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The War That Came Early #2
West and East
In 1938, two men held history in their hands. One was Adolf Hitler. The other was British prime minister Neville Chamberlain, who, determined to avoid war at any cost, came to be known as “the great appeaser.” But Harry Turtledove, the unrivaled master of alternate history, has launched a gripping saga that springboards from a different fateful act: What if Chamberlain had stood up to Hitler? What would the Nazis’ next move have been? And how would the war—which Hitler had always regretted waiting eleven months to start—have unfolded and changed our world?
Here, Turtledove takes us across a panorama of conflict fueled by ideology and demagoguery. Nations are pitted against nations, alliances are forged between old enemies, ordinary men and women are hurled into extraordinary life-and-death situations. In Japanese-controlled Singapore, an American marine falls in love with a Russian dance hall hostess, while around him are heard the first explosions of Chinese guerilla resistance. On the frontlines of war-ravaged rural France, a weary soldier perfects the art of using an enormous anti-tank gun as a sniper’s tool—while from Germany a killer is sent to hunt him down. And in the icy North Atlantic, a U-boat bearing an experimental device wreaks havoc on British shipping, setting the stage for a Nazi ground invasion of Denmark.
From an American woman trapped in Germany who receives safe passage from Hitler himself to a Jewish family steeped in German culture and facing the hatred rising around them, from Japanese soldiers on the remote edge of Siberia to American volunteers in Spain, West and East is the story of a world held hostage by tyrants—Stalin, Hitler, Sanjuro—each holding on to power through lies and terror even in the face of treacherous plots from within.
As armies clash, and as the brave, foolish, and true believers choose sides, new weapons are added to already deadly arsenals and new strategies are plotted to break a growing stalemate. But one question looms over the conflict from West to East: What will it take to bring America into this war?
1 pages, Audio CD
First published July 27, 2010
74 people are currently reading
612 people want to read
About the author
Harry Turtledove
566 books1,971 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 - 30 of 79 reviews
September 10, 2012
As other reviewers have pointed out, the bit players that the author uses to tell the story have quite boring lives seeing as how they are in the middle of the biggest war ever.
Yes, you've told me about the shitty food/cigarettes/coffee that the troops have. Yes, you've mentioned how heavy that dude's anti-tank rifle is, and how it kicks like an s.o.b. Do Japanese sergeants treat Japanese privates like shit? Yes they do, as you've told me a dozen times.
This book is as bad as Guns of the South is good. One star.
Yes, you've told me about the shitty food/cigarettes/coffee that the troops have. Yes, you've mentioned how heavy that dude's anti-tank rifle is, and how it kicks like an s.o.b. Do Japanese sergeants treat Japanese privates like shit? Yes they do, as you've told me a dozen times.
This book is as bad as Guns of the South is good. One star.
March 1, 2019
I liked the idea of a young Jew hiding out the War in a Wehrmacht tank. I also liked the idea of carrying the narrative obliquely, through the POVs of his sister and an unsuspecting fellow soldier, but all of the additional POVs and story arcs feel like unnecessary padding. Since the concept is so improbable, it might seem to call for the Alternate History genre, but prima facia the history doesn’t seem “alternate” enough. Maybe I’m failing to grasp some esoteric distinction between Alternate History and Alternate Reality, but I think the concept might have been better handled as a simple roman à clef. Also, while I’d like to think that the writing is hasty, rather than sloppy, this thought became less tenable as the narrative progressed. Here are a few representative notes:
P. 5: While I like the idea of Theo being corrected by an actual Grammar Nazi, this distracts from the notion that the characters are supposedly conversing in German (being helpfully translated into English by the narrator).
P. 54: “Pissing off the United States wasn’t exactly Phi Beta Kappa for the Reich.”
P. 224: “She knew how orderly the folk of whom she’d once thought herself a part were.”
P. 420: “Mouradian tacked on the coda to keep the other officers sitting around there getting drunk because there was nothing more interesting to do from thinking him a believer.”
P. 5: While I like the idea of Theo being corrected by an actual Grammar Nazi, this distracts from the notion that the characters are supposedly conversing in German (being helpfully translated into English by the narrator).
P. 54: “Pissing off the United States wasn’t exactly Phi Beta Kappa for the Reich.”
P. 224: “She knew how orderly the folk of whom she’d once thought herself a part were.”
P. 420: “Mouradian tacked on the coda to keep the other officers sitting around there getting drunk because there was nothing more interesting to do from thinking him a believer.”
March 8, 2021
A pretty solid entry into this series; however, I almost feel like the story is in something of a holding pattern. Not much happens that either wasn't already expected or couldn't be foreseen. The battle lines are rather static...not that this is necessarily a bad thing, but I'm wanting the story to advance a little in one direction or another.
February 1, 2023
Where do I start other than to say this is one of the worst books I’ve ever read.
I am a big fan of history novels, alt-history and WWII and so this book/book series should be right up my street however it isn’t simply because it, and it’s predecessor (book 1), are terrible. Nothing happens. At all. There is literally no point to this book; there is no meaningful development in the overarching plot of the whole series and there is no character development whatsoever. All of the characters are incredibly boring, cynical, racist, sexist or just plain grumpy and do nothing but complain (yes, I understand it’s a world war but come on, make your characters interesting at the very least).
I don’t know whether Harry Turtledove is a Wehraboo but he sure makes himself seem like he is; the Germans are the only ones who succeed at anything. They sink some ships, they shoot down planes using inappropriate equipment and they seem to win ever micro engagement that Turtledove describes. All the while, the British soldier spends the whole time comparing and playing with a cat whilst an American marine in China forms a relationship with a White Russian exile anddddddd that’s all he does.
I genuinely cannot think of a single good thing about this book other than the fact that it ended. I’m annoyed that I won’t be finishing the series but I simply cannot put myself through 4 more awful books.
1/5*
I am a big fan of history novels, alt-history and WWII and so this book/book series should be right up my street however it isn’t simply because it, and it’s predecessor (book 1), are terrible. Nothing happens. At all. There is literally no point to this book; there is no meaningful development in the overarching plot of the whole series and there is no character development whatsoever. All of the characters are incredibly boring, cynical, racist, sexist or just plain grumpy and do nothing but complain (yes, I understand it’s a world war but come on, make your characters interesting at the very least).
I don’t know whether Harry Turtledove is a Wehraboo but he sure makes himself seem like he is; the Germans are the only ones who succeed at anything. They sink some ships, they shoot down planes using inappropriate equipment and they seem to win ever micro engagement that Turtledove describes. All the while, the British soldier spends the whole time comparing and playing with a cat whilst an American marine in China forms a relationship with a White Russian exile anddddddd that’s all he does.
I genuinely cannot think of a single good thing about this book other than the fact that it ended. I’m annoyed that I won’t be finishing the series but I simply cannot put myself through 4 more awful books.
1/5*
November 11, 2014
I enjoyed this book more than the first one, probably just because I was better at keeping all the characters straight. I thought the battle scenes were great, especially the U-boat operations, the tank-busting by the ace Junker pilot, and the Panzer team in action against the Red Army in Poland.
On the other hand, the characters in this book stay pretty shallow, and when it's a new face every five pages it's hard to get emotionally involved. I kept asking myself questions like:
Will French Sergeant Demange just shut up and die of lung cancer already?
Why can't that nice German pilot just have a drink and shut up already?
Won't Peggy Druce please, please, please, die already? Girlfriend, you make Rhoda Henry from THE WINDS OF WAR look like Joan of Arc!
Why can't "Papa" Ernest Hemingway take young Joaquin Delgadillo to the bullfights?
Isn't Sergeant Hideki Fujita allowed to do something more than complain that "the higher ups don't understand?" Some martial arts combat for this man, please. Paging Mr. Miyagi!
Pete McGill, your Russian girlfriend is a slut. Wake up, Devil Dog! She's done this before! Are you really a Devil Dog, or just a puppy dog?
On the other hand, the characters in this book stay pretty shallow, and when it's a new face every five pages it's hard to get emotionally involved. I kept asking myself questions like:
Will French Sergeant Demange just shut up and die of lung cancer already?
Why can't that nice German pilot just have a drink and shut up already?
Won't Peggy Druce please, please, please, die already? Girlfriend, you make Rhoda Henry from THE WINDS OF WAR look like Joan of Arc!
Why can't "Papa" Ernest Hemingway take young Joaquin Delgadillo to the bullfights?
Isn't Sergeant Hideki Fujita allowed to do something more than complain that "the higher ups don't understand?" Some martial arts combat for this man, please. Paging Mr. Miyagi!
Pete McGill, your Russian girlfriend is a slut. Wake up, Devil Dog! She's done this before! Are you really a Devil Dog, or just a puppy dog?
January 8, 2012
I Love Harry Turtledove, but this was one of my least favorite of his books. The characters were just not engaging. It was very hard for me to remember who was who or the really care. Within the set of characters there were no historical figures or high level types to give insight into the developments of the altered war. Nevertheless, I'm going to read the next (third book) of the series. Harry can write a great Alternate History Novel and his ideas can be very interesting. I would not recommend this work to anyone who has not read a Turtledove novel before. Start with "The Guns of The South".
March 26, 2021
Book 2 of the series was similar to book 1.... not a huge difference in the historical but an interesting way to tell the story of WW2 through different perspectives.
April 21, 2013
Having been disappointed by the first book in this series, The War That Came Early: Hitler's War, I had no great expectations for the second tome. But, having been well entertained by Turtledove's Worldwar Saga series of five books, I still had some faith in his writing. I rated the first book two stars and will give this one two and three fifths. There is some improvement as the plot gains in complexity; there is increased suspense and the reader gets more involved with characters carried over from the first book. Every character in combat seems to have their own agendas albeit they are sadly one-dimensional. The lack of respect in the line of command is a nagging theme. Jews are strategically interwoven in almost every scenario. Members of every race, nationality and political ideology--other than their own--are disdained, despised and disparaged by everyone. Curiously, in that regard, members of the black race is spared the deprecatory venom. Could it be that Turtledove is influenced by modern day political correctness?
Again, I was puzzled why the writer chose to keep most of the scenarios in the trenches, tanks, planes and U-boats. The book would have been much more dynamic and suspenseful if he had included the goings-on in the upper echelons of decision making. Actual historical characters are only alluded to but virtually absent (one page of Hitler making a phone call).
Otherwise I refer to my review of the first book. Like the first, this is how I think the second book could have been made better: 1. An introductory summary of the actual historical facts for the locations and the timeline covered by the story. 2. Each chapter of the book being headed by a timeline (e.g. April 1938 to July 1938). 3. Each section of every chapter being headed by stating the location of events. 4. At a minimum ten percent of the book presenting historical figures--what they said, thought and did. 5. More involvement of civilians impacted by the politics and combat. 6. More interweaving subplots and-- especially towards the end--some of the characters from the different scenarios meeting and interacting. 7. Some sketchy maps of where the action is happening.
Again, I was puzzled why the writer chose to keep most of the scenarios in the trenches, tanks, planes and U-boats. The book would have been much more dynamic and suspenseful if he had included the goings-on in the upper echelons of decision making. Actual historical characters are only alluded to but virtually absent (one page of Hitler making a phone call).
Otherwise I refer to my review of the first book. Like the first, this is how I think the second book could have been made better: 1. An introductory summary of the actual historical facts for the locations and the timeline covered by the story. 2. Each chapter of the book being headed by a timeline (e.g. April 1938 to July 1938). 3. Each section of every chapter being headed by stating the location of events. 4. At a minimum ten percent of the book presenting historical figures--what they said, thought and did. 5. More involvement of civilians impacted by the politics and combat. 6. More interweaving subplots and-- especially towards the end--some of the characters from the different scenarios meeting and interacting. 7. Some sketchy maps of where the action is happening.
April 5, 2018
The second installment in Harry Turtledove’s “The War that Came Early” series starts off where the inaugural volume, , left off. An British-French offensive succeeds in driving the Germans back from the suburbs of Paris, leaving the Germans with a two-front war. In eastern Europe, the Soviet offensive against Poland prompts the Poles to solicit help form the Germans, while the Soviets find themselves facing a two-front war as well as a Japanese attack attempts to sever the Trans-Siberian Railroad. Amidst the maelstrom, a cast of ordinary people – men and women, soldiers and civilians – struggle to cope with the changes the war brings to their lives, all the while hoping to find a way to survive the conflict taking place all around them.
Turtledove’s latest alternate history novel is a considerable improvement over the first book in the series. Though his characters continue to suffer from the lack of distinct voices, he gives them much more to do in this book, which allows him to develop them in ways that make then far more distinct from another than they were in the preceding volume. The improvement is such that I find myself looking forward to Turtledove’s next installment with far more anticipation than I had for this book, which hopefully will reflect further the qualities that have gained for him the title of “The Master of Alternate History”.
Turtledove’s latest alternate history novel is a considerable improvement over the first book in the series. Though his characters continue to suffer from the lack of distinct voices, he gives them much more to do in this book, which allows him to develop them in ways that make then far more distinct from another than they were in the preceding volume. The improvement is such that I find myself looking forward to Turtledove’s next installment with far more anticipation than I had for this book, which hopefully will reflect further the qualities that have gained for him the title of “The Master of Alternate History”.
July 31, 2010
Once again a believeable and most astonishingly sharp drawn picture of the daily life of the wartime soldiers during a war that in this book did not happen exactly as history tells.
By using multiple viewpoint characters Harry Turtledove manages to show up that regardless to the side or indoctrination mostly the soldiers work on the same basic ideas and wishes like being alive the next day, find something to turn your mind away from the harsh reality for some time e.g. by "liberating" some booze or find a willing girl. After all: be they as different as they seem to be the ideologies for the soldier risking his life every step of the long winding road through this mess are all the same: kill them before they kill you and keep your own superiors from suspecting you of being easier to kill then to keep on the front...
Turtledove excels at telling the story of about a dozen very common men and women living their lifes as good as war allows and meanwhile even manages to shove in his "alternate history" picture with all the "what if" thoughts that come from and with this genre... The 450 pages flew by like nothing, so interesting has his mixture come out again.
By using multiple viewpoint characters Harry Turtledove manages to show up that regardless to the side or indoctrination mostly the soldiers work on the same basic ideas and wishes like being alive the next day, find something to turn your mind away from the harsh reality for some time e.g. by "liberating" some booze or find a willing girl. After all: be they as different as they seem to be the ideologies for the soldier risking his life every step of the long winding road through this mess are all the same: kill them before they kill you and keep your own superiors from suspecting you of being easier to kill then to keep on the front...
Turtledove excels at telling the story of about a dozen very common men and women living their lifes as good as war allows and meanwhile even manages to shove in his "alternate history" picture with all the "what if" thoughts that come from and with this genre... The 450 pages flew by like nothing, so interesting has his mixture come out again.
July 23, 2014
I liked Hitler's War the series debut a lot, it's probably the best Turtledove I've read and as fine a WW2 historical novel with a slight twist (WW2 starts in Sept 1938) that expands to quite different outcomes as it gets, but the rest is pitch perfect period, all told from the point of view of "grunts" - mostly soldiers and non-coms, with a submarine captain and a Stuka pilot Lt the highest ranked pov's - and two special women, a middle age US socialite from Philadelphia that gets stuck in the Reich and a 17 year old Jewish girl from Munster
West and East continues the same absorbing story, with mostly the same pov's (some die and some new ones appear) and the book has a lot of happenings on the personal level of everyone,but as the big picture goes it is mostly a lull in the big battles kind of action, though things advance and we end as 1940 is approaching; since the series will go 6 minimum there is a lot to come (A)
West and East continues the same absorbing story, with mostly the same pov's (some die and some new ones appear) and the book has a lot of happenings on the personal level of everyone,but as the big picture goes it is mostly a lull in the big battles kind of action, though things advance and we end as 1940 is approaching; since the series will go 6 minimum there is a lot to come (A)
March 24, 2012
I Love Harry Turtledove, but this was one of my least favorite of his books. The characters were just not engaging. It was very hard for me to remember who was who or the really care. Within the set of characters there were no historical figures or high level types to give insight into the developments of the altered war. Nevertheless, I'm going to read the next (third book) of the series. Harry can write a great Alternate History Novel and his ideas can be very interesting. I would not recommend this work to anyone who has not read a Turtledove novel before. Start with "The Guns of The South"
December 21, 2015
Harry Turtledove has turned into the King of Padding. His favorite words are as if, but, & and. The book has been carpet-bombed with the F-bomb. I know military guys cuss a lot, but we don't have to have it beat over our heads. I feel like the whole series is nothing but a bunch of vignettes kind of strung together to make a book.
I cannot believe there are 6 books in the entire series! This is my 2nd book in the series and my last book.
I have loved many of Turtledove's series, but lately the quality of his books has plummeted. I don't know if can ever read any more of his (new) works again.
I cannot believe there are 6 books in the entire series! This is my 2nd book in the series and my last book.
I have loved many of Turtledove's series, but lately the quality of his books has plummeted. I don't know if can ever read any more of his (new) works again.
October 10, 2011
While Harry Turtledove does posit an interesting future based on the central premise of World War 2 happening years earlier than it might have, the fact of the matter is that this is clearly the beginning of a series. Many of the storylines are not truly resolved, and while the portraits of life are interesting enough, it neither concludes the full story nor is it truly compelling enough for me to want to hear how the stories end. An interesting idea, but with an execution which doesn't live up to that promise.
June 7, 2016
Hmmm--I've read some Harry Turtledove books I liked, but this was not one of them. It seemed to be trying too hard--lots of profanity and violence and kind of junior-high-ish sexual scenes without a strong and clear plot and characters one could relate to and believe in. Sometimes Turtledove's alternative history premises are fascinating enough to really "carry" the whole book. This idea of a WWII starting early is pretty thin gruel for capturing the reader's imagination. Respect to people who liked it, but not a book I would recommend.
February 22, 2022
Another great read by Turtldove as the Germans advanced in France, “The Germans came forward. Valcov had known they would. They were bastards. And they exposed themselves as little as they could, which made them smart bastards.”
Does great job of portraying life on the front lines with great characters you can literally picture with the attitudes and humor of the soldiers in the thick of things.
Does great job of portraying life on the front lines with great characters you can literally picture with the attitudes and humor of the soldiers in the thick of things.
May 28, 2013
i grabbed this book because of the what if premis but i think most of that must have been in the first book since i just got a in the trenches war book which in fact was well written but not the type of story i was looking for --- perhaps if i read the first then this might seem more interesting.
February 16, 2017
Entertaining, not Turtledove's best work, a lot of parallels to actual history occur, so many that it almost every event has just been shifted by a single year. I will continue to read the next book when I have time. I want to see how it ends.
Want to read
April 17, 2023Harry Turtledove's "East and West" is a gripping and thought-provoking novel set in an alternate history where the Cold War never ended, and the Soviet Union and the United States continue to vie for global dominance. The story follows a diverse cast of characters, both American and Soviet, as they navigate the tense and precarious world of international politics, espionage, and military strategy.
Turtledove's world-building is masterful, and his attention to detail is impressive. From the political maneuverings in Moscow and Washington to the battlefield in Germany, Turtledove paints a vivid picture of a world on the brink of war. His characters are complex and fully realized, with their motivations and allegiances often in conflict.
What makes "East and West" stand out is Turtledove's exploration of the human cost of the Cold War. As the two superpowers continue their rivalry, ordinary people suffer, both on the front lines and behind the scenes. Turtledove does not shy away from depicting the harsh realities of war and the toll it takes on individuals and societies.
The pacing of the novel is slow but deliberate, reflecting the cautious and methodical approach of both sides during the Cold War. This may be a turn-off for readers looking for action-packed thrills, but for those who appreciate a nuanced and immersive storytelling experience, "East and West" is a must-read.
Overall, Harry Turtledove's "East and West" is a remarkable achievement in alternate history fiction. With its engaging characters, meticulous world-building, and insightful exploration of the human cost of war, it is a novel that will stay with readers long after the final page. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction and alternate history.
Turtledove's world-building is masterful, and his attention to detail is impressive. From the political maneuverings in Moscow and Washington to the battlefield in Germany, Turtledove paints a vivid picture of a world on the brink of war. His characters are complex and fully realized, with their motivations and allegiances often in conflict.
What makes "East and West" stand out is Turtledove's exploration of the human cost of the Cold War. As the two superpowers continue their rivalry, ordinary people suffer, both on the front lines and behind the scenes. Turtledove does not shy away from depicting the harsh realities of war and the toll it takes on individuals and societies.
The pacing of the novel is slow but deliberate, reflecting the cautious and methodical approach of both sides during the Cold War. This may be a turn-off for readers looking for action-packed thrills, but for those who appreciate a nuanced and immersive storytelling experience, "East and West" is a must-read.
Overall, Harry Turtledove's "East and West" is a remarkable achievement in alternate history fiction. With its engaging characters, meticulous world-building, and insightful exploration of the human cost of war, it is a novel that will stay with readers long after the final page. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction and alternate history.
June 1, 2022
Harry Turtledove is perhaps the most prolific author in the genre known as alternate history. This is where an author takes a moment in history and wonders what if something happened a little differently.
In the case of Turtledove’s War That Came Early series, he ponders what would have happened had British Prime Minister Chamberlain stood up to Hitler earlier and not practiced appeasement?
When Hitler invades Czechoslovakia, war breaks out and everyone on the European side of the Atlantic takes sides. Turtledove uses multiple point-of-view characters to tell the story within the battles as well as among various citizens of the countries affected. A wealthy Philadelphia socialite is trapped in Germany, a Jewish family in Germany attempts to serve their country all the while worried they will be the next ones to disappear, an American Marine in Singapore falls for a Russian prostitute, Japanese soldiers in Siberia battle the Russians and the elements, a German pilot frets over a half-Jewish Polish woman while piloting one of Germany’s best weapons, a Russian pilot fears the German pilots, a German U-Boat Captain attempts to make-up for his accidental sinking of an American ship, and a British soldier worries about getting home after the Germans send them on the run in northern Europe. If that’s not enough, the Spanish Civil War rages with the perspective from an American Jew who volunteered to go fight prior to the European War breaking out.
TO read my full review, please go to: https://thoughtsfromthemountaintop.co...
In the case of Turtledove’s War That Came Early series, he ponders what would have happened had British Prime Minister Chamberlain stood up to Hitler earlier and not practiced appeasement?
When Hitler invades Czechoslovakia, war breaks out and everyone on the European side of the Atlantic takes sides. Turtledove uses multiple point-of-view characters to tell the story within the battles as well as among various citizens of the countries affected. A wealthy Philadelphia socialite is trapped in Germany, a Jewish family in Germany attempts to serve their country all the while worried they will be the next ones to disappear, an American Marine in Singapore falls for a Russian prostitute, Japanese soldiers in Siberia battle the Russians and the elements, a German pilot frets over a half-Jewish Polish woman while piloting one of Germany’s best weapons, a Russian pilot fears the German pilots, a German U-Boat Captain attempts to make-up for his accidental sinking of an American ship, and a British soldier worries about getting home after the Germans send them on the run in northern Europe. If that’s not enough, the Spanish Civil War rages with the perspective from an American Jew who volunteered to go fight prior to the European War breaking out.
TO read my full review, please go to: https://thoughtsfromthemountaintop.co...
February 5, 2019
This brings me no joy. I'm sad that I have to leave a disappointing review. I like Harry Turtledove. He's a master of alternate history. Sadly, he's also a master of repetition and padding. I did not make it to the end of this book, a first for a Turtledove novel and me! What broke it for me was Turtledove's apparent obsession with having nearly every one of his characters being the epitome of historical racism and sexism. The book reads like a thesaurus of racial slurs. Between that and his overuse of "the coffee is bad," "the cigarettes are bad," and "the soldier is horny" I just had to give up. I came to the series for a story about an early WW2. Sadly, a good synopsis of the details makes for a much more interesting and enjoyable read.
The only characters I had any interest in were the German Jewish family grappling with their oppression despite their willingness to fight for Germany as they had in the last war. I would have been far more interested in a story more focused on them. The rest were the same stock cast Harry pulls off the shelf for most of his books who I've finally run out of patience with.
The only characters I had any interest in were the German Jewish family grappling with their oppression despite their willingness to fight for Germany as they had in the last war. I would have been far more interested in a story more focused on them. The rest were the same stock cast Harry pulls off the shelf for most of his books who I've finally run out of patience with.
March 5, 2024
Having read and enjoyed The Great war, American Empire and Settling Accounts series by Turtledove, I was excited to read through this new series. The first book set the stage for some interesting twists of history vs our real timeline and i looked forward to seeing these develop in the second book. Sad to say, I’m still waiting.
There is little to no development of the overall world war plot or that of many, if any, of the characters for the first 80% of the book. And what occurs in the last 20% is not a suitable reward for having trudged through all the padding in this book.
There are time where you question if you are rereading the same sections of the book over and over again. Only to have the page numbers tell you’re not.
Easily the worst book from Turtledove and begs the question:
Is the rest of the series worth reading?
There is little to no development of the overall world war plot or that of many, if any, of the characters for the first 80% of the book. And what occurs in the last 20% is not a suitable reward for having trudged through all the padding in this book.
There are time where you question if you are rereading the same sections of the book over and over again. Only to have the page numbers tell you’re not.
Easily the worst book from Turtledove and begs the question:
Is the rest of the series worth reading?
February 20, 2020
I like alternative history, but I like to see the big questions addressed. In this book ... there's not so much of that. You could change some minor details of this book and have it be a historical fiction novel. One with too many characters.
Evidently Terry Webb agrees with my assessment: "I think it went a book too long. Well two books too long actually. I felt there was a lot off filler that didn't really enhance the story, and an abundance of redundancy in recounting stuff about the characters that were just covered a chapter or two previously and in the previous book(s)." And this is the top positive review at Amazon!
I gave up on this today and put it in my sell pile, after getting only 170 pages into it.
Evidently Terry Webb agrees with my assessment: "I think it went a book too long. Well two books too long actually. I felt there was a lot off filler that didn't really enhance the story, and an abundance of redundancy in recounting stuff about the characters that were just covered a chapter or two previously and in the previous book(s)." And this is the top positive review at Amazon!
I gave up on this today and put it in my sell pile, after getting only 170 pages into it.
March 13, 2022
The alternate World War II continues and the cast of characters and some new main ones in various parts of the world do their thing. History is overlapping, but also slowly diverging in the logical way it should, given the tech and war preparation for starting too soon, etc. My guess is that book three will diverge even more and I have my guesses as to how. The next book will tell me how good my estimations are. The characters continue to grow on you and become more real. Yes, they are all at risk of being killed, abruptly. It helps to know much of the world wide history of the actual war, which make the divergences all the more interesting. You cannot be sure what will come next, which is the way a book like this should be. Good Read!
February 24, 2017
Germany fights against France, Britain, Norway and homeless Czechs. Poland and Germany fight against the Soviet Union. The Japanese and Soviet Union fight against each other. America is on the sidelines.... it's 1938....
An interesting alternative history. Well written and holds your attention. Book 3, here I come...
An interesting alternative history. Well written and holds your attention. Book 3, here I come...
September 24, 2021
The last book
I didn’t read the books in order. I don’t care about surprises. I try to get into the author’s brain to see how he created the books. Excellent work, paints war for the crazy destruction, the fatigue and terror, the random nature that kills some while sparing others. Shows how futile it is. There are no winners, only losers.
I didn’t read the books in order. I don’t care about surprises. I try to get into the author’s brain to see how he created the books. Excellent work, paints war for the crazy destruction, the fatigue and terror, the random nature that kills some while sparing others. Shows how futile it is. There are no winners, only losers.
September 12, 2018
Excellent read.
June 7, 2020
3.5 Stars.
March 5, 2021
A really good story. I have always like the way main characters fall in and out of his stories.
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