Francis Wheen, writing in The Guardian newspaper (18 March 1998), described this novel as a satire on the German invasion scare stories being circulated by the anti-Europeans of the day. It's a curious book, quite unlike anything else by Wodehouse, but with his usual style and humour. The effect of the satire has diminished almost to vanishing point so it's no wonder this book is rarely printed.

If you haven't ventured beyond the safety of Jeeves & Wooster, Blandings Castle or the Mulliner clan, and you're not a committed collector, don't spend a lot on this one without seeing it first. If you do acquire a copy, have my 'Notes and Quotes' page handy (feel free to print it) when you read it. Of all the books that PG wrote this one requires the most explanation and you will benefit from a deeper understanding of PG's asides and references.

The short story The Military Invasion of America has a similar plot and features Clarence as its hero. It is a re-write of The Swoop for a US audience and was published in Vanity Fair magazine in July and August 1915.