how difficult it would be to convincingly act mentally ill. Very interesting idea. The debate on the issue has far reaching consequences, in both psychological and legal arenas. To what degree is "odd" behavior a symptom of mental illness? Why are some persons affected by negative situations, and others not so much? Seen from this perspective, Mr. Adler-Olsen's attempt to bring light on this subject is absolutely brilliant. Perhaps, my issue with the book is that the subject matter does not easily fit into a novel format.I am a big fan of Jussi Adler-Olsen and look forward to each new book that comes out. THE ALPHABET HOUSE does not have the usual cast of characters solving a mystery in contemporary Denmark; instead, it focuses on two English aviators during World War II, Bryan and James, who are shot down in Germany and, after going over options, hop on a medical transport train, which turns out to be headed to an insane asylum. Whereas this might sound like the beginning of a comedy, it is anything but. After finding two dead patients, the men throw them off the train and assume their identities. Therefore, the two not only must refrain from speaking but also must withstand horrific treatment from some of the other inmates while pretending to be German. Bryan knows he and James must escape before they are either found out or murdered. One of the two does get away, but what happens to the other? And what occurs after the war's end to throw the horror both men encountered right back into their faces? Adler-Olsen's father himself was head of an asylum, and the author often wondered if a sane person spent a good amount of time in one, would he eventually go insane? This question pervades the story and brings it to a surprising, logical conclusion. Action packed and suspenseful, THE ALPHABET HOUSE kept me riveted, but the violence was excessive and hard to get through. War is not a glorious thing, however, and Adler-Olsen drives home that point fiercely.A fantastic story of friendship that goes beyond most conventional bounds. Amazingly gripping, but that is not surprising from this author. A fantastic research into the world of mental illness and what lengths we as human beings can go in order to survive - weather we are good or bad. Set mainly in the fantastic scenery of southern Germany in the second world war. A MUST read.What an odd book, plot was well thought out but not believable, saying that if you are of a disbelieving nature you might think its based on truth, long descriptions of long days........ and nights, it all just went together just too well at the end, I did Finnish this but nearly gave up soon after starting, not sure if I did the right think now.Not like his other works with detective morck. This is completely different. Compelling, exhilarating and topical. A different look at ww2 prisoners from the other side and the criminal masterminds that linger there. I would never have read this if I had not already read all his other work and was desperate for my fix. I was pleased.Unusual but slow moving psychological thriller detailing horrendous brutality in German mental institutions during the war. It is written in two parts 30 years apart about two childhood friends who joined the RAF. The narrative however it is written in a style that lacks emotion.Having read and enjoyed the Department Q books, I was very disappointed with this effort. A totally implausible plot plods along relentlessly and the ending is ridiculous. About halfway through the book the reader learns that the two central characters have been in their current situation for many months. This doesn't come as a surprise because it feels like several months have passed since you started reading ...
