The Invasion

William Le Queux (1864 - 1927)

This novel, also known as The Invasion of 1910, is a 1906 novel written mainly by William Le Queux (with H. W. Wilson providing the naval chapters). It is one of the more famous examples of Invasion literature and is an example of pre-World War I Germanophobia, as it preached the need to prepare for war with Germany. The book takes the form of a military history and includes excerpts from the characters' journals and letters and descriptions of the fictional German campaign itself. The novel originally appeared in serial form in the Daily Mail newspaper from 19 March 1906, and was a huge success. The newspaper's circulation increased greatly, and it made a small fortune for Le Queux, eventually being translated into twenty-seven languages and selling over one million copies in book form.

It is centered on an invasion by the Germans, who have managed to land a sizable invasion force on the East Coast of England. They advance inland, cutting all telegraph lines and despoiling farmland as they go, and the British struggle to mount a proper defense. The Germans eventually reach London and occupy half the city. A junior Member of Parliament declares that "Britain is not defeated" and organizes a resistance movement, the "League of Defenders", despite harsh reprisals by the Germans and a severe lack of arms. The Germans seem unable to combat this and tighten their control of London, and suddenly find themselves faced with a popular uprising. Eventually a newly-formed British Army marches to liberate London. The fictional war, however, is a stalemate since it appears that German forces have managed to occupy Belgium and the Netherlands. (Introduction by Wikipedia)

Genre(s): Action & Adventure Fiction, War & Military Fiction

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 01 01 - Preface and Book 1, Chapter 1, The Surprise Tom Weiss
00:32:02
Play 02 02 - Effect In The City Tom Weiss
00:18:06
Play 03 03 - News Of The Enemy Tom Weiss
00:25:26
Play 04 04 - A Prophecy Fulfilled Tom Weiss
00:15:50
Play 05 05 - State of Siege Declared Tom Weiss
00:23:07
Play 06 06 - How The Enemy Dealt The Blow Tom Weiss
00:24:46
Play 07 07 - Desperate Fighting In Essex Tom Weiss
00:54:36
Play 08 08 - Defence At Last Tom Weiss
00:31:36
Play 09 09 - British Success At Royston Tom Weiss
00:24:13
Play 10 10 - British Abandon Colchester Tom Weiss
00:19:29
Play 11 11 - Fierce Fighting At Chelmsford Tom Weiss
00:24:51
Play 12 12 - Book 2, Chapter 1, The Lines of London Tom Weiss
00:22:05
Play 13 13 - Repluse Of The Germans Tom Weiss
00:19:28
Play 14 14 - Battle of Epping Tom Weiss
00:33:20
Play 15 15 - Bombardment of London Tom Weiss
00:35:37
Play 16 16 - The Rain of Death Tom Weiss
00:26:40
Play 17 17 - Fall Of London Tom Weiss
00:27:39
Play 18 18 - Germans Sacking The Banks Tom Weiss
00:41:02
Play 19 19 - Defences of South London Tom Weiss
00:18:03
Play 20 20 - Revolts In Shoreditch and Islington Tom Weiss
00:25:27
Play 21 21 - Book 3, Chapter 1, A Blow For Freedom Tom Weiss
00:30:06
Play 22 22 - Scenes At Waterloo Bridge Tom Weiss
00:12:04
Play 23 23 - Great British Victory Tom Weiss
00:21:15
Play 24 24 - Massacre of Germans In London Tom Weiss
00:17:58
Play 25 25 - How The War Ended Tom Weiss
00:09:37