Alternate History Books - Page 12

The Adversaries (American Family Portraits #4)

Jack Cavanaugh

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Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

"A nation divided against itself cannot stand," said Abraham Lincoln. And so the dark days of the Civil War threatened to pull America apart.

The Adversaries

The Jeremiah Morgans of Ohio and the Seth Coopers of Virginia share a friendship and faith stretching back two centuries to Edenford, England. Now that their children, Sarah and Daniel, are engaged to be married, that bond will forever be secured by blood. But when the Morgan brothers--J.D., Marshall, and Willy--run slaves to freedom during a Cooper family visit, a small-scale skirmish between Northern and Southern families breaks out, prophetic of the full-scale war to follow.

As the Civil War erupts, the children of the two families are uprooted from home--the boys to battlefields, Sarah to the big city of New York to write tracts for homesick soldiers. But their greater peril may come from New York banker Caleb McKenna, a long-time enemy of the Morgans and Coopers, who plots revenge for the death of his only daughter.

Can human relationships win out over political and geographical differences? Can a commitment to God and family overcome hatred and vendettas? Join a new generation of Morgans as they experience life and love amidst a nation at war with itself.

Jack Cavanaugh's first book in this critically acclaimed series, The Puritans, was an ECPA Gold Medallion Award finalist. A full-time freelance writer and public speaker, Jack and his family make their home in San Diego, California.

Return Engagement (Settling Accounts Trilogy, Book 1)

Harry Turtledove

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 57 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Harry Turtledove’s remarkable alternative history novels brilliantly remind us of how fragile the thread of time can be, and offer us a world of “what if.” Drawing on a magnificent cast of characters that includes soldiers, generals, lovers, spies, and demagogues, Turtledove returns to an epic tale that only he could tell–the story of a North American continent, separated into two bitterly opposed nations, that stands on the verge of exploding once again.

In 1914 they called it The Great War, and few could imagine anything worse. For nearly three decades a peace forged in blood and fatigue has held sway in North America. Now, Japan dominates the Pacific, the Russian Tsar rules Alaska, and England, under Winston Churchill, chafes for a return to its former glory. But behind the façade of world order, America is a bomb waiting to go off. Jake Featherston, the megalomaniacal leader of the Confederate States of America, is just the man to light the fuse.

In the White House in Philadelphia, Socialist President Al Smith is a living symbol of hope for a nation that has been through the fires of war and the flood tides of depression. In the South, Featherston and his ruling Freedom Party have put down a Negro rebellion with a bloody fist and have interned them in concentration camps. Now they are determined to crush their Northern neighbor at any cost.

Featherston’s planes attack Philadelphia without warning. The U.S.A. lashes back blindly at Charleston. And a terrible second coming is at hand. When the CSA blitzkrieg is launched, the U.S.A. is caught flat-footed. Before long, the gray Army reaches Lake Erie. But in its wake the war machine is spinning a vortex of destruction, betrayal, and fury that no one, not even Jake Featherston himself, can control.

Now, President Smith faces a Herculean task, while an obscure assistant secretary of war named Roosevelt rises in his ranks. For the U.S.A., the darkest days still lay ahead. Across the globe, a new era of war has just begun. And in the hands of the incomparable Harry Turtledove, readers are treated to a masterful vision of what might have been. An enduring portrait of history, nations, and human nature in its many manifestations, Return Engagement is a monumental journey into the second half of the twentieth century.

The Best Alternate History Stories of the 20th Century

Martin Harry Greenberg

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Explore fascinating, often chilling "what if" accounts of the world that could have existed–and still might yet . . .

Science fiction’s most illustrious and visionary authors hold forth the ultimate alternate history collection. Here you’ll experience mind-bending tales that challenge your views of the past, present, and future, including:

• "The Lucky Strike": When The Lucky Strike is chosen over The Enola Gay to drop the first atomic bomb, fate takes an unexpected turn in Kim Stanley Robinson’s gripping tale.
• "Bring the Jubilee": Ward Moore’s novella masterpiece offers a rebel victory at Gettysburg which changes the course of the Civil War . . . and all of American history.
• "Through Road No Wither": After Hitler’s victory in World War II, two Nazi officers confront their destiny in Greg Bear’s apocalyptic vision of the future.
• "All the Myriad Ways": Murder or suicide, Ambrose Harmon’s death leads the police down an infinite number of pathways in Larry Niven’s brilliant and defining tale of alternatives and consequences.
• "Mozart in Mirrorshades": Bruce Sterling and Lewis Shiner explore a terrifying era as the future crashes into the past–with disastrous results.
. . . as well as works by Poul Anderson • Gregory Benford • Jack L. Chalker • Nicholas A. DiChario • Brad Linaweaver • William Sanders • Susan Shwartz • Allen Steele • and Harry Turtledove himself!

The definitive collection: fourteen seminal alternate history tales drawing readers into a universe of dramatic possibility and endless wonder.

Roads Not Taken

Gardner Dozois, Stanley Schmidt

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 28 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Inkling to New Worlds of If. 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 5 people found this review helpful.

If you are an Alternate-History lover this is a good collection for you. If you are not, this book will help to make up your mind: you'll become a new addict or you'll understand that Alt-His is not your cup of tea.

It starts with brief essay "What is Alternate History?" that gives the reader a broad picture of the genre.
Each story begins with a little article describing the author and his works giving the reader useful information for future choices.
Next the book provides one of he best sample, I ever read, written by well known Alt-His' authors: Turtledove, Attanasio, Silverberg and Wolfe amongst others.
Many of the main "What if" themes are present: if the Roman Empire hasn't ceased to exist; if Communism has triumphed worldwide; if Chinese arrived to America before Columbus; if Civil War scars weren't cured; if ...if...; the reader is invited to a wonderful imaginative tour.

For me Flynn's "The Forest of Time" is a treat. Not only starts with the proposal of Disunited States of America but gives a turn in time and forking realities.
Wolfe's "How I Lost the Second War..." is a puzzling story in parody cue.

An enjoyable collection to be sure!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

Editorial Review:

Alternate History: The What-If? fiction that has finally come into its own! Shedding light on the past by exploring what could have happened, this bold genre tantalizes your imagination and challenges your perceptions with thrilling reinventions of humanity's most climactic events. Enter worlds that are at once fanciful and familiar, where fact and fiction meld in a provocative landscape of infinite possibilities. . . .

"An Ink from the New Moon" by A. A. Attanasio
"We Could Do Worse" by Gregory Benford
"The West Is Red" by Greg Costikyan
"The Forest of Time" by Michael F. Flynn
"Southpaw" by Bruce McAllister
"Over There" by Mike Resnick
"An Outpost of the Empire" by Robert Silverberg
"Aristotle and the Gun" by L. Sprague de Camp
"Must and Shall" by Harry Turtledove
"How I Lost the Second World War and Helped Turn Back the German Invasion" by Gene Wolfe

With these dazzling stories, discover just how different things might have been!

In War Times

Kathleen Ann Goonan

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Sam Dance is a young enlisted soldier in 1941 when his older brother Keenan is killed at Pearl Harbor. Afterwards, Sam promises that he will do anything he can to stop the war.
 
During his training, Sam begins to show that he has a knack for science and engineering, and he is plucked from the daily grunt work of twenty-mile marches by his superiors to study subjects like code breaking, electronics, and physics in particular, a science that is growing more important to the war effort. While studying, Sam is seduced by a mysterious female physicist that is teaching one of his courses, and given her plans for a device that will end the war, perhaps even end the human predilection for war forever. But the device does something less, and more, than that.
 
After his training, Sam is sent throughout Europe to solve both theoretical and practical problems for the Allies. He spends his free time playing jazz, and trying to construct the strange device. It's only much later that he discovers that it worked, but in a way that he could have never imagined.

Paladins II: Knight Moves (The Paladin)

Joel Rosenberg

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Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

In the seventeenth century, in an alternate universe where Mordred defeated King Arthur-now known as "Arthur the Tyrant"-and founded the Pendragon dynasty, much of Europe, Asia, and the New World are part of an Empire ruled from England. The Order of Crown, Shield, and Dragon, originally founded as Mordred's personal bodyguard, has become a legion of special agents for the Crown: special emissaries in time of peace, and invincible warriors in more violent times. They carry special weapons: swords, each of which contains the soul of someone of great power. White swords are inhabited by the souls of saints-and red swords by those who were anything but saints. Even in the hands of a knight of the Order, even wielded in the cause of righteousness, such a sword is terribly dangerous to its owner and all around him. In more evil hands, a red sword is the most dangerous and powerful weapon known to mankind. A single red sword can defeat an ordinary army. Last time, the Empire was threatened by an enemy with an arsenal of red swords. Though three knights of the Order were able to eliminate that danger, at a terrible cost, the Empire is not yet secure. An ancient witch, long thought to be dead, has been reported in Turkey, and the deadly creatures called darklings start to appear throughout Europe. And on the isle of Colonsay, Amadan Dubh, a deadly supernatural being also known as the Sidhe Fairy Fool, has appeared, sending the inhabitants into a frenzy of murderous madness. This time, courage and a strong sword arm, even when armed with a magic sword, may not be enough to save the Empire.

Terrible Swift Sword (Lost Regiment #3)

William R. Forstchen

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Fun Science Fiction War Story 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

The Merki, evil creatures of the Horde (or Chosen People), are invading the nation of Rus. It is up to Colonel Andrew Keane of the Union's 35th Maine to lead his troops into battle and defend his new country. The Merki are enemies who consider human beings to be nothing more than cattle and/or pets, they must wipe out Keane and his Union soldiers. Interestingly enough, the Merki are also fighting for their way of life. As twisted as it seems, you almost feel sorry for them, if the Merki were a little less gruesome you could come to admire their culture. However, the Merki dine on human flesh and perform weird ritualistic murder/torture on their human cattle. In order to defeat the Merki, Colonel Keane must drag Rus into a mechanized 19th century industrial society. To make matters worse the Merki create their own invention, a dirigible like balloon. This leaves the humans behind the technological curve because the Merki's airforce can perform airborne reconnaissance and aerial bombing raids. One of the best chapters in the book revolves around the invention of the balloon by the human population. Forstchen adds a lot of interesting ideas to the war.

"Terrible Swift Sword" by William R. Forstchen is a neat blend of science fiction, fantasy and historical fiction. It is the 3rd installment of "The Lost Regiment" series. Forstchen is a good writer and I like his style. The story has a quick pace and the author uses snappy dialog to keep the plot moving. So far I enjoy the series and I recommend the books to readers that enjoy some science fiction mixed with historical fiction. My only criticism is that in "Rally Cry", the first "Lost Regiment" installment, Forstchen included a map which helped me visualize the battle field, however, here no map is included.

Editorial Review:

Stranded on a distant world ruled by alien creatures, Union Colonel Andrew Keane and his regiment must rely on a brute force when a human traitor among them gives the aliens the secret to air power.

Tales from the Town of Widows

James Canon

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Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

In the small Colombian mountain village of Mariquita, a band of guerrillas storms in to protest the country's ruling government. They arrive with propaganda and guns, and when they depart they have forcibly recruited all the town's men, leaving behind only a few—the priest and a young, fair-skinned boy disguised as a little girl.

In their wake, Mariquita becomes a sinking wasteland filled with women who quickly resign themselves to food shortages, littered streets, and mourning. Without men, life is hopeless, and getting along, nearly impossible. But, Rosalba viuda de Patiño, wife of the former police sergeant, sees a different fate for the town of widows. She declares herself magistrate and promises to instill law and order while restoring the failing economy and infrastructure. Reluctantly, the women agree to join forces. A utopia emerges, one that ironically resembles the ideal society the guerrilla group claims to promote.

Deft, rich, and darkly humorous, Tales from the Town of Widows is a captivating exploration of gender and sexuality that uses the ongoing conflict in Colombia as a backdrop. It presents a fascinating portrait of ill-fated wives and the war that helped them build a peaceful, equality-based society.

Exquisitely wrought, remarkably original, James Cañón's stunning debut marks the arrival of an unforgettable new literary talent.

Curious Notions (Crosstime Traffic)

Harry Turtledove

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Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

In a parallel-world 21st-century San Francisco where the Kaiser's Germany won World War One and went on to dominate the world, Paul Gomes and his father Lawrence are secret agents for our timeline, posing as traders from a foreign land. They run a storefront shop called Curious Notions, selling what is in our world routine consumer technology-record players, radios, cassette decks--all of which is better than anything in this world, but only by a bit. Their real job is to obtain raw materials for our timeline. Just as importantly, they must guard the secret of Crosstime Traffic--for of the millions of parallel timelines, this is one of the few advanced enough to use that secret against us.

Now, however, the German occupation police are harassing them. They want to know where they're getting their mysterious goods. Under pressure, Paul and Lawrence hint that their supplies comes from San Francisco's Chinese...setting in motion a chain of intrigues that will put the entire enterprise of Crosstime Traffic at deadly risk.

Fateful Lightning (Lost Regiment)

William R. Forstchen

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Yet again, another fiver for the series... 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

Wow, this is the series that just keeps on going and going. Excellent. This was perhaps the best one I've read so far next to Rally Cry. Again, there's that great sense of dread and forboding on the humans' part, as they attempt to fight off the ever encroaching Merki Hordes, now, of course, led by that rat Tamuka. The funeral of Jubadi was sickening... I loved it. Showalter's and his Cavalry's final, desparate charge into the Merki ranks was glorious. John Mina was a total nutball, picking on ol' Fergie like that. Oh, and I'm glad Ferguson, my favorite character in the series, got the girl. He deserves her. The Battle of Hispania was marvelous, so many troops in a battle of annihilation, fighting for their lives against vicious alien monsters, it filled you with pride for being human. Mutza's role in the whole story was satisfying-- I always liked him for some reason, even when he was attempting to destroy the old 35th. At least he had that glimmering of doubt, of whether or not fighting the humans was such a good idea, something which Tamuka did not. Bullfinch's endeavors, however, were very underexplored. I would've liked to see more of his liberation of the Cartha. Young Gregory's recitation of Shakespeare's Henry V-- "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers..."-- was very emotional and moving. And, yes, the editing is very, very bad here, as it is in the other Lost Regiment novels, but it did not take away from this rich story. Fateful Lightning is a masterful end to the Merki War, a stupendous entry in the Lost Regiment series, and a true gem in the realm of science-fiction.

Editorial Review:

Lost in another world and time, a regiment of Union soldiers find themselves part of a tactical retreat from the onslaught of the mysterious Merki hordes, reenacting the classic Russian retreats from the French and Germans.