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Worlds That Weren't
This is a landmark anthology of four original novellas by the reigning masters of alternate history. Set in different eras, different places, and different times, these forays into "what might have been" showcase the stunning breadth and far-reaching possibilities the genre represents.
Includes:
The Daimon by Harry Turtledove
Shikari in Galveston by S.M. Stirling
The Logistics of Carthage by Mary Gentle
The Last Ride of German Freddie by Walter Jon Williams
Includes:
The Daimon by Harry Turtledove
Shikari in Galveston by S.M. Stirling
The Logistics of Carthage by Mary Gentle
The Last Ride of German Freddie by Walter Jon Williams
295 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
22 people are currently reading
628 people want to read
About the author
Harry Turtledove
564 books1,971 followersDr Harry Norman Turtledove is an American novelist, who has produced a sizeable number of works in several genres including alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction.
Harry Turtledove attended UCLA, where he received a Ph.D. in Byzantine history in 1977.
Turtledove has been dubbed "The Master of Alternate History". Within this genre he is known both for creating original scenarios: such as survival of the Byzantine Empire; an alien invasion in the middle of the World War II; and for giving a fresh and original treatment to themes previously dealt with by other authors, such as the victory of the South in the American Civil War; and of Nazi Germany in the Second World War.
His novels have been credited with bringing alternate history into the mainstream. His style of alternate history has a strong military theme.
Harry Turtledove attended UCLA, where he received a Ph.D. in Byzantine history in 1977.
Turtledove has been dubbed "The Master of Alternate History". Within this genre he is known both for creating original scenarios: such as survival of the Byzantine Empire; an alien invasion in the middle of the World War II; and for giving a fresh and original treatment to themes previously dealt with by other authors, such as the victory of the South in the American Civil War; and of Nazi Germany in the Second World War.
His novels have been credited with bringing alternate history into the mainstream. His style of alternate history has a strong military theme.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
June 18, 2015
Worlds That Weren't is a collection of four alternate history stories, each written by a different author known in part for their own work in the genre. Each story diverges from history as we know it at a different point, with some going much further than others. The stories by S.M. Stirling and Mary Gentle are related to novels they previously published. One interesting feature of this collection is that each author includes a short essay/epilogue/afterward discussing the turning point in history which was changed for the sake of their story.
Harry Turtledove starts off the collection with a story that begins with a feel very close to an attempt at one of Plato's works, with Socrates (or Sokrates in this case) in a central role. Fairly quickly, though, anyone who has read anything else by the author will recognize his voice forcing its way into the foreground. While the story can remain entertaining, it takes some effort to make it so. The high point of his writing is in the history and research, which shows in his explanation of the differences between his story and history, as well as the opening of the story itself.
S.M. Stirling takes up the reigns with a story based in a world which exists a few generations after its history has diverged from our own. This world is post-apocalypse, in the form of a natural disaster which strikes near the prime of the British Empire. He explains that the purpose of the setting was to bring back some of the feeling of adventure novels often set (or written) in the time period in which his world's history nearly comes to an end. In many ways he is successful at doing just that, and this one is definitely worth a read.
Mary Gentle brings a story which plays to the idea that history is not quite what we normally think it is. It has been said that the winner writes history, and that the word itself is derived from his story. As she explains, history takes the evidence at hand and makes it fit to the stories we have decided to tell. The history here is still divergent from our own, but this story specifically focuses more on the events and points of fact which might fall through the cracks and be left untold in history. Overall, the concept is interesting, and the story is entertaining, but at times it feels unfinished. The gaps in the story are nearly as big as the gaps in history through which it may have fallen.
Finally, we come to the story by Walter Jon Williams. This one takes personalities which are well known by most, but often not as well known in their true form. Specifically, he decides to take a look at what may have happened if Friedrich Nietzsche had chosen to retire to the American West instead of traveling Europe in search of a locale better suited to his failing health. Of course, there are few better places for historical fiction (or alternate history, in this case) at this particular time (the late 1800s) than Tombstone, AZ, where "German Freddie" comes toe-to-toe with Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp. While giving us an alternate-history take on a classic western, it also reminds us that most of the popular history of the American West is as much (or more) alternate history as anything written here, and the same goes for Nietzsche. While not the best story in this collection, in my opinion, it does have its moments, and often feels like the story in which the author had the most fun bringing his characters to life.
Overall, I think this collection is very much worth reading, and it has introduced me to a couple more authors which may not have come my way for a while otherwise.
Harry Turtledove starts off the collection with a story that begins with a feel very close to an attempt at one of Plato's works, with Socrates (or Sokrates in this case) in a central role. Fairly quickly, though, anyone who has read anything else by the author will recognize his voice forcing its way into the foreground. While the story can remain entertaining, it takes some effort to make it so. The high point of his writing is in the history and research, which shows in his explanation of the differences between his story and history, as well as the opening of the story itself.
S.M. Stirling takes up the reigns with a story based in a world which exists a few generations after its history has diverged from our own. This world is post-apocalypse, in the form of a natural disaster which strikes near the prime of the British Empire. He explains that the purpose of the setting was to bring back some of the feeling of adventure novels often set (or written) in the time period in which his world's history nearly comes to an end. In many ways he is successful at doing just that, and this one is definitely worth a read.
Mary Gentle brings a story which plays to the idea that history is not quite what we normally think it is. It has been said that the winner writes history, and that the word itself is derived from his story. As she explains, history takes the evidence at hand and makes it fit to the stories we have decided to tell. The history here is still divergent from our own, but this story specifically focuses more on the events and points of fact which might fall through the cracks and be left untold in history. Overall, the concept is interesting, and the story is entertaining, but at times it feels unfinished. The gaps in the story are nearly as big as the gaps in history through which it may have fallen.
Finally, we come to the story by Walter Jon Williams. This one takes personalities which are well known by most, but often not as well known in their true form. Specifically, he decides to take a look at what may have happened if Friedrich Nietzsche had chosen to retire to the American West instead of traveling Europe in search of a locale better suited to his failing health. Of course, there are few better places for historical fiction (or alternate history, in this case) at this particular time (the late 1800s) than Tombstone, AZ, where "German Freddie" comes toe-to-toe with Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp. While giving us an alternate-history take on a classic western, it also reminds us that most of the popular history of the American West is as much (or more) alternate history as anything written here, and the same goes for Nietzsche. While not the best story in this collection, in my opinion, it does have its moments, and often feels like the story in which the author had the most fun bringing his characters to life.
Overall, I think this collection is very much worth reading, and it has introduced me to a couple more authors which may not have come my way for a while otherwise.
March 24, 2013
A genuine curate's egg, with something at all levels:
'The Daimon' exhibits Harry Turtledove's talent for research alongside his inability to devolve it into his staid, plodding narrative style as anything other than hard, indigestible lumps of infodump. The story is readable as long as you gear back your expectations to the ones you had when you were first discovering SF in your early teens, but shows little sophistication or style. Readable, but nothing more.
SM Stirling's 'Shikari in Galveston' should have been excellent. The premise is enjoyable, the boy's-own-adventure setting and execution is appropriate to the subject matter, and a great deal of setup time is spent portraying the sweep of two alternative world aspects coming into collision with each other in obsessive detail. But the narrative pace is so woefully inept that it turns reader frustration into outright anger-- after spending an inordinate majority of the story placing each character in exact locations the climax happens in tiny moments, half off-screen, and with most of the major characters either watching from the sidelines or playing extraordinarily passive parts. The whole thing is massively contrived and just as massively disappointing, all promise and no delivery.
'The Logistics of Carthage' Mary Gentle's contribution, is equally disappointing, a gloriously detailed and beautifully painted setting being used as the backdrop to a great deal of nothing much, other than yet another in Gentle's seemingly endless parade of worldly yet strangely alluring middle-aged Mary Sues, this time one going gently off the rails while offering us no great justification for anything she experiences. As with Stirling, this story is set in the world of one of Gentle's novels, which also robs the reader: rather than creating something new, we end up with 2 addenda to other works that come across as half-realised and lazy.
The only piece in the collection that goes any way towards justifying the purchase price, although it does so by virtue of being an excellent work in its own right, is the last story, Walter Jon Williams' 'The Last Ride of German Freddie', which not only manages to act as a gripping narrative but explores a genuinely examined alternative possibility to our own reality. It's a work of exquisite craftsmanship, simultaneously turning established facts on their head whilst reinforcing them, and giving us strong, believable characters acting both as we might imagine them doing so in our reality and perfectly in tune with the different universe presented by Williams. It's easily the best piece in the book, and the only one I'll bother to pick up the book to read a second time. What stars this collection is given belong to it.
'The Daimon' exhibits Harry Turtledove's talent for research alongside his inability to devolve it into his staid, plodding narrative style as anything other than hard, indigestible lumps of infodump. The story is readable as long as you gear back your expectations to the ones you had when you were first discovering SF in your early teens, but shows little sophistication or style. Readable, but nothing more.
SM Stirling's 'Shikari in Galveston' should have been excellent. The premise is enjoyable, the boy's-own-adventure setting and execution is appropriate to the subject matter, and a great deal of setup time is spent portraying the sweep of two alternative world aspects coming into collision with each other in obsessive detail. But the narrative pace is so woefully inept that it turns reader frustration into outright anger-- after spending an inordinate majority of the story placing each character in exact locations the climax happens in tiny moments, half off-screen, and with most of the major characters either watching from the sidelines or playing extraordinarily passive parts. The whole thing is massively contrived and just as massively disappointing, all promise and no delivery.
'The Logistics of Carthage' Mary Gentle's contribution, is equally disappointing, a gloriously detailed and beautifully painted setting being used as the backdrop to a great deal of nothing much, other than yet another in Gentle's seemingly endless parade of worldly yet strangely alluring middle-aged Mary Sues, this time one going gently off the rails while offering us no great justification for anything she experiences. As with Stirling, this story is set in the world of one of Gentle's novels, which also robs the reader: rather than creating something new, we end up with 2 addenda to other works that come across as half-realised and lazy.
The only piece in the collection that goes any way towards justifying the purchase price, although it does so by virtue of being an excellent work in its own right, is the last story, Walter Jon Williams' 'The Last Ride of German Freddie', which not only manages to act as a gripping narrative but explores a genuinely examined alternative possibility to our own reality. It's a work of exquisite craftsmanship, simultaneously turning established facts on their head whilst reinforcing them, and giving us strong, believable characters acting both as we might imagine them doing so in our reality and perfectly in tune with the different universe presented by Williams. It's easily the best piece in the book, and the only one I'll bother to pick up the book to read a second time. What stars this collection is given belong to it.
May 19, 2021
Nothing in Common but Too Expensive
Since this is a collection of four unrelated alternative history novellas I first discuss them separately:
The piece about Alkibiades becoming an earlier Alexander of Macedon shows Harry Turtledove at his best: a good idea, credible story but still solid history and (unusual bonus for this author) short.
S. M. Stirling’s story about a hunting party in an America after the fall described in his “Peshawar Lancers” universe is a somewhat odd mixture of post-nuclear expedition a la “The Postman”, a western revenge movie and gothic horror-story. A good summer read.
Mary Gentle’s story is the low point of the book: it gives the distinct impression of something put together from earlier, discarded material just to meet a deadline. It is unclear to the end what the story really is about and as a teaser or introduction into the “Ash” universe it fails miserably.
But the book as a whole is saved by its last piece: William’s story about Nietsche in Tombstone is a rare gem. Crazy and funny (imagine: Nietsche as a gunman and gambler!) but still accurate. Just great.
My opinion about the book: the stories have nothing in common beyond the fact that they are all taking place in alternate histories. That wouldn’t be a problem in a bigger anthology or in a magazine, but for a hardcover with just four stories it adds up to too expensive. So read it, but don’t buy.
Since this is a collection of four unrelated alternative history novellas I first discuss them separately:
The piece about Alkibiades becoming an earlier Alexander of Macedon shows Harry Turtledove at his best: a good idea, credible story but still solid history and (unusual bonus for this author) short.
S. M. Stirling’s story about a hunting party in an America after the fall described in his “Peshawar Lancers” universe is a somewhat odd mixture of post-nuclear expedition a la “The Postman”, a western revenge movie and gothic horror-story. A good summer read.
Mary Gentle’s story is the low point of the book: it gives the distinct impression of something put together from earlier, discarded material just to meet a deadline. It is unclear to the end what the story really is about and as a teaser or introduction into the “Ash” universe it fails miserably.
But the book as a whole is saved by its last piece: William’s story about Nietsche in Tombstone is a rare gem. Crazy and funny (imagine: Nietsche as a gunman and gambler!) but still accurate. Just great.
My opinion about the book: the stories have nothing in common beyond the fact that they are all taking place in alternate histories. That wouldn’t be a problem in a bigger anthology or in a magazine, but for a hardcover with just four stories it adds up to too expensive. So read it, but don’t buy.
April 4, 2020
Worlds 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.
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.
October 3, 2018
This book had me scratching my head quite a bit. Harry Turtledove is one of my favorite writers is almost any genre, but his contribution here seemed to be his way of saying, "Let me show you just how many Greek words I know that you dont." The Stirling and Gentle stories were pretty good, enjoyable, but not great. The only one that really had me wanting more was "The Last Ride of German Freddie" from Walter Jon Williams, which puts Nietzsche in Tombstone.
March 30, 2024
Got this just for the Turtledove story, but all turned out to be amazing shorts on a variety of topics. Well written and edited, interesting "characters," great plotlines. I'd not been impressed by Stirling before but enjoyed this work. Loved all of them, really. Highly recommended. Each has a short explanatory section afterwards.
December 4, 2023
The first two stories are four stars each and the second two are two and one star. 2.75 average so I will round to three star book. The Turtledove and Stirling stories are worth the cost of the book.
May 24, 2019
If you love SF and have not read this, you are missing out on the best in alternate worlds.
December 25, 2021
Four alternative history stories - a mixed bag.
December 18, 2024
Stirling's and Williams's entries are the clear standouts in this collection. It's a shame Stirling never returned to the world of The Peshwar Lancers since 'Shikari in Galveston'.
November 25, 2016
This is a collection of alternate history tales, and as there's only four of them, they're of novella length. In one, Socrates goes to war with an old friend and ends up changing his mind. In another, over a century after a major meteor shower in 1878 radically realigns the world and puts the brakes on progress, an aristocrat from India (now the center of what was once the British Empire) goes hunting in the wilds of Texas. In another, a group of mercenaries get into conflict with a religious order over their demand to bury a woman fighting with them. And in the last, German Philosopher Frederich Nietzsche moves to the U.S. for his health and eventually winds up in the middle of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
I love alternate history. In theory. I mean, the idea of changing one detail and seeing what might have happened from there is really cool. In practice, when it's JUST alternate history and no other element (like parallel world travel between various alternate histories), it tends to leave me a little cold, feeling a bit too much like actual historical fiction. And while I'm not entirely ignorant of history, my knowledge usually isn't in-depth enough that I can fully appreciate AH tales... sometimes I may be completely ignorant on what actually was supposed to have changed, or what elements were designed to deliberately echo or comment on the original history given the change.
In this case, there's a little help with that, in that the stories each contain an afterword that spells out a bit more of the details. The first of these is the most helpful, in that although I knew about Socrates and that he probably didn't go to war as described in the story, I didn't know what the effects were. In most cases, I suspected it would have helped a great deal if I read the afterword first, to prepare myself.
The stories are generally all right, but still it never really rises above the stated problems I have with AH... it felt too much like reading historical fiction and in many cases bored me. I think my favorite was probably the first, just because watching Socrates question people's assumptions an infuriate them with inconvenient questions about their worldview never seems to get old for me. But, in the end, most of the stories were forgettable (in fact, I've read this before years ago and had only the faintest recollection of any of them), even where the major changes to history were not.
Two stars.
I love alternate history. In theory. I mean, the idea of changing one detail and seeing what might have happened from there is really cool. In practice, when it's JUST alternate history and no other element (like parallel world travel between various alternate histories), it tends to leave me a little cold, feeling a bit too much like actual historical fiction. And while I'm not entirely ignorant of history, my knowledge usually isn't in-depth enough that I can fully appreciate AH tales... sometimes I may be completely ignorant on what actually was supposed to have changed, or what elements were designed to deliberately echo or comment on the original history given the change.
In this case, there's a little help with that, in that the stories each contain an afterword that spells out a bit more of the details. The first of these is the most helpful, in that although I knew about Socrates and that he probably didn't go to war as described in the story, I didn't know what the effects were. In most cases, I suspected it would have helped a great deal if I read the afterword first, to prepare myself.
The stories are generally all right, but still it never really rises above the stated problems I have with AH... it felt too much like reading historical fiction and in many cases bored me. I think my favorite was probably the first, just because watching Socrates question people's assumptions an infuriate them with inconvenient questions about their worldview never seems to get old for me. But, in the end, most of the stories were forgettable (in fact, I've read this before years ago and had only the faintest recollection of any of them), even where the major changes to history were not.
Two stars.
November 25, 2011
Four short stories taking a journey through four historical points in a time and what the possible out comes could have been. The first about historical Greece and what would have happened if Socrates had died before his time. Great development by the Author, even with limited knowledge of the period in time it was set, I was able to follow the story and understand the implications. The second story was centered around a world change which plunged Northern Hemisphere into the dark ages, letting the Southern Countries become dominant and successful. A little too graphic in some of the death scenes for my taste, but an overall delight on how precarious our successful countries hold on to their positions. The Third story dives into the battle of Carthage and how the Middle East and Asia could have easily tipped in another direction. This story centered more on personal beliefs of people from that era and how these beliefs helped shape some of our current religions, superstitions and politics. I know very little of this battle and the people from that time frame, but the pieces linking us through history rang true and was a little unsettling. The last story was the best, or maybe I am partial because it deals with a story I love, Tombstone and the Earp's. This story takes the classic Tombstone setting and slightly changes the decisions a few of the well known characters take. Josie ends up with another man, Wyatt is killed instead of Morgan and the Cowboys find their demise in an un-traditional way. Very good read of this history and how something as minor as a girl changing her lovers takes the town down a new road. Yeah! I have found a new genre of books to read and I didn't think that was possible. For anyone interested in history and a touch of science fiction, alternate history is a great read. I look forward to reading more books from this genre and the alternate worlds it will create in my imagination.
May 27, 2012
I bought this book for the Mary Gentle story. Unfortunately, I'd already read it, in her short story collection, "Cartomancy." That's an excellent collection; go read it! I was pretty disappointed that it wasn't a new-to-me story, though. "The Logistics of Carthage" is in the same setting as her 'Ash' books, which are actually the only books by her I haven't yet read. I own them, though, and plan on reading them soon!
I really didn't much care for the other 3 stories in this book.
The first is Harry Turtledove: "The Daimon." I've read one other book by Turtledove, and didn't like it. But, it was YA, and this isn't, so I had an open mind. But, I found it too concerned with military details, and didn't get caught up by the characters or plot. The premise is that Socrates joined a Greek military expedition to Athens.
The second is "Shikari in Galveston" by S.M. Stirling. This is a prequel to his "Peshawar Lancers" book. I've previously read two other books by Stirling, and really quite disliked them. It's not that he's a bad writer, I think I just have a very different perspective on the world than he does, and something about his worldview and attitudes toward just about everything, just how he sees people - it annoys me. But if you are a fan of the writer, you will probably like this.
The book concludes with a Walter Jon Williams story. I've read 3 of WJW's books, but I think, all back in the 80's, so I'm not really up-to-date with his work. What I've read was all sci-fi/cyberpunk; while this is a Western. I've liked, but not loved, his work - and I feel similarly here. The premise of "The Last Ride of German Freddie" is that Friedrich Nietzsche ends up in the American West hanging out with Doc Holliday and the Earps. Amusing, but not amazing.
I really didn't much care for the other 3 stories in this book.
The first is Harry Turtledove: "The Daimon." I've read one other book by Turtledove, and didn't like it. But, it was YA, and this isn't, so I had an open mind. But, I found it too concerned with military details, and didn't get caught up by the characters or plot. The premise is that Socrates joined a Greek military expedition to Athens.
The second is "Shikari in Galveston" by S.M. Stirling. This is a prequel to his "Peshawar Lancers" book. I've previously read two other books by Stirling, and really quite disliked them. It's not that he's a bad writer, I think I just have a very different perspective on the world than he does, and something about his worldview and attitudes toward just about everything, just how he sees people - it annoys me. But if you are a fan of the writer, you will probably like this.
The book concludes with a Walter Jon Williams story. I've read 3 of WJW's books, but I think, all back in the 80's, so I'm not really up-to-date with his work. What I've read was all sci-fi/cyberpunk; while this is a Western. I've liked, but not loved, his work - and I feel similarly here. The premise of "The Last Ride of German Freddie" is that Friedrich Nietzsche ends up in the American West hanging out with Doc Holliday and the Earps. Amusing, but not amazing.
October 5, 2013
These four kind of have to be evaluated on their own merits, even though you're stuck with all of them.
Turtledove's novella requires a solid brushing up on your classical history to appreciate, but is clever, well-written, and well-researched.
Stirling's tale contains all of the flaws of his Peshawar Lancers, with none of the redeeming qualities. His afterword compounds the problem. Both sexist and racist, his narrative thinks that it's faking the sexism and racism of the society while rising above it, but is actually sexist and racist on a different level. Excellent. Perhaps even worse, it basically skips the climax. We follow the action very closely and then suddenly he realizes that he's writing a novella instead of a novel and just jumps over pretty much everything. We go from a temporary escape to a "Well, Bob, it sure was exciting when you rescued us" description to a "several months later, the massive campaign this started had just wound up and during that time we resolved our personal feelings!" description.
Gentle's piece feels terribly disjointed, if promising--the characters are really interesting, but this is a prelude to what appears to be a massive epic, and nothing really makes a lot of sense without having read that epic.
Williams initially rubbed me the wrong way--the protagonist is insufferable. Then I realized who the protagonist was, and that he was intended to be insufferable, and I liked it better.
Turtledove's novella requires a solid brushing up on your classical history to appreciate, but is clever, well-written, and well-researched.
Stirling's tale contains all of the flaws of his Peshawar Lancers, with none of the redeeming qualities. His afterword compounds the problem. Both sexist and racist, his narrative thinks that it's faking the sexism and racism of the society while rising above it, but is actually sexist and racist on a different level. Excellent. Perhaps even worse, it basically skips the climax. We follow the action very closely and then suddenly he realizes that he's writing a novella instead of a novel and just jumps over pretty much everything. We go from a temporary escape to a "Well, Bob, it sure was exciting when you rescued us" description to a "several months later, the massive campaign this started had just wound up and during that time we resolved our personal feelings!" description.
Gentle's piece feels terribly disjointed, if promising--the characters are really interesting, but this is a prelude to what appears to be a massive epic, and nothing really makes a lot of sense without having read that epic.
Williams initially rubbed me the wrong way--the protagonist is insufferable. Then I realized who the protagonist was, and that he was intended to be insufferable, and I liked it better.
July 24, 2012
I really liked the Stirling and the Williams novellas.
The Stirling one was a return to his "Peshawar Lancers" world, but here in North America. I thought it was exciting and well-thought-out.
Williams takes on Tombstone and the whole "OK Corral" thing. I'm not really a Western fan, but adding Nietzsche to the mix was intriguing.
I didn't care for the other two as much. Gentle's seemed sporadic, like a series of vignettes rather than a narrative; that's not a style of writing I care for, so to me it looked like it needed to be edited into a coherent whole.
As far as the Turtledove one goes- I've never liked Socrates; his "dialogue" technique can easily "prove" anything at all, depending on the questions a clever person asks. So the combination of Socrates and a lot of military tactics bored me silly.
Still- the Stirling and the Williams pieces were a lot of fun.
The Stirling one was a return to his "Peshawar Lancers" world, but here in North America. I thought it was exciting and well-thought-out.
Williams takes on Tombstone and the whole "OK Corral" thing. I'm not really a Western fan, but adding Nietzsche to the mix was intriguing.
I didn't care for the other two as much. Gentle's seemed sporadic, like a series of vignettes rather than a narrative; that's not a style of writing I care for, so to me it looked like it needed to be edited into a coherent whole.
As far as the Turtledove one goes- I've never liked Socrates; his "dialogue" technique can easily "prove" anything at all, depending on the questions a clever person asks. So the combination of Socrates and a lot of military tactics bored me silly.
Still- the Stirling and the Williams pieces were a lot of fun.
September 16, 2010
Worth buying, reading, and five stars just for S. M. Stirling's contribution - a novella prequel to hisThe Peshawar Lancers, one of my very favorites of his books. I didn't expect much of the others, and didn't really appreciate them. The last story set in the Wild West would probably appeal to someone else who had more interest in that time and place. On the other hand if Stirling writes something, I read it. He could make North Florida or the Canadian prairies interesting.
April 11, 2010
Couldn't really get into this one. This is mostly due to the fact that I know little to nothing about the time periods in these stories. The one about the Carthage soldiers was mildly interesting, due to the impossible situation they've gotten themselves in. But I couldn't tell you how divergent this was from the historical fact. Half of the fun of a good alternate-history book is to see how the story compares with the real history, and to see how the author follows one or two changes into an alternate timeline. Without that, these stories just sort of muddled through for me.
March 30, 2016
The more I read alternate history, the more fascinating it becomes. This collection feature four novellas by a few of the better-known AH writers. Each one looks at a particular bit of history, or history as it could have been, through different sets of eyes. What I appreciated most was that each author included a couple of pages sharing the real historical background of their work, as well as some of their philosophy with respect to the flow of history. On a personal note, it isn't easy to read books while on the elliptical machine in the gym. ;-)
July 11, 2008
Instead of the typical alternate history of a different victor in a war, or a prevention of an assassination, these stories highlighted gradual and subtle changes in history. I especially liked the stories "Shikari in Galveston" featuring an alternate America still within the British Empire and "German Freddy Rides Again" featuring Nietzche at the OK Corral. Finally, I liked the afterwords to each story which explained how history really happened.
May 21, 2012
Really liked the first two stories. They got shorter as the book went along. I did like the last two but have never read anything by either of those authors so I wasn't as familiar with their worlds. The Stirling story happened prior to the Penshar Lancers to two of the characters in that book. It is actually mentioned without any details in the Penshar Lancers.
Definitely more interested to those who like alternative history. :)
Definitely more interested to those who like alternative history. :)
June 8, 2012
I got the book for 'Shikari in Galveston' by S. M. Stirling, a story in the universe of The Peshawar Lancers. Four stars
'The Daimon' by Harry Turtledove has a different 'Alexander' emerging in Greece.
'The Logistics of Carthage' by Mary Gentle is a prequel to her Ash series of which I am not familiar (worth checking out though).
'The Last Ride of German Freddie' by Walter Jon Williams puts Friedrich Nietzsche at the OK Corral.
'The Daimon' by Harry Turtledove has a different 'Alexander' emerging in Greece.
'The Logistics of Carthage' by Mary Gentle is a prequel to her Ash series of which I am not familiar (worth checking out though).
'The Last Ride of German Freddie' by Walter Jon Williams puts Friedrich Nietzsche at the OK Corral.
February 23, 2024
I bought this for the S. M. Stirling story, which is worth three stars: an inessential but readable prequel to The Peshawar Lancers. The others, about two stars each.
I was quite impressed by Mary Gentle’s writing and characterization, but the story is too gory and unpleasant for my liking. Gentle by name but not by nature, apparently.
I was quite impressed by Mary Gentle’s writing and characterization, but the story is too gory and unpleasant for my liking. Gentle by name but not by nature, apparently.
August 4, 2013
Somewhat uneven, given the radically different styles of the authors. The Turtledove story was good, and better-written than most of his novels. The Stirling story made me want to rush out and buy "Peshawar Lancers". The Gentle story was a little dull. And the Williams story was very odd but very entertaining.
July 11, 2008
I love alternate history fiction; done right, it helps you learn history, and it's fun to see what you know is "alternate" vs. actual history. Of four stories, one was good, two were ok and the fourth I couldn't finish. I'm getting better at not wasting my time on stuff that isn't worth it.
September 13, 2017
Four stories of alternate history from Turtledove, S.M. Stirling, Mary Gentle and yes, Walter Jon Williams. William’s story “The Last Ride of German Freddie” is absolute genius, a completely perfect short story.
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February 24, 2010
This is four novellas of alternate history. I think this book convinced me that I am not really interested in this genre. I think the pieces were well-written but I still struggled with it.
July 23, 2011
I just finished the first story and felt it's enough. The idea is quite amusing, but the story-telling don't really appeal to me.
November 5, 2011
An excellent collection of short stories in the alternate history genre, which is one of my favorites.
January 25, 2014
Good stuff
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