So often I have read in ŷ reviews, "I really wanted to like this book more." Well, here I am, repeating those words. I generally enjoy SteampuSo often I have read in ŷ reviews, "I really wanted to like this book more." Well, here I am, repeating those words. I generally enjoy Steampunk works, and there was some genuinely clever and humorous writing and turns of phrases. But the whole did not surpass the sum of the parts in these three short novels set in an alternate Victorian era. Queen Victoria is temporarily replaced on the throne by a giant, experimental newt/human hybrid who bears an uncanny resemblance. A threat from the deep off the coast of Massachusetts thwarted by "Hottentots" from Africa and witnessed by the all-too racist scientist Louis Agassiz. A romance between Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman while they travel to another dimension and meet a future poet, Allen Ginsberg. If any of these scenarios grab you, go for it. They are clever, but failed to satisfy me.
It is 1920s America. The Great War is behind the nation, although many veterans are still dealing with "shell shock." Prohibition is in effect. The seIt is 1920s America. The Great War is behind the nation, although many veterans are still dealing with "shell shock." Prohibition is in effect. The setting is a major city on the banks of the Mississippi River near where the Missouri River adds its flow. But this is not St. Louis. It is Cahokia - a city built around an ancient Native American city and religious site. You see, in this world, the smallpox infection carried by Europeans to the Americas was less virulent than in our history and large populations of Native Americans were not wiped out. In fact, two main populations maintained independence as the United States expanded around them. Those two - Cahokia and an area in the southwest - eventually became states, although states with much more tolerance for diversity than typical southern states.
When this book opens on a grisly murder, that might be about to change. The murder of a white man in what appears to be a Native American ritual, triggers a move by the Ku Klux Klan (yes, this world managed to breed that delightful organization) to take power from the ruling coalition that provides more stability and tolerance than the KKK can tolerate.
Joe Barrow, a mixed-race police detective and his partner are assigned the case - and at least for Joe, he finds that there is much more to it than he bargained for. But he's a principled cop - and a really good jazz pianist, we learn, and he is determined to see this through until a wide conspiracy is brought to light. The partner? He has other plans....more
Ahhh. This book is an example of one of my favorite guilty pleasures on my reading list: alternate histories of well-known events with Mike Resnick's Ahhh. This book is an example of one of my favorite guilty pleasures on my reading list: alternate histories of well-known events with Mike Resnick's brand of humor mixed in. Heck, this one even manages to mix magic with steampunk inventions.
Resnick takes us back to Tombstone Arizona in the 1880s. He captures the legend of the Earp brothers, Doc Holliday, and the gunfight at (or near) the O.K. Corral. The legend of these famous characters and events - not necessarily the actual facts. After all, Thomas Edison and Ned Buntline had no influence on the actual events with clever inventions. Heck, in our history, they were nowhere near Arizona. But the U.S. government, whose borders in this alternate world stop at the Mississippi River due to powerful Native American magic, has asked Edison to travel to the West to find a way for science to triumph over magic.
The characters are not as deeply drawn as in other tellings of this tale, but they're deep enough for Resnick's purposes here. Just sit back and enjoy this amusing, yet far-fetched tale of the Old West....more
Kuang imagines a world in which silver carries magical abilities to enhance technology, and the British empire seeks to lock up the world's sources ofKuang imagines a world in which silver carries magical abilities to enhance technology, and the British empire seeks to lock up the world's sources of silver. It is a clever means that she develops for words inscribed in the silver to provide it with its magical power. She also overlays historical events like the Opium War in 19th-century China on the fictional elements of her story, and it all works very well. I probably would have given this 5 stars but for a couple of plot holes that perhaps bothered me more than they should have.
The book follows a group of linguistics students, three from out in the empire, as they learn the mechanism of this word-based magic. The three also learn the impact of colonialism on their homelands and join a group determined to change the colonial system....more
In this sometimes mystical, sometimes drug-laden tale of Moctezuma and Cortes in the 16th Century as the Spanish general sought to conquer new territoIn this sometimes mystical, sometimes drug-laden tale of Moctezuma and Cortes in the 16th Century as the Spanish general sought to conquer new territory for Spain, we are treated to an interesting behind-the-scenes look at both main parties. It also offers a possible scenario of the events that, in our history, led to the fall of the Aztec Empire. Except maybe this time, there will be a different outcome. The personalities on both sides are well drawn and intriguing. How accurate is the tale? Who cares. This is, after all, alternate history. It is a great tale....more
This has been on my list for a long time, and I am glad I finally got to it. The story is set in an alternate United States in which the Civil War nevThis has been on my list for a long time, and I am glad I finally got to it. The story is set in an alternate United States in which the Civil War never happened. Continued compromises like that of the Missouri Compromise and others keep the country out of war. The price is that slavery still exists in four deep south states. We see the story unfold through the eyes of Jim - or Victor, or whatever his real name may be. He is a classic antihero; forced into doing bad things, but doing them nonetheless. But this job that he is assigned to by the U.S. Marshall Service is somehow different, and we learn more about Victor and just how the country got to this stage, as his mission unfolds. It is a great thriller but with tones that make us think about where we are now....more
In this alternate history novel, Amis conjures a world in which the Reformation never happened, the Roman Catholic Church controls and guides many natIn this alternate history novel, Amis conjures a world in which the Reformation never happened, the Roman Catholic Church controls and guides many nations of the world, and young boys are still castrated to preserve their soprano voices. That is the "alteration" referred to in the title, and that is in the immediate future for `10-year-old Hubert Anvil.
It is an interesting world that we are drawn into. Monarchs continue to rule Europe, with the guidance of the Church, of course. It seems that the church's opposition to science has resulted in stilted progress with inventions. The year is 1976 and dirigibles are still the height of aircraft tech.
The character of Hubert is sympathetic if sometimes waxing a bit more philosophically than we might expect from a 10 year old. Our sympathies are definitely with him, even as Amis springs an ironic tragedy near the end. Or is it a tragedy? Only Hubert can say for certain....more
Brendan Slocumb puts his knowledge of music to good use in this mystery that flips between the early 20th century and today. An African American musicBrendan Slocumb puts his knowledge of music to good use in this mystery that flips between the early 20th century and today. An African American music professor and expert on America's premier composer of his day, Frederic Delaney, is contacted by the maestro's foundation to work on a long lost composition, recently found. But all is not as it seems, and that professor and a sharp computer-savvy friend begin to investigate. They soon uncover another name connected to Delaney in the 1920s, one Josephine Reed. But what was her connection to the composer? Whatever it was, the foundation, run by descendants, would rather not have the truth exposed.
It is a general plot that has been used many times, but Slocumb's musical background and his character of Josephine help this book stand out....more
I generally enjoy Conroy's alternate history stories more than I did this one. I think it is the fact that the point where his story diverges from hisI generally enjoy Conroy's alternate history stories more than I did this one. I think it is the fact that the point where his story diverges from history is less believable to me than in the other books I've read. Once I get past that, the characters are engaging if not extremely deeply drawn. But their stories are interesting to observe, and the book was a nice diversion, which is mainly what I was looking for. As the title suggests, it is set in 1945 as the Second World War is drawing to a close. The U.S. has dropped two atomic bombs on Japanese cities, the Soviet Union has launched its attack on Japanese troops in Manchuria and the Japanese government is preparing to accept terms of surrender. That is when a military coup by extremists occurs. It failed in real life. It succeeds in this alternate telling, and the war goes on and on, eventually leading to an invasion of the Japanese home islands by American troops. We see this invasion from several points of view, And if you are, or aren't a fan of Douglas McArthur - well, best to leave no spoilers here....more
"Rabbits" is, at times, a fun techno-thriller based on K. and Chloe playing a real-life game in an attempt to bring it to an end before more people di"Rabbits" is, at times, a fun techno-thriller based on K. and Chloe playing a real-life game in an attempt to bring it to an end before more people die. So I could ride along with the adventure as the two figure out patterns and solve clues that take them to another clue while avoiding forces trying to stop them. At times, we get explanations for some of the happenings that involve alternate universes and quantum mechanics. But when the big finish comes, it may as well have been magic rather than science that saves the day. Or deus ex machina. Either way, a bit disappointing....more
"Appleseed" is an interesting blend of ancient myth, American legend, near future dystopia resulting in a distant future that hasn't gone well for hum"Appleseed" is an interesting blend of ancient myth, American legend, near future dystopia resulting in a distant future that hasn't gone well for humanity. We are treated to three linked stories, although not told in sequence. The legend of Johnny Appleseed is spun a little sideways. A near-future effort by an idealistic farmer turned world-wide corporate leader seems sincere enough in its attempt to ease the burdens of people struck by climate devastation, yet it doesn't seem quite right. And it eventually leads to the third timeline - an Earth covered in ice....more
This book was a light diversion that was just what I needed at the time. It blends alternate history with mysteries, usually in very creative ways. ThThis book was a light diversion that was just what I needed at the time. It blends alternate history with mysteries, usually in very creative ways. The editor brings together 15 stories in diverse settings: a world where the Aztec Empire didn't fall and now in the 1800s an Aztec detective helps a New York cop solve a murder; a place where parallel worlds with doppelgangers for nearly everyone makes solving crimes - and even identifying the victims - especially difficult; a world where Rome's empire held on long enough for Atilla the Hun to defeat it, allowing a Muslim Empire to last and grow in uneasy alliance with a much smaller Christian empire; even a world where World War I was averted through the efforts of newspaper comics and now comics in general and geekdom specifically maintain the peace. There is nothing too heavy in this collection, but some fun possibilities....more
The description of an alternate-world western setting helped to draw me to this book. It is that, with a dose of strong women struggling against misogThe description of an alternate-world western setting helped to draw me to this book. It is that, with a dose of strong women struggling against misogyny. In this world, a plague wipes out much of the world population in the 1830s. Now, in 1894, women who cannot bear children are hanged as witches. Our narrator is a woman who faces that fate but manages to escape, first to a convent and then to an outlaw gang with lofty goals.
The book is a pleasant enough diversion and a lively read as she bounces from one crisis to another....more
This book was a wonderful blend of historical fiction with horror and fantasy. You get traditional figures of horror side-by-side with the actual histThis book was a wonderful blend of historical fiction with horror and fantasy. You get traditional figures of horror side-by-side with the actual historical horror inflicted by white supremacists on African Americans after the Civil War - and it's hard to say which was worse. Strong women carry the action - and I mean strong! It's a great yet tragic story....more
This book assembles five novellas written in the 1940s and 1950s into one volume that tells the tale of Harold Shay, an Ohio psychologist who somehow This book assembles five novellas written in the 1940s and 1950s into one volume that tells the tale of Harold Shay, an Ohio psychologist who somehow turns symbolic logic into a means to travel into magical lands of myth and legend. Along the way, he picks up a bride who happily joins him in Ohio.
He and his companions visits with the Norse gods in Asgard and helps them win a battle, winds up helping both Charlemagne's great warrior, Roland, and the Moors he battles, visits the world of knights and ladies from Edmund Spencer's Faerie Queen, gives us a little background in Finnish folklore and winds up trying to keep Ireland's hero Cuchulainn alive. Not bad for a psychologist who learned a little fencing and a little magic appropriate for each realm.
Yes, it is silly at times, and the juxtaposition of 1940s slang with olde English is sometimes a bit tough to take (especially when it is sometimes easier for my modern brain to sort out the archaic English than the slang), but it is light and fun and nostalgic and just what I needed at this time....more
Stand-alone books in genres such as westerns, mysteries, science fiction and fantasy are rare birds. Series dominate, and have for some time now. A seStand-alone books in genres such as westerns, mysteries, science fiction and fantasy are rare birds. Series dominate, and have for some time now. A series author can take one of two main approaches. The main character may reappear but in a new adventure with each book, and while not a stand-alone, each book can be somewhat independent of the others. Or the author creates a long running serial (the old standard trilogy is almost a thing of the past itself), with each book picking up where the last one left off. That is the route that Anderson has taken with his "Destroyermen" series in which a Battered American naval destroyer is transported to an alternate world and dropped from one world war into another of a very different sort. The premise was creative in the details that I am not going into here and you root for the good guys even as each book complicates their situation, introducing new enemies and new allies.
But this is Book 10. Wrap it up, will ya! I understand that an end is in sight, and as much as I enjoyed these characters and will read to the end to see how it all works out, I think that Anderson has milked this one just a bit too long. He's not alone. These long series are becoming the norm. Hard core fans love them, but at some point, the author has to know when to say "Enough."...more
Worlds that Weren't contains four alternate-history novellas. the first by Harry Turtledove is set in ancient Greece featuring some well-known philosoWorlds that Weren't contains four alternate-history novellas. the first by Harry Turtledove is set in ancient Greece featuring some well-known philosophers in a little-known situation - an invasion of Sicily by Athens (Sicily had been colonized by a rival city). In alternate history, it helps to know the real story so you can appreciate the differences. The big picture becomes obvious to everyone by the end of the story, but I fear the small stuff might have been lost.
The second novella by S. M. Stirling is set in the same universe as hi book, The Peshawar Lancers, but on the other side of the world from India. In this world, the point of departure is an asteroid strike in the late 1800s on the northern hemisphere that has set civilization back a bit. In Texas, we find a British officer from India (which survived the disaster and became the seat of the British empire) on holiday. They get more than the hunting they planned on when they stumble on a plot by . . . the Russians? You have to be there.
Mary Gentle takes us to Northern Africa and a story of a mercenary soldier in the employ of the Turks who comes upon a mystery that seems to transcend time.
The final story by Walter Jon Williams takes us to the old American west - Tombstone Arizona in fact. Which is bound to bring us in contact with the Earp brothers. But things don't go as we expect in part because of the presence of Frederick (German Freddie) Nietzsche, philosopher, gambler and gunman who, like Doc Holliday, is in the Southwest for health reasons.
These present an interesting mix, but I can't say they are the most arresting alternate history stories around. Each has its moments, though....more
In "Mainspring," Jay Lake has created a literal clockwork Earth and universe. The Earth and sun rotate and revolve on massive clockwork gears. But theIn "Mainspring," Jay Lake has created a literal clockwork Earth and universe. The Earth and sun rotate and revolve on massive clockwork gears. But the spring is winding down and needs to be rewound. As so often happens in fantasy novels, a young, unassuming ordinary person is somehow chosen to save the day. In this case, it is a young clockmaker's apprentice who must travel from New England to Antarctica where the axis of the Earth protrudes and he can gain access to the mainspring. The story is set in an alternative world around 1900 with Queen Victoria still on the throne. He has many adventures and meets many people different from our world. Their motivations are not always clear, which diminished the book somewhat for me, but it is still a fun adventure tale....more
Allen Steele provided me a bit of light reading and adventure among all of the serious non-fiction on my plate. Steele imagines an alternate WWII in wAllen Steele provided me a bit of light reading and adventure among all of the serious non-fiction on my plate. Steele imagines an alternate WWII in which the Germans shift focus early in the war from rockets to space planes that could drop mega-bombs on New York City and other distant targets. British intelligence learns of the plans and the U.S. puts Robert Goddard, America's rocket expert, to work on a crash program to develop our own space plane to counter the Germans. Plausible? Probably not. Fun and interesting? Certainly. And the novel weapon the American space plane deploys late in the book is a bit of a surprise in its simplicity - and also the unaddressed issue of how repeated deployment of such a weapon would affect future satellites orbiting the Earth....more
Thank goodness the author provided a glossary of Yiddish terms in the back of the book. Does this mean that Chabon may have overdone the Yiddishness oThank goodness the author provided a glossary of Yiddish terms in the back of the book. Does this mean that Chabon may have overdone the Yiddishness of the characters? Maybe a little. But this is still a fun read that blends alternate history (Israel fails in 1948 and Sitka, Alaska is set aside as a refuge for Jews), mobsters mostly Jewish but some Russians), murders (at least two) and deep state game playing. Oh, and a chess prodigy who left clues in the form of a hopeless game. It all comes together as the end of the Jewish homeland in Alaska approaches and they face another diaspora. And did I mention an effort by one of the parties involved to bring about Armageddon?...more
Loading...
