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What Might Have Been #2
Alternate Heroes
What would have happened if history had been different-if the major events that shaped our times had occurred in a different way-or not at all? From a Confederacy that won the Civil War to a Europe converted to Viking paganism.These bold excursions in time depict bizarre new worlds-oddly familiar, disturbingly different-a glimpse of WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
Summary:
Michael Cassutt's "Mules in Horses' Harness"
Sheila Finch's "Old Man and C",
Harry Harrison and Tom Shippey's "Letter from the Pope"
M. Laidlaw's "His Powder'd Wig, His Crown of Thornes"
Barry N. Malzberg's "Another Goddamned Showboat"
James Morrow's "Abe Lincoln in McDonald's"
Rudy Rucker and Paul Di Filippo's "Instability"
Susan Shwartz's "Loose Cannon"
Robert Silverberg's "A Sleep and a Forgetting"
Judith Tarr's "Roncesvalles"
Harry Turtledove's "Departures"
Walter Jon Williams's "No Spot of Ground"
George Zebrowski's "Lenin in Odessa".
Summary:
Michael Cassutt's "Mules in Horses' Harness"
Sheila Finch's "Old Man and C",
Harry Harrison and Tom Shippey's "Letter from the Pope"
M. Laidlaw's "His Powder'd Wig, His Crown of Thornes"
Barry N. Malzberg's "Another Goddamned Showboat"
James Morrow's "Abe Lincoln in McDonald's"
Rudy Rucker and Paul Di Filippo's "Instability"
Susan Shwartz's "Loose Cannon"
Robert Silverberg's "A Sleep and a Forgetting"
Judith Tarr's "Roncesvalles"
Harry Turtledove's "Departures"
Walter Jon Williams's "No Spot of Ground"
George Zebrowski's "Lenin in Odessa".
354 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 1989
1 person is currently reading
139 people want to read
About the author
Gregory Benford
564 books616 followersGregory Benford is an American science fiction author and astrophysicist who is on the faculty of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of California, Irvine.
As a science fiction author, Benford is best known for the Galactic Center Saga novels, beginning with In the Ocean of Night (1977). This series postulates a galaxy in which sentient organic life is in constant warfare with sentient mechanical life.
As a science fiction author, Benford is best known for the Galactic Center Saga novels, beginning with In the Ocean of Night (1977). This series postulates a galaxy in which sentient organic life is in constant warfare with sentient mechanical life.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 17, 2023
This is Volume 2 of a four-volume series of alternate history short stories and novellas, especially commissioned by Gregory Benford and Martin H. Greenberg, published from 1989-1992. Each volume is thematically related. Here is the list...
What Might Have Been, Volume 1; Alternate Empires(1989)
What Might Have Been, Volume 2; Alternate Heroes (1990)
What Might Have Been, Volume 3; Alternate Wars (1991)
What Might Have Been, Volume 4; Alternate Americas(1992)
The contents are...
"A Sleep and A Forgetting", by Robert Silverberg
"The Old Man and the C", by Sheila Finch
"The Last Article", by Harry Turtledove
"Mules in Horses' Harness", by Michael Cassutt
"Lenin in Odessa", by George Zebrowski
"Abe Lincoln in McDonalds", by James Morrow
"Another Goddamned Showboat", by Barry N. Malzberg
"Loose Cannon", Susan Shwartz
"A Letter From the Pope", by Harry harrison and Tom Shippey
"Roncesvalles", by Judith Tarr
"His Powder'd Wig, His Crown of Thornes", by Marc Laidlaw
"Departures", by Harry Turtledove
"Instability", by Rudy Rucker and Paul DeFilippo
"No Spot of Ground", by Walter Jon Williams
I'm reading this 4-volume series of alternate history short stories intermixed with other things this season. "Alternate Heroes" is a little mis-named, as the recurring topic of the stories is alternate historical figures, not necessarily heroic ones. There is one theory of history, that individuals matter and that their individual decisions can be the turning points of history itself. The other is that social forces have their way, regardless of the individuals who play a part. These stories, as a whole, don't take one side or the other, but many of the stories do explore that question. It's fascinating to me.
The few stories I had trouble with, it was because they deal with medieval figures of which I know very little. I mean, I'm a native speaker of English, but it isn't my heritage. Our schools here emphasize US history, and since my grandfather came directly from SE Europe to the American Midwest in the 20th century - my world history interests are not in western Europe. The whole Anglo-Saxon/Celtic scene doesn't relate to me. To be fair, the alternate American Civil War stories probably don't work so well outside the US either. But that difficulty is mine, not the story's. These are quite good stories.
What Might Have Been, Volume 1; Alternate Empires(1989)
What Might Have Been, Volume 2; Alternate Heroes (1990)
What Might Have Been, Volume 3; Alternate Wars (1991)
What Might Have Been, Volume 4; Alternate Americas(1992)
The contents are...
"A Sleep and A Forgetting", by Robert Silverberg
"The Old Man and the C", by Sheila Finch
"The Last Article", by Harry Turtledove
"Mules in Horses' Harness", by Michael Cassutt
"Lenin in Odessa", by George Zebrowski
"Abe Lincoln in McDonalds", by James Morrow
"Another Goddamned Showboat", by Barry N. Malzberg
"Loose Cannon", Susan Shwartz
"A Letter From the Pope", by Harry harrison and Tom Shippey
"Roncesvalles", by Judith Tarr
"His Powder'd Wig, His Crown of Thornes", by Marc Laidlaw
"Departures", by Harry Turtledove
"Instability", by Rudy Rucker and Paul DeFilippo
"No Spot of Ground", by Walter Jon Williams
I'm reading this 4-volume series of alternate history short stories intermixed with other things this season. "Alternate Heroes" is a little mis-named, as the recurring topic of the stories is alternate historical figures, not necessarily heroic ones. There is one theory of history, that individuals matter and that their individual decisions can be the turning points of history itself. The other is that social forces have their way, regardless of the individuals who play a part. These stories, as a whole, don't take one side or the other, but many of the stories do explore that question. It's fascinating to me.
The few stories I had trouble with, it was because they deal with medieval figures of which I know very little. I mean, I'm a native speaker of English, but it isn't my heritage. Our schools here emphasize US history, and since my grandfather came directly from SE Europe to the American Midwest in the 20th century - my world history interests are not in western Europe. The whole Anglo-Saxon/Celtic scene doesn't relate to me. To be fair, the alternate American Civil War stories probably don't work so well outside the US either. But that difficulty is mine, not the story's. These are quite good stories.
July 7, 2025
Growing up I was a sucker for stories and novels involving time travel and alternate history. With the latter genre not quite as fashionable as it is today, the options available to me were far fewer, and I had to take what I could get. This made Gregory Benford and Martin Greenberg’s series seem like manna to a starving person, as I gobbled up every one of the offerings, no matter how far they pushed the concept in unorthodox directions. These include:
“A Sleep and A Forgetting” by Robert Silverberg – A modern-day Sinologist is called in by a longtime friend to communicate with a Mongol working as a palace guard in Byzantine Constantinople. Silverberg is a master of the short story form, and this one provides a good demonstration as to why, as it’s packed with interesting ideas and leaves the reader wanting more at the end.
“The Old Man and C” by Sheila Finch – In his twilight years, Albert Einstein wrestles with the sense that he might have lived a life more impactful than that of a violinist and teacher. The older I get, the more touching I find this story.
“The Last Article” by Harry Turtledove – After defeating the British forces in India, Field Marshal Walter Model finds himself up against a far different sort of opponent. The first of two Turtledove stories in this collection (a foreshadowing of his subsequent dominance of the genre), it is easily the most famous of the stories in this book, thanks in no small measure to its subsequent publication in similar collections.
“Mules in Horses’ Harnesses” by Michael Cassutt – In a Confederacy that survived a vengeful reconquest by Union forces after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, an employee of a company using differential calculators to predict the future warns his sister about marrying an ambitious politician. While this one is the most direct commentary on the “great man” focus inherent in this collection, it suffers from not being one of the stronger stories.
“Lenin in Odessa” by George Zebrowski – In the aftermath of the Bolshevik Revolution, Sidney Reilly uses the “Ambassadors’ Plot” to overthrow Vladimir Lenin and install himself as the new head of Russia. Told through the eyes of Joseph Stalin, it’s an excellent example of grounded alternate history.
“Abe Lincoln in McDonald’s” by James Morrow – Contemplating signing a treaty that would end the Civil War and return the Southern states to the union, Lincoln uses magic to see what the America of the future would be like. While the story felt a little strained, it did serve as inspiration for the excellent cover art for the book.
“Another Goddamed Showboat” by Barry N. Malzberg – In 1941 a frustrated Ernest Hemingway fumes at the ability of a young writer to get published in Amazing Stories while his own submissions continue to get rejected. This one comes across as a commentary on the unrequited labors of a science fiction author, which probably requires a reader to be one in order to appreciate it fully.
“Loose Cannon” by Susan Shwartz – Having recovered from a German-orchestrated assassination attempt six years earlier, T. E. Lawrence is sent by Winston Churchill to North Africa to convince Erwin Rommel to turn against the Nazi regime. While Schwartz’s novella was nominated for a Nebula when it was first published, this one just seems more belabored than some of the other premises in the collection.
“A Letter from the Pope” by Harry Harrison and Tom Shippey – A beleaguered Alfred of Wessex gets fed up with the lack of support from the Catholic Church for his plight. Uniquely among the stories in the collection, Harrison and Shippey provide an introduction that provide the context of an overview of the history of 9th century England, which avoids some of the awkward asides that can plague stories with settings that might be similarly obscure to modern readers.
“Roncevalles” by Judith Tarr – In the aftermath of the battle of Roncevaux Pass, Charlemagne chooses a different punishment for Ganelon’s betrayal of Roland. This is less an alternate history than it is a story based on a literary work, but no worse for it. The editors did Tarr a little dirty here, though, as placing it immediately after Harrison and Shippey’s story makes it seem a little repetitive.
“His Powder’d Wig, His Crown of Thornes” by Marc Laidlaw – An art dealer in an America that is still part of the British Empire, finds a group of Amerinds who worship an unusual icon. As alternate histories based on the rebels’ defeat in the American Revolution it’s not a bad one, though I found it a little perverse given what George Washington did to Native Americans in reality.
“Departures” by Harry Turtledove – In his second contribution to the collection, Turtledove leans into his background as a Byzantine scholar to tell the story of 7th century Christian monks fleeing a Persian invasion. While the obscurity of the setting may puzzle some readers, the story provides context for the stories in the author’s fun Agent of Byzantium series, a world which he sadly abandoned later on in favor of other, more popular settings.
“Instability” by Rudy Rucker and Paul Di Filippo – The Beats meet the geeks in a story where Neal Cassady and Jack Kerouac encounter a pair of hard-partying physicists on the eve of the first H-bomb test. Rucker and Di Filippo prioritize style over substance, but it’s a fun read nonetheless.
“No Spot of Ground” by Walter Jon Williams – Edgar A. Poe is rescued from a Baltimore gutter by a Southern gentlewoman and survives to become a general in the Army of Northern Virginia. Williams really seems to have done his research on Poe and the battle of North Anna, which he uses for an interesting character study of the poet.
Perhaps it isn’t a coincidence that there’s a strong correlation between the stronger stories in this collection and the ones that were previously published elsewhere, as some of the weaker ones are more dependent on the novelty of the change rather than on the story they have to offer. Nevertheless, it’s a solid collection overall, with the tales in it demonstrating the considerable range of possibilities inherent in the genre.
“A Sleep and A Forgetting” by Robert Silverberg – A modern-day Sinologist is called in by a longtime friend to communicate with a Mongol working as a palace guard in Byzantine Constantinople. Silverberg is a master of the short story form, and this one provides a good demonstration as to why, as it’s packed with interesting ideas and leaves the reader wanting more at the end.
“The Old Man and C” by Sheila Finch – In his twilight years, Albert Einstein wrestles with the sense that he might have lived a life more impactful than that of a violinist and teacher. The older I get, the more touching I find this story.
“The Last Article” by Harry Turtledove – After defeating the British forces in India, Field Marshal Walter Model finds himself up against a far different sort of opponent. The first of two Turtledove stories in this collection (a foreshadowing of his subsequent dominance of the genre), it is easily the most famous of the stories in this book, thanks in no small measure to its subsequent publication in similar collections.
“Mules in Horses’ Harnesses” by Michael Cassutt – In a Confederacy that survived a vengeful reconquest by Union forces after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, an employee of a company using differential calculators to predict the future warns his sister about marrying an ambitious politician. While this one is the most direct commentary on the “great man” focus inherent in this collection, it suffers from not being one of the stronger stories.
“Lenin in Odessa” by George Zebrowski – In the aftermath of the Bolshevik Revolution, Sidney Reilly uses the “Ambassadors’ Plot” to overthrow Vladimir Lenin and install himself as the new head of Russia. Told through the eyes of Joseph Stalin, it’s an excellent example of grounded alternate history.
“Abe Lincoln in McDonald’s” by James Morrow – Contemplating signing a treaty that would end the Civil War and return the Southern states to the union, Lincoln uses magic to see what the America of the future would be like. While the story felt a little strained, it did serve as inspiration for the excellent cover art for the book.
“Another Goddamed Showboat” by Barry N. Malzberg – In 1941 a frustrated Ernest Hemingway fumes at the ability of a young writer to get published in Amazing Stories while his own submissions continue to get rejected. This one comes across as a commentary on the unrequited labors of a science fiction author, which probably requires a reader to be one in order to appreciate it fully.
“Loose Cannon” by Susan Shwartz – Having recovered from a German-orchestrated assassination attempt six years earlier, T. E. Lawrence is sent by Winston Churchill to North Africa to convince Erwin Rommel to turn against the Nazi regime. While Schwartz’s novella was nominated for a Nebula when it was first published, this one just seems more belabored than some of the other premises in the collection.
“A Letter from the Pope” by Harry Harrison and Tom Shippey – A beleaguered Alfred of Wessex gets fed up with the lack of support from the Catholic Church for his plight. Uniquely among the stories in the collection, Harrison and Shippey provide an introduction that provide the context of an overview of the history of 9th century England, which avoids some of the awkward asides that can plague stories with settings that might be similarly obscure to modern readers.
“Roncevalles” by Judith Tarr – In the aftermath of the battle of Roncevaux Pass, Charlemagne chooses a different punishment for Ganelon’s betrayal of Roland. This is less an alternate history than it is a story based on a literary work, but no worse for it. The editors did Tarr a little dirty here, though, as placing it immediately after Harrison and Shippey’s story makes it seem a little repetitive.
“His Powder’d Wig, His Crown of Thornes” by Marc Laidlaw – An art dealer in an America that is still part of the British Empire, finds a group of Amerinds who worship an unusual icon. As alternate histories based on the rebels’ defeat in the American Revolution it’s not a bad one, though I found it a little perverse given what George Washington did to Native Americans in reality.
“Departures” by Harry Turtledove – In his second contribution to the collection, Turtledove leans into his background as a Byzantine scholar to tell the story of 7th century Christian monks fleeing a Persian invasion. While the obscurity of the setting may puzzle some readers, the story provides context for the stories in the author’s fun Agent of Byzantium series, a world which he sadly abandoned later on in favor of other, more popular settings.
“Instability” by Rudy Rucker and Paul Di Filippo – The Beats meet the geeks in a story where Neal Cassady and Jack Kerouac encounter a pair of hard-partying physicists on the eve of the first H-bomb test. Rucker and Di Filippo prioritize style over substance, but it’s a fun read nonetheless.
“No Spot of Ground” by Walter Jon Williams – Edgar A. Poe is rescued from a Baltimore gutter by a Southern gentlewoman and survives to become a general in the Army of Northern Virginia. Williams really seems to have done his research on Poe and the battle of North Anna, which he uses for an interesting character study of the poet.
Perhaps it isn’t a coincidence that there’s a strong correlation between the stronger stories in this collection and the ones that were previously published elsewhere, as some of the weaker ones are more dependent on the novelty of the change rather than on the story they have to offer. Nevertheless, it’s a solid collection overall, with the tales in it demonstrating the considerable range of possibilities inherent in the genre.
May 2, 2013
What if the Nazis had conquered the British Raj and Gandhi had faced them instead? What if Genghis Khan had been converted to Christianity as a child? It's always fun to play the alternate history game, and this anthology has some nice stories. It's a little overly heavy on WWII and Civil War stories, but still fun.
There's some variety. In some, the course of human history is changed--Roland inspires a very different Europe in "Roncevalles", T.E. Lawrence has a major impact on WWII in "Loose Cannon". Others are quieter--the world is not so different for Einstein in "The Old Man and C" or Hemingway in "Another Goddamn Showboat", but these quiet pieces imagine how the men's lives might have been different.
One big problem of alternate history is handling sensitive issues like racism. "Abe Lincoln in McDonald's" does a great job--what looks like might be a magical Negro character turns out to be rather down-to-earth and realistic, and is all the more tragic for it. "His Powder'd Wig, His Crown of Thorns", on the other hand...major race-fail. I'm sorry, you cannot have a story in which your primitive and superstitious Native Americans are downtrodden but numerous and unironically long for our actual timeline because it spread freedom for all peoples and the white lived in harmony with the red. Have you seen the statistics on the reservations? We whites screwed them over, big time, and this story is incredibly insulting.
I particularly enjoyed the chilling Gandhi story "The Last Article" and the rather tragic Poe story "No Spot of Ground". Less so the On the Road styled "Instability", but then, I hated On the Road. So your mileage may vary.
Overall, a pretty good assortment.
There's some variety. In some, the course of human history is changed--Roland inspires a very different Europe in "Roncevalles", T.E. Lawrence has a major impact on WWII in "Loose Cannon". Others are quieter--the world is not so different for Einstein in "The Old Man and C" or Hemingway in "Another Goddamn Showboat", but these quiet pieces imagine how the men's lives might have been different.
One big problem of alternate history is handling sensitive issues like racism. "Abe Lincoln in McDonald's" does a great job--what looks like might be a magical Negro character turns out to be rather down-to-earth and realistic, and is all the more tragic for it. "His Powder'd Wig, His Crown of Thorns", on the other hand...major race-fail. I'm sorry, you cannot have a story in which your primitive and superstitious Native Americans are downtrodden but numerous and unironically long for our actual timeline because it spread freedom for all peoples and the white lived in harmony with the red. Have you seen the statistics on the reservations? We whites screwed them over, big time, and this story is incredibly insulting.
I particularly enjoyed the chilling Gandhi story "The Last Article" and the rather tragic Poe story "No Spot of Ground". Less so the On the Road styled "Instability", but then, I hated On the Road. So your mileage may vary.
Overall, a pretty good assortment.
February 13, 2011
The salient questions...
"A Sleep and a Forgetting," Robert Silverberg -- What if Genghis Khan became a Byzantine Christian rather than a world-conqueror?
"The Old Man and C," Sheila Finch -- What if Albert Einstein had pursued the violin instead of physics?
"The Last Article," Harry Turtledove -- What if Gandhi had tried nonviolent resistance against the Nazi occupation of India?**
"Abe Lincoln in McDonald's," James Morrow -- What if Lincoln had signed a peace treaty with the CSA in 1863?**
"Loose Cannon," Susan Schwartz -- What if T.E. Lawrence had survived his motorcycle accident and lived to confront Rommel in WWII?
"A Letter from the Pope," Harry Harrison and Tom Shippey -- What if Alfred of Wessex had favored Viking paganism over Roman Christianity in the 9th century?**
"Roncesvalles," Judith Tarr -- What if Charlemagne chose Islam over Christianity?**
"His Powder'd Wig, His Crown of Thornes," Marc Laidlaw -- What if George Washington lost the American Revolution and became the Messiah for oppressed peoples everywhere?**
"Departures," Harry Turtledove -- What if Muhammad's prophetic gifts were incorporated into Christianity?**
"Instability," Rudy Rucker and Paul Di Filippo -- What if Keruoac and Cassady "Holy Goofed the world off course" and did away with the threat of nuclear annihilation in the process?**
"No Spot of Ground," Walter Jon Williams -- What if Edgar Allan Poe survived his alcoholism and lived to be a Confederate general?
**My favorite stories in the anthology
"A Sleep and a Forgetting," Robert Silverberg -- What if Genghis Khan became a Byzantine Christian rather than a world-conqueror?
"The Old Man and C," Sheila Finch -- What if Albert Einstein had pursued the violin instead of physics?
"The Last Article," Harry Turtledove -- What if Gandhi had tried nonviolent resistance against the Nazi occupation of India?**
"Abe Lincoln in McDonald's," James Morrow -- What if Lincoln had signed a peace treaty with the CSA in 1863?**
"Loose Cannon," Susan Schwartz -- What if T.E. Lawrence had survived his motorcycle accident and lived to confront Rommel in WWII?
"A Letter from the Pope," Harry Harrison and Tom Shippey -- What if Alfred of Wessex had favored Viking paganism over Roman Christianity in the 9th century?**
"Roncesvalles," Judith Tarr -- What if Charlemagne chose Islam over Christianity?**
"His Powder'd Wig, His Crown of Thornes," Marc Laidlaw -- What if George Washington lost the American Revolution and became the Messiah for oppressed peoples everywhere?**
"Departures," Harry Turtledove -- What if Muhammad's prophetic gifts were incorporated into Christianity?**
"Instability," Rudy Rucker and Paul Di Filippo -- What if Keruoac and Cassady "Holy Goofed the world off course" and did away with the threat of nuclear annihilation in the process?**
"No Spot of Ground," Walter Jon Williams -- What if Edgar Allan Poe survived his alcoholism and lived to be a Confederate general?
**My favorite stories in the anthology
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2020
Oh boy, an alternate history anthology!
A Sleep and a Forgetting by Robert Silverberg: Disappointing for this author.
The Old Man and C by Sheila Finch: Subtle and moving.
The Last Article by Harry Turtledove: Fast-moving and frightening, interesting in conjunction with my re-reading Dick's The Man in the High Castle. Punchless matter-of-fact ending.
Mules in Horses' Harness by Michael Cassutt: Good premise wasted on trite ending. Peculiar token irrelevant aspect.
Lenin in Odessa by George Zebrowski: Promising start. Not clear on how many alternate touchpoints there were. Multiple personages add interest.
Abe Lincoln in McDonald's by James Morrow: Strange blend of satires, but to what end?
Another Goddamned Showboat by Barry Malzberg: Amusing idea, but too briefly explored.
Loose Cannon by Susan Shwartz: Novel thought-piece conflating two wartime figures
A Letter from the Pope by Harry Harrison and Tom Shippey: So-so medieval battle milieu with late impact.
Roncesvalles by Judith Tarr: Very skillful historical feel and battle scenes.
His Powder'd Wig, His Crown of Thorns by Marc Laidlaw: Ho-hum
Departures by Harry Turtledove: OK surprise ending.
Instability by Rudy Rucker and Paul DiFilippo: An inane incoherent gonzo romp with a flimsy disingenuous (?) moral, the low point here.
No Spot of Ground by Walter Jon Williams: Novel speculative hinge, turgid exposition. My enjoyment hindered by military strategy exposition. Maybe the best idea here, but with unfulfilled potential.
A Sleep and a Forgetting by Robert Silverberg: Disappointing for this author.
The Old Man and C by Sheila Finch: Subtle and moving.
The Last Article by Harry Turtledove: Fast-moving and frightening, interesting in conjunction with my re-reading Dick's The Man in the High Castle. Punchless matter-of-fact ending.
Mules in Horses' Harness by Michael Cassutt: Good premise wasted on trite ending. Peculiar token irrelevant aspect.
Lenin in Odessa by George Zebrowski: Promising start. Not clear on how many alternate touchpoints there were. Multiple personages add interest.
Abe Lincoln in McDonald's by James Morrow: Strange blend of satires, but to what end?
Another Goddamned Showboat by Barry Malzberg: Amusing idea, but too briefly explored.
Loose Cannon by Susan Shwartz: Novel thought-piece conflating two wartime figures
A Letter from the Pope by Harry Harrison and Tom Shippey: So-so medieval battle milieu with late impact.
Roncesvalles by Judith Tarr: Very skillful historical feel and battle scenes.
His Powder'd Wig, His Crown of Thorns by Marc Laidlaw: Ho-hum
Departures by Harry Turtledove: OK surprise ending.
Instability by Rudy Rucker and Paul DiFilippo: An inane incoherent gonzo romp with a flimsy disingenuous (?) moral, the low point here.
No Spot of Ground by Walter Jon Williams: Novel speculative hinge, turgid exposition. My enjoyment hindered by military strategy exposition. Maybe the best idea here, but with unfulfilled potential.
July 2, 2016
Interesting collection of short stories, a treat for those who enjoy Alternate History.
December 4, 2025
"What if?"
Amazing that 2 words could spark interesting stories about alternate history & let imaginations flow.
A Sleep And A Forgetting - Robert Silverberg: A scientist & a friend end up using a satellite to chat with a Christian Genghis Khan, fighting in the Crusades on a parallel Earth. So-So
The Old Man And C - Shelia Finch: In our world, Albert Einstein was a well-known scientist. In another world, he was a violin teacher. Dull/Bad
The Last Article- Harry Turtledove: Britain has surrendered to Nazi Germany. Soon after, the Nazis took India after ending British resistance there. Now the occupiers face Gandhi’s resistance. Good
Mules In Horses’ Harness- Michael Cassutt: The Confederacy is still around in modern time but culturally is partially stuck in the 1880s. The story is something about differential computing & predicting the future. With a subplot about a brother & sister fighting over sister’s future. Dull/Bad
Lenin In Odessa - George Zebrowski: Russia, 1918. Lenin faces an assassination attempt. What will the outcome be this time? Good
Abe Lincoln In McDonald’s - James Morrow: President Lincoln takes a nonchalant walk through time to the 21st century to see the impact of a treaty that would end the Civil War early. Good
Another Goddamned Showboat- Barry N. Malzberg: Ernest Hemingway tries to be a science fiction writer. Dull/Bad
Loose Cannon- Susan Shwartz: T. E. Lawrence didn’t die in his motorcycle crash. Now, in WW2, Winston Churchill enlists him to take on Rommel in North Africa. So-So
A Letter From The Pope - Harry Harrison & Tom Shippey: In 878, a war between Christian England & invading pagan Vikings, a king who will not kneel to the invaders…and a letter from Rome that changes the outcome. Good
Roncesvalles - Judith Tarr: Based on the Battle of Roncevaux Pass, which involved Charlemagne. Dull/Bad
His Powder’d Wig, His Crown of Thorns - Marc Laidlaw: In an America that never left the British Empire, American Indians see a famous General as a religious idol. So-So
Departures - Harry Turtledove: Christian monks & the threat of invading Persians of Constantinople in the 7th century. So-So
Instability- Rudy Rucker & Paul Di Filippo: A drug & alcohol-fueled car ride changes the nuclear arms race. So-So
No Spot of Ground - Walter Jon Williams: Edgar Allan Poe: poet, writer and…Confederate Army officer? (This would've been better if it had been shorter) So-So
Overall opinion: A few stories in this book were okay, but overall, most of them tested my patience, the urge to cry "Uncle" & skip them entirely. It's never a good sign when you finish a book & think: "Finally. That's done. Now I can move on to something that's hopefully much better."
3 stars is the best I can do for this book.
Amazing that 2 words could spark interesting stories about alternate history & let imaginations flow.
A Sleep And A Forgetting - Robert Silverberg: A scientist & a friend end up using a satellite to chat with a Christian Genghis Khan, fighting in the Crusades on a parallel Earth. So-So
The Old Man And C - Shelia Finch: In our world, Albert Einstein was a well-known scientist. In another world, he was a violin teacher. Dull/Bad
The Last Article- Harry Turtledove: Britain has surrendered to Nazi Germany. Soon after, the Nazis took India after ending British resistance there. Now the occupiers face Gandhi’s resistance. Good
Mules In Horses’ Harness- Michael Cassutt: The Confederacy is still around in modern time but culturally is partially stuck in the 1880s. The story is something about differential computing & predicting the future. With a subplot about a brother & sister fighting over sister’s future. Dull/Bad
Lenin In Odessa - George Zebrowski: Russia, 1918. Lenin faces an assassination attempt. What will the outcome be this time? Good
Abe Lincoln In McDonald’s - James Morrow: President Lincoln takes a nonchalant walk through time to the 21st century to see the impact of a treaty that would end the Civil War early. Good
Another Goddamned Showboat- Barry N. Malzberg: Ernest Hemingway tries to be a science fiction writer. Dull/Bad
Loose Cannon- Susan Shwartz: T. E. Lawrence didn’t die in his motorcycle crash. Now, in WW2, Winston Churchill enlists him to take on Rommel in North Africa. So-So
A Letter From The Pope - Harry Harrison & Tom Shippey: In 878, a war between Christian England & invading pagan Vikings, a king who will not kneel to the invaders…and a letter from Rome that changes the outcome. Good
Roncesvalles - Judith Tarr: Based on the Battle of Roncevaux Pass, which involved Charlemagne. Dull/Bad
His Powder’d Wig, His Crown of Thorns - Marc Laidlaw: In an America that never left the British Empire, American Indians see a famous General as a religious idol. So-So
Departures - Harry Turtledove: Christian monks & the threat of invading Persians of Constantinople in the 7th century. So-So
Instability- Rudy Rucker & Paul Di Filippo: A drug & alcohol-fueled car ride changes the nuclear arms race. So-So
No Spot of Ground - Walter Jon Williams: Edgar Allan Poe: poet, writer and…Confederate Army officer? (This would've been better if it had been shorter) So-So
Overall opinion: A few stories in this book were okay, but overall, most of them tested my patience, the urge to cry "Uncle" & skip them entirely. It's never a good sign when you finish a book & think: "Finally. That's done. Now I can move on to something that's hopefully much better."
3 stars is the best I can do for this book.
March 22, 2020
Originally 2 books in serial publication. Short story format, multiple authors. All stories here deal with alternate time lines, some more science fiction oriented than others. Some stories are well written gems with great depth for their brief length.
Others required either a deep understanding of specific cultures and their histories to an archeological level. Some might be more enjoyable if they didn't feel like an ill-planned extract from an authors longer works.
Some works by Poul Anderson, Harry Turtledove; edited by Gregory Benford & Martin Green.
Others required either a deep understanding of specific cultures and their histories to an archeological level. Some might be more enjoyable if they didn't feel like an ill-planned extract from an authors longer works.
Some works by Poul Anderson, Harry Turtledove; edited by Gregory Benford & Martin Green.
April 3, 2025
Another excellent entry in this short series of anthologies. Shorts from many well-known authors, with very different takes on very different subjects. Each made me think, and was a pleasure I wished wouldn't end.
July 23, 2020
Some of the stories were significantly better than others. Most were not actually sci-fi.
April 22, 2016
Not quite as good as WMHB1, but still a handful of excellent stories in here.
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