Gray Tide in the East: An Alternate History of the First World War

Gray Tide In The East #1

by Andrew J. Heller

One decision can change the course of history, but would the results be so dramatically different if, simply, Kaiser Wilhelm II had persisted against the advice of his military commanders and ordered his troops already massed at the Belgian border in 1914 to re-deploy to the east against Russia instead?

It nearly happened. Really. The Kaiser did order the invasion of Belgium halted, and yet it went ahead, bringing Great Britain and the rest of the British Empire into the war.

This book explores what would have happened if the Kaiser’s decision had not been reversed and his troops had not crossed the Belgian border. It is fiction, of course, but the characters are real and, most of them, precisely where they were and where they would have been fulfilling their historical roles at that time.

The story is vivid, realistic and exciting, following the action, the intrigue, the political upheavals as well as political apathy and inertia, meticulously researched and accurate in military and historical detail.

(UK Edition)

Genres: Alternate History, Military Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fiction

163 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2013

Reviews

[Jim Lyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intriguing and well-written account of how world events may have turned out if only...

Accessible to scholars and casual readers alike.

[Cold War Conversations Podcast · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing alternative history of World War 1.


This quick (only 160 pages long) alternative history based in the theory of Germany not invading Belgium in 1914, but concentrating on France and Russia fighting leaving Britain neutral.

Although the premise is a fascinating one the delivery is somewhat leaden and leaves a lot to be desired. Heller has obviously done his research but the book's characters are very one dimensional and the narrative plodding.

Apart from some cameo appearances of historical characters such as Churchill, Joe Stilwell and Churchill from later “real” history the book leaves this reader feeling short changed.

Apart from Conroy and Turtledove there's surprisingly few World War 1 alternative histories out there and I can't help feeling that if David Downing had written this with same quality as his Moscow Option: An Alternative Second World War then I would be giving a far more supportive review.

[Charles Nordstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

All actual history is full of "if only's" and "what ifs." Mr. Heller has taken the biggest "what if" of WW I and built a meticulously researched and reasoned alternative history for the Great War. He has created a readable and highly plausible yarn that reads even better than the actual history does in many respects. The causes and effects in this novel are both predictable and almost inescapable. I would recommend this novel to any alternative history fan both for how well structured and thoughtful it is, but also because it deals with a war that is fast fading into history and largely forgotten at least in the United States.
However, I could only give it 4 stars because of the editing of the book. A reader should not have to supply missing words, misspellings or reconstruct jumbled sentences so that they make more sense. This is a trend I have observed in electronically published books that is not common in those published on paper.
It is a shame that such a wonderful creation of hardwork and meticulous research is marred by a lack of proof reading and editing. I am not sure where the responsibility for these once common tasks lay, but it is not confined just to electronic publishing of books. I see it more and more in journals and magazines and newspapers as well as hear it on TV and radio.

[Johnny · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good counterfactual book. The main problem is what I consider to the "Turtledove effect". You can tell an alternate history story without including every major figure or some one who will become famous. If you want to describe a battle scene with a soldier from a Bavarian Regiment, please don't insult our intelligence by calling him the Austrian till the very end. How about just calling him Johann Mann or something common like that. But please don't let that distract from a good story with two nice afterwards. In the first one, he explains the actual history and were he got the inspiration for the later battles and history. I. The second one, he discusses the after effect of this war compared to the Great War we knew.

[Raymond Thomas · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't realize this was an ebook when I purchased this "book," which is a little generous for something that is roughly 145 pages long, has zero character development, and is barely coherent. At some points it seems like Heller has done his homework on the subject, but at other points it all falls to pieces. Heller's attempt to "sneak" Hitler in as a surprise POV character is so hamfisted and over the top its obvious who he is writing about long before the character is named. The situation Heller explores isn't well fleshed out and is poorly described basically all the way through.

tl;dr don't bother. I can't believe there are 2 more of these books out there.

[Bob H · Rating 4 out of 5]

A plausible enough what-if: the Kaiser had hesitated about following through on the Schlieffen Plan when war finally came in 1914. Here, his generals can't talk him about of shifting the effort away from Belgium to avoid provoking the British to join the war, and he cancels the elaborate planning and throws the mobilized army mostly toward Russia instead. Here, the war plays out with the British out of the conflict, the French hurling themselves, red pantaloons and all, at a shortened Western Front, and the main German-Austrian effort hitting the Tsar's armies instead. The story is straightforward enough, the prose reasonable, although the characters tend to be wooden, almost paint-by-numbers. For what it sets out to do -- pose a historical scenario and play it out -- it's reasonable enough.

[John Nellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting alternate history of the First World War. What if Germany went east instead of attacking in the Wes?. I found it a very good what if alternate history. The story to me was very possible. The Kaiser actually changed his mind and stopped the German attack against Belgium momentarily. He was persuaded by Moltke to once again order the attack on Belgium. That is what happened in our history. But in this version the Kaiser stands firm and orders his units not to attack Belgium, but to be transported east and hit Russia instead. Thus England stays neutral and does not enter the war. Germany elects to stand on the defensive in the West. Could it have happened? The author at the end of the book backs up his story with some very interesting facts of why it could have been.

[Scott Skipper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outstanding!

"Grey Tide in the East" brilliantly depicts how the whim of an Emperor could easily change one detail of history resulting in global consequences. Andrew J. Heller meticulously and intelligently describes the likely outcome of World War I had Kaiser Wilhelm II decided not to attack France through Belgium. This well researched tweaking of true events reads plausibly and convincingly, and examines the ramifications of that single, possible, alteration of fact from a worldwide perspective.

This book will appeal to all who are fond of history, alternative history, historical fiction and the Great War. The story craves a sequel.

[Kathleen Kurdziel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. The book suggests what would have happened if there was one small change at the start of the 'Great War' and what it would have meant for the people and the countries involved. I knew little about WWI before I started the book and spent some time in Wikipedia (while reading the book) checking out how the 'real' war went as opposed to this book. I found the book to be fascinating. The characterizations were realistic and interesting the suppositions believable. The two afterwards were very helpful in sorting out what really happened and the alternate history supposed in the novel. Bravo! Excellent story.

[Allen McDonnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought provoking

This counter factual scenario is extremely well researched. In fact I was a little disappointed because the book end rather abruptly much sooner than I expected because the end notes are very extensive. In this scenario Kaiser Wilhelm exercises his executive authority to redirect the German war plan in light of the potential advantages of a Russia First war plan. The novel explores how the different war develops and a few of the hundreds of consequences that would have resulted. Looking forward to the sequel where these consequences can be more fully developed.

[Drbolle · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting approach to alternate history - based on the real attempt of Wilhelm II. to stop the execution of the Schlieffen plan and Moltke's (in reality successful) effort to persuade the Kaiser to keep the plans as they were.

[Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well thought out and interesting.

[Damien Larkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this alternative history novel. It's a quick read but very well written and thoroughly researched. I'd recommend it for fans of Harry Turtledove.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful alternative history. Great research, well written, and a really good read. The author takes a believable "break point" in history - in this case the decision by Kaiser Wilhelm II not to invade France through Belgium in 1914 (a real event - but apparently, in reality, the Kaiser was talked out of it by his military commanders) and follows through the events following that decision, into a very different world where Britain took no part in the First World War.
So different from so many "alternate histories" where the change point in events is totally fantastical. This is "real" - or, at least, it feels that way. More than that, the story is told in a way that brings to the reader the excitement of a really good novel along with the horrors of war.
Wonderful stuff.

[Paul Cockshott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Competent alternative history that pursues the consequences of the German army not violating Belgian neutrality in 1914. Britain stays neutral and after a two year war, France and Germany sue for peace. Overall casualties are far less, the monarchy falls in Russia, and the position of Germany and Austrian monarchies is strengthened. Historically plausible, with realistic portrayal of the strategies of the great powers. Under these circumstances the author imagines that Italy would have remained in the Triple Alliance.

[Piotr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, quite entertaining and rather easy read. Heller is definitely fascinated bu Barbara Tuchman books, but his simply can't stand any comparisons. Apparently for those who limit their historical sources to a little more than unsurpassable Wiki. But still a well designed plot and story. 100 years after, during the weekend of the failed military coup in Turkey, WWI still is the main event in the modern European history.

[Rob Roy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a well-researched, and easy to read alternate history. The Kaiser almost halted the attack on Belgium. In this alternate history, the Kaiser prevailed, and Belgium was not attacked, and the German armies marched east to victory against Russia. In the end, the world was profoundly different from what it was at the end of the real World War I.

[Michael DiBaggio · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better alternate histories I've read, and perhaps the best alternate WWI. A believable and intriguing counterfactual, competently written, with some interesting choices in perspective characters. Recommended.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

In turns both fantastical and at times vaudevillian, Heller approaches the war from the perspectives of a dozen or so minor characters.

Full Review: http://lovepovertyandwar.wordpress.co...

[Jim Rittenhouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than you might think; a mite clumsy in spots, but keeps the flow of the story going.