Thought and Opinions On Alternate History Fiction

[Marxist]

I hate Turtledove. He's shoddy and gets lost.


Harris' "Fatherland" is a classic in the genre. As is "Man In The High Castle" by Philip K. Dick.


Who's your favorite? Why? Does anybody read this crap but me?

 

[naudiz]

I'm in the middle of reading "Lion's Blood" by Steven Barnes. I'm not an alternate history buff, but I'm enjoying this book quite a bit.

 

[Sillyman]

Just you, Marxist. I read and liked a book called "Alternative Warriors". It was an anthology where various authors choose historical figures and rewrote them as soldiers. That's my whole experience with the genre unfortunately.

 

[Marxist]

I'm in the middle of reading "Lion's Blood" by Steven Barnes. I'm not an alternate history buff, but I'm enjoying this book quite a bit.

What's the twist? Where is it set?

 

[Marxist]

Just you, Marxist. I read and liked a book called "Alternative Warriors". It was an anthology where various authors choose historical figures and rewrote them as soldiers. That's my whole experience with the genre unfortunately.

Hey, I have that book. Kinda disappointing, interesting stuff. Ghandi as toughman was a funny idea.

 

[Azwed]

Can't remember who wrote it but Clash of Eagles was pretty good.

The book has the UK falling in early or mid 1940 to the germans and then we could not hold them off and they invaded the northeastern part of the US and Canada.

They controled from maine to DC to the Great lakes.

 

[Sillyman]

I have actually been toying with the notion of an alternative earth type super hero comic, but that's one of those things that will probably never see the outside of my head.

 

[Rubyfruit]

Does anybody read this crap but me?

I don't, but it's basically all my husband reads.

He recommends Mike Resnick.

Maybe I should send you some of the ones he's already read, Marx. They're starting to clutter up the house.

 

[naudiz]

What's the twist? Where is it set?

The twist is that way back when, Carthage kicked Rome's ass, and it was people of African decent who ascended to the level of power equal to Rome's Empire. The historical fallout from this is that Africans settled the New World, and the Irish are the people being captured and sold as slaves. The story is set in 1863, or 1273 by the Muslim calendar. It starts in Ireland, but most of the action, in as much as I've read, takes place in the New World.

The story's about an Irish boy whose village is sacked, and he's taken to the New World as a slave. He befriends his master's youngest son, and they grow up together. A strong bond develops between them, but there's also a lot of mistrust on both sides. There are also a lot of other things going on around them. I'm about halfway through, but it's shaping up to be a good story. I like the way Barnes writes. I like the way he portrays his characters. Plus it looks like a lot of research went into this, and I'm a research fangirl, so.

And because I'm just that kind of girl, here's a Press Release I found on Google.

 

[Svedish_Chef]

Plus it looks like a lot of research went into this, and I'm a research fangirl, so.

And because I'm just that kind of girl,

We all know you are THAT kind of girl.

 

[Marxist]

Can't remember who wrote it but Clash of Eagles was pretty good.

The book has the UK falling in early or mid 1940 to the germans and then we could not hold them off and they invaded the northeastern part of the US and Canada.

They controled from maine to DC to the Great lakes.

What happened to the Japanese? Did they get the Pacific?

 

[Olivianna]

I'm not sure if this counts, but Octavia Butler's Kindred is kickass.

 

[Azwed]

What happened to the Japanese? Did they get the Pacific?

The book mostly concentrates on the germans in the northeast and the resistant movement that forms there. Pearl harbor is mentioned and we lose 10 battlships in the attack, but no carriers. That is a key part of the book because we later use the carriers to repel a japanese invasion. The book was good but was also very narrowly focused and was almost totaly set in New york city.

 

[Marxist]

Naudiz,

It's rare to read speculative fiction from the Black perspective. I'll have to add it to my list.

 

[Marxist]

I'm not sure if this counts, but Octavia Butler's Kindred is kickass.

I love Octavia Butler. Another Black author. Very cool.

 

[naudiz]

I haven't read any of his other stuff, but I intend to after this one's finished up. It's kind of funny, because I heard about the story through a Celtic musician who actually wrote a CD soundtrack for the book. It's called Insh'Allah, by Heather Alexander. She does some really interesting things with Irish-Afro slave cadences.

I love my weird little world.

 

[Marxist]

I love my weird little world.

Is it true that you're part Jawa?

 

[naudiz]

Not as such, but I do come from Tatooine.

Wow, my pocket is growing plastic lining as I type this.

 

[Olivianna]

I love Octavia Butler. Another Black author. Very cool.

I know. I've read her Parable series, the Xenogenesis (or whatever its called) series. She is brilliant and no one's heard of her.