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Alt Hist Issue 1
Alt Hist is the new magazine of Historical Fiction and Alternate History. The first issue of Alt Hist features six short
“The Silent Judge” by David W. Landrum
“Easter Parade, 1930” by Rob McClure Smith
“Holy Water” by Andrew Knighton
“Lament for Lost Atlanta” by Arlan Andrews
“The Bitterness of Apples” by Priya Sharma
“Travelling by Air” by Ian Sales
“The Silent Judge” by David W. Landrum
“Easter Parade, 1930” by Rob McClure Smith
“Holy Water” by Andrew Knighton
“Lament for Lost Atlanta” by Arlan Andrews
“The Bitterness of Apples” by Priya Sharma
“Travelling by Air” by Ian Sales
308 pages, Nook
First published October 17, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 7, 2012
“Lament for Lost Atlanta” ~ by Arlan Andrews
Told from the perspective of a young man who resides in what is left of an almost unrecognizable “dystopian US”, where the south is very different than it is today.
In an alternative future (a post Civil War America of sorts) this short story examines a South where the Union did not embrace the Confederates after the war. As is often the custom by the winners of a war, there is a changed “mythology” around the war’s history - where the heroes from the loosing side are portrayed as villains by the usurpers. In this sad story all are designated as “terrorists”, including the beloved Robert E. Lee.
What is terrific about this readable short are its realistic consequences; looking at what is considered a terrorist, then thinking about how this kind of “mentality” is created in a person or group. Better yet (for me at least) is that this story occurs on Western soil, so I have a relatable and recognizable face for the quintessential “bad guy”.
Highly recommended, this story is a 4.5 star in my opinion. One of my favorite type of reads: a story with social relevance, a glimpse inside the complexity of human nature revealing how character can be created or destroyed, and answering a question that I personally have been struggling with.
About the author: Arlan Andrews has been writing for more than 30 years, with his work published in various magazines and intellectual journals. He is a member of the SFWA and resides in Texas. For an interesting 2007 article from USA Today where Andrews and 4 other science fiction authors of “deviant thinking” are consulted on warding off terrorist attacks:
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/...
Alt Hist is a relatively new and promising magazine featuring historical fiction and alternative history stories. This first issue contains 5 more shorts on various subjects and is where this great story was found. For more info: http://althistfiction.com/
Told from the perspective of a young man who resides in what is left of an almost unrecognizable “dystopian US”, where the south is very different than it is today.
In an alternative future (a post Civil War America of sorts) this short story examines a South where the Union did not embrace the Confederates after the war. As is often the custom by the winners of a war, there is a changed “mythology” around the war’s history - where the heroes from the loosing side are portrayed as villains by the usurpers. In this sad story all are designated as “terrorists”, including the beloved Robert E. Lee.
What is terrific about this readable short are its realistic consequences; looking at what is considered a terrorist, then thinking about how this kind of “mentality” is created in a person or group. Better yet (for me at least) is that this story occurs on Western soil, so I have a relatable and recognizable face for the quintessential “bad guy”.
Highly recommended, this story is a 4.5 star in my opinion. One of my favorite type of reads: a story with social relevance, a glimpse inside the complexity of human nature revealing how character can be created or destroyed, and answering a question that I personally have been struggling with.
About the author: Arlan Andrews has been writing for more than 30 years, with his work published in various magazines and intellectual journals. He is a member of the SFWA and resides in Texas. For an interesting 2007 article from USA Today where Andrews and 4 other science fiction authors of “deviant thinking” are consulted on warding off terrorist attacks:
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/...
Alt Hist is a relatively new and promising magazine featuring historical fiction and alternative history stories. This first issue contains 5 more shorts on various subjects and is where this great story was found. For more info: http://althistfiction.com/
March 26, 2017
Most not alternate history
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This review is from: Alt Hist Issue 1: The Magazine of Historical Fiction and Alternate History (Kindle Edition)
All of the stories are well written. However, all are not really alternate history. The first is simply a mystery story which does not alter known history at all. Lost Atlanta definitely changes history but never explains what happened to make the changes. Easter Parade is a good story of a Catholic/Protestant street battle but if the action alters history it must be an obscure change. Holy Water seems to be historical fiction with no effect on history. The Bitterness of Apples changes the Adam & Eve story with the serpent playing a strange sympathetic role. If I were rating this as a collection of short stories, I would give it four stars. As alternate history I give it two.
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Alt Hist Issue 1: The Magazine of Historical Fiction and Alternate History (Kindle Edition)
All of the stories are well written. However, all are not really alternate history. The first is simply a mystery story which does not alter known history at all. Lost Atlanta definitely changes history but never explains what happened to make the changes. Easter Parade is a good story of a Catholic/Protestant street battle but if the action alters history it must be an obscure change. Holy Water seems to be historical fiction with no effect on history. The Bitterness of Apples changes the Adam & Eve story with the serpent playing a strange sympathetic role. If I were rating this as a collection of short stories, I would give it four stars. As alternate history I give it two.
September 28, 2014
I love reading and writing alternate history, so finding a copy of this to read was a real treat for me. It was pretty good. There was only one story in the whole edition that I could not get into and that was simply because it was written in dialect, and I don't particularly enjoy struggling through a piece because I have to translate it from phonetically-spelled English to literary English.
Otherwise, though, it was a very interesting read, and it really opened my eyes up to the possibilities of how one event in history can be changed and so much more could be changed by it.
Otherwise, though, it was a very interesting read, and it really opened my eyes up to the possibilities of how one event in history can be changed and so much more could be changed by it.
January 14, 2013
Interesting first issue with a mix of historical and alt-historical material. Will be looking into future volumes.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews