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The Phases of Mars #3
Trouble in the Wind
Eighteen outstanding authors. Sixteen stories of ground warfare that never happened. Throughout the human experience, historians have wondered, “What if?” What if Sherman had fought for the South in the U.S. Civil War? What if Germany had fought to the end in World War I? What if World War III had actually happened? Wonder no more, for these questions, along with many others, are answered within the pages of this book. Told by a variety of award-winning authors, like Sarah Hoyt and Kevin J. Anderson, the 2018 Dragon Award Winners for Alternate History, S.M. Stirling, the 2019 Dragon Award Winner for Alternate History, David Weber, a three-time Dragon Award Winner for Best Military Science Fiction, and Brad R. Torgersen, the winner of the 2019 Dragon Award for Best Science Fiction, “Trouble in the Wind,” deals with ground combat that never happened in our world…but easily could have. The third book in the exciting “Phases of Mars” anthology series, there is something for everyone inside! From fighting Hannibal at the Battle of Cannae, to the early death of Napoleon, to scouting the bush in Angola, “Trouble in the Wind” traces a history of ground warfare…that wasn’t. From warfare in Taylor Anderson’s “The Destroyermen” series…to S.M. Stirling’s “Black Chamber,” this book has it, so come aboard and find out “what if” all of these things had changed history…just a little. You’ll be glad you did! Inside you’ll The Sting of Fate by William Alan Webb To Save the Republic by Sarah A. Hoyt Here Must We Hold by Rob Howell The Heretic by Monalisa Foster Secondhand Empires by Brad R. Torgersen A Shot Heard ‘Round the World by Kevin J. Anderson & Kevin Ikenberry Marching Through by David Weber To the Rescue by S.M. Stirling The Blubber The First Falklands Campaign by Joelle Presby & Patrick Doyle Drang Nach Osten by Christopher G. Nuttall Fighting Spirit by Philip S. Bolger An Orderly Withdrawal by Taylor Anderson Mr. Dewey’s Tank Corps by James Young Soldiers of the Republic by Justin Watson Unintended Consequences by Peter Grant Nemo Me Impune Lacessit by Jan Niemczyk
560 pages, Paperback
First published December 9, 2019
166 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Chris Kennedy
138 books163 followersA Webster Award winner and three-time Dragon Award finalist, Chris Kennedy is a Science Fiction/Fantasy author, speaker, and small-press publisher who has written over 50 books and published more than 400 others. Get his free book, “Shattered Crucible,” at his website, https://chriskennedypublishing.com.
Called “fantastic” and “a great speaker,” he has coached hundreds of beginning authors and budding novelists on how to self-publish their stories at a variety of conferences, conventions, and writing guild presentations. He is the author of the award-winning #1 bestseller, “Self-Publishing for Profit: How to Get Your Book Out of Your Head and Into the Stores.”
Chris lives in Coinjock, North Carolina, with his wife. Follow Chris on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ckpublishing/.
Called “fantastic” and “a great speaker,” he has coached hundreds of beginning authors and budding novelists on how to self-publish their stories at a variety of conferences, conventions, and writing guild presentations. He is the author of the award-winning #1 bestseller, “Self-Publishing for Profit: How to Get Your Book Out of Your Head and Into the Stores.”
Chris lives in Coinjock, North Carolina, with his wife. Follow Chris on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ckpublishing/.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 28, 2024
Alternate history shorts. Review to follow.
June 6, 2020
So, here we come to the end of Chris Kennedy's Phases of Mars trilogy of military alternate history anthologies, and not surprisingly, since book 1 focused on naval combat and book 2 focused on air combat, book 3 focuses on ground combat. Compared to the previous two volumes, there are a handful of big names attached to this volume with both Weber and Stirling providing additions. The only real problem I had with this collection was that a handful of the stories don't really get into any sort of combat and focus more on characters making different choices, and the focus being on those characters' stories rather than on the combat or strategy or actual events that followed. Apart from that, the collection is largely very entertaining, so, since I did it for the first two collections, now to reviews of the individual stories.
"The Sting of Fate" by William Alan Webb - 8/10 stars - prior to the battle of Cannae, command of the Roman Army is suddenly transferred to Consul Paullus allowing him to avoid the worst of Varro's mistakes and to defeat Hannibal. Webb nicely captures the details of Hannibal's strategy and the events that (in our timeline) led to Varro's defeat while also pointing out how just a few small changes could've drastically changed the battle. I particularly enjoyed the characterizations, but between this story and the next story, there's an element of characterization whiplash... because...
"To Save the Republic" by Sarah Hoyt - 7/10 stars - so the setting of this story is also the battle of Cannae, but set after the Roman defeat with Varro and his handful of surviving guards hiding from the victorious Carthaginians and the Romans as well only to receive a surprising offer from Hannibal. As noted in my initial blurb, I'm not a big fan of the combat-adjacent stories in this book and this is definitely one, the story is basically just a series of conversations and internal discussion for Varro. Likewise, the characters are very different than those in the first story with Varro portrayed as a foppish idiot in the first story and as a more thoughtful self-made man in the second. Likewise, Hannibal is a genocidal monster in the first story and a more reasonable fellow in this story. It just doesn't do either story much favor to have these back-to-back, and with no actual combat in this story, despite being well-written, I just didn't enjoy it that much.
"Here Must We Hold" by Rob Howell - 10/10 stars - this is a beautifully written story that feels very genuine to the archaic anglo-saxon/norse saga style and retells the Battle of Maldon if Godric had not fled. I only half-remembered the events behind this story from J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Homecoming of Beohtnoth Beorhthelm's Son," which is set after the battle. This one not only captures a moment of heroic defense against seemingly insurmountable odds but frames it amongst a character's life-long pursuit of redemption from a shame that he cannot forgive himself. It's really REALLY good stuff.
"The Heretic" by Monalisa Foster - 7/10 stars - this is another of the stories that has more to do with a character's personal life than with any particular war. In this case, we follow the later events of Joan of Arc's time serving the Dauphain (and later King) as her political star falls and as she finds that her devotion to her mission is becoming eclipsed by her feelings for one of her companions. Considering that the whole Joan of Arc thing has been done to death, this was ok, and there was a BIT of combat, but again, Joan of Arc has been done to death (literally and figuratively... too soon?).
"Secondhand Empires" by Brad R. Torgersen - 7/10 stars - This story is set in the mid-15th century, as the Byzantine Empire entered its death throes, abandoned by the Western Christian Kingdoms, who had lost interest in Crusading, and riven with internal divisions, the once-great Empire was buried under the endless tide of Turkish invaders. However, in those dark days a Byzantine diplomat is dispatched to Georgia (on the Black Sea) to probe the Turks' flank and is surprised to encounter a troop of Yuan cavalry. The Yuan are in similar straits to the Byzantines, their Empire has fallen and their brethren Mongol are unwilling to lift a finger for the Yuan diaspora in western China. Fearful that their nation will fade away, the Yuan seek an alliance with the Byzantine, in whom they see a power that can hardly refuse their help and who (in turn) may be able to help the Yuan attain a new land of their own. It's very interesting stuff, but the combat is very limited to a bunch of running from Ottoman and Timurid troops and a brief thrilling escape. Like I said, a fascinating concept, but I want to see where the story goes, not just this initial episode.
"A shot Heard 'Round the World'" by Kevin J. Anderson and Kevin Ikenberry - 7/10 stars - as Napoleon is withdrawing from Russia, his sleigh is ambushed by Cossack raiders and he is slain, leading one of his Marshals to take quick action and send one of his officers on a desperate mission to Britain. This one is fairly interesting in concept, but the problem is that the characters aren't particularly intriguing. Also, if I remember correctly, Wellesley was actually offered command of the British troops in Canada near the end of the War of 1812 and refused, so the final ominous plotting by the Duke of Clarence and co. seems kind of ridiculous.
"Marching through" by David Weber - 6/10 stars - Weber goes out on a WAY OUT LIMB to create a circumstance in which Sherman ends up fighting for the Confederacy, he has to go so far as to invent a southern love interest for Sherman and create a familial schism over the death of Sherman's first wife... the biggest problem is that the whole story is basically Weber trying to contrive a way in which Sherman agreeing to fight for the Confederacy seems reasonable it still doesn't feel right at the end because the story suddenly skips forward and Sherman is about to march through Ohio at the head of a Confederate Army, as if the Union forces in the Western Theater would've failed if we hadn't had Sherman. No mistake, a great general, but he wouldn't have been able to stop Farragut, Foote, and Porter on the river, and I very much doubt he would've been able to stop Grant. Not a well constructed story ("southern victory" as a whole generally aren't, the simple reality is that the South was incredibly lucky with how badly the Union mismanaged its eastern campaign in 1861 and 1862 and you just can't win forever on luck; not to mention there were plenty of other great Ohio generals to hold the line for the Union (insert smug smile)). I'll be honest, this one offended my Buckeye pride, but I also expected better from Weber.
"To the Rescue" by S.M. Stirling - 8/10 stars - a wonderfully pulpy alternate World War 1 in which those Darn Huns have unleashed a horrific new insanely lethal gas weapon that's completely overthrown the western front and drawn the United States under President Roosevelt (fresh off its intervention in and occupation of Mexico) into the war. The story is told from the perspective of Roosevelt's eldest son, Theodore, jr. who is a tank officer on what remains of the western front, trying to hold back the German advance while the French evacuate what's left of their population to Algeria. This one doesn't make a great deal of sense but Stirling was clearly having fun writing it and it's got all the hallmarks of 1930's pulp fantasy: zeppelins, super-weapons, and an ass-kicking damsel in distress. It didn't make me think, but it was a blast.
"The Blubber Battle: The First Falklands Campaign" by Joelle Presby and Patrick Doyle - 9/10 stars - HUZZAH! Lt. Marshall is back! After going a bit beyond his orders in Germany to "observe" German air warfare tactics and training by getting involved in some of the first dogfights, and subsequently proving a public relations disaster for the Navy with his blunt and honest answers to reporters back home, Marshall and his long-suffering aide are given a new and highly confidential mission. The British have seized a number of American merchant ships headed for Germany in the North Sea and as a demonstration of American displeasure, Marshall is to destroy the radio tower on the Falklands Islands with a team of marginally-battle-trained sailors. Of course, Marshall being Marshall, things just seem to snowball from there. As always a delightfully madcap adventure. Much funnier than the previous story, but given that nobody actually dies in this story (though there is combat... sort of), it's much easier to support a humorous tone than the rather dour realities of early air combat.
"Drang nach Osten (Drive to the East)" by Christopher Nuttall - 8/10 stars - following two very fun stories in a row, we get something that is like a sequel to All Quiet on the Western Front. The year is 1919 and the war has turned drastically against the Germans, negotiations have fallen apart and the Entente is coming. For the handful of German veterans still holding the line, the result is a nightmarish battle for survival as they face the endless waves of Entente tanks and airpower while their own country is crumbling from within. A brutal but interesting story about the other way World War 1 could've ended, though Nuttall makes the interesting point that if the Germans had been driven to the point of actually surrendering it might've prevented World War 2; of course, my view is that if that idiot Wilson hadn't decided to cut up Europe into weak little powers who ended up fighting for much of the next half-decade and providing Germany with no real rival to contain its growth (or the USSR's) in eastern Europe, and let those bastards Clemenceau and Lloyd George make the already-starving and economically destitute Germans pay for the war, then the Nazis might never have been anything more than a fringe movement like the KKK, still loathsome, but generally contained to less grandiose malfeasance. Sorry, but the short-sightedness of the Versailles Treaty is just mind-boggling. Even the Congress of Vienna did better!
"Fighting Spirit" by Philip S. Bolger - 8/10 stars - set in the same universe and Corsairs and Tenzans, this story picks up a bit later in the war as the U.S.-Japanese Oahu Pact has seized the Suez Canal, but is hard-pressed by a counteroffensive by Rommel's veterans. The story follows a team of an American Sherman tank and an attached platoon of Japanese Naval Infantry (NOT Marines :) ). As with his previous story in this universe, Bolger does a great job capturing the unique culture clash and sometimes complementary, sometimes frustratingly incompatible blend of military forces such an alliance would embody. It's a very action-packed story and has some great small unit mixed-forces tactics.
"An Orderly Withdrawal" by Taylor Anderson - 8/10 stars - again, Anderson writes exclusively in his Destroyermen universe, and frankly, he does it so well, why would he stop? This story is set during the events of the most recent book (though next week we're getting a new one! YEAH!) as Allied forces are advancing into the Grik homeland in Africa up the Zambezi and out of South Africa. This story follows an isolated division of the allied Republik of Real People (a Roman/WW 1 German-esque entity in South Africa), as it attempts to disguise the main army's shift to the east by holding the Grik western flank in place, a mission that few if any of them will likely survive. Not much to say, the Destroyermen universe is great, Taylor Anderson is great, I eat this stuff up.
"Mr. Dewey's Tank Corps" by James Young - 9/10 stars - this is some intense stuff, almost as heart-wrenching as Drang nach Osten. It follows the black crew of an M18 Hellcat during the defense of Pusan, who have to deal with a racist infantry commander who is supposed to provide them support, and with the fact that they are severely outnumbered by the advancing North Korean forces with little in the way of reinforcements available. This one is strange because much of the story doesn't seem all that different from the actual defense of Pusan and although it is set in the same universe as "Lightnings and Cactus" from the previous volume, I wouldn't have realized that if the notes from the author hadn't explained it. In fact, the focus of this story has such a laser-like focus on the harrowing tank battle to defend the perimeter that you'd be forgiven for not realizing it was an alternate history (well, apart from the main character's asides about his experiences in the invasion of Japan (apparently Oppenheimer couldn't get the bomb working in time), and the name of the story stems from the fact that Dewey apparently did defeat Truman in this universe. All that aside, this story has amazing characterizations and a deeply affecting story of a seemingly hopeless defense (I admit, I really like those kinds of stories, it appeals to my sense of heroism, fighting on when it seems helpless and hopeless, I eat it up).
"Soldiers of the Republic" by Justin Watson - 8/10 stars - set in Watson's very alternate '50's Vietnam War series (in which the U.S. is providing semi-deniable aid to Vietnamese rebels fighting to prevent the French fascists, a Nazi puppet state, from establishing a foothold in Southeast Asia), the events of this story are actually largely simultaneous with the events of his previous story "Red Tailed Tigers," but telling the infantry's side of that story as we follow an Army sergeant who gets "volunteered" from his cushy post in Korea to serve as an advisor with the Free Vietnam Army (formerly known as the Viet Minh), and has to set aside his frustration with his new posting and his uncertainties about his Free French U.S. Marine captain as they find themselves in the midst of a major Vichy offensive. I've said it before, but if he hasn't already (and I haven't been able to find any trace of it), Watson really needs to stitch these stories into a full-length book, it's just such a fascinating universe, and he writes really good characters. The only thing holding this story back was that I already knew how it ended.
(AH! running out of room! Quick Thoughts!)
"Unintended Consequences" by Peter Grant - 8/10 stars - set during the Angolan War, a South Africa recce team accidentally captures a Soviet general and South Africa, the USSR, and the U.S. scramble to figure out how to deal with this windfall as the team tries to avoid pursuit. Good stuff with a complicated background amidst one of the hotter battlefields of the later Cold War. Reminded me of the P-3 v. sub story from the last book but without the jargon.
"Nem Me Impune Lacessit" by Jan Niemczyk - 7/10 stars - another story from Niemczyk's 2005 WW3 scenario, my biggest problem is that Red Storm Rising and Team Yankee did it better (albeit with '80's tech), and too often characters are saved by unexpected reprieves. Still, good enough.
"The Sting of Fate" by William Alan Webb - 8/10 stars - prior to the battle of Cannae, command of the Roman Army is suddenly transferred to Consul Paullus allowing him to avoid the worst of Varro's mistakes and to defeat Hannibal. Webb nicely captures the details of Hannibal's strategy and the events that (in our timeline) led to Varro's defeat while also pointing out how just a few small changes could've drastically changed the battle. I particularly enjoyed the characterizations, but between this story and the next story, there's an element of characterization whiplash... because...
"To Save the Republic" by Sarah Hoyt - 7/10 stars - so the setting of this story is also the battle of Cannae, but set after the Roman defeat with Varro and his handful of surviving guards hiding from the victorious Carthaginians and the Romans as well only to receive a surprising offer from Hannibal. As noted in my initial blurb, I'm not a big fan of the combat-adjacent stories in this book and this is definitely one, the story is basically just a series of conversations and internal discussion for Varro. Likewise, the characters are very different than those in the first story with Varro portrayed as a foppish idiot in the first story and as a more thoughtful self-made man in the second. Likewise, Hannibal is a genocidal monster in the first story and a more reasonable fellow in this story. It just doesn't do either story much favor to have these back-to-back, and with no actual combat in this story, despite being well-written, I just didn't enjoy it that much.
"Here Must We Hold" by Rob Howell - 10/10 stars - this is a beautifully written story that feels very genuine to the archaic anglo-saxon/norse saga style and retells the Battle of Maldon if Godric had not fled. I only half-remembered the events behind this story from J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Homecoming of Beohtnoth Beorhthelm's Son," which is set after the battle. This one not only captures a moment of heroic defense against seemingly insurmountable odds but frames it amongst a character's life-long pursuit of redemption from a shame that he cannot forgive himself. It's really REALLY good stuff.
"The Heretic" by Monalisa Foster - 7/10 stars - this is another of the stories that has more to do with a character's personal life than with any particular war. In this case, we follow the later events of Joan of Arc's time serving the Dauphain (and later King) as her political star falls and as she finds that her devotion to her mission is becoming eclipsed by her feelings for one of her companions. Considering that the whole Joan of Arc thing has been done to death, this was ok, and there was a BIT of combat, but again, Joan of Arc has been done to death (literally and figuratively... too soon?).
"Secondhand Empires" by Brad R. Torgersen - 7/10 stars - This story is set in the mid-15th century, as the Byzantine Empire entered its death throes, abandoned by the Western Christian Kingdoms, who had lost interest in Crusading, and riven with internal divisions, the once-great Empire was buried under the endless tide of Turkish invaders. However, in those dark days a Byzantine diplomat is dispatched to Georgia (on the Black Sea) to probe the Turks' flank and is surprised to encounter a troop of Yuan cavalry. The Yuan are in similar straits to the Byzantines, their Empire has fallen and their brethren Mongol are unwilling to lift a finger for the Yuan diaspora in western China. Fearful that their nation will fade away, the Yuan seek an alliance with the Byzantine, in whom they see a power that can hardly refuse their help and who (in turn) may be able to help the Yuan attain a new land of their own. It's very interesting stuff, but the combat is very limited to a bunch of running from Ottoman and Timurid troops and a brief thrilling escape. Like I said, a fascinating concept, but I want to see where the story goes, not just this initial episode.
"A shot Heard 'Round the World'" by Kevin J. Anderson and Kevin Ikenberry - 7/10 stars - as Napoleon is withdrawing from Russia, his sleigh is ambushed by Cossack raiders and he is slain, leading one of his Marshals to take quick action and send one of his officers on a desperate mission to Britain. This one is fairly interesting in concept, but the problem is that the characters aren't particularly intriguing. Also, if I remember correctly, Wellesley was actually offered command of the British troops in Canada near the end of the War of 1812 and refused, so the final ominous plotting by the Duke of Clarence and co. seems kind of ridiculous.
"Marching through" by David Weber - 6/10 stars - Weber goes out on a WAY OUT LIMB to create a circumstance in which Sherman ends up fighting for the Confederacy, he has to go so far as to invent a southern love interest for Sherman and create a familial schism over the death of Sherman's first wife... the biggest problem is that the whole story is basically Weber trying to contrive a way in which Sherman agreeing to fight for the Confederacy seems reasonable it still doesn't feel right at the end because the story suddenly skips forward and Sherman is about to march through Ohio at the head of a Confederate Army, as if the Union forces in the Western Theater would've failed if we hadn't had Sherman. No mistake, a great general, but he wouldn't have been able to stop Farragut, Foote, and Porter on the river, and I very much doubt he would've been able to stop Grant. Not a well constructed story ("southern victory" as a whole generally aren't, the simple reality is that the South was incredibly lucky with how badly the Union mismanaged its eastern campaign in 1861 and 1862 and you just can't win forever on luck; not to mention there were plenty of other great Ohio generals to hold the line for the Union (insert smug smile)). I'll be honest, this one offended my Buckeye pride, but I also expected better from Weber.
"To the Rescue" by S.M. Stirling - 8/10 stars - a wonderfully pulpy alternate World War 1 in which those Darn Huns have unleashed a horrific new insanely lethal gas weapon that's completely overthrown the western front and drawn the United States under President Roosevelt (fresh off its intervention in and occupation of Mexico) into the war. The story is told from the perspective of Roosevelt's eldest son, Theodore, jr. who is a tank officer on what remains of the western front, trying to hold back the German advance while the French evacuate what's left of their population to Algeria. This one doesn't make a great deal of sense but Stirling was clearly having fun writing it and it's got all the hallmarks of 1930's pulp fantasy: zeppelins, super-weapons, and an ass-kicking damsel in distress. It didn't make me think, but it was a blast.
"The Blubber Battle: The First Falklands Campaign" by Joelle Presby and Patrick Doyle - 9/10 stars - HUZZAH! Lt. Marshall is back! After going a bit beyond his orders in Germany to "observe" German air warfare tactics and training by getting involved in some of the first dogfights, and subsequently proving a public relations disaster for the Navy with his blunt and honest answers to reporters back home, Marshall and his long-suffering aide are given a new and highly confidential mission. The British have seized a number of American merchant ships headed for Germany in the North Sea and as a demonstration of American displeasure, Marshall is to destroy the radio tower on the Falklands Islands with a team of marginally-battle-trained sailors. Of course, Marshall being Marshall, things just seem to snowball from there. As always a delightfully madcap adventure. Much funnier than the previous story, but given that nobody actually dies in this story (though there is combat... sort of), it's much easier to support a humorous tone than the rather dour realities of early air combat.
"Drang nach Osten (Drive to the East)" by Christopher Nuttall - 8/10 stars - following two very fun stories in a row, we get something that is like a sequel to All Quiet on the Western Front. The year is 1919 and the war has turned drastically against the Germans, negotiations have fallen apart and the Entente is coming. For the handful of German veterans still holding the line, the result is a nightmarish battle for survival as they face the endless waves of Entente tanks and airpower while their own country is crumbling from within. A brutal but interesting story about the other way World War 1 could've ended, though Nuttall makes the interesting point that if the Germans had been driven to the point of actually surrendering it might've prevented World War 2; of course, my view is that if that idiot Wilson hadn't decided to cut up Europe into weak little powers who ended up fighting for much of the next half-decade and providing Germany with no real rival to contain its growth (or the USSR's) in eastern Europe, and let those bastards Clemenceau and Lloyd George make the already-starving and economically destitute Germans pay for the war, then the Nazis might never have been anything more than a fringe movement like the KKK, still loathsome, but generally contained to less grandiose malfeasance. Sorry, but the short-sightedness of the Versailles Treaty is just mind-boggling. Even the Congress of Vienna did better!
"Fighting Spirit" by Philip S. Bolger - 8/10 stars - set in the same universe and Corsairs and Tenzans, this story picks up a bit later in the war as the U.S.-Japanese Oahu Pact has seized the Suez Canal, but is hard-pressed by a counteroffensive by Rommel's veterans. The story follows a team of an American Sherman tank and an attached platoon of Japanese Naval Infantry (NOT Marines :) ). As with his previous story in this universe, Bolger does a great job capturing the unique culture clash and sometimes complementary, sometimes frustratingly incompatible blend of military forces such an alliance would embody. It's a very action-packed story and has some great small unit mixed-forces tactics.
"An Orderly Withdrawal" by Taylor Anderson - 8/10 stars - again, Anderson writes exclusively in his Destroyermen universe, and frankly, he does it so well, why would he stop? This story is set during the events of the most recent book (though next week we're getting a new one! YEAH!) as Allied forces are advancing into the Grik homeland in Africa up the Zambezi and out of South Africa. This story follows an isolated division of the allied Republik of Real People (a Roman/WW 1 German-esque entity in South Africa), as it attempts to disguise the main army's shift to the east by holding the Grik western flank in place, a mission that few if any of them will likely survive. Not much to say, the Destroyermen universe is great, Taylor Anderson is great, I eat this stuff up.
"Mr. Dewey's Tank Corps" by James Young - 9/10 stars - this is some intense stuff, almost as heart-wrenching as Drang nach Osten. It follows the black crew of an M18 Hellcat during the defense of Pusan, who have to deal with a racist infantry commander who is supposed to provide them support, and with the fact that they are severely outnumbered by the advancing North Korean forces with little in the way of reinforcements available. This one is strange because much of the story doesn't seem all that different from the actual defense of Pusan and although it is set in the same universe as "Lightnings and Cactus" from the previous volume, I wouldn't have realized that if the notes from the author hadn't explained it. In fact, the focus of this story has such a laser-like focus on the harrowing tank battle to defend the perimeter that you'd be forgiven for not realizing it was an alternate history (well, apart from the main character's asides about his experiences in the invasion of Japan (apparently Oppenheimer couldn't get the bomb working in time), and the name of the story stems from the fact that Dewey apparently did defeat Truman in this universe. All that aside, this story has amazing characterizations and a deeply affecting story of a seemingly hopeless defense (I admit, I really like those kinds of stories, it appeals to my sense of heroism, fighting on when it seems helpless and hopeless, I eat it up).
"Soldiers of the Republic" by Justin Watson - 8/10 stars - set in Watson's very alternate '50's Vietnam War series (in which the U.S. is providing semi-deniable aid to Vietnamese rebels fighting to prevent the French fascists, a Nazi puppet state, from establishing a foothold in Southeast Asia), the events of this story are actually largely simultaneous with the events of his previous story "Red Tailed Tigers," but telling the infantry's side of that story as we follow an Army sergeant who gets "volunteered" from his cushy post in Korea to serve as an advisor with the Free Vietnam Army (formerly known as the Viet Minh), and has to set aside his frustration with his new posting and his uncertainties about his Free French U.S. Marine captain as they find themselves in the midst of a major Vichy offensive. I've said it before, but if he hasn't already (and I haven't been able to find any trace of it), Watson really needs to stitch these stories into a full-length book, it's just such a fascinating universe, and he writes really good characters. The only thing holding this story back was that I already knew how it ended.
(AH! running out of room! Quick Thoughts!)
"Unintended Consequences" by Peter Grant - 8/10 stars - set during the Angolan War, a South Africa recce team accidentally captures a Soviet general and South Africa, the USSR, and the U.S. scramble to figure out how to deal with this windfall as the team tries to avoid pursuit. Good stuff with a complicated background amidst one of the hotter battlefields of the later Cold War. Reminded me of the P-3 v. sub story from the last book but without the jargon.
"Nem Me Impune Lacessit" by Jan Niemczyk - 7/10 stars - another story from Niemczyk's 2005 WW3 scenario, my biggest problem is that Red Storm Rising and Team Yankee did it better (albeit with '80's tech), and too often characters are saved by unexpected reprieves. Still, good enough.
December 13, 2019
Ground Combat in Alternate History Timelines
This is the third anthology in the "Phases of Mars" series. The first, "Those in Peril," dealt with war at sea. The second, "To Slip the Surly Bonds," dealt with war in the air. ow, in "Trouble in the Wind" we get stories of land warfare. Like the first two, the stories are in alternate timelines, where something changed from the history that we know.
There are a couple of ways of doing alternate history. One is to tell the story of the inflection point, the point where history changes, and either follow things from there or hint at what the change will mean. We get a taste of this right off the bat when illness means that a different Roman general is in charge at the Battle of Cannae.
The other major type sets the branch part somewhere in the past and tells a story set in the different world that sprang from that. If Dewey did beat Truman the way the famous wrong newspaper headline said, and Truman wasn't in office to order the army to desegregate, how does a still-segregated army change the US forces in the Korean war?
But the important part of Alternate History is that it provides the setting and conflict for the story. What makes them come alive are the people in these situations, and what they make of the situation. Without well-done characters, all you have is an essay about what might have been. What keeps you turning the pages are the people and how they deal with the situation they're in. And this anthology delivers great characters who are leaders. It doesn't matter if they are infantry, special forces, cavalry, or the mechanized modern cavalry, these leaders are out there in the mud or the sand leading by example.
And these leaders lead you through the stories, turning the pages to see how, or if, they make it through. The book left me wanting more, and I hope the anthology will continue.
This is the third anthology in the "Phases of Mars" series. The first, "Those in Peril," dealt with war at sea. The second, "To Slip the Surly Bonds," dealt with war in the air. ow, in "Trouble in the Wind" we get stories of land warfare. Like the first two, the stories are in alternate timelines, where something changed from the history that we know.
There are a couple of ways of doing alternate history. One is to tell the story of the inflection point, the point where history changes, and either follow things from there or hint at what the change will mean. We get a taste of this right off the bat when illness means that a different Roman general is in charge at the Battle of Cannae.
The other major type sets the branch part somewhere in the past and tells a story set in the different world that sprang from that. If Dewey did beat Truman the way the famous wrong newspaper headline said, and Truman wasn't in office to order the army to desegregate, how does a still-segregated army change the US forces in the Korean war?
But the important part of Alternate History is that it provides the setting and conflict for the story. What makes them come alive are the people in these situations, and what they make of the situation. Without well-done characters, all you have is an essay about what might have been. What keeps you turning the pages are the people and how they deal with the situation they're in. And this anthology delivers great characters who are leaders. It doesn't matter if they are infantry, special forces, cavalry, or the mechanized modern cavalry, these leaders are out there in the mud or the sand leading by example.
And these leaders lead you through the stories, turning the pages to see how, or if, they make it through. The book left me wanting more, and I hope the anthology will continue.
December 12, 2019
Of course, it's a work of fiction. But based on reality.
The recipe is quite simple: you take an historical event and you change … something and extrapolate from there to create a new timeline.
Every single story in this anthology does that covering over 2 Millenia of human history and exploring different variations of "what if"
We enjoy a variation of the Battle of Cannae,
We visit Russia with Napoleon,
We discuss about William Tecumseh Sherman (a very good one by David Weber (yes THE David Weber),
We discover a couple of new versions of the First world war (one very enjoyable by S.M. Stirling),
Of course, some new takes about WWII...
All of the stories are enjoyable, some more than others. All deal with military conflict and ground warfare, all are quite bloody, and all manage a good job to make their alternate reality convincing.
Be warned, after reading some of those stories, you will feel the need to check out more works by the authors. :)
The recipe is quite simple: you take an historical event and you change … something and extrapolate from there to create a new timeline.
Every single story in this anthology does that covering over 2 Millenia of human history and exploring different variations of "what if"
We enjoy a variation of the Battle of Cannae,
We visit Russia with Napoleon,
We discuss about William Tecumseh Sherman (a very good one by David Weber (yes THE David Weber),
We discover a couple of new versions of the First world war (one very enjoyable by S.M. Stirling),
Of course, some new takes about WWII...
All of the stories are enjoyable, some more than others. All deal with military conflict and ground warfare, all are quite bloody, and all manage a good job to make their alternate reality convincing.
Be warned, after reading some of those stories, you will feel the need to check out more works by the authors. :)
January 8, 2020
The Peter Grant Story is A+++
Peter Grant wrote a story that is one of his best works yet. The realism and politics of a what if in Angola with SA, Cuban, and Russian forces is amazing.
True story is Mr. Grant was at an air show and all of a sudden started grinding his teeth when he saw an airplane. His wife asked why. He mentioned the plane was a Mig, And the last time he had seen one was over the sites of a ZU-23. The Zu-23 is a Russian built AA gun. SA forces used captured equipment.
Peter Grant wrote a story that is one of his best works yet. The realism and politics of a what if in Angola with SA, Cuban, and Russian forces is amazing.
True story is Mr. Grant was at an air show and all of a sudden started grinding his teeth when he saw an airplane. His wife asked why. He mentioned the plane was a Mig, And the last time he had seen one was over the sites of a ZU-23. The Zu-23 is a Russian built AA gun. SA forces used captured equipment.
December 14, 2019
Good and bad
Like many short story collections the top tier authors turn in good work and the B level authors try..
Fortunately there are enough good stories to warrant the $5 purchase price
Like many short story collections the top tier authors turn in good work and the B level authors try..
Fortunately there are enough good stories to warrant the $5 purchase price
May 23, 2023
The guys at Theogony Books seem to believe in big words, but apparently failed consistently at spelling bees. I mean, hell, this is like a pageant of misspellings, in addition to the stories being mostly pedestrian. Nothing here to come back to.
October 28, 2024
It is a very high-quality set of short stories with the majority rated at the 4 level and many at yet, a higher rating. Known and notable authors abound and several are new to me that I have added to my watch and follow list.
April 7, 2020
I started to make a list of favorites as I read the book but quit about half way through when I realized no story was NOT listed. Book Three was the best in the series; 5++.
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