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Alt.Chronicles
Alt.History 101
The future is history... From Samuel Peralta, creator of the #1 bestselling Future Chronicles anthology series, comes a new speculative anthology series that turns the world you know upside down.
Alt History 101, thirteen top speculative fiction authors re-imagine the world as one where the inventor of the smallpox vaccine died before he'd created it, as one where the women's suffragist movement failed to win the right to vote, as one where the death penalty exists but where all forms of capital punishment are ruled inhumane, and ten other compelling stories charting the histories of these worlds.
Enter worlds so much like our own, yet so different. Where everything you know... is history.
Alt History 101, thirteen top speculative fiction authors re-imagine the world as one where the inventor of the smallpox vaccine died before he'd created it, as one where the women's suffragist movement failed to win the right to vote, as one where the death penalty exists but where all forms of capital punishment are ruled inhumane, and ten other compelling stories charting the histories of these worlds.
Enter worlds so much like our own, yet so different. Where everything you know... is history.
257 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2015
79 people are currently reading
265 people want to read
About the author
Samuel Peralta
70 books104 followersSamuel Peralta is a physicist and storyteller. He is most well-known in publishing as a poet, short story writer, and creator of the "Future Chronicles" anthologies, with over 20 bestselling titles to date.
Peralta's writing has been spotlighted in Best American Poetry, selected for Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy, and has won multiple awards, including from the UK Poetry Society and the Palanca Memorial Foundation.
He is a supporter and producer of independent films, one of which was nominated for a Golden Globe and another garnering an Emmy Award.
Peralta is the founder of the Lunar Codex, launching the works of 30,000 writers, artists, musicians, and filmmakers from over 155 countries, to the Moon.
Peralta's writing has been spotlighted in Best American Poetry, selected for Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy, and has won multiple awards, including from the UK Poetry Society and the Palanca Memorial Foundation.
He is a supporter and producer of independent films, one of which was nominated for a Golden Globe and another garnering an Emmy Award.
Peralta is the founder of the Lunar Codex, launching the works of 30,000 writers, artists, musicians, and filmmakers from over 155 countries, to the Moon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
July 28, 2015
What if?
If anyone has regrets in life -- and who doesn’t? -- the phrase “what if?” is a constant. As humans we look back at key moments and wonder what would have happened if we had done something differently. Inherently this is a major part of time travel stories, exploring revising the past to gain a better hand on the future.
But...what if something had actually been different? What if I had told Jessica I liked her when I was in the fifth grade? What if I had studied more for that important final exam in my college physics class? What if I had invested $100 in Google the first moment I’d ever heard their name?
What if?
That age old question is addressed in a historical context throughout the latest speculative fiction anthology ALT.HISTORY 101, curated by Samuel Peralta. The thirteen stories in the collection are all wonderful examples of what could have happened in history had something else transpired.
What if...the age of immunizations never happened? What if...Steve Wozniak didn’t found Apple, instead focusing his talents elsewhere? What if...the women’s suffrage movement wasn’t successful?
Answering these questions, along with dozens of others, the stories in ALT.HISTORY 101 showcase the incredible stories set in those alternate worlds where that “what if” situation occurred.
I really can’t say there is a bad story in the bunch, but the stories range from the good, to the great, to the important.
Important? Yes. Important. Take Pavarti Tyler’s story for example. Entitled “Concerns of the Second Sex,” her tale looks at a world where the 19th Amendment never came to be. In fact, with the absence of the women’s vote, the world has reverted to a place barely recognizable. Well, recognizable if you’ve read Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, but that’s about it. Tyler pays homage to Atwood with this story and takes it a step further with the treatment of other races, including race mixing. If we never respected the rights of half of the species, why would the race movement of the 50’s and 60’s be successful, either? The story is tragic, yet Tyler does give it a hopeful note. I found it poignant and an important story to read and understand where we’ve come from and where we are going.
I also really liked Tony Bertauski’s “108 Stitches.” One its face, Bertauski’s story is about baseball, but there is so much more to it. In a world where Steve Wozniak is thrust into the world of medical engineering, artificial stem cells are the norm. With this in mind, we’re given the story of Theo, a man whose entire life revolves around a white ball with red stitching. As one of the best baseball players on the planet, Theo wrestles with his own existence as a recipient (and maybe even victim) of said stem cells.
Another story I couldn’t stop thinking about was Michelle Browne’s “The Factory,” a world where slavery never ended. The world was portrayed well and showed how close we still are to the institution of forced labor we thought we’d left behind a century and a half ago.
All in all, there isn’t a dud to be found in the collection. Each author takes their own approach and I really enjoyed reading the vastly different writing styles as I went from a Victorian age story to a mid-19th century American tale to a futuristic telling of the dangers of unchecked disease. I thoroughly enjoyed each of the stories. As a high school history teacher in my day job, part of what I do is challenge my students to think about what would have happened if… With this collection, we get a small peek at those worlds and the fascinating characters alive in them.
I did receive an advanced reader copy, but have preordered my copy of ALT.HISTORY 101 for my own. I look forward to having this on my shelf and to more stories in the universe of alternative history dreamed up by Samuel Peralta and his cadre of excellent storytellers.
If anyone has regrets in life -- and who doesn’t? -- the phrase “what if?” is a constant. As humans we look back at key moments and wonder what would have happened if we had done something differently. Inherently this is a major part of time travel stories, exploring revising the past to gain a better hand on the future.
But...what if something had actually been different? What if I had told Jessica I liked her when I was in the fifth grade? What if I had studied more for that important final exam in my college physics class? What if I had invested $100 in Google the first moment I’d ever heard their name?
What if?
That age old question is addressed in a historical context throughout the latest speculative fiction anthology ALT.HISTORY 101, curated by Samuel Peralta. The thirteen stories in the collection are all wonderful examples of what could have happened in history had something else transpired.
What if...the age of immunizations never happened? What if...Steve Wozniak didn’t found Apple, instead focusing his talents elsewhere? What if...the women’s suffrage movement wasn’t successful?
Answering these questions, along with dozens of others, the stories in ALT.HISTORY 101 showcase the incredible stories set in those alternate worlds where that “what if” situation occurred.
I really can’t say there is a bad story in the bunch, but the stories range from the good, to the great, to the important.
Important? Yes. Important. Take Pavarti Tyler’s story for example. Entitled “Concerns of the Second Sex,” her tale looks at a world where the 19th Amendment never came to be. In fact, with the absence of the women’s vote, the world has reverted to a place barely recognizable. Well, recognizable if you’ve read Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, but that’s about it. Tyler pays homage to Atwood with this story and takes it a step further with the treatment of other races, including race mixing. If we never respected the rights of half of the species, why would the race movement of the 50’s and 60’s be successful, either? The story is tragic, yet Tyler does give it a hopeful note. I found it poignant and an important story to read and understand where we’ve come from and where we are going.
I also really liked Tony Bertauski’s “108 Stitches.” One its face, Bertauski’s story is about baseball, but there is so much more to it. In a world where Steve Wozniak is thrust into the world of medical engineering, artificial stem cells are the norm. With this in mind, we’re given the story of Theo, a man whose entire life revolves around a white ball with red stitching. As one of the best baseball players on the planet, Theo wrestles with his own existence as a recipient (and maybe even victim) of said stem cells.
Another story I couldn’t stop thinking about was Michelle Browne’s “The Factory,” a world where slavery never ended. The world was portrayed well and showed how close we still are to the institution of forced labor we thought we’d left behind a century and a half ago.
All in all, there isn’t a dud to be found in the collection. Each author takes their own approach and I really enjoyed reading the vastly different writing styles as I went from a Victorian age story to a mid-19th century American tale to a futuristic telling of the dangers of unchecked disease. I thoroughly enjoyed each of the stories. As a high school history teacher in my day job, part of what I do is challenge my students to think about what would have happened if… With this collection, we get a small peek at those worlds and the fascinating characters alive in them.
I did receive an advanced reader copy, but have preordered my copy of ALT.HISTORY 101 for my own. I look forward to having this on my shelf and to more stories in the universe of alternative history dreamed up by Samuel Peralta and his cadre of excellent storytellers.
November 3, 2015
Please note this review is only for "Concerns of the Second Sex" by Pavarti K. Tyler.
In a society where women haven't been emancipated, fourteen-year-old Helen, the seventh daughter of Master Calvin's seventh wife, is considered "unmarriable". In her culture, interracial relationships are forbidden and women are born to breed - they are not educated, aren't allowed to read, can't play games of strategy such as chess, and can't even wear pants. With no marriage prospects, Helen now faces the option of factory work, community service, or surrogacy. Helen's mother helps her escape to a suffragist safe-house. But what will happen when her father finds out?
This is a harrowing and thought-provoking story, thankfully with a hint of hope at the end. You'll never take wearing pants for granted again.
Pavarti K. Tyler has done it again. Highly recommended.
I received this story in return for an honest review.
Full blog post: http://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com...
In a society where women haven't been emancipated, fourteen-year-old Helen, the seventh daughter of Master Calvin's seventh wife, is considered "unmarriable". In her culture, interracial relationships are forbidden and women are born to breed - they are not educated, aren't allowed to read, can't play games of strategy such as chess, and can't even wear pants. With no marriage prospects, Helen now faces the option of factory work, community service, or surrogacy. Helen's mother helps her escape to a suffragist safe-house. But what will happen when her father finds out?
This is a harrowing and thought-provoking story, thankfully with a hint of hope at the end. You'll never take wearing pants for granted again.
Pavarti K. Tyler has done it again. Highly recommended.
I received this story in return for an honest review.
Full blog post: http://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com...
February 15, 2017
What I adore above all else in this awesome collection, is the premise, that no matter what place, time or circumstances each story offers a new take on history, and thus life as we know it. What if.. Genghis Khan had been the Emperor of China, thus adding Europe and the Americas to a grand Chinese empire? What if.. The Catholic Church endorsed in vitro fertilization? How would that impact life as we know it? What if...
If you too are prone to wondering how life came to be, as it is, and what might have happened, had history unfolded differently, this is a collection for you. In a way it's a butterfly collection of sorts, as it deals with the ripple effects of points in history that could have resulted in very different present and future worlds, had things went differently. It's also a kinda of Sliding Doors collection, in the sense that we know our present, but what if...
I truly enjoy books that make me think, and this collection of stories is definitely a great offset to get you doing just that. Each and every story offers a take on history, that would have impacted our lives, had history unfolded in an alternative fashion, and yet we wouldn't have known it. Just as we don't know what could have been, had history not followed the path we know as OUR history. Obviously I would recommend this for everyone, but most especially for anyone enjoying historical fiction or sci-fi.
Finally I better add, that I received a free copy of this collection in return for an honest review. Nevertheless, I would happily pay for any book as compelling and well-crafted as this, and had my liking it been less apparent, I would just as happily had rated it differently.
If you too are prone to wondering how life came to be, as it is, and what might have happened, had history unfolded differently, this is a collection for you. In a way it's a butterfly collection of sorts, as it deals with the ripple effects of points in history that could have resulted in very different present and future worlds, had things went differently. It's also a kinda of Sliding Doors collection, in the sense that we know our present, but what if...
I truly enjoy books that make me think, and this collection of stories is definitely a great offset to get you doing just that. Each and every story offers a take on history, that would have impacted our lives, had history unfolded in an alternative fashion, and yet we wouldn't have known it. Just as we don't know what could have been, had history not followed the path we know as OUR history. Obviously I would recommend this for everyone, but most especially for anyone enjoying historical fiction or sci-fi.
Finally I better add, that I received a free copy of this collection in return for an honest review. Nevertheless, I would happily pay for any book as compelling and well-crafted as this, and had my liking it been less apparent, I would just as happily had rated it differently.
August 11, 2015
Alt.History 101 is a class I'd sign up for every day. Ever sit around with a brilliant bunch of writers and philosophers and wonder "What if?" You can with this great collection of stories. It is a solid collection of stories all the way through, but it really finishes strong. The last few were some of my favorites. This was a fun, whimsical, and sometimes frightening read.
Les Meduses: Very well written. The characters, especially the narrator, really pop. An interesting premise for sure.
Unnatural: A "Brave New World" feel. Also well written, but with a more modern feeling to it. I kind of want to learn more about the world around the characters in this story.
Old Ventures, New Partners: Being a bit of a comic geek, I couldn't help but see the similarities between this story and Iron Man. It was action packed and fun to read.
Concerns of the Second Sex: A very well written and character driven short. I enjoyed this one and was rooting for the main character all the way.
Renegat: A very cool what-if about the cold war/WWII internment camps. Well written.
108 Stitches: A GREAT little story about stem-cell research and the meaning of humanity. I really enjoyed this one, as it had a great storyline and very fleshed-out characters.
Rengoku: A cool little war story with identifiable characters. I liked this one a lot too.
The Sun Never Sets: A very cool Alt history story about first contact in Elizabethan times. Another fun and fascinating read.
The Factory: A character-driven steampunk story of rebellion. This was kind of fun to read, but the characters could have used a little more depth, in my opinion.
Natural: Ok, this is my favorite story so far. A look at where we might have ended up without vaccinations as we know them. A frightening look at where we might end up again if the anti-vax crowd has their way. Well written and gripping with well developed characters, this story is a win!
Eighth Amendment: slightly reminiscent of "The Running Man", this was another very well written and entertaining story. I was pulling for the main character the whole way. Well done!
A Brief History of the Trans-Pacific Tunnel: This was another well written story with a great protagonist. I enjoyed this one quite a bit, and would like to read more of this story.
Agents of Change: this story has the potential to be a cool novel, or even series. The characters were great, although I would have liked to have learned more about them. Another very well done story to cap off a phenomenal collection.
Les Meduses: Very well written. The characters, especially the narrator, really pop. An interesting premise for sure.
Unnatural: A "Brave New World" feel. Also well written, but with a more modern feeling to it. I kind of want to learn more about the world around the characters in this story.
Old Ventures, New Partners: Being a bit of a comic geek, I couldn't help but see the similarities between this story and Iron Man. It was action packed and fun to read.
Concerns of the Second Sex: A very well written and character driven short. I enjoyed this one and was rooting for the main character all the way.
Renegat: A very cool what-if about the cold war/WWII internment camps. Well written.
108 Stitches: A GREAT little story about stem-cell research and the meaning of humanity. I really enjoyed this one, as it had a great storyline and very fleshed-out characters.
Rengoku: A cool little war story with identifiable characters. I liked this one a lot too.
The Sun Never Sets: A very cool Alt history story about first contact in Elizabethan times. Another fun and fascinating read.
The Factory: A character-driven steampunk story of rebellion. This was kind of fun to read, but the characters could have used a little more depth, in my opinion.
Natural: Ok, this is my favorite story so far. A look at where we might have ended up without vaccinations as we know them. A frightening look at where we might end up again if the anti-vax crowd has their way. Well written and gripping with well developed characters, this story is a win!
Eighth Amendment: slightly reminiscent of "The Running Man", this was another very well written and entertaining story. I was pulling for the main character the whole way. Well done!
A Brief History of the Trans-Pacific Tunnel: This was another well written story with a great protagonist. I enjoyed this one quite a bit, and would like to read more of this story.
Agents of Change: this story has the potential to be a cool novel, or even series. The characters were great, although I would have liked to have learned more about them. Another very well done story to cap off a phenomenal collection.
July 31, 2015
Great book that I think will appeal to both sci-fi and history fans.
October 13, 2015
Overall this is a masterful collection of inspired writing about different periods of time and how subtle changes can have major impacts. There are some fascinating stories below, each attempting to give you a different perspective on our reality. This a really good collection of stories and is well worth the effort. Below is a short summary of each of the individual books. But if you love something that is different and will test the mind a bit, do yourself a favour and have a go....
Les Meduses – Stacy Ericson – This is a great way to start this book. It is a story of a young girl, the daughter of the head executioner who doesn’t want to be his daughter anymore due to his trade craft. As she plots to escape and the story unfolds, other events transpire around her, making this a brilliant and exciting story that is worth reading. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
Unnatural – Ann Christy – This is a look at what might happen if the Pope didn’t die on a fateful day back in the past, and the impact on STEM cell research. More to the point, it's the flow on affect into other research, how Apple turns to biological instead of computer, and how the future now only changes, but evolves around humanity as a result. It's a really exceptional story, skilfully written and more than worth the read!
Old Ventures, New Partners – Nicolas Wilson – I was somewhat confused with this story, even after I got to the end. It had some really good concepts and themes in it, but it just didn’t seem to come together well. There are some really good moments in it, and the technology of the rocket suit is awesome, but overall it didn’t seem to fit together properly. It had some interesting plot lines and the ending is worth it.
Concerns of the Second Sex – Pavarti K. Tyler – A world in which women have no rights, other than to be sold or traded off as wives. That is the premise for this remarkable look at an alternative future in which the women’s movement never happened, and doesn’t look like happening any time soon. Our very young protagonist is caught up in the middle of this world, trying to survive. I found this an interesting story in that it is very well written, with brilliant characters, and you are so enraptured by the tale, but at the same time, it's not a nice world to live in.
Renegat – Logan Thomas Snyder – It took a bit to get into this story (which was a worry given it's a short story), but then it finally hit and ran, and it turned into a very interesting tale. It follows a POW in a camp in a world, in which the superpowers have nuked each other, and those remaining are trying to survive in situations full of hostility and suspicion. There is also a bit of a Romeo and Juliet theme in this story, but with a twist. It's a very interesting tale and one not to miss.
108 Stitches – Tony Bertauski – I really enjoyed this story, an intriguing tale about genetic modification and how it can have an impact of life. There are a lot of different things that happen in this story, from how the Genetic modifications influences the main character, making him a sports star, and the morale consequences surrounding this, but also, there is a discussion about how the path of genetic drug abuse is also something that can be equally terrifying. This is a very well written story that gives us a good insight into why not to mess with genetics – and that doesn’t mean ‘dont use’ them, it means ‘don’t mess’ with them, or they will mess with you. This is a good read and worth the effort.
Rengoku – Sam Best – This was a very strange and somewhat dark story. Speculative Fiction definitely covers it. It follows a group of soldiers in Japan trying to stop Japanese soldiers from getting from one base to another with plans for a Nuclear weapon. All sorts of strange things happen in this story, and some of it is a little hard to work out why at some points to be honest (or maybe it was just me?) Even though I was a little unsure of some aspects of the plot, Best has done a masterful job with his characters, they are brilliant in their descriptions, the emotive power of their actions in several scenes. He certainly can create incredible character scenes. For this reason alone it is worth reading this story.
The Sun Never Sets – Anthea Sharp – This was an intriguing story that started off with a very Victorian era style and ended up somewhere else entirely! The main character of Kate is brilliant, making this a great story to read. Kate holds the story together as she is bold, courageous with a fantastic sense of humour. This story moves quickly (it's a short story, so it has to!!) but Sharp does a wonderful job of it, and makes it enjoyable and entertaining. Well worth the read.
The Factory – Michelle Brown – I found this to be an intriguing story, what if slavery had never died out? The mix of steampunk into the story also adds a great flair to the mix as well, giving it a bit extra. It would be great to see this as a full length novel. The story follows a slave girl in a compound, where she meets another young slave girl. This leads to a very interesting adventure that has great characters in it, and a very good storyline/ending. I really liked this, and have gone on to hunt down the authors other work as a result.
Natural – Peter Cawdron – Cawdron seems to be able to do no wrong. This is yet another example of his exceptional talent and skill. In this story, we have Lincoln, faced with the tragic story of having buried 4 of his children and another with polio. Why? Because the man who created vaccinations, Edward Jenner, died an early death in this timeline, and as such, there are no such things as vaccines. This is a great insight of what might happen with something that a lot of us take for granted (some still fight against it??) whilst the ramifications... Well – read the story and find out yourself – this is another of the best ones in this collection – don’t miss it!
Eighth Amendment – Thomas Robins – This was a bizarre tale, but it is absolutely brilliant. Told from the point of view of a man sentenced to death, who, due to the law, can’t actually be killed, finds himself in a very bad situation.
I was really getting into this story, when it suddenly ended, and I was very disappointed. It ended too quickly and with a bit of a whimper given how inspired the start had been. However, even with this, still a really good read!
A Brief History of the Trans Pacific Tunnel – Ken Liu – This was probably my favourite of all the books in this collection. It follows one of the original ‘diggers’ who helped construct the Trans-Pacific tunnel – a train that connects the US and Japan with a midpoint at Shanghai. He looks back over the history of the tunnel building, and also the (changed) history of the world, giving us a fascinating look at an altered reality that is brilliantly written around this incredible piece of engineering technology.
Liu’s two main characters Charlie and Betty are extremely well written, and my only complaint is that the story was too short and there does not appear to be a follow on. This would make a great novel or collection of short stories.
Agents of Change – Zig Zag Claybourne – To be honest, I didn’t quite this one. I felt like I had been dropped in the middle of the story, without knowing who the characters were, and I wasn’t given the time to catch up.
The story revolves around different agents and their interaction with a Machine, that if I have it correctly, is sentient to some extent, and controls their destiny. I don’t want to give too much away, but I was left confused by this story rather than actually enjoying it.
Les Meduses – Stacy Ericson – This is a great way to start this book. It is a story of a young girl, the daughter of the head executioner who doesn’t want to be his daughter anymore due to his trade craft. As she plots to escape and the story unfolds, other events transpire around her, making this a brilliant and exciting story that is worth reading. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
Unnatural – Ann Christy – This is a look at what might happen if the Pope didn’t die on a fateful day back in the past, and the impact on STEM cell research. More to the point, it's the flow on affect into other research, how Apple turns to biological instead of computer, and how the future now only changes, but evolves around humanity as a result. It's a really exceptional story, skilfully written and more than worth the read!
Old Ventures, New Partners – Nicolas Wilson – I was somewhat confused with this story, even after I got to the end. It had some really good concepts and themes in it, but it just didn’t seem to come together well. There are some really good moments in it, and the technology of the rocket suit is awesome, but overall it didn’t seem to fit together properly. It had some interesting plot lines and the ending is worth it.
Concerns of the Second Sex – Pavarti K. Tyler – A world in which women have no rights, other than to be sold or traded off as wives. That is the premise for this remarkable look at an alternative future in which the women’s movement never happened, and doesn’t look like happening any time soon. Our very young protagonist is caught up in the middle of this world, trying to survive. I found this an interesting story in that it is very well written, with brilliant characters, and you are so enraptured by the tale, but at the same time, it's not a nice world to live in.
Renegat – Logan Thomas Snyder – It took a bit to get into this story (which was a worry given it's a short story), but then it finally hit and ran, and it turned into a very interesting tale. It follows a POW in a camp in a world, in which the superpowers have nuked each other, and those remaining are trying to survive in situations full of hostility and suspicion. There is also a bit of a Romeo and Juliet theme in this story, but with a twist. It's a very interesting tale and one not to miss.
108 Stitches – Tony Bertauski – I really enjoyed this story, an intriguing tale about genetic modification and how it can have an impact of life. There are a lot of different things that happen in this story, from how the Genetic modifications influences the main character, making him a sports star, and the morale consequences surrounding this, but also, there is a discussion about how the path of genetic drug abuse is also something that can be equally terrifying. This is a very well written story that gives us a good insight into why not to mess with genetics – and that doesn’t mean ‘dont use’ them, it means ‘don’t mess’ with them, or they will mess with you. This is a good read and worth the effort.
Rengoku – Sam Best – This was a very strange and somewhat dark story. Speculative Fiction definitely covers it. It follows a group of soldiers in Japan trying to stop Japanese soldiers from getting from one base to another with plans for a Nuclear weapon. All sorts of strange things happen in this story, and some of it is a little hard to work out why at some points to be honest (or maybe it was just me?) Even though I was a little unsure of some aspects of the plot, Best has done a masterful job with his characters, they are brilliant in their descriptions, the emotive power of their actions in several scenes. He certainly can create incredible character scenes. For this reason alone it is worth reading this story.
The Sun Never Sets – Anthea Sharp – This was an intriguing story that started off with a very Victorian era style and ended up somewhere else entirely! The main character of Kate is brilliant, making this a great story to read. Kate holds the story together as she is bold, courageous with a fantastic sense of humour. This story moves quickly (it's a short story, so it has to!!) but Sharp does a wonderful job of it, and makes it enjoyable and entertaining. Well worth the read.
The Factory – Michelle Brown – I found this to be an intriguing story, what if slavery had never died out? The mix of steampunk into the story also adds a great flair to the mix as well, giving it a bit extra. It would be great to see this as a full length novel. The story follows a slave girl in a compound, where she meets another young slave girl. This leads to a very interesting adventure that has great characters in it, and a very good storyline/ending. I really liked this, and have gone on to hunt down the authors other work as a result.
Natural – Peter Cawdron – Cawdron seems to be able to do no wrong. This is yet another example of his exceptional talent and skill. In this story, we have Lincoln, faced with the tragic story of having buried 4 of his children and another with polio. Why? Because the man who created vaccinations, Edward Jenner, died an early death in this timeline, and as such, there are no such things as vaccines. This is a great insight of what might happen with something that a lot of us take for granted (some still fight against it??) whilst the ramifications... Well – read the story and find out yourself – this is another of the best ones in this collection – don’t miss it!
Eighth Amendment – Thomas Robins – This was a bizarre tale, but it is absolutely brilliant. Told from the point of view of a man sentenced to death, who, due to the law, can’t actually be killed, finds himself in a very bad situation.
I was really getting into this story, when it suddenly ended, and I was very disappointed. It ended too quickly and with a bit of a whimper given how inspired the start had been. However, even with this, still a really good read!
A Brief History of the Trans Pacific Tunnel – Ken Liu – This was probably my favourite of all the books in this collection. It follows one of the original ‘diggers’ who helped construct the Trans-Pacific tunnel – a train that connects the US and Japan with a midpoint at Shanghai. He looks back over the history of the tunnel building, and also the (changed) history of the world, giving us a fascinating look at an altered reality that is brilliantly written around this incredible piece of engineering technology.
Liu’s two main characters Charlie and Betty are extremely well written, and my only complaint is that the story was too short and there does not appear to be a follow on. This would make a great novel or collection of short stories.
Agents of Change – Zig Zag Claybourne – To be honest, I didn’t quite this one. I felt like I had been dropped in the middle of the story, without knowing who the characters were, and I wasn’t given the time to catch up.
The story revolves around different agents and their interaction with a Machine, that if I have it correctly, is sentient to some extent, and controls their destiny. I don’t want to give too much away, but I was left confused by this story rather than actually enjoying it.
May 15, 2019
What if? It's the question when asked on a large historical scale that could make your head spin. Alt.history asks this question in several short stories by different writers. The stories are nice and engaging and leave the reader with a feeling that the world would have been a totally different place if things went different direction.
September 10, 2015
Alternative history is a fascinating niche in fiction. It’s also a specific one, where the success of a story depends on altering a clearly defined moment in history and projecting the possible results. Whether the change made is a small one or a large one, it should be clear to the reader, preferably without the need to consult a history text. In this respect, I felt a few of the stories in this anthology missed the mark.
I found all of them to be interesting and entertaining, aside from the alt-history label. My favorites are the ones I would choose as examples of clear alternate history – Unnatural, Renegat, 108 Stitches, The Sun Never Sets, Natural, and Eighth Amendment. I thought the remaining stories ranged from good to great.
I also think that A Brief History of the Trans-Pacific Tunnel outpaced the alternative history label, creating a parallel world with an entirely different modern history. It’s a powerful piece of speculative fiction by any measure.
Overall, this collection is a good one, and I enjoyed reading it.
I found all of them to be interesting and entertaining, aside from the alt-history label. My favorites are the ones I would choose as examples of clear alternate history – Unnatural, Renegat, 108 Stitches, The Sun Never Sets, Natural, and Eighth Amendment. I thought the remaining stories ranged from good to great.
I also think that A Brief History of the Trans-Pacific Tunnel outpaced the alternative history label, creating a parallel world with an entirely different modern history. It’s a powerful piece of speculative fiction by any measure.
Overall, this collection is a good one, and I enjoyed reading it.
November 8, 2015
I only had the Tony Bertauski short story '108 stitches' so can only comment on that.It was a very interesting read about synthetic healing materials named biomites;if you lost a arm,just print another using your DNA.It was a story of one man's aim to get to the top of his baseball game but along the way became entangled with the added uses of biomites.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2015
Some stories on this one are amazing!
See Ann Christy, Thomas Robins, Anthea Sharp, Ken Liu & Peter Cawdron - the last one is very sad, but thought provoking.
Others were either so so, or in one case I just stopped reading!
See Ann Christy, Thomas Robins, Anthea Sharp, Ken Liu & Peter Cawdron - the last one is very sad, but thought provoking.
Others were either so so, or in one case I just stopped reading!
April 28, 2018
01. Les Meduses by Stacy Ericson 5/5
02. Unnatural by Ann Christy 5/5
03. Old Ventures, New Partners by Nicolas Wilson 3/5
04. Concerns of the Second Sex by Pavarti K. Tyler 4/5
05. Renegat by Logan Thomas 5/5
06. Stitches by Tony Bertausky 4/5
07. Rengoku by Sam Best 3/5
08. The Sun Never Sets by Anthea Sharp 4/5
09. The Factory by Michelle Brown 3/5
10. Natural by Peter Cawdron 5/5
11. Eighth Amendment by Thomas Robins 4/5
12. A Brief History of the Trans-Pacific Tunnel by Ken Liu 2/5
13. Agents of Change by Zig Zag Claybourne 2/5
02. Unnatural by Ann Christy 5/5
03. Old Ventures, New Partners by Nicolas Wilson 3/5
04. Concerns of the Second Sex by Pavarti K. Tyler 4/5
05. Renegat by Logan Thomas 5/5
06. Stitches by Tony Bertausky 4/5
07. Rengoku by Sam Best 3/5
08. The Sun Never Sets by Anthea Sharp 4/5
09. The Factory by Michelle Brown 3/5
10. Natural by Peter Cawdron 5/5
11. Eighth Amendment by Thomas Robins 4/5
12. A Brief History of the Trans-Pacific Tunnel by Ken Liu 2/5
13. Agents of Change by Zig Zag Claybourne 2/5
September 26, 2018
First of all, I'm a big fan of Alternate History as a genre, so I was predisposed to enjoy this. But it surprised me as well because so many of the stories were... well... different. They're not all departures from a single point of change, but they are all (with one glorious exception) plausible alternate worlds.
An excellent collection.
An excellent collection.
January 24, 2019
Hit or Miss
A few great stories here. A few filler stories as well. In fact, I put it down and came back to it when I had nothing else to read, twice. Glad I finished it. Some of the better stories were in the latter half of the book.
A few great stories here. A few filler stories as well. In fact, I put it down and came back to it when I had nothing else to read, twice. Glad I finished it. Some of the better stories were in the latter half of the book.
December 11, 2023
What a disappointment this book was
I absolutely hated this book. After reading the first I the series I was excited to begin this one. That excitement quickly faded. I really hope the next book is better than this one.
I absolutely hated this book. After reading the first I the series I was excited to begin this one. That excitement quickly faded. I really hope the next book is better than this one.
December 12, 2016
Pretty good bunch
Sometimes you just want to read a short story. This one has some good ones and a few not too great. But I did find some good reads for later.
Sometimes you just want to read a short story. This one has some good ones and a few not too great. But I did find some good reads for later.
May 4, 2017
Some really solid hits and some misses. I really enjoyed the last two stories. Fun reading.
March 14, 2018
Like alternative fiction.
August 18, 2018
Eclectic
Great mix of alternate history stories. Recommended for anyone who enjoys this particular sub-genre and or the short story format.
Great mix of alternate history stories. Recommended for anyone who enjoys this particular sub-genre and or the short story format.
November 15, 2018
Decent collection
This collection of alternate history short stories was worth reading but some of the works left me unsatisfied. That may be by design however.
This collection of alternate history short stories was worth reading but some of the works left me unsatisfied. That may be by design however.
March 13, 2017
This was about average for a short story collection. A couple of the stories I really enjoyed but most were in the "ehhh, that was ok" range.
August 1, 2015
A themed anthology such as this one is always a delight - if the writers are good. And these are all good, some even very good. Yes, there is the odd typo, words or letters wrongly inserted, missed or, occasionally, misused (as in 'there' instead of 'their'). But these are very minor distractions.
I am not going to outline each individual story, others have already done so too well for me to repeat this, but one of the joys of the anthology is to see how wildly different each author's interpretation of the simple brief, "what if...?" can be. And if the reader doesn't like a particular story, well, hey, a new and different one will follow very quickly.
But there are also the gems, new writers who would possibly never have been encountered were it not for the book format. Each story is it's own brief glimpse into a potential new author - reader relationship. Just one such in any anthology is alone worth the price of the book. In this book I think I have found three exciting new reads and have already started my first adventures with the works of an author previously unknown to me. Which one? An, that's for me to know and you ... to go buy this book and try to guess.
I am not going to outline each individual story, others have already done so too well for me to repeat this, but one of the joys of the anthology is to see how wildly different each author's interpretation of the simple brief, "what if...?" can be. And if the reader doesn't like a particular story, well, hey, a new and different one will follow very quickly.
But there are also the gems, new writers who would possibly never have been encountered were it not for the book format. Each story is it's own brief glimpse into a potential new author - reader relationship. Just one such in any anthology is alone worth the price of the book. In this book I think I have found three exciting new reads and have already started my first adventures with the works of an author previously unknown to me. Which one? An, that's for me to know and you ... to go buy this book and try to guess.
August 1, 2015
What if history wasn't told as it was in history books? What if in a alternate world things went down differently? In this book you see many different outcomes from multiple authors. I truly was impressed with some of the research done to make their stories accurate with a different outcome. Really changes up history!
Each author tells a different story and wow some of them are just awesome. Some I didn't care for but the ones I loved made up for the ones I wasn't as into. Still all these authors did a great job. I can't pick a favorite story.
This can easily be read by teens and above and if you love history you for sure want to grab this. If you love the idea of alternate realities grab this.
I don't want to give away any spoilers but I will say just buy this. It's well worth the price for such a variety of different author's and styles. I was thrilled to ask to review this with no promise of a good review. It just happens I love this book and it's unlike anything I've read.
Each author tells a different story and wow some of them are just awesome. Some I didn't care for but the ones I loved made up for the ones I wasn't as into. Still all these authors did a great job. I can't pick a favorite story.
This can easily be read by teens and above and if you love history you for sure want to grab this. If you love the idea of alternate realities grab this.
I don't want to give away any spoilers but I will say just buy this. It's well worth the price for such a variety of different author's and styles. I was thrilled to ask to review this with no promise of a good review. It just happens I love this book and it's unlike anything I've read.
August 4, 2015
This book is a fabulous collection of short story in a genre I have never read before. What an interesting concept to use the basis of true events and create a possible alternative scenario. I found the stories to be well written, interesting, and the book was hard to put down.
I think my favorite story was Concerns of the Second Sex. This story presents what may have happened if women were still largely second class citizens, and how few options they may have had open to them. It really made me think about where we may be if it weren't for the brave women who chose to change the course of events.
I highly recommend this book.
* I received a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I think my favorite story was Concerns of the Second Sex. This story presents what may have happened if women were still largely second class citizens, and how few options they may have had open to them. It really made me think about where we may be if it weren't for the brave women who chose to change the course of events.
I highly recommend this book.
* I received a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 8, 2016
A good idea, poor execution. The stories here have their interest, but they mostly are alternate history in the most peripheral sense. Few do a thoughtful or readable job about the EFFECT of the change in "historical fact." They either end with the change; treat it superficially; do it woodenly; or end with no real point made. None of it remotely as well done as The Man in the High Castle or Fatherland. Perhaps this is a subject not suited for the short story. This feels like a bunch of authors who may write competently in their own sub-set of science fiction, but don't really want to write alternate history simply because they have been invited to do so.
August 16, 2015
Would you change one thing in the past, if you could? Speculative fiction writers ask "What If?" for a mind-bending exercise of imagination in each of the short stories of this new, great collection from Samuel Peralta. Every contributing writer's style is different, and the stories take on different issues in varied periods of history. I enjoyed the challenge of exploring strange new worlds in this anthology.I highly recommend the book to stimulate new thoughts on how history shapes society.
August 6, 2015
3.5 stars, due to overall unevenness. Some of the stories were fantastic while others were not so much my cup of tea, and they stretched the boundaries of the topic. I do like a good mix like this, though, and I did find several authors I was unfamiliar with, but whose works I now intend to check out.
May 6, 2016
Alternate History
For me that about sums it up. Add Harry Turtledove name to the mix and I am hooked. I enjoyed almost every story in this book. I mean I really enjoyed them. I just added 102 Alt History to my wish list. Buy it, read it, chuckle out loud, groan, have a great evening!
For me that about sums it up. Add Harry Turtledove name to the mix and I am hooked. I enjoyed almost every story in this book. I mean I really enjoyed them. I just added 102 Alt History to my wish list. Buy it, read it, chuckle out loud, groan, have a great evening!
June 2, 2016
This book is particularly popular due to the nature of my job. I am a nurse and like to read to my patients. This is a great book for alot of my patients and gives an alternate history for many events of the 20th century.
August 13, 2015
Excellent collection of short stories, set in alternate futures from alternate histories.
February 14, 2016
Mostly good stories
I judge short story anthologies by how many I stop reading and move on to the next story. So lower numbers are better. This was a 2.
I judge short story anthologies by how many I stop reading and move on to the next story. So lower numbers are better. This was a 2.
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