Britannia's Fist: From Civil War to World War: An Alternate History

Britannia's Fist Trilogy #1

by Peter G. Tsouras

Once too often in the War Between the States, Great Britain's support for the Confederacy takes it to the brink of war with the Union. The escape of a British-built Confederate ironclad finally ignites the heap of combustible animosities and national interests. When the U.S. Navy seizes it in British waters, the ensuing battle spirals into all-out war. Napoleon III eagerly joins the British and declares war on the United States. Meanwhile, treason uncoils in the North as the anti-war Democrats, known as Copperheads, plot to overthrow the U.S. government and take the Midwest into the Confederacy. Britannia's fist strikes quickly and hard. Along with the Canadians, the British invade New York and Maine, and the Royal Navy strikes at the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. The clash at Charleston is history's first great naval battle between ironclads. Meanwhile, a French army marches into Texas from Mexico, and the French Navy attacks the Gulf coast. In the Midwest, the Copperheads rise in revolt to liberate Confederate POWs and arm them with stockpiled weapons. Never has the Republic been in such peril. Britannia's Fist brilliantly describes not just a war of stroke and counterstroke but one in which new technologies--repeating weapons, observation balloons, advances in naval ordnance and armament--become vital factors in the struggle of the young country against the Old World's empires. For one of the great missed stories of the Civil War was not the advance of military technology but its impediment by incompetence, disorganization, and in some serious cases outright refusal to contemplate anything innovative. This is also a war in which the Union finds a "combat multiplier" when it organizes history's first national-level intelligence effort. Britannia's Fist is the compelling story of powerful historical personalities who come together as the Union goes into total war mobilization in the fight for its life.

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

278 pages, Hardcover

First published July 30, 2008

Reviews

[Frédéric · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like military alternate histories. This one is set in a period - the american civil war - that I am particularly fond of and the unfolding of new events is very interesting and presented in a credible way, and I want to know where this new version of history will take us.
However, I am only giving it 3 stars because the book suffers from a very dry style, with poorly developed characters and a multitude of technical details about ships and cannons that are a bit boring.

[Steven Condon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Britannia's Fist: From Civil War to World War: An Alternate History , the first volume in Peter G. Tsouras' Britannia's Fist trilogy, an alternate history of the American Civil War, is an exciting look at what might have happened if America had reacted more aggressively to Great Britain's building of commerce raiding warships for the Confederacy. Historically, the act of the British government in turning a blind eye to the building of dangerous commerce raiders such as the infamous CSS Alabama, came close to sparking armed conflict between the Union and Britain. Tsouras plays a game of "what if" with this historical volatile issue and the result is exciting reading, deep insights into the historical Civil War, and a better understanding of how close the Confederacy came to having some very powerful allies in its fight for independence.

I also heartily recommend volume two in Tsouras' trilogy, A Rainbow Of Blood: The Union In Peril An Alternate History . As of this date, volume three has yet to be released.

[Kyle Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Britannia's Fist is the first iteration in a series of five alternate history novel(s) written by Peter G. Tsouras. The original edition of the book was first published in 2008 and was distributed in North America by Potomac Books. The book series seeks to examine the effects and ramifications of British and French intervention in the American Civil War on behalf of the Confederate States of America. Although most of the first book focuses upon events occurring in Britain and the United States the first book seeks to examine and explore events in the opening stages of the conflict involving all four nations.

The writing style in Britannia's Fist is similar to the style used in traditional historical narratives. The book is written as if was authored as if it was an actual historical work and the events depicted in the book actually occured. To this end the book even includes a list of citations that use books that have been published in this fictional setting. However the author does attempt to characterize and describe the events and characters in greater depth than traditional historical works. The main focus of the book is on the events themselves and there is no attempt to offer in depth characterization for the individuals featured in the book. The focus of the novel is clearly the events occurring within it not the characters involved. Due to the focus of the novel being the setting and events, this book can only be recommended to someone who finds the main premise of the book and the unique writing style interesting.

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a student of the American Civil War.
I thoroughly enjoyed this alternate history - the first volume in a trilogy.
Starting vol 2 today.
Excellent characterization - I got to know the people involved.
Unlike some of these type of stories, the author uses actual equipment that was available during the 1860's - no flights of fantasy here.

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unlike many of Peter Tsouras' books, Britannia's Fist tells a tale rather then a collection of scenarios. He has gotten better at telling tales, but ends the book in the middle of the fight with the dreaded words - Tobe continued...

[Kevin Barnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story and have started reading the second book in this trilogy. However I am not a fan of jumping from one person to another in a completely different area without a break in the writing. Just not a fan of that style. Also "To be Continued" was not fun to read. The story is good.

[Mark Congiusta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love me a good alternate history and this be one of them.

[Paul Jarzabek · Rating 4 out of 5]

One excellent read. Almost forgot it was a work of fiction and not a history at some points. A good page turner to the end.

[Mike Rogers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have really been enjoying alternate history books lately and I read this book because my dad recommended it. Tsouras seems to have an excellent grasp of the international politics of the American Civil War period and makes the idea of Great Britain getting involved in the war believable. There is very little character development to speak of in this book, as the author wants it to read more like a history text. Each chapter has footnotes, most of which are real but some - denoted by an asterisk - point to sources that don't actually exist. While I enjoyed this book, there were a few glaring errors and typos which became distracting. Tsouras' writing style is also awkward and can be hard to follow at times. Still, I will be looking forward to reading the second installment of the trilogy.

[Joel Parisi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent story and characterization. Some distressing and avoidable typos, (and the dreaded "to be continued" ending) but otherwise great!