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Hail! Hail!
In a compact masterpiece of time travel, alternate American history and comedy, master of alternate history and New York Times bestselling author Harry Turtledove presents the Marx Brothers in the unlikeliest of settings.
Fresh from Duck Soup (1933), Julius, Leonard, Arthur and Herbert Marx - or as the world knows them, Groucho, Chico, Harpo and Zeppo - are transported by a freak electrical storm to Nacogdoches, Texas in the year 1826. Landing in the midst of the Fredonian Rebellion (the first attempt by settlers in Texas to secede from Mexico) and into the company of the only other Jewish person in town, they are in deep dreck.
Falling in with Stephen F. Austin and inadvertently filling his head with knowledge of what is to come, our heroes risk tampering with the future of Texas, and perhaps the entire U.S.A., in their quest to return to their own time.
Will they find their way back? Or will they be doomed to live out their lives without indoor plumbing?
Fresh from Duck Soup (1933), Julius, Leonard, Arthur and Herbert Marx - or as the world knows them, Groucho, Chico, Harpo and Zeppo - are transported by a freak electrical storm to Nacogdoches, Texas in the year 1826. Landing in the midst of the Fredonian Rebellion (the first attempt by settlers in Texas to secede from Mexico) and into the company of the only other Jewish person in town, they are in deep dreck.
Falling in with Stephen F. Austin and inadvertently filling his head with knowledge of what is to come, our heroes risk tampering with the future of Texas, and perhaps the entire U.S.A., in their quest to return to their own time.
Will they find their way back? Or will they be doomed to live out their lives without indoor plumbing?
73 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 5, 2018
63 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Harry Turtledove
566 books1,977 followersDr Harry Norman Turtledove is an American novelist, who has produced a sizeable number of works in several genres including alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction.
Harry Turtledove attended UCLA, where he received a Ph.D. in Byzantine history in 1977.
Turtledove has been dubbed "The Master of Alternate History". Within this genre he is known both for creating original scenarios: such as survival of the Byzantine Empire; an alien invasion in the middle of the World War II; and for giving a fresh and original treatment to themes previously dealt with by other authors, such as the victory of the South in the American Civil War; and of Nazi Germany in the Second World War.
His novels have been credited with bringing alternate history into the mainstream. His style of alternate history has a strong military theme.
Harry Turtledove attended UCLA, where he received a Ph.D. in Byzantine history in 1977.
Turtledove has been dubbed "The Master of Alternate History". Within this genre he is known both for creating original scenarios: such as survival of the Byzantine Empire; an alien invasion in the middle of the World War II; and for giving a fresh and original treatment to themes previously dealt with by other authors, such as the victory of the South in the American Civil War; and of Nazi Germany in the Second World War.
His novels have been credited with bringing alternate history into the mainstream. His style of alternate history has a strong military theme.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 26, 2022
A Kindle Unlimited pickup. Displaced in time short story by an author I've read a ton of stuff by, though it has been a while since I read a full length work by them.
As the description notes: "Fresh from Duck Soup (1933), Julius, Leonard, Arthur and Herbert Marx - or as the world knows them, Groucho, Chico, Harpo and Zeppo - are transported by a freak electrical storm to Nacogdoches, Texas in the year 1826." Or as I would have written in this review: four of the Marx brothers travel by train from California back to the east coast in 1933. While in Texas the train meets a problem that requires it to momentarily (or longer) stop. It's super hot on and off the train. So the brothers wander off to stretch their legs and see if there is any breeze to cool them down a little. They are in a town they've been in before, Nacogdoches Texas. While wandering, the brothers are caught in a rain/thunder/lightening storm. They are walkin on pavement, get struck by lightning, and suddenly realize that they are walking on mud. In mud. And the number of buildings in the town appears to have been reduced. And there are no longer any parked cars.
Fairly quickly they come to realize that they are in the year 1826. And, also fairly quickly, they realize that they are moments away from the start of a rebellion in Texas that ocurred years before the successful later rebellion. Naturally enough, this specific rebellion failed. But the Marx brothers are here now and . . . well, they can't seem to stop accidentally (and some times purposefully) mentioning little tidbits of the future.
Interesting short story.
ETA: just a quick note that there are more Marx brothers than those that went back in time, which may or may not have been an interesting bit of information if the story had been extended to cover
Rating: I forget my exact rating, but it was somewhere around 3.75.
July 26 2022
As the description notes: "Fresh from Duck Soup (1933), Julius, Leonard, Arthur and Herbert Marx - or as the world knows them, Groucho, Chico, Harpo and Zeppo - are transported by a freak electrical storm to Nacogdoches, Texas in the year 1826." Or as I would have written in this review: four of the Marx brothers travel by train from California back to the east coast in 1933. While in Texas the train meets a problem that requires it to momentarily (or longer) stop. It's super hot on and off the train. So the brothers wander off to stretch their legs and see if there is any breeze to cool them down a little. They are in a town they've been in before, Nacogdoches Texas. While wandering, the brothers are caught in a rain/thunder/lightening storm. They are walkin on pavement, get struck by lightning, and suddenly realize that they are walking on mud. In mud. And the number of buildings in the town appears to have been reduced. And there are no longer any parked cars.
Fairly quickly they come to realize that they are in the year 1826. And, also fairly quickly, they realize that they are moments away from the start of a rebellion in Texas that ocurred years before the successful later rebellion. Naturally enough, this specific rebellion failed. But the Marx brothers are here now and . . . well, they can't seem to stop accidentally (and some times purposefully) mentioning little tidbits of the future.
Interesting short story.
ETA: just a quick note that there are more Marx brothers than those that went back in time, which may or may not have been an interesting bit of information if the story had been extended to cover
Rating: I forget my exact rating, but it was somewhere around 3.75.
July 26 2022
August 6, 2021
When I read the description for this novella I was somewhat taken aback. An alternate history/time travel novel where the Marx Brothers get thrown back in time to the Fredonian Rebellion, shortly before the Texas Revolution. Why were those two things connected together? I assumed that since this was Harry Turtledove, the master of alternate history, there would be a solid reason that would be made clear as the book went on. But once I figured it out I felt something of a sinking sensation – it was all about the town of Nacogdoches. Only two things of importance ever happened in that town – Julius (Groucho), while mocking the Texan audience for ignoring his act, had his epiphany that the Marx Brothers made better comics than singers…. And it was the center of the Fredonian Rebellion. That’s the only connection between these two events and the only reason for this story.
If this seems like the sort of amusing comparison that might elicit a brief bout of idle speculation in between more interesting thoughts that’s exactly right. Now I like the Marx Brothers (particularly Groucho) and Turtledove captures them well, but the problem is – what do we want to see happen here? The Marx Brothers involve themselves right in the middle of the rebellion. Why? Accident partly, but they knowingly disrupt the course of history for motivations that seem undeveloped. Why would they want to help the Texans (or Fredonians rather) preserve slavery? Because that’s what it amounts to pretty quickly. Why should they help convince Cherokee leaders to sign up for a treaty they know will be ignored? Once you accept that you’re stuck there would it not make more sense to simply find a way to earn a living off your act... again? It’s all so undercooked and has the logic of an idle daydream – which is exactly what it is.
The story wasn’t all bad. The Marx Brothers’ antics can be amusing and I knew little enough about Fredonia before this story. But I read the story with a great sense of detachment as events rumbled on. The story can be roughly divided between three confrontations needed to win Fredonia’s independence and secure the Marx Brothers’ safety. Each event runs like clockwork, more or less, and then we move onto the next one. The only reason to care is that the Marx Brothers seem likeable protagonists. And that’s just not enough. As they barrel forwards heedless of the obvious and curiously unmotivated plot the story just feels like a drag. I didn’t hate it but I didn’t like it either, and if it feels like two stars is unduly harsh for such a reaction it is because I feel that this will be a common response among other readers. The story is an oddity. Nothing more. The best I can say is that, being on Kindle Unlimited, the price was at least right. Maybe they knew it was a stinker?
If this seems like the sort of amusing comparison that might elicit a brief bout of idle speculation in between more interesting thoughts that’s exactly right. Now I like the Marx Brothers (particularly Groucho) and Turtledove captures them well, but the problem is – what do we want to see happen here? The Marx Brothers involve themselves right in the middle of the rebellion. Why? Accident partly, but they knowingly disrupt the course of history for motivations that seem undeveloped. Why would they want to help the Texans (or Fredonians rather) preserve slavery? Because that’s what it amounts to pretty quickly. Why should they help convince Cherokee leaders to sign up for a treaty they know will be ignored? Once you accept that you’re stuck there would it not make more sense to simply find a way to earn a living off your act... again? It’s all so undercooked and has the logic of an idle daydream – which is exactly what it is.
The story wasn’t all bad. The Marx Brothers’ antics can be amusing and I knew little enough about Fredonia before this story. But I read the story with a great sense of detachment as events rumbled on. The story can be roughly divided between three confrontations needed to win Fredonia’s independence and secure the Marx Brothers’ safety. Each event runs like clockwork, more or less, and then we move onto the next one. The only reason to care is that the Marx Brothers seem likeable protagonists. And that’s just not enough. As they barrel forwards heedless of the obvious and curiously unmotivated plot the story just feels like a drag. I didn’t hate it but I didn’t like it either, and if it feels like two stars is unduly harsh for such a reaction it is because I feel that this will be a common response among other readers. The story is an oddity. Nothing more. The best I can say is that, being on Kindle Unlimited, the price was at least right. Maybe they knew it was a stinker?
December 12, 2018
I am a huge Turtledove fan but this book was highly disappointing. The plot calls for the Marx Brothers to be suddenly transported back in time to 1826 where they interact with American citizens in Nacogdoches, Tx participating in the Fredonian Rebellion which was the first attempt by Anglo settlers in Texas to secede from Mexico.
Turtledove does a fair job of replicating the pun-filled chatter of the Marx brothers but in general it is far-fetched plot and, in truth, rather boring.
Turtledove does a fair job of replicating the pun-filled chatter of the Marx brothers but in general it is far-fetched plot and, in truth, rather boring.
January 8, 2021
Julius, Leonard, Arthur, and Herbert go to Texas
Please give my Amazon review a helpful vote - https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-re...
Hail! Hail! by Harry Turtledove
This is an inventive and educational story that shows Harry Turtledove at the top of his form. This story is substantially longer than a short story but not quite as long as a novella. It is an easy, amusing and engaging read that manages to mix in so much history in what turns out to be both a time travel and an alt-hist story.
The protagonists are the brothers Julius, Leonard, Arthur, and Herbert, better known under their stage names Groucho, Chico, Harpo and Gummo Marx. The story starts in 1934 as the brothers are about to travel to New Orleans by train. Duck Soup has been recently released to disappointing box office. On the way to New Orleans they stop off at Nacogdoches, where they performed in 1912. It was during that performance that they discovered their gift of comedy. The brothers get out to visit the play house, but, improbably, they get involved in a lightning strike that throws them back to Nacogdoches in 1826, which is on the eve of the historic Fredonia Rebellion.
You say you have never heard of this event? Not to worry, Turtledove does, and it is fascinating to learn that this was a real event that presaged the Texas Revolution by a decade and involved Stephen Austin on the side of the Mexicans. From this point on the Marx Brothers are delivering japes and puns like they, well, the Marx Brothers in the real, authentic, smelly west, throwing their lot in with the Fredonia rebels.
I enjoyed the characterization of the Marx brothers, albeit most of the attention was given to Julius/Groucho than the others. Turtledove sprinkles his story with accurate details about the brothers, 1930s Hollywood, and Texas in the early 19th century.
All in all the story is delightful and worth the read, particularly if you are a fan of time-travel or Turtledove.
Please give my Amazon review a helpful vote - https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-re...
Hail! Hail! by Harry Turtledove
This is an inventive and educational story that shows Harry Turtledove at the top of his form. This story is substantially longer than a short story but not quite as long as a novella. It is an easy, amusing and engaging read that manages to mix in so much history in what turns out to be both a time travel and an alt-hist story.
The protagonists are the brothers Julius, Leonard, Arthur, and Herbert, better known under their stage names Groucho, Chico, Harpo and Gummo Marx. The story starts in 1934 as the brothers are about to travel to New Orleans by train. Duck Soup has been recently released to disappointing box office. On the way to New Orleans they stop off at Nacogdoches, where they performed in 1912. It was during that performance that they discovered their gift of comedy. The brothers get out to visit the play house, but, improbably, they get involved in a lightning strike that throws them back to Nacogdoches in 1826, which is on the eve of the historic Fredonia Rebellion.
You say you have never heard of this event? Not to worry, Turtledove does, and it is fascinating to learn that this was a real event that presaged the Texas Revolution by a decade and involved Stephen Austin on the side of the Mexicans. From this point on the Marx Brothers are delivering japes and puns like they, well, the Marx Brothers in the real, authentic, smelly west, throwing their lot in with the Fredonia rebels.
I enjoyed the characterization of the Marx brothers, albeit most of the attention was given to Julius/Groucho than the others. Turtledove sprinkles his story with accurate details about the brothers, 1930s Hollywood, and Texas in the early 19th century.
All in all the story is delightful and worth the read, particularly if you are a fan of time-travel or Turtledove.
February 27, 2025
This novella is a bit of an oddity. Turtledove got it into his head to take four of the Marx Brothers (Chico, Harpo, Groucho, and Zeppo) from 1934 and dump them in the village of Nacogdoches in east Texas in 1826, at the time of the first abortive attempt at Texan independence from Mexico; which was actually achieved ten years later.
The resulting story is not really a comedy: the situation is taken quite seriously by the characters and the author, although it comes with the sort of humorous dialogue you expect from the Marx Brothers. We find out what Texas and its inhabitants were actually like at that time, and the author tries to imagine how the Marx Brothers would react to Texas, and how Texas would react to them.
The mechanics of time travel are pretty simple: apparently you just go out in a thunderstorm and get struck by lightning. All four of you at the same time.
I’m not sure what the point of this story is, or whether it has one. Apparently the author just got this idea into his head and wanted to write it down to get it out of his system. It’s quite well done and mildly entertaining, both as alternative history and as Marx Brothers fan fiction; although I don’t know the Marx Brothers well, so I can’t comment as an expert.
The resulting story is not really a comedy: the situation is taken quite seriously by the characters and the author, although it comes with the sort of humorous dialogue you expect from the Marx Brothers. We find out what Texas and its inhabitants were actually like at that time, and the author tries to imagine how the Marx Brothers would react to Texas, and how Texas would react to them.
The mechanics of time travel are pretty simple: apparently you just go out in a thunderstorm and get struck by lightning. All four of you at the same time.
I’m not sure what the point of this story is, or whether it has one. Apparently the author just got this idea into his head and wanted to write it down to get it out of his system. It’s quite well done and mildly entertaining, both as alternative history and as Marx Brothers fan fiction; although I don’t know the Marx Brothers well, so I can’t comment as an expert.
July 3, 2018
I really enjoy the books by Harry Turtledove, namely the World At War series. I read all 8 books and I still feel like the writer is holding out on me. That is the sign of a good writer, wanting to read more after 8 books? When I saw this book recommended I had high hopes. I like Turtledove, I love the Marx Brothers, and don't it beat all I am from Texas. I really liked the word play of Groucho and the whole starting the revolution for Freedonia tickled my funny bone. Unfortunately this book is too short. I feel like this was an idea Turtledove had on his shelf for a while, but whatever the case this book is only 70 pages long. Maybe making it longer would have weighed down the book and accidentally killed some of the comedy, but at a certain point I was sold on the adventure. I would have loved to have seen them watch more history unfold. Worth what I paid for anyways.
August 28, 2022
Las novelas de historia alternativa de Turtledove siempre me han gustado. Son un poco formulaicas pero si te gusta la formula pues adelante. Incluso cuando la premisa es floja (como la invasión alienígena en mitad de la 2ª Guerra Mundial) suele producir buenos resultados. Lamento reconocer que este no es el caso; la jocosa premisa de unos hermanos Marx que viajan a la Freedonia Original que inspiró (o no, la nación ficticia de «Duck Soup») no cuaja en una historia que merezca la pena. Aunque Turtledone se las arregla para reflejar el humor verbal de Groucho el resto de los hermanos estan totalmente desaprovechados y la trama tiene un subtexto muy oscuro. El argumento está poco desarrollado y no tiene mucho interés.
October 30, 2020
As a massive Marx Bros. fan, this book seemed like an automatic buy for me. Harry Turtledove has a long history of doing some interesting alternate reality works, and taking the frantic foursome and tossing them back in time the Fredonian Rebellion was a neat take on the brothers Marx.
It was weird to see them referred to by their birth names, though. Only real fans would be able to keep them straight in their heads. The book was also not nearly as humorous as the Marxes were. At first, I was a little distracted by that, but having read enough biographies of the brothers, it was much more reflective of the melancholy and angst the brothers suffered offstage.
I liked this book, but I will be the first to tell you that it's probably not everyone's cup of tea.
It was weird to see them referred to by their birth names, though. Only real fans would be able to keep them straight in their heads. The book was also not nearly as humorous as the Marxes were. At first, I was a little distracted by that, but having read enough biographies of the brothers, it was much more reflective of the melancholy and angst the brothers suffered offstage.
I liked this book, but I will be the first to tell you that it's probably not everyone's cup of tea.
July 7, 2018
Quick, interesting read
Time Marx brothers: time travelers? Interesting premise and a quick read. The comedians get zapped to the 19th century and get involved in a revolution. The story was fine, but I suspect a more interesting and better story would be the world after they returned.
This almost feels like a backstory he jotted down so he could set up a new alternate history. Not sorry I bought it.
Not written in the style I’ve come to expect with Turtledove - no changing POVs every couple of paragraphs - but a more straightforward narrative.
Time Marx brothers: time travelers? Interesting premise and a quick read. The comedians get zapped to the 19th century and get involved in a revolution. The story was fine, but I suspect a more interesting and better story would be the world after they returned.
This almost feels like a backstory he jotted down so he could set up a new alternate history. Not sorry I bought it.
Not written in the style I’ve come to expect with Turtledove - no changing POVs every couple of paragraphs - but a more straightforward narrative.
August 24, 2018
You don't have to be a Marx brothers fan....
But it wouldn't hurt. I love how Turtledove shows his grasp of the ebb and flow of history. If Texas became a state at an earlier time it would have bolstered the confederacy. There was less organized violence against minorities when we had fewer people. Plenty of random bigotry though. All and all a great view of two time periods.
But it wouldn't hurt. I love how Turtledove shows his grasp of the ebb and flow of history. If Texas became a state at an earlier time it would have bolstered the confederacy. There was less organized violence against minorities when we had fewer people. Plenty of random bigotry though. All and all a great view of two time periods.
August 15, 2019
Not every meal is a five course feast - that's doesn't mean it's not delicious. The same with Turtledove. Not every time travel book is a multi-volume set of tomes. This was fun, and interesting, and bite-sized. I could totally imagine Julius Marx remodeling history.
One fair warning - there are unexplained Yiddish terms galore.
One fair warning - there are unexplained Yiddish terms galore.
July 29, 2018
Disappointing at best. Too much focus on Julius at the expense of the other Marxes, too many poor jokes (though writing for the Brothers is not easy), and an ending that kind of stops rather than concluding anything. Good for Marx completists, I suppose.
February 10, 2023
A time travel short story, my third or fifth this year, involving the Marx brothers in Texas who, through unknown means, have traveled back to an earlier time in Texas when it was a part of Mexico, and the Texans are rebeling from Mexican control. An earlier rebellion than the one that succeeded.
June 19, 2018
You had me at the Marx Brothers
And then you sent them back in time to change history as Julius (Groucho) makes puns the whole way. Great fun.
And then you sent them back in time to change history as Julius (Groucho) makes puns the whole way. Great fun.
July 20, 2018
Nice little story
Like most of turtledoves work a different look at our history would suppose his research on characters would be accurate if so fills out some historical figures
Like most of turtledoves work a different look at our history would suppose his research on characters would be accurate if so fills out some historical figures
August 3, 2018
Humorous and thoughtful
Marx brothers and time travel and Texas, what more can you ask for? Nicely written story, smoothly twisting and turning, but still entertaining.
Marx brothers and time travel and Texas, what more can you ask for? Nicely written story, smoothly twisting and turning, but still entertaining.
August 13, 2018
Very clever
I've read a lot of alt history. this stands out for this use of the Marx brothers and an ending I would never have guessed.
I've read a lot of alt history. this stands out for this use of the Marx brothers and an ending I would never have guessed.
April 19, 2019
A little alternate history - with the Marx Brothers - you don't get much more alternative than that!
May 2, 2019
Great Idea, some really humorous moments as well as very good insights. Unfortunately the ending I felt went against the spirit of the book.
June 17, 2019
A great, relatively short Turtledove story. It does seem more like a short story or a plot idea than a novel, but it is a fun, quick read.
December 1, 2019
Fun to read
Funny. A real page turner. The fun never stops in this story. Unexpected ending. Enjoyable and a good read. Excellent.
Funny. A real page turner. The fun never stops in this story. Unexpected ending. Enjoyable and a good read. Excellent.
January 2, 2024
Whoa
Well, that was unexpected. I don't know what to say without spoilers. But that went a completely different direction. I didn't know about this part of Texas history.
Well, that was unexpected. I don't know what to say without spoilers. But that went a completely different direction. I didn't know about this part of Texas history.
December 29, 2020
Bit of a weird one when time travel is just about a lightning strike 🤔 pretty obvious what changing the past would do .... oh well it was ok
October 1, 2020
Really fun read - one of Turtledove's more entertaining books in quite a while.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews