Hoera, een transatlantische tunnel!

More about the book

Set in an alternate 1973, this story imagines a world where Washington lost the Battle of Lexington and was executed as a traitor, leaving America as a British colony yearning for independence. Additionally, Columbus never discovered the Americas, allowing South American cultures to thrive. This alternate history features a British Empire that has persisted into the 20th century, still shaped by its Victorian roots. However, the empire faces challenges, including rising unemployment and economic decline, prompting the need for a significant project to revitalize its fortunes. The solution is an ambitious engineering endeavor: a tunnel beneath the sea to connect Britain with its colony, aimed at boosting employment and manufacturing. The protagonist, Captain Augustine Washington, an engineer and descendant of the traitor, is determined to see the tunnel succeed while advocating for his homeland's independence or at least dominion status akin to Canada and Australia. Complicating his journey is his love for Iris, the daughter of Sir Isambard Brassey-Brunel, the project's mastermind, who disapproves of the colonial engineer. This narrative explores themes of identity and aspiration across the Atlantic, blending American ambition with a uniquely British imperial backdrop.