A Disturbance of Fate

by Mitchell J. Freedman

A Disturbance of Fate is a vibrant work of alternative history that answers these questions and more. In the novel, as in life, the time in which RFK survives beyond 1968 is not a perfect journey leading to utopia. While various events occur that are both expected and welcome in trying to create a just and caring world, there are also surprises, ironies and dangerous developments along the way. Plus, the novel's ending is guaranteed to leave you thinking about the fluidity of history and the dictum ..".for the want of a nail a kingdom was lost..."--though whose kingdom is lost and whose is gained is perhaps the most intriguing question. As Bobby Kennedy himself liked to say, "Some men see things as they are and ask 'Why?' I dream things that never were, and say, 'Why not?'" A Disturbance of Fate dares to dream about an alternative past...and provide inspiration for a more enlightened present and future.

Genres: Alternate History, Fiction

687 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

In this novel, Mitchell Freedman posits an interesting “what-if” scenario that explores what might have happened if Robert Kennedy had survived Sirhan Sirhan’s assassination attempt and then gone on to win the presidency in 1968. From this he launches into a comprehensive account of domestic and international events as they would unfold in response to the policies of President “Bob” Kennedy and his successors, envisioning a range of scenarios that are backed by an impressive amount of research and an imaginative consideration of the consequences.

Yet in spite of the obvious thought and creativity that underlays this book, I found it to be a frustrating read. Part of it is in the policies he envisions Kennedy pursuing, all of which are borne out of the 30-plus years of hindsight that Freedman has the luxury of employing; rarely do Kennedy and his people take a wrong step or embrace a bad idea. This allows Freedman to create a liberal’s fantasy of how the last third of the 20th century could have unfolded, all of which strains credulity as the novel wears on.

Even more annoying, though, is Freedman’s voice as an author. Throughout the book it seems that he can’t decide if he is writing a novel of alternative history, an alternate-history textbook, or a paper speculating how history might have developed differently. Digressions explaining how events developed in “our timeline” or “RFK’s timeline” jar when they interrupt the more clearly novelistic sections of the text. Freedman also cannot even settle on the voices of his characters, as he attempts to replicate the regional accents of Lyndon Johnson, Richard Daley and other figures while ignoring Kennedy’s pronounced Boston Irish accent.

These flaws detract from the overall enjoyment of the book. While Freedman has clearly invested a lot of time and thought into constructing his alternate America, his writing fails to measure up to the task of turning it into an engaging read. Readers who fantasize about how much better America would have been under an RFK presidency will find much to comfort them in its pages, but anyone seeking a good read would do better to turn elsewhere.

[Raymond Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if RFK had escaped assassination in 1968? That is the question "A Disturbance of Fate" attempts to answer. Freedman does a great job of worldbuilding and showing a radical change in the path of American politics. However, despite being a fascinating read I can't help that feel Freedman had everything go right for President RFK, or at least nearly everything. Furthermore, the post Kennedy/Yarborough sequence of events is highly dubious and more than a little disturbing. The rest of the book (95% of it) is simply amazing and provides a wonderful look at a possible Kennedy administration in 1968 and beyond.

[Marshal Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barring tragedy Robert F. Kennedy was well on his way to becoming President of the United States in 1968. When that tragedy occurred America was about to change forever. This is a comprehensive and detailed account of what may have been had that tragedy not occurred. No event in my generation had more of an impact on history than the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy. This book gave me an opportunity to imagine what could have been. Freedman has written a gem. I loved every page.

[Ronn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very detailed history of the Robert F Kennedy presidency that never was. As alternate histories go, this is probably as 'true to what might have been' as any that I have ever read. All the personalities seem pretty true to character, even though some of the places they end up in this time line are pretty strange; a minor non-spoiler example is having Rev. Jesse Jackson becoming the Republican Presidential nominee.

I only have two quibbles. One is that Southerners, whether it be Lyndon Johnson, Ralph Yarborough, or George Wallace, are quoted in dialect, so ah sumtimes have a time tryin' tuh figure out whut they're really sayin'.

The other is that this is a VERY detailed alternate history, so detailed that often feels like I'm reading this in real time, and it becomes ponderous. This was a good read, but sure not a quick one. So I cant recommend this unless you are an absolute fan of alternate histories, or a big fab of RFK.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will commend this book for touching on a topic rarely done in alternative histories - what if Robert Kennedy became President of the United States? - and for providing so much detail into it. However, there were some sections that brought down the score for me:

* Firstly, some of the character's actions don't really line up with what we know about them. I in particular could not see Ethel act as she did in the book.
* Second, the world created in the novel is perhaps too perfect, to the point that I feel like the Second American Civil War touched on in the end was only added in so that you could no longer call it a utopia.
* Finally, the author chooses to utilize accents for his Southern characters, which kind of ruins the immersion slightly and feels odd seeing as he only did it for those characters and not, say, Robert.

At the same time, however, it was a well-made book, I just had some nitpicks with it, hence the 3-star rating.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

what if Robert Kennedy didn't get assassinated...and was
elected President in 1968? an alternative history..with
lots of research and footnotes...fascinating..