The Kaiser’s Cruisers is an excellent resource for those interested in the Imperial German Navy’s cruiser forces, both in design and service history. Dodson and Nottlemann provide a strong core of basic information paired with an excellent standardized data guide creating a solid research tool for historians, scholars, and those generally interested in the time-frame. This work not only fills a hole in the historiography of German naval history, but also provides English-language readers with one of the first proper dives into the subject of Imperial small cruisers and their predecessors.

The Northern Mariner/Le marin du nord

"The authors of this excellent book have written a definitive account of the Kaiser’s (and Tirpitz’s) cruisers."

Warship Annual - 2023

As featured on Army Rumour Service

Army Rumour Service (ARRSE)

The wealth of information provided is impressive, and I have no doubt that the book will be seen to be the definitive book of reference for anyone interested in ‘The Kaiser’s Cruisers’.

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The Naval Review

A comprehensive guide to how and why each ship was built, with details of the global political situation at the time. With the advent of WW1 there is much more on actual sea battles, including many that we have also covered. There are some excellent photos of the ships.

The Armourer March 2022

"Readers of Warship International will recognize Nottelmann as the author of a major (about 450 pages) series of twelve articles covering German battleships and battle cruisers published in the magazine between 2011 and 2020 with the overall title of “The Development of the German Navy 1864-1918.” In these Nottelmann demonstrated a mastery of German archival materials that he then brought to the cruiser book. The result is a depth of detail in the design histories of the ships that is rarely encountered and a wealth of ship plans (single page width), some of which came from the archives and some of which Nottelmann drew. Particularly unusual is a series of drawings (longitudinal sections and multiple deck plans) issued by the Imperial Admiralty at the end of the 1870s and covering early cruising ships from Vineta (1860) to Carola (1879) and including the torpedo vessel Zieten (1875). The book also benefits from Nottelmann’s large photograph collection and from both authors’ thorough coverage of the ships’ operational histories."

Warship International Vol. 59

"This an exceptionally well researched and produced volume and is a must for those with an interest in the German navy. Highly Recommended as the start point for research in this area."

Martin Willoughby, The Wessex Branch of the Western Front Association

In conclusion, this is another excellent reference book from Seaforth publishing that covers one of the most interesting periods in German Naval history and concentrates on a portion of that history that is less well documented. As such the book is likely to be a welcome addition to anybody’s library of books on the Naval subjects.

Cher Ami, GWSIG Newsletter – International Plastic Modellers Society (UK) – March 2021

If you have an interest in Naval History, this book is an essential addition for your collection. A wonderful historical reference book, which can be constantly re-visited.

Jon Sandison

This book is valuable in many respects, but it stands out in the analysis of ship performance; the insights it provides on German Government and naval thinking at the time; and last but not least it is a quality book in English on a foreign warship type which is little covered in detail elsewhere. It is highly recommended.

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Australian Naval Institute

A superb record of the ships of the Third Reich.

Books Monthly

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The Armourer

I like the structure of the book, with the technical aspects of ship design and their pre-war careers dealt with first, followed by two chapters on the First World War. As a result we get a clearer view of the way in which these designs evolved, without sizable combat histories in between, and then a good overview of how the available cruisers performed without too many technical details to disrupt the flow.

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History of War

"A truly well researched book which deserves careful study."

Les Brown, Small Warships

A remarkable book which will appeal to anyone interested in the development of naval history, especially that of Germany. It is well written and detailed, to the point of including the plans and blueprints for the development of the first German fleet.
The book begins with an excellent overview of the establishment of Germany as a nation - which reminds us that this only occurred as recently as 1871. Before then, Germany consisted of an amalgam of independent states. With the foundation of the new Germany, the process commenced of planning a national fleet which then consisted of a handful of elderly training ships, mostly still relying on sail as the means of propulsion. More modern warships were then planned, mainly to secure the German coastline of the North Sea and Baltic where Germany’s neighbour, Denmark, had long since acted malevolently towards Germany.
Interestingly, the book reminds the reader that, at that point in time, Germany had no overseas colonies. It was not until the following year, 1872, that the first German cruiser, the Nymph, reached the South Pacific. A ‘flying squadron’ of cruisers was then commissioned to represent Germany’s interest’s worldwide, to begin with, to encourage the payment of any outstanding monies to Germany or it’s citizens then resident overseas.
The book then turns to the detailed account of the development and construction of the numerous naval vessels necessary to support Germany’ growing interests worldwide. I was pleased to see the book included maps to support these accounts.
This is a technical work best suited to experts in the field, a ‘stand alone’ work which completely covers the subject. I strongly recommend it to anyone fitting this description.

Dr Adrian Greaves, The Anglo-Zulu War Historical Society

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Great War IPMS, Great War SIG newsletter – October 2021

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Cher Ami, Great War Sig Newsletter - IPMS, June 2021