What alt history books should i buy
- Thread starter Valdis
- Start date
It depends.
I've noticed there are two camps of AH fans, which I'll term "serious" and "casual". Which one do you fit into?
The first camp is the serious AH fan. For these people, plausibility is everything. They tend to use AH as a scholarly examination of how historical outcomes may likely have turned out differently given a difference in a certain situation. These people frown on ASB elements (time travel, alien intervention, etc.) and see the narrative elements of an AH scenario as secondary to the plausibility of the scenario's TL. These people tend to be actual history scholars.
However, casual AH fans enjoy AH for its narrative possibilities as much as (or more than) a device for the scholarly study of alternate historical outcomes. These people are more accepting of ASB scenarios and will tolerate comprimises in plausibility if the actual narrative of the AH is gripping enough. I would say that I'm this type.
So, which type are you? That would help us find things to suggest to you. Also, are there any historical events or time periods that you're particularly interested in?
I've noticed there are two camps of AH fans, which I'll term "serious" and "casual". Which one do you fit into?
The first camp is the serious AH fan. For these people, plausibility is everything. They tend to use AH as a scholarly examination of how historical outcomes may likely have turned out differently given a difference in a certain situation. These people frown on ASB elements (time travel, alien intervention, etc.) and see the narrative elements of an AH scenario as secondary to the plausibility of the scenario's TL. These people tend to be actual history scholars.
However, casual AH fans enjoy AH for its narrative possibilities as much as (or more than) a device for the scholarly study of alternate historical outcomes. These people are more accepting of ASB scenarios and will tolerate comprimises in plausibility if the actual narrative of the AH is gripping enough. I would say that I'm this type.
So, which type are you? That would help us find things to suggest to you. Also, are there any historical events or time periods that you're particularly interested in?
MacCaulay
Banned
(looking across bookshelf)
You know...I bought my first one in high school like 10 years ago and I still don't own For Want of A Nail...
Fox on the Rhine &
Fox at the Front both by Douglas Niles and Michael Dobson
Himmler leads a coup against Hitler, and places Rommel in command during the Battle of the Bulge. Pretty good realism, coupled with pretty good slam-bang action.
Alternate Generals I, II, and III edited by Harry Turtledove
Short story compendiums. Great for taking with you places, and generally awesome authors always throwing great work in.
Those are just a few!
You know...I bought my first one in high school like 10 years ago and I still don't own For Want of A Nail...
Fox on the Rhine &
Fox at the Front both by Douglas Niles and Michael Dobson
Himmler leads a coup against Hitler, and places Rommel in command during the Battle of the Bulge. Pretty good realism, coupled with pretty good slam-bang action.
Alternate Generals I, II, and III edited by Harry Turtledove
Short story compendiums. Great for taking with you places, and generally awesome authors always throwing great work in.
Those are just a few!
I don't know if you'll want For Want of a Nail, then. That's VERY serious AH. It's AH written in the form of a textbook from an ATL in which Britain quashes the American Revolution. It's very interesting (though a little dry), but if you're looking for a light, fun AH novel to read, that's not it.
Since you're British, you may want to check out The Peshawar Lancers by S.M. Stirling. It's an ASB scenario in which a meteor shower impacting the Northern Hemisphere in 1878 destroys civilization as we know it. The British evacuate the home isles and India becomes the new seat of the British empire. I haven't read it myself, but it looks interesting.
Also, by early 20th century, do you mean up through WWII? If you do, you could also read the two great Nazi victory AH novels (as I was told on here when I asked for Nazi victory reading suggestions a couple years ago), Fatherland by Robert Harris and The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick. Or if you want a super ASB WWII, you could read Harry Turtledove's WorldWar quartet. It's about reptilian aliens invading Earth in 1942 and how the different factions work together to repel the invasion. (No, the Germans, Jews, and Soviets don't all become friends all of a sudden. Turtledove does a good job of reflecting how tense the partnerships between factions are.) If you read any Turtledove, you might want to pick WorldWar because it's not Ameri-centric, and you'll still be initiated in the the weird love-hate Turtledove cult that we have here. (It's kind of worth it to understand all the in-jokes.)
Anybody else have some 18th, 19th, and early 20th century suggestions, preferably Brit-centric?
Since you're British, you may want to check out The Peshawar Lancers by S.M. Stirling. It's an ASB scenario in which a meteor shower impacting the Northern Hemisphere in 1878 destroys civilization as we know it. The British evacuate the home isles and India becomes the new seat of the British empire. I haven't read it myself, but it looks interesting.
Also, by early 20th century, do you mean up through WWII? If you do, you could also read the two great Nazi victory AH novels (as I was told on here when I asked for Nazi victory reading suggestions a couple years ago), Fatherland by Robert Harris and The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick. Or if you want a super ASB WWII, you could read Harry Turtledove's WorldWar quartet. It's about reptilian aliens invading Earth in 1942 and how the different factions work together to repel the invasion. (No, the Germans, Jews, and Soviets don't all become friends all of a sudden. Turtledove does a good job of reflecting how tense the partnerships between factions are.) If you read any Turtledove, you might want to pick WorldWar because it's not Ameri-centric, and you'll still be initiated in the the weird love-hate Turtledove cult that we have here. (It's kind of worth it to understand all the in-jokes.)
Anybody else have some 18th, 19th, and early 20th century suggestions, preferably Brit-centric?
MacCaulay
Banned
uh...let me look...SS-GB by Len Deighton. It's a murder mystery set in post-Operation: Sealion England. A really good yarn. The guy actually normally writes murder mysteries, so the tale is a really good read.
erm, On Turtledove i'ld Suggest Ruled Britannia.
as for others, I can't say much. maybe 1812: The Rivers of war
as for others, I can't say much. maybe 1812: The Rivers of war
Yes! I highly recommend Ruled Britannia if you don't mind reading some 17th century AH. It's about Shakespeare in a Spanish-occupied Britain. The dialogue is beautifully-written Elizabethan English. If you've studied any Shakespeare, you'll probably appreciate it.
BTW, Tor recently put up a free Shakespeare-related Turtledove short story online. If you read Ruled Britannia, you'll be interested in it. It doesn't take place in the same TL as Ruled Britannia, though. Go to http://www.tor.com/index.php?option=...story&id=17973 if you want to read it.