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The Falcon Cannot Hear: The Second American Civil War 1937-1944
The Falcon Cannot Hear: The Second American Civil War 1937-1944 is an alternate history timeline written by Ephraim Ben Raphael which tells the story of a second American civil war which starts in 1937.
In February 1933, the new President-elect Frankin D. Roosevelt is making a public appearance with Chicago Mayor Anton Cermack when an assassin's bullet, presumably aimed at Roosevelt, strikes the mayor instead. In this story, the assassin has better aim, and FDR is killed. Come Inaguration day, Roosevelt's VP John Nance Garner is sworn in instead. Garner, a southern conservative, has no interest in the New Deal, causing the Depression to last well into the 30's. As a result, communist and fascist groups gain more public support. Strikes become commonplace, minorities are frequent targets of attack, and tensions rise among the population. In 1937, Republican Alf Landon, promising to enact his own New Deal, is elected President. But by then the country is a powder keg, with one spark needed to create all-out war. In the wake of a massacre of striking workers in Chicago, that spark is provided when a new Bonus Army, hearing a rumour that the government is about to force them out of Washington, marches on the White House....
You can read the story here:
http://www.alternatehistory.com/forum...
In February 1933, the new President-elect Frankin D. Roosevelt is making a public appearance with Chicago Mayor Anton Cermack when an assassin's bullet, presumably aimed at Roosevelt, strikes the mayor instead. In this story, the assassin has better aim, and FDR is killed. Come Inaguration day, Roosevelt's VP John Nance Garner is sworn in instead. Garner, a southern conservative, has no interest in the New Deal, causing the Depression to last well into the 30's. As a result, communist and fascist groups gain more public support. Strikes become commonplace, minorities are frequent targets of attack, and tensions rise among the population. In 1937, Republican Alf Landon, promising to enact his own New Deal, is elected President. But by then the country is a powder keg, with one spark needed to create all-out war. In the wake of a massacre of striking workers in Chicago, that spark is provided when a new Bonus Army, hearing a rumour that the government is about to force them out of Washington, marches on the White House....
You can read the story here:
http://www.alternatehistory.com/forum...
Forum
Published October 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 6, 2019
Definitely one of the best alternate history stories I've ever read. It's somewhat plausible, well-researched, and extremely deep. This novella describes a Second American Civil War that happens in the wake of Franklin Roosevelt's assassination and an economic collapse. Communists, military strongmen, warlords, fascists, socialists, liberals, black nationalists, and foreign volunteers all jump on each other's throats and the United States completely collapses.
What follows is an account of seven years of famine and war, during which millions of people are killed. I wouldn't call it a "plot" per se since it's written in a textbook format, albeit a very detailed one. There also aren't many characters that are focused on, just a couple of major figures in the war. Despite that, I found myself getting very invested in what was going on and rooting for one side or another at various points in the war.
There were some accusations of plagiarism against the author however. And while I don't know enough to comment, I can see how that would turn some people off.
The textbook format may turn some people off, and the climax is pretty understated, but beyond that this is nigh-perfect alternate history. If you're interested in it at all, check it out, it's free online.
What follows is an account of seven years of famine and war, during which millions of people are killed. I wouldn't call it a "plot" per se since it's written in a textbook format, albeit a very detailed one. There also aren't many characters that are focused on, just a couple of major figures in the war. Despite that, I found myself getting very invested in what was going on and rooting for one side or another at various points in the war.
There were some accusations of plagiarism against the author however. And while I don't know enough to comment, I can see how that would turn some people off.
The textbook format may turn some people off, and the climax is pretty understated, but beyond that this is nigh-perfect alternate history. If you're interested in it at all, check it out, it's free online.
November 9, 2018
This is by an enormous margin the best alternate history I've ever read. Despite its hundreds of pages, the tale is kept neat by limited scope; rather than writing all of history after the point of departure, the book has a conflict and a resolution, and a beginning, middle and end.
It's an epic tale war and politics, where many, many shifting and changing factions battle for dominance in the ruins of the USA. Every character is a real, historical person, and the story actually has dozens of black and white photos that if one knew nothing about history would swear they depict the events described, and sometimes even do.
The storyline is masterfully constructed; many minor historical events influence key later developments that eventually bring the tale to a satisfying (and foreshadowed, if one's observant) conclusion. Some seemingly absurd events do occur, but most if not all happened in reality, usually before the point of departure!
The story is written mainly like a (very entertaining) history book, so that won't be for everyone. There are a handful of prose interludes, all of which are short and sweet. Goings on in the rest of the world are covered by several side chapters which don't really add much to the story, but are necessary to satisfy one's curiosity. These aren't quite as good as the American storyline, containing a few questionably realistic moments, but are nonetheless better than almost any other alternate history.
All in all, just about as good as "tell" fiction gets.
It's an epic tale war and politics, where many, many shifting and changing factions battle for dominance in the ruins of the USA. Every character is a real, historical person, and the story actually has dozens of black and white photos that if one knew nothing about history would swear they depict the events described, and sometimes even do.
The storyline is masterfully constructed; many minor historical events influence key later developments that eventually bring the tale to a satisfying (and foreshadowed, if one's observant) conclusion. Some seemingly absurd events do occur, but most if not all happened in reality, usually before the point of departure!
The story is written mainly like a (very entertaining) history book, so that won't be for everyone. There are a handful of prose interludes, all of which are short and sweet. Goings on in the rest of the world are covered by several side chapters which don't really add much to the story, but are necessary to satisfy one's curiosity. These aren't quite as good as the American storyline, containing a few questionably realistic moments, but are nonetheless better than almost any other alternate history.
All in all, just about as good as "tell" fiction gets.
January 25, 2017
Una buena, historia alternativa, un poco fantasiosa a veces, y para mi gusto habla poco de la situacion del mundo posterior a la guerra. Además creo que tubo un pequeño incidente relacionado con plagio pero nadie es perfecto. Bastante ligera comparada con otras obras de su genero para bien o para mal ya que en ocasiones es demasiado superficial.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews