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Britannia's Fist Trilogy #3
Bayonets, Balloons & Ironclads: Britain and France Take Sides with the South
Peter G. Tsouras presents the third installment in his Britannia’s Fist alternate history series. The winter of 1863 had rung down a white curtain on the desperate struggle for North America. The United States and Great Britain had fought each other to a bitter draw. On both sides of the Atlantic the forges of war glowed as they poured out the new technologies of war. British and French aid transformed the ragged Confederate armies and filled them with new confidence. Both sides strained to be ready for the coming campaign season. Both sides seek to anticipate each other.
The British strike suddenly at Hooker’s strung out army in winter quarters in upstate New York in a brutal swirling late battle across frozen fields and streams. Besieged Portland shudders relentless assault. The French attack Fort Hudson on the Mississippi. At Lincoln’s direction, two great raids are launched at the United Kingdom itself as Russia enters the war on the side of the Union to raid the Irish Sea. These are only preliminaries to the great gathering of modernized armies and ironclad fleets and with them are deadly submersibles and balloons. Battle rages from Maine to northern Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay, down to steamy Louisiana. And far away across the sea Dublin stands siege as Russia cast eyes upon Constantinople. For Americans, blue and gray, Britons, Irish, Frenchmen, and Russians, the summer of 1864 is the crescendo battle of destinies and dreams.
The British strike suddenly at Hooker’s strung out army in winter quarters in upstate New York in a brutal swirling late battle across frozen fields and streams. Besieged Portland shudders relentless assault. The French attack Fort Hudson on the Mississippi. At Lincoln’s direction, two great raids are launched at the United Kingdom itself as Russia enters the war on the side of the Union to raid the Irish Sea. These are only preliminaries to the great gathering of modernized armies and ironclad fleets and with them are deadly submersibles and balloons. Battle rages from Maine to northern Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay, down to steamy Louisiana. And far away across the sea Dublin stands siege as Russia cast eyes upon Constantinople. For Americans, blue and gray, Britons, Irish, Frenchmen, and Russians, the summer of 1864 is the crescendo battle of destinies and dreams.
424 pages, Hardcover
First published February 3, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 17, 2021
This book was a really fitting end to a really interesting trilogy. Frankly I'm a little embittered by the final conclusion of the book, as they're a little too lenient on the instigators of the war, but that's just a personal view, not an objective issue with the book itself. The writing is fairly good, though at points Tsouras sorta beats you over the head with the descriptions of certain characters, often repeating anecdotes ad naseum. At no point during my reading did I actually wish to put down the book, as the pace starts of fast and only quickens as you go on.
Overall if you're interested in a well written alternate history of the American Civil War you should definitely read this book.
Overall if you're interested in a well written alternate history of the American Civil War you should definitely read this book.
February 7, 2017
A much better than average Alt-History of the Civil War and thereafter. Well thought out scenarios and larger depictions of both military and political leaders..It is the kind of book to take into your quiet space with a jigger of old rye, stoke the fire unless you don't have one. Open the book and you are in for a pleasant surprise. The author is quite talented.
March 2, 2015
Great Book
Mr Tsouras wrote a fantastic series of novels about an alternative American Civil War. I read each book non stop once they were released.
Mr Tsouras wrote a fantastic series of novels about an alternative American Civil War. I read each book non stop once they were released.
March 25, 2015
Fantastic book - real characters -real situations - both sides take loses - it is not all one sided like so many of these alternate histories - very please with the book and with the trilogy -
April 3, 2015
Liked the touch of what might be considered steampunk with the aeroships and submarines. I was surprised with number of missing and misplaced quotation marks.
March 7, 2015
Would have benefitted from an editor, but I did love the story.
March 28, 2015
Long awaited and eagerly read!
Mr Tsoura's final book in his alt Civwar history is worth the wait. From guerrilla ops in New England to navy action around the world to bitter fighting between the various powers in North America, it moves at a fast pace.
Nothing is sure in the book as both sides win and lose in almost equal measures. This book deals almost exclusively with fighting though and little of the politics or home front that was a big part of the earlier two books. Perhaps that is appropriate given it is the concluding book.
A truly interesting aspect is the faltering steps that new technology takes in the book, tactics and counter tactics. Misuse and evolution of weapons/tactics that would take place in (our) history only a few decades later.
It's an enjoyable read and one hard to put down. That it follows plans and ideas that actually existed during this time (though obviously never acted on due to this war being avoided) makes the historian in me enjoy the read even more. I had some quibbles which I'll leave out b/c they would be spoilers and I don't think I'll be alone about them but they don't ruin the story by any means.
While some may fault the early use of certain tech, much of it actually did exist in the early 1860s and all of it was quite within reach of the period BUT the need wasn't there as it was in the situation this trilogy was based on.
Lastly, let's not forget that the British built raiders that end up causing this alt world war were in reality almost the cause of war in our history. It was a narrow run thing and only a reluctant sense of duty on the hand of the Foreign undersecretary Layard who forwards the US ultimatum to his boss in time for the English to stop a new series of ships from being sold to the CSA. It literally was a war avoided by the skin of our collective teeth.
Mr Tsoura's final book in his alt Civwar history is worth the wait. From guerrilla ops in New England to navy action around the world to bitter fighting between the various powers in North America, it moves at a fast pace.
Nothing is sure in the book as both sides win and lose in almost equal measures. This book deals almost exclusively with fighting though and little of the politics or home front that was a big part of the earlier two books. Perhaps that is appropriate given it is the concluding book.
A truly interesting aspect is the faltering steps that new technology takes in the book, tactics and counter tactics. Misuse and evolution of weapons/tactics that would take place in (our) history only a few decades later.
It's an enjoyable read and one hard to put down. That it follows plans and ideas that actually existed during this time (though obviously never acted on due to this war being avoided) makes the historian in me enjoy the read even more. I had some quibbles which I'll leave out b/c they would be spoilers and I don't think I'll be alone about them but they don't ruin the story by any means.
While some may fault the early use of certain tech, much of it actually did exist in the early 1860s and all of it was quite within reach of the period BUT the need wasn't there as it was in the situation this trilogy was based on.
Lastly, let's not forget that the British built raiders that end up causing this alt world war were in reality almost the cause of war in our history. It was a narrow run thing and only a reluctant sense of duty on the hand of the Foreign undersecretary Layard who forwards the US ultimatum to his boss in time for the English to stop a new series of ships from being sold to the CSA. It literally was a war avoided by the skin of our collective teeth.
September 19, 2017
Top notch alternative history series that could have been improved with some stronger editing.
February 25, 2024
Overall this was a very satisfying alternative history series. I feel that with most alternative histories I like the concept more than the execution, as they typically end up feeling very goofy and inauthentic. Peter Tsouras, to his credit, made this alternate history to the American Civil War feel very real with very real stakes. The ending of the trilogy does feel rushed and I was disappointed with how quickly a great story with multiple threads climaxed. I wish more attention had been paid to the Russian war aims and their grand involvement, but all we get are a few tantalizing teasers and a "but that is a different story" in the epilogue. That disappointment aside, I great enjoyed the series.
November 26, 2022
Good reading but poor ending. Lot of infırmation on reading bu end. Very small info about aftermath of the war
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews