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To Climates Unknown
On September 11, the United States were destroyed.
That is, September 11 of the Year of Our Lord 1620.
In this alternate history, the Mayflower was lost at sea, and the English Separatists were disheartened from further colonization of North America. The United States were never born. The centuries that follow will see the emergence of rival empires that will split up the world between them. One will become the terror of the seas. One will rampage with carriages of steam. One will take to the skies. And the people caught in the middle will fight against the colonial system to bring an end to all empires.
That is, September 11 of the Year of Our Lord 1620.
In this alternate history, the Mayflower was lost at sea, and the English Separatists were disheartened from further colonization of North America. The United States were never born. The centuries that follow will see the emergence of rival empires that will split up the world between them. One will become the terror of the seas. One will rampage with carriages of steam. One will take to the skies. And the people caught in the middle will fight against the colonial system to bring an end to all empires.
317 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 25, 2021
8 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
Arturo Serrano
6 books32 followersArturo Serrano was born in Colombia in 1982.
In Spanish, his stories have appeared in the science fiction anthology Cronómetros para el Fin de los Tiempos and in Axxón magazine.
In English, he has been published in Antimatter Magazine and Black Bough Poetry.
He was part of the team of translators at bilingual science fiction magazine Constelación, and is a reviewer at the Hugo-winning blog Nerds of a Feather.
He is the author of Doves & Dissenters, a pacifistic game supplement for Dungeons and Dragons Fifth Edition.
In 2021 he self-published To Climates Unknown, his first novel in English.
In 2022, 2023 and 2024 he was longlisted for the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer.
In 2023 he won the Ignyte Award in the Critics category, and in 2024 he won the Hugo Award for Best Fanzine, along with the rest of the editorial team at the blog Nerds of a Feather.
In Spanish, his stories have appeared in the science fiction anthology Cronómetros para el Fin de los Tiempos and in Axxón magazine.
In English, he has been published in Antimatter Magazine and Black Bough Poetry.
He was part of the team of translators at bilingual science fiction magazine Constelación, and is a reviewer at the Hugo-winning blog Nerds of a Feather.
He is the author of Doves & Dissenters, a pacifistic game supplement for Dungeons and Dragons Fifth Edition.
In 2021 he self-published To Climates Unknown, his first novel in English.
In 2022, 2023 and 2024 he was longlisted for the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer.
In 2023 he won the Ignyte Award in the Critics category, and in 2024 he won the Hugo Award for Best Fanzine, along with the rest of the editorial team at the blog Nerds of a Feather.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 2, 2024
I am one of the judges of team Space Girls for the SPSFC3 contest, this review is my personal opinion. Officially, it is still in the running for the contest, pending any official team announcements.
Status: Quarterfinalist
Reached 100% of the novel
Contary to what plenty of people might think, this book has one comp it can compare itself to with open arms: The bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder. Whether the author felt any degree of inspiration from this novel or it was just an odd coincidence, both books quite resonated with me in the same way by the myriad of similarities.
Chapter 1 of this book is both a spectacle of the macabre as it is the polar opposite of a Sci-Fi story: a young sailor apprentice is eager to catch a glimpse of the infamous historical figure of Francis Drake as he boards the English queen's vessel for an important meeting. He is not alone, for dozens of people want to catch a glimpse of the two celebrities. Just like the starting scene of the Bridge of San Luis Rey, we reach a impassé of wonder about what circumstances brought the characters to the dock on this particular day and the lives they would have lived had they not ended up perishing from an unexpected freefall a few moments later.
I can see the storytelling effect the author was trying to veer with such an unusual story opener. With a few more rounds of editing and removal of redundant sentences, it would have carried itself with brutal force. Much to my chagrin, the chapter seems to take much longer than it should and mention: oh and btw such and such other person also died but not here and today, just somewhere else. While the death of a faceless nobody (that apparently becomes a somebody in our timeline and whose premature death changes history in a significant way) was evoking a huge stir of emotions in me, the chapter should have ended right there and not mention the other unrelated events.
Now, this is one thing that has been making me frown with this book. I find the writing to be very good, and the historical research to be profound (the book is certainly both entertaining and educational). I believe the author writes quite well and I am still quite vested with the book. Oh, might be a good idea to revise some dialogue. I don't think people in the 1600s said the word superpower. That word was invented in the 1850s.
The problem I had is that we get dozens of red herrings that ramble on and on for several pages filled with tons of historical facts, only for all of the knowledge to be tossed aside in the story. Now, I am aware red herrings is a common feature of Latin American fiction. The problem I had during the entire book is its indecision on whether to focus on just 1 plotline or over 20 different historical events that change worldwide history. By focusing so much time developing unimportant world facts or focus on just a few POVs, we never get the screentime to enjoy the true main cast and form a lasting relationship with them.
I kept on hoping this issue would improve later on in the story because the book has wonderful disability and interracial queer representation. One of the important secondary characters in the first arc is a Métis Native American fur trapper. It is very unusual to see Métis characters in fiction, so this felt very refreshing. I like how the accidental protagonist of this book has a disability that is seldom covered in books (at least for a protagonist character), which is genital mutilation. The protagonist has accepted what has happened to him with a mixture of feelings between self-loathing, resignation, and a desire to explore his sexuality. All of this happening in the middle ages where most of his peers have deeply conservative religious beliefs and consider him at best, an eccentric outsider. The interactions he has with his religious peers is very well handled.
At 1/3 into the book, we are starting to see there are definitiely Sci-Fi elements in this book. It feels like a bit of an odd mish-mash between historical fiction, queer romance and steampunk. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen film vibes feel strong here. If the reader wants ultra modern technology, they will probably feel unsatisfied with this book. Other readers will certainly enjoy the low tech focua of this novel.
Now that I have finished the entire book, I will mention that the middle now focuses on an event in China, where a Japanese samurai that has converted to Christianity has a series of stumbles that changes history in Asia. I really enjoyed this arc a lot (maybe even more than the North American arc because it has two interesting coprotagonists). I wanted to root for Ma Liang every step of the way who hides her gender and pretend to be a male Eunuch to further the political agenda of the Muslim Hui community. This arc is yet another one with great disability representation.
The final 3 (?) stories felt like a blur to me, and I never connected with it because none of the characters stay on screen for long (it covers over 300 years of altered history). I really enjoyed how the author shifts things around and different colonial powers control African nations and India ends up partitioned between Spain and Denmark. We also get long-lasting ecological damage from climate change due to melted polar ice caps. What is missing is the lack of successful independence movements, particularly in Latin America.
Most Latin American independence movements were started by ethnic Spaniards born in the colony. Despite their blood lineage, they were devoid of any true rights outside of being well educated and knowledgable about warfare. These wars were very bloody and the heros that start the events usually died in horrible ways. Priest Hidalgo who ignited the match that culminated in Mexico's independence nearly 20 years later was executed only a few weeks after his famous speech. After getting shot by firing squard, the head was cut off and placed in a cage and paraded around for years. I think they never recovered the body but the head ended up cremated decades later and now is stored inside the Angel landmark. Obviously this is a book where history is moved around in unexpectd ways, but it is surprising to me Latin America remains as a stable colony for over 500 years.
After finishing the book, I have opted to give it 3 stars. When the stories focus on a pivotal (and interesting) character, I find the author's extensive knowledge of altered history and prose to be very enjoyable. You really want to root for the characters.
The problem is that these huge technological feats and jumping into so many other stories makes the story feel very disjointed. You can't root for a character because in 10 pages the focus will be in the Middle East or in the North Pole. If this had been a book series where every story is standalone and focusing on a specific cast, I would have been giving each book 4 1/2 stars like skittles. The reader would have more time to love characters and the author a better chance to go crazy teaching us history. And maps, this book needs maps, lots of maps!
Still, despite being a project that felt far too large to fit in 80,000 words, it is certainly original and I always love it when author take huge creative risks.
Status: Quarterfinalist
Reached 100% of the novel
Contary to what plenty of people might think, this book has one comp it can compare itself to with open arms: The bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder. Whether the author felt any degree of inspiration from this novel or it was just an odd coincidence, both books quite resonated with me in the same way by the myriad of similarities.
Chapter 1 of this book is both a spectacle of the macabre as it is the polar opposite of a Sci-Fi story: a young sailor apprentice is eager to catch a glimpse of the infamous historical figure of Francis Drake as he boards the English queen's vessel for an important meeting. He is not alone, for dozens of people want to catch a glimpse of the two celebrities. Just like the starting scene of the Bridge of San Luis Rey, we reach a impassé of wonder about what circumstances brought the characters to the dock on this particular day and the lives they would have lived had they not ended up perishing from an unexpected freefall a few moments later.
I can see the storytelling effect the author was trying to veer with such an unusual story opener. With a few more rounds of editing and removal of redundant sentences, it would have carried itself with brutal force. Much to my chagrin, the chapter seems to take much longer than it should and mention: oh and btw such and such other person also died but not here and today, just somewhere else. While the death of a faceless nobody (that apparently becomes a somebody in our timeline and whose premature death changes history in a significant way) was evoking a huge stir of emotions in me, the chapter should have ended right there and not mention the other unrelated events.
Now, this is one thing that has been making me frown with this book. I find the writing to be very good, and the historical research to be profound (the book is certainly both entertaining and educational). I believe the author writes quite well and I am still quite vested with the book. Oh, might be a good idea to revise some dialogue. I don't think people in the 1600s said the word superpower. That word was invented in the 1850s.
The problem I had is that we get dozens of red herrings that ramble on and on for several pages filled with tons of historical facts, only for all of the knowledge to be tossed aside in the story. Now, I am aware red herrings is a common feature of Latin American fiction. The problem I had during the entire book is its indecision on whether to focus on just 1 plotline or over 20 different historical events that change worldwide history. By focusing so much time developing unimportant world facts or focus on just a few POVs, we never get the screentime to enjoy the true main cast and form a lasting relationship with them.
I kept on hoping this issue would improve later on in the story because the book has wonderful disability and interracial queer representation. One of the important secondary characters in the first arc is a Métis Native American fur trapper. It is very unusual to see Métis characters in fiction, so this felt very refreshing. I like how the accidental protagonist of this book has a disability that is seldom covered in books (at least for a protagonist character), which is genital mutilation. The protagonist has accepted what has happened to him with a mixture of feelings between self-loathing, resignation, and a desire to explore his sexuality. All of this happening in the middle ages where most of his peers have deeply conservative religious beliefs and consider him at best, an eccentric outsider. The interactions he has with his religious peers is very well handled.
At 1/3 into the book, we are starting to see there are definitiely Sci-Fi elements in this book. It feels like a bit of an odd mish-mash between historical fiction, queer romance and steampunk. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen film vibes feel strong here. If the reader wants ultra modern technology, they will probably feel unsatisfied with this book. Other readers will certainly enjoy the low tech focua of this novel.
Now that I have finished the entire book, I will mention that the middle now focuses on an event in China, where a Japanese samurai that has converted to Christianity has a series of stumbles that changes history in Asia. I really enjoyed this arc a lot (maybe even more than the North American arc because it has two interesting coprotagonists). I wanted to root for Ma Liang every step of the way who hides her gender and pretend to be a male Eunuch to further the political agenda of the Muslim Hui community. This arc is yet another one with great disability representation.
The final 3 (?) stories felt like a blur to me, and I never connected with it because none of the characters stay on screen for long (it covers over 300 years of altered history). I really enjoyed how the author shifts things around and different colonial powers control African nations and India ends up partitioned between Spain and Denmark. We also get long-lasting ecological damage from climate change due to melted polar ice caps. What is missing is the lack of successful independence movements, particularly in Latin America.
Most Latin American independence movements were started by ethnic Spaniards born in the colony. Despite their blood lineage, they were devoid of any true rights outside of being well educated and knowledgable about warfare. These wars were very bloody and the heros that start the events usually died in horrible ways. Priest Hidalgo who ignited the match that culminated in Mexico's independence nearly 20 years later was executed only a few weeks after his famous speech. After getting shot by firing squard, the head was cut off and placed in a cage and paraded around for years. I think they never recovered the body but the head ended up cremated decades later and now is stored inside the Angel landmark. Obviously this is a book where history is moved around in unexpectd ways, but it is surprising to me Latin America remains as a stable colony for over 500 years.
After finishing the book, I have opted to give it 3 stars. When the stories focus on a pivotal (and interesting) character, I find the author's extensive knowledge of altered history and prose to be very enjoyable. You really want to root for the characters.
The problem is that these huge technological feats and jumping into so many other stories makes the story feel very disjointed. You can't root for a character because in 10 pages the focus will be in the Middle East or in the North Pole. If this had been a book series where every story is standalone and focusing on a specific cast, I would have been giving each book 4 1/2 stars like skittles. The reader would have more time to love characters and the author a better chance to go crazy teaching us history. And maps, this book needs maps, lots of maps!
Still, despite being a project that felt far too large to fit in 80,000 words, it is certainly original and I always love it when author take huge creative risks.
February 28, 2022
(This review originally appeared at HistoryThatNeverWas.com.)
To Climates Unknown by Arturo Serrano is a masterful and epic novel spanning centuries and continents. Envisioning an alternate world in which the Mayflower did not reach North America, and the events that both led to that effect and the myriad changes that rippled out from that cause, Serrano has created a stunning portrayal of how things that seem infinitesimal can shake the entire world.
The book is divided into sections that focus on a specific time period and set of characters, and while some characters receive brief mention in other sections, each section can also stand alone as a complete story. But by putting together all of the pieces, the conclusion to the book becomes all the more impactful and important. The world envisioned contains military conflicts and powerful leaders, of course, but it also focuses on individuals without claims to power but who have big ideas and the drive to change the world they live in. There are also strong environmental and anti-colonial messages within this book, all fit perfectly into the world Serrano has created.
Unsurprisingly, I devoured this book, reading the entirety in a single afternoon and evening. Even when the history portrayed wasn’t something I knew intimately, I could still see the ways in which the small changes led to larger changes and cascaded into a logical chain of events. Whether you’re a historian or a fan of alternate history in which sometimes small changes and normal people have a big impact, To Climates Unknown is sure to be an enjoyable read.
(The author provided me with a review copy of this book for review consideration.)
To Climates Unknown by Arturo Serrano is a masterful and epic novel spanning centuries and continents. Envisioning an alternate world in which the Mayflower did not reach North America, and the events that both led to that effect and the myriad changes that rippled out from that cause, Serrano has created a stunning portrayal of how things that seem infinitesimal can shake the entire world.
The book is divided into sections that focus on a specific time period and set of characters, and while some characters receive brief mention in other sections, each section can also stand alone as a complete story. But by putting together all of the pieces, the conclusion to the book becomes all the more impactful and important. The world envisioned contains military conflicts and powerful leaders, of course, but it also focuses on individuals without claims to power but who have big ideas and the drive to change the world they live in. There are also strong environmental and anti-colonial messages within this book, all fit perfectly into the world Serrano has created.
Unsurprisingly, I devoured this book, reading the entirety in a single afternoon and evening. Even when the history portrayed wasn’t something I knew intimately, I could still see the ways in which the small changes led to larger changes and cascaded into a logical chain of events. Whether you’re a historian or a fan of alternate history in which sometimes small changes and normal people have a big impact, To Climates Unknown is sure to be an enjoyable read.
(The author provided me with a review copy of this book for review consideration.)
June 5, 2022
Great, great, great novel! The universe it portrays is so vast, with such different features to our own. I loved how it goes to so many places in the world, making it so diverse, taking a huge effort to keep everything, from spelling of names to facts about local traditions in place. I love the take on non-violence, and on colonialism! I loved it!
January 29, 2024
Right from the prologue, I was captivated by this novel of alternative history: with sure-handed historical sweep, Serrano introduces events whose butterfly-effects lead to a world both altered and unsettlingly familiar.
At the outset of the colonial era, the Mayflower fails to reach North America and, more generally, the British colonial project withers. With Britain sidelined and the United States stillborn, other world powers predominate. Rather than follow a single protagonist, the story switches from one perspective to the next, patching together a panorama of the world formed by these alternative contingencies as the narrative skips forward or back in different timelines to unfurl its complex history.
Though the actors and their specific acts may differ from our history, much remains the same. Rapacity for power and wealth, cultural chauvinism and religious illiberalism, systems in which the wealth and industry of nations are at the disposal of a handful of venal and flawed elites—the tragic issue of these things is depressingly familiar.
The novel provides welcome focus on a panoply of peoples, genders, and identities. We see this history through the eyes of the sorts of persons too often excluded from the histories of our timeline. In the end, these are the characters who bring hope to the tale: a worldwide alliance of marginalised peoples forms to contest the very foundations of imperialism and its mortifying persecutions.
“If a future is to come that is different from the crushing evil we’re living in,” declares one voice in the resistance, “it will be forged from the earnest efforts of the many.”
I review the novel at greater length on Medium (un-paywalled link).
At the outset of the colonial era, the Mayflower fails to reach North America and, more generally, the British colonial project withers. With Britain sidelined and the United States stillborn, other world powers predominate. Rather than follow a single protagonist, the story switches from one perspective to the next, patching together a panorama of the world formed by these alternative contingencies as the narrative skips forward or back in different timelines to unfurl its complex history.
Though the actors and their specific acts may differ from our history, much remains the same. Rapacity for power and wealth, cultural chauvinism and religious illiberalism, systems in which the wealth and industry of nations are at the disposal of a handful of venal and flawed elites—the tragic issue of these things is depressingly familiar.
The novel provides welcome focus on a panoply of peoples, genders, and identities. We see this history through the eyes of the sorts of persons too often excluded from the histories of our timeline. In the end, these are the characters who bring hope to the tale: a worldwide alliance of marginalised peoples forms to contest the very foundations of imperialism and its mortifying persecutions.
“If a future is to come that is different from the crushing evil we’re living in,” declares one voice in the resistance, “it will be forged from the earnest efforts of the many.”
I review the novel at greater length on Medium (un-paywalled link).
December 27, 2021
This is alternate history at its best. As a result of plausible changes in minor historical events, the world develops as a much different place. Spain, Denmark, and China become and remain the dominant empires. Faith based culture and thinking predominates, resulting in a slower, different, scientific revolution. And yet, some sophisticated inventions and weapons of war are developed. The surprising ending is life fulfilling and hopeful.
In a series of interrelated stories spanning the period from the late 1500’s to the present, taking place in a number of locations around the globe, the world becomes understood. The well developed characters in the stories contend with problems common to our experiences. The fusion of common human interest with alternate cultures results in entertaining philosophical dialogues that immerse the reader in speculations about the current nature of the world, and makes us all wonder what if.
Highly readable, thrilling, and intensely interesting.
In a series of interrelated stories spanning the period from the late 1500’s to the present, taking place in a number of locations around the globe, the world becomes understood. The well developed characters in the stories contend with problems common to our experiences. The fusion of common human interest with alternate cultures results in entertaining philosophical dialogues that immerse the reader in speculations about the current nature of the world, and makes us all wonder what if.
Highly readable, thrilling, and intensely interesting.
December 20, 2021
Firstly the book is very well written and the plot and characterisation make for an exciting story. As alternate history though the chosen point of departure on its own would not be sufficient to establish the timeline laid out in this book.
In fact there are at least five separate points of departure and with the exception of the first, all are low probability events.
In the end though, none of this matters. If you're an alternate history geek, you probably won't enjoy this much. If you're not then it's entirely possible that you will.
In fact there are at least five separate points of departure and with the exception of the first, all are low probability events.
In the end though, none of this matters. If you're an alternate history geek, you probably won't enjoy this much. If you're not then it's entirely possible that you will.
March 9, 2022
Posted some thoughts to Medium (unpaywalled link).
March 14, 2024
I really enjoyed this. And here’s the thing. I am not a history scholar - like, in high school our world history class was taught by the painfully uninterested art teacher. So I’m not here to discuss that aspect. Serrano’s story is a huge undertaking filled with earnestness and endless threads to pull, which I imagine appeals very differently to different readers.
For me, the book was an interesting combination of chewy and compelling. Even in places where the references were lost on me or things felt a little more disjointed, I was very interested to finish.
What grasped me most were the two threads that for me, pulled through the main storylines. 1) Individual people cannot fight armies alone, but they can and absolutely do shape the course of the world. 2) Empires are defined by the stories of each person they impact, especially those never told.
I also liked the overarching premise that it is not a single empire builder that opposes humanity but any that appear. Each unum within in the pluribus is our future, not the unum of the pluribus.
However, I felt the ending, and in particular the portrayal of mass violence, either did not uphold that idea or didn’t have enough room to explore it.
I want to note that some of the dialogue in and the resolution of Part 1 was particularly compelling and I’d love to see more stories from Serrano focused in on the lives and interpersonal dynamics of underrepresented characters within larger frameworks because those were the moments the story felt deepest.
Overall I feel like this is a book that may not be best for those seeking a tighter narrative, yet is full of fascinating concepts, connections, and moments for those who would enjoy this dedicated and earnest exploration - and vital reminder that any one of us really can make a difference.
For me, the book was an interesting combination of chewy and compelling. Even in places where the references were lost on me or things felt a little more disjointed, I was very interested to finish.
What grasped me most were the two threads that for me, pulled through the main storylines. 1) Individual people cannot fight armies alone, but they can and absolutely do shape the course of the world. 2) Empires are defined by the stories of each person they impact, especially those never told.
I also liked the overarching premise that it is not a single empire builder that opposes humanity but any that appear. Each unum within in the pluribus is our future, not the unum of the pluribus.
However, I felt the ending, and in particular the portrayal of mass violence, either did not uphold that idea or didn’t have enough room to explore it.
I want to note that some of the dialogue in and the resolution of Part 1 was particularly compelling and I’d love to see more stories from Serrano focused in on the lives and interpersonal dynamics of underrepresented characters within larger frameworks because those were the moments the story felt deepest.
Overall I feel like this is a book that may not be best for those seeking a tighter narrative, yet is full of fascinating concepts, connections, and moments for those who would enjoy this dedicated and earnest exploration - and vital reminder that any one of us really can make a difference.
January 7, 2022
Pages 1 through 293 were fantastic, full of life and vision. Real historical figures are used in imaginative ways, reshaping the world in eerily believable ways. The last twenty pages or so flubbed the landing. The final verbal confrontation just lacked the gravitas required of such a historically momentous occasion.
March 22, 2023
Not quite what I was expecting from the log line, does not necessarily pass the plausibility test and relies on the same gimmicks too many times. That being said: this was a remarkably thoughtful and ambitious work, deeply researched and highly imaginative. If the premise intrigues you, you're almost certainly going to be into this one.
December 19, 2025
Interesting approach to alternate history; Serrano included several Jonbar points in this novel. The ending, though, seemed very deus ex machina.
January 23, 2026
V good. V knowledgeable writer
January 21, 2024
Disclaimer: Read as a judge for SPSFC3. Opinions and ratings are my own. Other Judge's opinions may vary.
I have read around the 30% mark of this and whilst it is certainly an intriguing book it reads more like an alternate history rather than anything sci-fi. The early demise of a noted British sailor in the prologue & the Mayflower never reaching the Americas are just 2 of the important events that certainly affect the course of history.
Beyond this, I lost interest in the story and after attempting 3 times to keep reading it's a DNF.
I have read around the 30% mark of this and whilst it is certainly an intriguing book it reads more like an alternate history rather than anything sci-fi. The early demise of a noted British sailor in the prologue & the Mayflower never reaching the Americas are just 2 of the important events that certainly affect the course of history.
Beyond this, I lost interest in the story and after attempting 3 times to keep reading it's a DNF.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews