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Greenhill's Alternate Decisions
The Napoleon Options: Alternate Decisions of the Napoleonic Wars
30 illustrations 5 maps 6 x 9
* Contributions by leading military historians
* Gripping narratives of ten alternate scenarios
* A vital addition to this popular genre This compelling alternate history, brilliantly written by ten leading international authors, presents the great maybes of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. The Napoleon Options focuses on some of the pivotal episodes of those catastrophic wars, gives them a historical twist and explores in detail an alternate sequence of historical events. Rooted firmly in reality, and projected from entirely factual events, these dramatic possibilities are played out as though they actually happened in vivid and dramatic narratives. As the Napoleonic conflict had such an impact on the formation of the modern world, these captivating scenarios colorfully illustrate how alternate events might well have shaped a radically different world. They graphically illustrate the role of chance in history and demonstrate the far-reaching consequences of minor changes upon the surging course of events.
* Contributions by leading military historians
* Gripping narratives of ten alternate scenarios
* A vital addition to this popular genre This compelling alternate history, brilliantly written by ten leading international authors, presents the great maybes of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. The Napoleon Options focuses on some of the pivotal episodes of those catastrophic wars, gives them a historical twist and explores in detail an alternate sequence of historical events. Rooted firmly in reality, and projected from entirely factual events, these dramatic possibilities are played out as though they actually happened in vivid and dramatic narratives. As the Napoleonic conflict had such an impact on the formation of the modern world, these captivating scenarios colorfully illustrate how alternate events might well have shaped a radically different world. They graphically illustrate the role of chance in history and demonstrate the far-reaching consequences of minor changes upon the surging course of events.
- GenresAlternate HistoryHistory
Hardcover
First published February 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 22, 2023
Written by a who's who of Napoleonic history boffins - several well known as wargamers, and almost all of whom will be names very familiar to any true Napoleonic buff - in much the same style as they would write about actual historical events, I found these 'what if?' scenarios, all very plausibly constructed, made for fascinating and highly entertaining reading.
The authors and scenarios are as follows:
1) Paddy Griffith - A successful French invasion of Ireland by Hoche, 1796-7.
2) Charles Grant - Napoleon conquers Egypt & Syria, 1798-9.
3) Philip Haythornthwaite - Junot is victorious at Vimeiro, 1808
4) John Gill - The Austrians attack early, but are still defeated by a decisive Napoleon, 1809
5) Digby Smith - An alternative but equally bloody stalemate at Borodino, 1812, but with a very different outcome.
6) Jonathan North (Ed.) - The Grand Armée kicks Chichagov's butt at Minsk & Borisov, 1812.
7) John Gallagher - France wins the 1813 campaign, leading to a 2nd treaty of Tilsit!
8) Peter Hofschröer - Napoleon takes Brussels after Constant Rebeque follows Wellington's order to move on Nivelles, abandoning Quatre Bras, 1815.
9) Andrew Uffindell - A longer more complex and bloody two-day Waterloo, with a similar - yet radically different - outcome, 1815.
10) John Elting - Napoleon, regrouping at Quatre Bras, goes on to win the 1815 campaign.
Some of these alternate histories totally reverse events, as when Junot wins at Vimeiro, or Napoleon beats Wellington and Blücher in 1815. Others simply reach the same outcome via different routes, as when Napoleon defeats the Austrians in 1809, or is defeated after a two-day Waterloo.
The Russian 1812 period has, for some time now, been my primary area of Napoleonic interest, so I found Digby Smith's alternate Borodino fascinating. Starting, as do all the accounts, from things as they really were, Smith begins changing things by allowing the Russians more forces and greater success in their northern flank attack, in which Platov's Cossacks harassed the French baggage train.
Whilst Smith has Napoleon stave off the worst of disaster that might've resulted in the areas of the field under his stepson Eugene, nevertheless the ultimate stalemate is worse for the French than it was on the actual day.
His account further diverges from real events in that, with heavier French losses, Napoleon chooses to overwinter in Smolensk. And from that point onwards Smith's alternate history takes a very radically different course.
One very intriguing point worthy of note, an aside by Smith described as a 'discordant footnote' to his imaginary history, is his reference to 'The slightly-unbalanced Bonapartist, Pierre d'Offshruere'. Pierre is the French form of Peter. Smith appears to be having a dig at 'revisionist' historian (as some call him) Peter Hofschröer. Hofschröer is, as it happens, a fellow contributor to this volume, and no stranger to intrigue. The world of Napoleonic literature is, like its subject, a scene of conflict!
Editor Jonathan North contributes a second Russia 1812 piece, telling how Napoleon might've fared had he preserved the base and magazines at Minsk, and soundly thrashed Chichagov's army. This is another of those alternate realities that has very profoundly different outcomes for Europe and the world at large as a result. Very intriguing and entertaining indeed!
John Gallagher, the only contributor whose name I wasn't already acquainted with, offers us an 1813 campaign that, instead of ending with Allied victory at Leipzig, instead finds Napoleonic France re-ascendent, culminating in a second treaty at Tilsit. This was fascinating for me, as the 1813-14 campaigns are one of the areas of this era I'm least familiar with. Discerning fact from fiction was, for me, much harder!
The book ends with three Waterloo related scenarios. Yes, three! Given the epoch-making and epoch-breaking significance of this particular battle that's not altogether surprising, perhaps.
Those who know the other Waterloo related works of Pierre d'Offshruere, um... sorry, Peter Hofschröer, might not be surprised by his 'what if' Waterloo finding Wellington worsted. Like all the scenarios in this book, it's both plausible and fun. Sensitive admirers of Wellington be warned, noses may be put out of joint!
Having struggled with (and thus far failed to finish) his Fields Of Glory, I was somewhat surprised that I found Andrew Uffindell's two-day Waterloo both one of the most convincing and most exciting of these accounts. On day one Napoleon pushes Wellington back on Waterloo village & the forest of Soignes, momentarily succeeding in his aim of separating the allies.
But, despite Wellington dying on the second day, the Prussians, under the indefatigable Blücher, seal the gap and attack the spent French in ever-increasing force, also bolstered by elements arriving from Wellington's detached force at Hal, to the west. Not content with killing Wellington, Uffindell also has Napoleon slain, whilst sheltering in a square of the Old Guard, as the Armée du Nord is pulverised. With a welcome touch of humour he refers to revisionist controversies that question the 'Blücher myth'.
Hugely plausible, and hugely enjoyable. Well done Mr Uffindell, I doff my imaginary bicorne to your sanguine scenario!
The Napoleon Options ends with a chapter by John Elting, the most novel-like, in terms of prose style, of the treatments of these 'captivating scenarios'. Elting imagines that Napoleon not only successfully rallies his shattered forces at Quatre Bras, but then turns the tide on Wellington and Blücher, finally succeeding in his original aim of dividing and defeating them in detail.
One senses a cheeky grin, and perhaps a gleam in Colonel Elting's eye, as his account ends thus: 'Military historians generally agree that Napoleon's post-Waterloo 1815 campaign was possibly the most brilliant of his entire career.' What fun!
I'd thoroughly and unhesitatingly recommend this book to wargamers and any other form of Napoleonic history buffs.
The authors and scenarios are as follows:
1) Paddy Griffith - A successful French invasion of Ireland by Hoche, 1796-7.
2) Charles Grant - Napoleon conquers Egypt & Syria, 1798-9.
3) Philip Haythornthwaite - Junot is victorious at Vimeiro, 1808
4) John Gill - The Austrians attack early, but are still defeated by a decisive Napoleon, 1809
5) Digby Smith - An alternative but equally bloody stalemate at Borodino, 1812, but with a very different outcome.
6) Jonathan North (Ed.) - The Grand Armée kicks Chichagov's butt at Minsk & Borisov, 1812.
7) John Gallagher - France wins the 1813 campaign, leading to a 2nd treaty of Tilsit!
8) Peter Hofschröer - Napoleon takes Brussels after Constant Rebeque follows Wellington's order to move on Nivelles, abandoning Quatre Bras, 1815.
9) Andrew Uffindell - A longer more complex and bloody two-day Waterloo, with a similar - yet radically different - outcome, 1815.
10) John Elting - Napoleon, regrouping at Quatre Bras, goes on to win the 1815 campaign.
Some of these alternate histories totally reverse events, as when Junot wins at Vimeiro, or Napoleon beats Wellington and Blücher in 1815. Others simply reach the same outcome via different routes, as when Napoleon defeats the Austrians in 1809, or is defeated after a two-day Waterloo.
The Russian 1812 period has, for some time now, been my primary area of Napoleonic interest, so I found Digby Smith's alternate Borodino fascinating. Starting, as do all the accounts, from things as they really were, Smith begins changing things by allowing the Russians more forces and greater success in their northern flank attack, in which Platov's Cossacks harassed the French baggage train.
Whilst Smith has Napoleon stave off the worst of disaster that might've resulted in the areas of the field under his stepson Eugene, nevertheless the ultimate stalemate is worse for the French than it was on the actual day.
His account further diverges from real events in that, with heavier French losses, Napoleon chooses to overwinter in Smolensk. And from that point onwards Smith's alternate history takes a very radically different course.
One very intriguing point worthy of note, an aside by Smith described as a 'discordant footnote' to his imaginary history, is his reference to 'The slightly-unbalanced Bonapartist, Pierre d'Offshruere'. Pierre is the French form of Peter. Smith appears to be having a dig at 'revisionist' historian (as some call him) Peter Hofschröer. Hofschröer is, as it happens, a fellow contributor to this volume, and no stranger to intrigue. The world of Napoleonic literature is, like its subject, a scene of conflict!
Editor Jonathan North contributes a second Russia 1812 piece, telling how Napoleon might've fared had he preserved the base and magazines at Minsk, and soundly thrashed Chichagov's army. This is another of those alternate realities that has very profoundly different outcomes for Europe and the world at large as a result. Very intriguing and entertaining indeed!
John Gallagher, the only contributor whose name I wasn't already acquainted with, offers us an 1813 campaign that, instead of ending with Allied victory at Leipzig, instead finds Napoleonic France re-ascendent, culminating in a second treaty at Tilsit. This was fascinating for me, as the 1813-14 campaigns are one of the areas of this era I'm least familiar with. Discerning fact from fiction was, for me, much harder!
The book ends with three Waterloo related scenarios. Yes, three! Given the epoch-making and epoch-breaking significance of this particular battle that's not altogether surprising, perhaps.
Those who know the other Waterloo related works of Pierre d'Offshruere, um... sorry, Peter Hofschröer, might not be surprised by his 'what if' Waterloo finding Wellington worsted. Like all the scenarios in this book, it's both plausible and fun. Sensitive admirers of Wellington be warned, noses may be put out of joint!
Having struggled with (and thus far failed to finish) his Fields Of Glory, I was somewhat surprised that I found Andrew Uffindell's two-day Waterloo both one of the most convincing and most exciting of these accounts. On day one Napoleon pushes Wellington back on Waterloo village & the forest of Soignes, momentarily succeeding in his aim of separating the allies.
But, despite Wellington dying on the second day, the Prussians, under the indefatigable Blücher, seal the gap and attack the spent French in ever-increasing force, also bolstered by elements arriving from Wellington's detached force at Hal, to the west. Not content with killing Wellington, Uffindell also has Napoleon slain, whilst sheltering in a square of the Old Guard, as the Armée du Nord is pulverised. With a welcome touch of humour he refers to revisionist controversies that question the 'Blücher myth'.
Hugely plausible, and hugely enjoyable. Well done Mr Uffindell, I doff my imaginary bicorne to your sanguine scenario!
The Napoleon Options ends with a chapter by John Elting, the most novel-like, in terms of prose style, of the treatments of these 'captivating scenarios'. Elting imagines that Napoleon not only successfully rallies his shattered forces at Quatre Bras, but then turns the tide on Wellington and Blücher, finally succeeding in his original aim of dividing and defeating them in detail.
One senses a cheeky grin, and perhaps a gleam in Colonel Elting's eye, as his account ends thus: 'Military historians generally agree that Napoleon's post-Waterloo 1815 campaign was possibly the most brilliant of his entire career.' What fun!
I'd thoroughly and unhesitatingly recommend this book to wargamers and any other form of Napoleonic history buffs.
October 9, 2025
*The Napoleon Options*, edited by Jonathan North, is a fascinating anthology that approaches alternate history with both breadth and depth, using the figure of Napoleon Bonaparte as a pivot around which multiple speculative realities unfold.
Published in 2006, the collection gathers a variety of authors, each imagining divergences from the Napoleonic era that explore the fragility of historical contingency, the consequences of individual ambition, and the broader ethical and political implications of altered history. Unlike a single narrative, the anthology provides a kaleidoscopic view of the era, showing how different interventions—some subtle, some catastrophic—could have reshaped Europe, and indeed the world, while offering readers a reflective meditation on power, leadership, and human agency.
The unifying theme across the anthology is the interplay between contingency and character. Napoleon is simultaneously a historical icon, moral agent, and fulcrum of change. Each story examines how small shifts—victories, defeats, alliances, or personal decisions—could have multiplied across time, creating ripple effects that extend beyond battlefields into politics, society, and culture.
These divergences are not purely speculative for spectacle; they are grounded in plausibility, historical research, and ethical inquiry. Readers are encouraged to consider not only “what might have been” but also the moral and societal consequences of human action in positions of power.
Characterization in the anthology is diverse and rich. While some stories center explicitly on Napoleon himself, others focus on generals, statesmen, civilians, or ordinary soldiers, providing multiple lenses through which to examine the human dimensions of historical change. Each contribution illuminates different aspects of agency, responsibility, and ethical tension.
The anthology collectively demonstrates that history is not merely a sequence of events but a complex interplay of personal ambition, strategic calculation, and moral consequence. Even brief vignettes reveal the fragility of decision-making, showing how choices made in one moment can reverberate across decades.
Thematically, *The Napoleon Options* interrogates the nature of power, ambition, and responsibility. Several stories highlight the consequences of hubris, the dangers of overreach, and the ethical dilemmas faced by leaders whose decisions affect millions. Others emphasise moral courage and the capacity for principled action under pressure. The collection as a whole encourages reflection on how societies are shaped not only by great figures but also by the decisions of ordinary people, whose acts of courage, compromise, or cowardice influence outcomes as profoundly as the strategies of generals.
Stylistically, the anthology is eclectic, reflecting the voices of multiple authors. Some contributions are tightly focused on military and political manoeuvring, with precise, detailed prose capturing the mechanics of campaigns, logistics, and strategy. Others are more reflective, meditating on ethical dilemmas, cultural change, or personal experience within historical upheaval. This diversity creates a rhythm that oscillates between action and reflection, suspense and philosophical meditation, mirroring the unpredictability and complexity of history itself.
The collection also engages deeply with historical texture. Military engagements, courtly intrigue, and diplomatic negotiations are depicted with both accuracy and imaginative extrapolation. Authors employ the details of uniforms, armaments, political institutions, and social customs not merely for verisimilitude but to illuminate character, ethical stakes, and the consequences of historical divergence. By anchoring speculation in historical plausibility, the anthology enhances both intellectual engagement and narrative immersion, showing how plausible “what ifs” can illuminate enduring questions about leadership, morality, and societal evolution.
Ethical tension is a recurring motif throughout *The Napoleon Options*. Stories often highlight the moral consequences of strategic choices: the collateral damage of military campaigns, the human cost of ambition, and the ethical compromises inherent in governance and diplomacy. By examining how different outcomes would have affected populations, institutions, and international dynamics, the anthology foregrounds the human stakes of historical divergence, reminding readers that alternative history is as much an ethical exploration as a narrative one.
The anthology also allows for experimentation with perspective and scope. Some stories are intimate, following individual soldiers or citizens, emphasising the personal consequences of geopolitical shifts. Others adopt broader lenses, tracing the evolution of entire nations or the global balance of power over decades. This interplay between microcosm and macrocosm reinforces the collection’s central theme: history is shaped simultaneously by individuals and by larger structural forces, and the interplay between these levels generates both narrative tension and moral inquiry.
One of the anthology’s strengths is its capacity to balance entertainment with reflection. The imagined divergences are thrilling, from unexpected victories to improbable alliances, yet each speculative scenario carries intellectual weight. Readers are invited to inhabit a world that is both familiar and profoundly altered, reflecting on the fragility of historical certainty, the unpredictability of human decision-making, and the ethical dimensions of power. The collection engages both the intellect and the imagination, creating a reading experience that is immersive, thought-provoking, and morally resonant.
Ultimately, *The Napoleon Options* functions as both a speculative exploration and a meditation on history itself. The anthology demonstrates that even a single individual—Napoleon, in this case—can influence events profoundly, yet it also reminds readers that history is contingent, multifaceted, and ethically complex. Power, ambition, and ethical responsibility are examined across multiple perspectives, showing how divergent outcomes might have reshaped nations, cultures, and human lives. The collection encourages reflection on the interplay between individual agency and structural forces, the moral dilemmas of leadership, and the far-reaching consequences of decisions made in critical moments.
In conclusion, Jonathan North’s *The Napoleon Options* is a richly textured, intellectually stimulating anthology that blends historical research, imaginative speculation, and ethical inquiry. Through diverse voices and perspectives, the collection explores the fragility of historical contingency, the moral stakes of power, and the interplay between human ambition and societal consequence.
It is a work that immerses readers in alternate possibilities while prompting reflection on the ethical, cultural, and political dimensions of history, creating a reading experience that is as thought-provoking as it is engaging.
Published in 2006, the collection gathers a variety of authors, each imagining divergences from the Napoleonic era that explore the fragility of historical contingency, the consequences of individual ambition, and the broader ethical and political implications of altered history. Unlike a single narrative, the anthology provides a kaleidoscopic view of the era, showing how different interventions—some subtle, some catastrophic—could have reshaped Europe, and indeed the world, while offering readers a reflective meditation on power, leadership, and human agency.
The unifying theme across the anthology is the interplay between contingency and character. Napoleon is simultaneously a historical icon, moral agent, and fulcrum of change. Each story examines how small shifts—victories, defeats, alliances, or personal decisions—could have multiplied across time, creating ripple effects that extend beyond battlefields into politics, society, and culture.
These divergences are not purely speculative for spectacle; they are grounded in plausibility, historical research, and ethical inquiry. Readers are encouraged to consider not only “what might have been” but also the moral and societal consequences of human action in positions of power.
Characterization in the anthology is diverse and rich. While some stories center explicitly on Napoleon himself, others focus on generals, statesmen, civilians, or ordinary soldiers, providing multiple lenses through which to examine the human dimensions of historical change. Each contribution illuminates different aspects of agency, responsibility, and ethical tension.
The anthology collectively demonstrates that history is not merely a sequence of events but a complex interplay of personal ambition, strategic calculation, and moral consequence. Even brief vignettes reveal the fragility of decision-making, showing how choices made in one moment can reverberate across decades.
Thematically, *The Napoleon Options* interrogates the nature of power, ambition, and responsibility. Several stories highlight the consequences of hubris, the dangers of overreach, and the ethical dilemmas faced by leaders whose decisions affect millions. Others emphasise moral courage and the capacity for principled action under pressure. The collection as a whole encourages reflection on how societies are shaped not only by great figures but also by the decisions of ordinary people, whose acts of courage, compromise, or cowardice influence outcomes as profoundly as the strategies of generals.
Stylistically, the anthology is eclectic, reflecting the voices of multiple authors. Some contributions are tightly focused on military and political manoeuvring, with precise, detailed prose capturing the mechanics of campaigns, logistics, and strategy. Others are more reflective, meditating on ethical dilemmas, cultural change, or personal experience within historical upheaval. This diversity creates a rhythm that oscillates between action and reflection, suspense and philosophical meditation, mirroring the unpredictability and complexity of history itself.
The collection also engages deeply with historical texture. Military engagements, courtly intrigue, and diplomatic negotiations are depicted with both accuracy and imaginative extrapolation. Authors employ the details of uniforms, armaments, political institutions, and social customs not merely for verisimilitude but to illuminate character, ethical stakes, and the consequences of historical divergence. By anchoring speculation in historical plausibility, the anthology enhances both intellectual engagement and narrative immersion, showing how plausible “what ifs” can illuminate enduring questions about leadership, morality, and societal evolution.
Ethical tension is a recurring motif throughout *The Napoleon Options*. Stories often highlight the moral consequences of strategic choices: the collateral damage of military campaigns, the human cost of ambition, and the ethical compromises inherent in governance and diplomacy. By examining how different outcomes would have affected populations, institutions, and international dynamics, the anthology foregrounds the human stakes of historical divergence, reminding readers that alternative history is as much an ethical exploration as a narrative one.
The anthology also allows for experimentation with perspective and scope. Some stories are intimate, following individual soldiers or citizens, emphasising the personal consequences of geopolitical shifts. Others adopt broader lenses, tracing the evolution of entire nations or the global balance of power over decades. This interplay between microcosm and macrocosm reinforces the collection’s central theme: history is shaped simultaneously by individuals and by larger structural forces, and the interplay between these levels generates both narrative tension and moral inquiry.
One of the anthology’s strengths is its capacity to balance entertainment with reflection. The imagined divergences are thrilling, from unexpected victories to improbable alliances, yet each speculative scenario carries intellectual weight. Readers are invited to inhabit a world that is both familiar and profoundly altered, reflecting on the fragility of historical certainty, the unpredictability of human decision-making, and the ethical dimensions of power. The collection engages both the intellect and the imagination, creating a reading experience that is immersive, thought-provoking, and morally resonant.
Ultimately, *The Napoleon Options* functions as both a speculative exploration and a meditation on history itself. The anthology demonstrates that even a single individual—Napoleon, in this case—can influence events profoundly, yet it also reminds readers that history is contingent, multifaceted, and ethically complex. Power, ambition, and ethical responsibility are examined across multiple perspectives, showing how divergent outcomes might have reshaped nations, cultures, and human lives. The collection encourages reflection on the interplay between individual agency and structural forces, the moral dilemmas of leadership, and the far-reaching consequences of decisions made in critical moments.
In conclusion, Jonathan North’s *The Napoleon Options* is a richly textured, intellectually stimulating anthology that blends historical research, imaginative speculation, and ethical inquiry. Through diverse voices and perspectives, the collection explores the fragility of historical contingency, the moral stakes of power, and the interplay between human ambition and societal consequence.
It is a work that immerses readers in alternate possibilities while prompting reflection on the ethical, cultural, and political dimensions of history, creating a reading experience that is as thought-provoking as it is engaging.
February 28, 2023
A good series of article’s exploring the what-ifs of the Napoleonic wars. The scenarios that dealt with the long term impacts of some of these alternate histories were very interesting and none of the chapters presented options that were so fantastic as to be impossible. Highly recommended if you enjoy alternate histories.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews