Stars and Stripes Forever

Stars & Stripes #1

by Harry Harrison, Philip Quinn Morris

On November 8, 1861, a U.S. navy warship stopped a British packet and seized two Confederate emissaries on their way to England to seek backing for their cause. England responded with rage, calling for a war of vengeance. The looming crisis was defused by the peace-minded Prince Albert. But imagine how Albert's absence during this critical moment might have changed everything. For lacking Albert's calm voice of reason, Britain now seizes the opportunity to attack and conquer a crippled, war-torn America.

Ulysses S. Grant is poised for an attack that could smash open the South's defenses. In Washington, Abraham Lincoln sees a first glimmer of hope that this bloody war might soon end. But then disaster strikes: English troops have invaded from Canada. With most of the Northern troops withdrawn to fight the new enemy, General William Tecumseh Sherman and his weakened army stand alone against the Confederates. Can a divided, bloodied America defeat England, or will the United States cease to exist for all time?

Genres: Alternate History, Science Fiction, Fiction, Historical Fiction, War, Civil War, American Civil War

346 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Harry Harrison (born Henry Maxwell Dempsey) was an American science fiction author best known for his character the The Stainless Steel Rat and the novel Make Room! Make Room! (1966), the basis for the film Soylent Green (1973). He was also (with Brian W. Aldiss) co-president of the Birmingham Science Fiction Group.

Excerpted from Wikipedia.

Reviews

[Elliott · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are books surely that are fun to hate and this is one of them. By far the worst example of alternate history out there Harrison, uncharacteristically of himself appears to leave out research, common sense, and even logic as he spews out this unforgivably terrible piece of trash. The premise being the Trent Affair of 1862 leads to British intervention on the side of the Confederacy during the Civil War, subsequently a fleet of ships (all incorrectly named, manned, gunned, armored, and just about everything else) mistakenly attacks a Confederate fort. In perhaps the most laughably implausible next step the British shrug off their mistake and decide to not only attack the Union but the Confederacy as well because eh what the hell. What happens next is the Americans (both the Confederacy and Union have allied to one another, conveniently forgetting the whole we're fighting a war thing) never make a mistake, the British never do anything right and the war works out well for everyone save the sinister British Empire of course. Ultimately about 200 something pages of Newt Gingrich's boyhood fanfic, and a waste of paper, but worse is the tremendous waste of Harry Harrison, at one time a fantastic writer, whose fall is sadly speedily accomplished in this work.

[Sdebaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

(This review encompasses all three books of the series)

It's porn for war history geeks: Sherman and Lee leading a re-united, high-tech America against... the British. A fun and lightweight romp through an well-researched alternate history, the book starts in America but visits locations all over the world. Accompanying us as the lead characters are none other than the likes of Lincoln, Sherman, and RE Lee. John Stuart Mill provides political commentary. The Duke of Wellington even makes a cameo appearance!

Harry Harrison writes a really fun trilogy here. I was dubious at first -- the guy who wrote the Stainless Steel Rat books can also write alt-history? But I was pleasantly surprised. The research had been done, and all the places that history diverged made sense. The book ends up giving you the best of what a good alt-history book is supposed to deliver. By the end of it, the author has led you, step by step, to an amazingly plausible world.

The premise hinges on one major event: the Trent affair. Historically, the Union navy boarded a British ship (the Trent) at sea, and took two Confederate emissaries that were en route to Europe to campaign for support. The English government nearly went to war with the US over it; it was apparently only the intervention of Prince Albert that prevented that. Albert died shortly thereafter. If this seems farfetched, remember that it was only 50 years prior that the English had whupped the US, and it was the height of the English empire.

In Harrison's alternative, Albert dies early, and isn't able to intervene in the Trent affair. Events quickly diverge from our timeline there. The only other thing that seemed a-historical was a new face in the American military, who pushed for high-tech solutions rather than "the old way". Apparently, when repeating rifles were developed, they were *not* immediately adopted by the armies of the world. An argument *against* using them was that *it would cause the soldiers to waste bullets*. Yes.

Sure, the characters are virtually plastic caricatures of the historical figures they're supposed to represent. The grasp of history, while factually thorough, is naive; nations and their heroes are the principal actors in world events. But it's goddamn *fun* to read about Sherman going on a commando mission with a Russian noble and an American spy. It's a blast to read about cunningly planned invasions, naval engagements between ships 50 years before their time, and battles that never were.

In fact, there are a ton of "oh that's awesome" moments that I am not going to reveal, because they are more awesome when they are revealed throughout the story. Suffice it to say, Harrison paints an extremely rosy picture of what would have happened if the North and South had reunited halfway through the civil war against a common enemy, and had been more forward-thinking in adopting new practices and technology.

A good, fun read, if you're into military history.

[Stutley Constable · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is one of Harrison's worst endeavors. It rates on the same level as his unfunny Bill the Galactic Hero books.

I can only think Harrison decided to pluck a series of names from history and did a minimum of research. He miss characterizes several prominent figures and probably more that I am less familiar with. The characters are either good or they are bad. Not much grey involved. I enjoyed Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat series but this book should never have gotten past his beta readers. Don't bother with it.

[Harry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good fun...a nice light read with some room for deeper thought...enjoyed it much...going to the next one in the trilogy....

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harry Harrison’s *Stars and Stripes Forever* is a combustible, unrelenting plunge into a world where the Confederacy survived and reshaped the trajectory of the United States, a world painted with audacious strokes yet grounded in moral inquiry, historical texture, and human consequence.

Published in 1998 as part of his *American Civil War Alternate History* explorations, the novel is emblematic of Harrison’s signature blend of speculative imagination and incisive social observation. Unlike many alternate histories that linger in theoretical divergence or the politics of war, Harrison thrusts readers into the kinetic heartbeat of a world in which victory and survival are inseparable from ethical reckoning, and where the spectacle of what might have been is inseparably intertwined with the moral cost of that reality.

At the center is Joe Taverner, a military engineer whose mind is as strategic as it is reflective, a man whose technical ingenuity serves both as a plot engine and as a prism for examining the moral and societal implications of Confederate triumph. Taverner is not merely an archetype of competence; Harrison invests him with curiosity, conscience, and the occasional moral hesitation that makes him feel fully human.

Through Taverner’s perspective, the Confederacy’s victory is revealed as an ecosystem of power, ambition, and systemic injustice. The South is triumphant, yet it is also brittle, its social, economic, and technological systems perpetually balancing on the tension between necessity and ideology, ambition and morality. Harrison portrays this world not as a static achievement but as a living, evolving construct, rife with contradictions, ethical dilemmas, and the subtle pressures of human fallibility.

The novel’s opening sequences immediately establish Harrison’s mastery of rhythm and tension. Action is precise, almost cinematic, yet never gratuitous; each battle, each tactical manoeuvre, is a means of illuminating character, ideology, and the ripple effects of historical divergence. Unlike traditional war narratives that celebrate martial prowess for its own sake, Harrison uses military strategy as a lens through which to examine human behaviour under stress, the ethical compromises demanded by survival, and the consequences of systemic inequity. Even in the midst of combat, the narrative pauses to reflect on the broader implications of victory: the cost to individuals, families, and society at large; the moral debt that accompanies triumph; and the fragile architecture of a society that has built its identity on conquest and subjugation.

Harrison’s prose is taut, energetic, and purposeful, yet it carries an undercurrent of reflection. Dialogue and action sequences are imbued with dual significance: they move the plot forward while simultaneously probing ethical and historical themes. The Confederacy’s institutions, hierarchies, and social customs are rendered with precision and subtle irony, making the world feel both lived-in and morally complex.

Harrison’s narrative does not shy away from depicting systemic injustice; slavery, the subjugation of minority populations, and the manipulation of ideology are ever-present, woven into daily life and cultural expectation. Yet the depiction is neither didactic nor sensationalized; Harrison approaches his subject with a kind of anthropological empathy, examining how individuals navigate, justify, or resist these structures, creating a moral texture that enriches the narrative without sacrificing momentum.

One of the novel’s most compelling elements is its exploration of technological and logistical ingenuity. Taverner’s work as a military engineer is central to the narrative, and Harrison takes care to render both the mechanics of invention and its ethical implications. Engineering is never merely technical; it is moral, political, and social. The tools of war, the machinery of defense, and the infrastructure of empire all become reflections of the values and compromises of the society that produced them. Harrison is meticulous in showing that innovation divorced from ethical reflection can serve tyranny as easily as it can serve freedom, a theme that resonates across the novel’s unfolding conflicts.

Thematically, *Stars and Stripes Forever* interrogates the consequences of historical inversion. The Confederacy’s triumph is both absolute and hollow: it dominates the narrative landscape yet remains morally compromised, socially brittle, and ethically fraught. Harrison emphasises that victory does not erase human conscience, nor does it provide immunity from moral reckoning.

Characters like Taverner navigate a world in which societal norms and personal morality are often in tension, where the right choice may involve personal risk or societal defiance, and where heroism is inseparable from ethical courage. Harrison’s treatment of these moral tensions elevates the novel beyond conventional alternate-history adventure, transforming it into a meditation on power, conscience, and the human cost of historical divergence.

The novel also excels in its depiction of historical texture. Harrison’s South is richly imagined: the architecture, transportation, social customs, and political machinations are rendered in ways that feel tangible and alive. The reader can hear the creak of railways, smell the smoke of factories and gunpowder, and sense the rhythms of daily life in a society reshaped by victory and maintained through moral compromise.

This attention to detail creates a sense of immersion, allowing readers to inhabit fully a world that is both speculative and historically resonant. Every scene, every interaction, carries the weight of plausibility, reinforcing the stakes of both action and moral reflection.

Harrison’s treatment of character, particularly in the moral and psychological domain, is a highlight of the novel. Taverner is supported by a cast of figures who embody a range of responses to Confederate triumph: opportunists, idealists, pragmatists, and skeptics. These characters are not merely narrative instruments; they are reflections of the ethical and social complexities inherent in a society built upon conquest and systemic injustice.

Through their interactions, Harrison explores themes of loyalty, compromise, resistance, and conscience, demonstrating that the consequences of historical divergence are as much psychological and moral as they are political or military.

Violence, while abundant, is depicted with a measured realism that emphasises consequence rather than spectacle. Battles and skirmishes are framed as inevitable extensions of societal conflict, revealing both the human cost and the structural pressures that sustain oppression. Harrison resists the temptation to glorify conflict; instead, he uses it to probe character, reveal ethical dilemmas, and underscore the fragility of societies that rely on coercion and hierarchy.

The moral stakes of combat are never abstract; they are intimately tied to the survival, conscience, and ethical choices of individuals, providing a thematic cohesion that elevates the novel above conventional military adventure.

Underlying the narrative is a meditation on legacy and the persistence of memory. Harrison shows that even in victory, history’s unresolved moral questions linger. Taverner and his contemporaries are haunted not by military defeat but by the ethical compromises required to maintain power and societal stability.

The novel’s tension is both external and internal, exploring the ways in which historical triumph imposes moral burdens and ethical obligations on those who inherit it. In this sense, Harrison’s work aligns with the most reflective alternate-history fiction: it is concerned not only with divergence and spectacle but with conscience, memory, and the long shadow of moral choice.

Stylistically, Harrison balances narrative propulsion with reflective depth. The prose is lucid, precise, and often rhythmically charged, moving the reader effortlessly between action, strategy, and ethical meditation. Scenes of military or logistical ingenuity pulse with energy, while quieter passages linger with contemplative weight, allowing the moral and psychological dimensions of the narrative to resonate fully.

Harrison’s skill lies in maintaining this duality, providing both immediate narrative engagement and sustained thematic depth, ensuring that the reader is both entertained and intellectually stimulated.

*Stars and Stripes Forever* resonates beyond its alternate-history premise because it engages fundamentally with questions of ethics, agency, and societal responsibility. Harrison’s Confederacy is not simply a political construct; it is a moral landscape, one that challenges both characters and readers to consider the consequences of historical decisions, the fragility of societal ideals, and the obligations of conscience.

Taverner’s journey is emblematic of the human capacity to navigate, resist, and, when possible, reform systems of power, demonstrating that heroism is inseparable from ethical courage and reflection.

In conclusion, Harrison’s novel is a compelling, immersive exploration of power, morality, and historical contingency. It blends kinetic narrative, technological and military ingenuity, and moral reflection into a seamless whole, creating a world that is both vividly realised and ethically charged. Taverner’s journey illuminates the tensions between societal expectation and personal conscience, survival and morality, triumph and ethical consequence, inviting readers to consider not only what might have been but what must be reckoned with whenever power and human ambition intersect.

*Stars and Stripes Forever* endures as a masterful work of speculative fiction, one that thrills, challenges, and lingers in the imagination long after the final page, leaving readers to reflect on the enduring questions of conscience, agency, and the moral dimensions of history itself.

[Andrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't care if all technical details in this book are wrong and British are all dumb. It is still fun to read on vacation. Most of the interesting real war history is about improbable coincidences and dumb moves anyway.

[Patrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alternate history Civil War spoiled by the cloying stench of polyanna. America is INVINCIBLE! The British are EVIL! Oh, and there are no slaves anywhere to be seen.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

An Alternate History book, which is not my favorite subgenre. OK but it didn't make me want to read any further in the series and I know there are some more books.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The War between the States is nearly a year old, but Abraham Lincoln now has a bigger problem. Last November, a Navy ship intercepted a British mail packet on suspicion that it was carrying Confederate diplomats bound for Europe; the two men were promptly imprisoned, but Her Majesty’s government is not pleased that a British ship was accosted and its passengers kidnapped by some uppity colonists. A terse letter is prepared – but whereas in our timeline the letter was modified to be more diplomatic by Prince Albert, here his illness puts him in bed and the potentially explosive communique is sent as-is. The result is a growing diplomatic crisis (an intensified Trent Affair) that adds to the gloom around the White House – gloom already thick from the death of Lincoln’s son and the ongoing war. The tension breaks into open war after Canadian militia in pursuit of honest moonshiners encounter American cavalry patrolling the border and shots are fired. While this sounds like the beginning of a “Confederate Victory” story, Stars and Stripes Forever is far more interesting than that. Light spoilers to follow.

For the most part, Stars and Stripes Forever is solid historical fiction: even when the reader hits the point of divergence, the nature of mid-19th century communications is such that it takes months for any effects to be witnessed. The battle of Shiloh happens months after the affair’s kickoff point, and in a way sets the stage for what happens. While 1861 was the first year of the war between the states, it was more of a time of preparation interrupted by numerous small skirmishes like First Manassas and Ball’s Bluff. Shiloh, though, was a taste of the horrors to come, destroying over twenty thousand lives across the span of two days. In our timeline it was soon surpassed by the charnal house of Sharpsburg/Antietam, and then later the three-day scrum that was Gettysburg. Here, though, it creates a somber mood that leds to opportunity after Hanlon’s Razor goes into effect. A British commander with his dander up misreads a map – and a flag – and tears into Biloxi, burning the town and raping its women. Astonishingly, this leads to a local armistice between the Union and Confederate generals who agree to focus on their now-mutual enemy – and things get even more interesting.

I enjoyed this novel thoroughly, especially for the one-two combo that Shiloh and the armistice create in the psyche of Generals Sherman and Beauregard – a sense of what are we doing fighting one another. The action and characterization are good on the American side: I suspect a British reader would find Victoria’s rendering here annoying, as she’s positively hysteric following the death of Albert and blames it on Washington given that stress over the situation supposedly aggravated his condition. That growing wrath for the North drives a lot of what follows. The British diplomatic response is the weakest part of the novel, largely because they do nothing in the wake of the wrong-flag affair. At this point, though, I was more fascinated by the interactions between Union and Confederate officials and politicians: Jefferson Davis, Abraham Lincoln, Sherman, and Lee frequently meet as their respective nations begin collaborating to meet an ever-increasing British challenge. While there’s a fair bit of implausibility here, it made for a gripping novel nonetheless.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Harry Harrison turns his skills to one of the classic alternate history venues, the American Civil War. Well, most of his skills, anyway. this is not his best effort, but I really enjoyed it anyway. Rather than one of the standard tropes of the South winning the war, he throws in a twist that really stretches believability but takes things in a very different direction from other authors and makes for an enjoyable time. And we get a hint of the application of the political and economic theories of John Stuart Mill by the man himself. Yes, the main characters are hopelessly idealized rather than human with real faults. Yes, the villains are too villainous and often can't seem to shoot straight (sometimes literally). It's still fun and I'll be back for the remaining two books in the series.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harrison is not a novice in alt-history. He has a famous series of Eden, about the Earth that have never been populated by humans but instead developed a race of sapient dinosaurs everywhere except Americas, where a primitive humanoid race appeared instead (a scene of steaming sex between a human boy and an intelligent female dinosaur is breath-taking). He also wrote a less famous, but considerably more interesting A Rebel in Time, an attempt of a modern-day racist to revert the course of the Civil War, and an even less know, but arguably the most interesting, Stars and Stripes trilogy, the first book of which I just finished. Harrison started this series when he was 1978 and lost most of his interest in the hard-core sci-fi (for the rest of his life he only worked on the Stars and Stripes Trilogy, plus some sequels to the Stainless Steel Rat). The Civil War won by the South is the pet subject of American alternate history writers. Harrison, however, has a completely different divergence in mind. Due to two quite plausible events, the British Empire finds itself at war with both the Union and the Confederacy. In front of the common enemy, both countries unite under joint leadership of Lincoln and Davis (who is later shot and his place is assumed by Judah Benjamin, who thus becomes the first Jewish country leader in modern history), and the war effort is led by the Tecumseh Sherman (who had served before the war exclusively in the South), with Gen. Lee as his chief strategist. Capable leadership and technical superiority on sea (a next generation ironclad flotilla built right in time) and on land (breech-loading repeating rifles) lead to a sound defeat of the British. Joint success makes both parties perceptive to finding a common ground, which is eventually established in terms of a government-sponsored program of buying out Southern slaves and abolishing the jus sanguinis slavery, so that all newborn Negroes are born free. So, while formally slavery is not abolished, it is doomed. At this point the first book ends.

[Samantha Smyth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is way outside my genre. I would not read it again, but I feel like it would be unfair to rate the book low because of this. It is well written and full of (I assume) well researched information. The setting changes often! The book follows several groups throughout the war. Be careful to pay attention to where the book has traveled if there is a space between paragraphs. If you enjoy military fiction, give it a shot.

[Tony · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hated this book. I love Harry Harrison books. But it was so full of the worst American fantasy I had to force myself to finish. Harrison had so little understanding of the warfare of that time. British are made out to bumbling, incompetent rapists. America are angels who do everything perfectly and have all the best guns, ships and soldiers. Such utter trash!

[Ilya.Miropolskygmail.Com · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I liked most of all about this book is how Harrison masterfully shows how unpredictable the history is. How personal state of mind, mistake l, lack of knowledge or a pure accident can decide the history of the whole world.
A bit boring though for my taste, but it may be that I just don’t like alternative history…

[Vickie Woodard · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALMOST GAVE UP ON THIS

Then about halfway through the book, the plot jumped up and refused to die.
Like other authors who write alternative history (Harry Turtledove and J.M. Stirling among others), the author has created an expert weaving of what truly was with 'wouldn't it be interesting if THIS had happened' as well. I will visit this author again.

[Don Reese · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of historical fiction, especially alternative history in the vein of Harry Turtledove. This series was a pleasant surprise find at one of the local used book stores. A classic departure from known history, where one small change kicks off an entirely new timeline of history.

[Anne Patkau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bloodthirsty conflicts. Sometimes bogs down, for natural philosopher. Real opinions, battles, included. Prince Albert dies a few weeks earlier, negating his peaceful response to US boarding UK ship. Typos:
~QUEBEC p17 breech IS breach ~VICTORY p7 butties IS buddies

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't let the start/finished times put you off. I enjoyed reading this book. I was expecting a more dramatic end but it's not really about that, it's more about all of those interesting moments that can end up meaning so much.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great alternative history of the American Civil War.

The British enter the war but make an enormous mistake that riles the South.

North and South come together under the command of my distant cousin William Tecumseh Sherman

[Gordon Popular · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite Tuttledove but a good read of alternative history. It starts off as the usual story about the start of the civil war, but the English decide to get involved and things go down hill. Looking to start the second in the series. Recommended.

[Davy Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable 'what if' full of historic characters. Good balance of politics, technology between battles. Definitely interested in continuing the trilogy!

[Michael Jarrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harrison turned in a great alternate history of the Civil War and took it in a fascinating direction. Well worth reading! Now to see where the other two books in the trilogy take us!

[Mike Glaser · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept, adequately carried out. Recommended if you can get past some characters acting totally out of character.

[Elar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite technical and also insightful.

[Serge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun bit of alternative history.

[Steven Saunders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever take on an alternative timeline. Enjoyed the book. Funny how Sherman became a hero in the South!

[Michael Bonkowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good alternate history story

Although this is an older novel it holds up well to more contemporary alternate history stories. I have always loved Mr. Harrison's stories.

[John Love IV · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second alternative history book I've read that has a pivotal point with the Trent Incident. Robert Conroy's 1862, being the other one. Both were enjoyable and well written.

In this book, the Queen's consort, Albert, dies early and doesn't dissuade the English Prime Minister from forcing war on this point. Events then take another turn when the English attack the wrong town, the Confederate controlled Biloxi, instead of the American fort held nearby. English troops, as they were known to do on occasion, got drunk and proceeded to rape and kill anything they could get their hands on. This, of course, ticks off the south who turn there attention from the Yankees to killing every Brit in the state of Mississippi they could get their hands on. In a twist of fate, a Union officer who had lived for a long time in the south, sees the opportunity and joins them. Effectively ending the Civil War and turning into US VS UK III.

The characters are well written and Harrison obviously did his research. Americans, even ex-pats like Harrison, seem to think that America would definitely beat the British. We had many edges, including technology and location but nothing is assured. The big question would be, in my opinion, could Lincoln actually hold the presidency in the next elections or would he lose to someone who would have sued for peace. Luckily, we'll never know for sure and this book doesn't even deal with that issue.

It also doesn't deal with the British problem with slavery, which is a major factor in what actually happened. Not that the Brits wouldn't have ignored it if it was in there interest, but I would have liked a little more insight into that.

What they did deal with quite well is the Queen's mentality. She was not the most stable individual around at times, and especially with Albert gone. (She was a direct decedent of the Mad George Kings after all.) It was dealt with better than other books on the subject, in fact. In part, I believe that it was to set up the next book but hey, it worked.

If you like alternative history, this is a good choice. Harrison does his research and is believable. Some of the things had me saying,"REALLY?" but were necessary to advance the plot as was desired. They weren't out of the realm of possibility, just something that you usually only see in real history as it seems to 'lucky/unlucky' to be believed.

Overall, a good book mostly dealing with major players on both sides. A definite should read for those who like alternative history.

[James Rickett · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a decent alternate history, and this, the first book in the series, is the best of the three. It does have some fair research, at least in the land portions. I suspect there are legal reasons the names of ships don't match with real history, and some of his views of naval architecture are a bit naive, but it's a work of fiction, after all.

Both by ancestry and his abode (Ireland), Harry had no love for Great Britain, particularly GB as it was in the 19th Century, nor the British monarchs, and that clearly shows at every turn. Sneer at his biases if you like, but he seems to have anticipated the recent referendum in Scotland, if not its outcome.

If you're looking for a Harry Turtledove or Newt Gingrich style of alternate history, this isn't it. Likewise, though it's about war, don't expect this to read like a Jeff Shaara or Stephen Coonts book. If you've read "A Transatlantic Tunnel,Hurrah!" another of Harry's alternate histories, you'll recognize the style instantly. If you didn't like that, don't bother picking up this one.

[The other John · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not that you could tell it from perusing my book shelf, but there are alternate history tales out there that have not been written by Harry Turtledove. This one speculates as to what might have happened had Prince Albert of England had not counseled his country to stay out of America's Civil War. Maybe my opinions have been warped by reading so much Turtledove, but while Mr. Harrison's tale is interesting, I found it lacking. Events moved too quickly for my taste and some of those were a bit hard for me to swallow. Given the smaller number of pages--333, compared to 618 in the last Turtledove book I read--the characters in Stars and Stripes Forever seem more shallow, and less interesting.