Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge discussion
2019 Read Harder Challenge
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Task #2: An alternate history novel
I'm definitely going with River of Teeth. I've been on the list of it for ages in the library and it sounds really interesting!
For a young adult novel, I recommend Witch Week by Diana Wynne Jones. It's part of the Chrestomanci series, although I don't think you'd be horribly lost if you didn't read the others before -- it's mostly new characters.Alternate history with (you guessed it!) witches and how the world relates to them based on how Guy Fawkes Night went down.
Years ago I really enjoyed "The God Fearer" by Dan Jacobson, about a world in which Christianity had remained a minority religion and Judaism was the majority religion.Joan Aiken also wrote alternate history novels for children. I can't remember any titles but I'm sure someone else will!
American War by Omar El Akkad comes to mind.
Katie wrote: "American War by Omar El Akkad comes to mind."Good call! This book was great. I forgot about this one.
This is coming out in May 2019 per Lithub and looks interesting!America Was Hard To Find
This is what they wrote on that site:
"I love intricate alternate histories, and I especially love them when they’re penned by authors with that rare ability to combine vivid, dazzling prose with sensitive and nuanced character building. Kathleen Alcott is one of those writers, and that’s why I’m especially excited to read her new novel, America Was Hard to Find—a reimagining of the Cold War era focusing on an activist and an astronaut who, after a short-lived affair, go their separate ways and become heroes to different sides of the political spectrum of 1970s America. (DS)"
Lucia wrote: "i'm also making a compilation list of everyone's suggestions for each task if that's easier for people c: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1..."
Thank you so much! This is so helpful!
May I strongly, enthusiastically, gleefully recommend His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik? Her Temeraire series is one of my all-time favorite series, and it's alternate history -- the Napoleonic Wars, WITH DRAGONS.It's a terribly funny comedy of manners, beautifully written, and the dragons are just so damn charming. Novik thoughtfully reimagined the Regency as with dragons, so while there's a lot you will recognize, there are inventive and brilliant differences. The series also has a social justice soul. I cannot rave highly enough -- it's one of my all-time favorites.
Kelly wrote: "May I strongly, enthusiastically, gleefully recommend His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik? Her Temeraire series is one of my all-time favorite series, and it's alternate history -- the..."Completely agree! Loved the book!
Lucia wrote: "i'm also making a compilation list of everyone's suggestions for each task if that's easier for people c: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1..."
Thanks for this. This makes it easy to find books that are on my To Be Read list and fit the Read Harder Challenge.
Thank you, Kelly, for the recommendation! I'm going to read His Majesty's Dragons.
I'm reading Freedom and Necessity for this one- it's set in 1849, right in the middle of the great democratic revolutions. I've read it before, but it's been at least at decade, if not longer.
I’m astonished that no one had (as far as I can tell) recommended World War Z by Max Brooks... extremely well done as an audio book as well! Gives a detailed account of a zombie apocalypse.
I read Lion's Blood by Steven Barnes for this - an alternate history set in the late 1800s where African and Islamic nations are the major global powers. It's set in the American South, and there's a race reversal going on with slavery there, which seems to me a difficult challenge for an author to take on, but the world-building especially is genuinely excellent. I'm invested enough to read the sequel, anyway.
If the book is set in the future but based on an alternate history which is referred to often and explained as the reason for the new future world...??? Ok to count ???
Book Riot wrote: "Hi everyone! Our rec post for this task is now up: https://bookriot.com/2019/01/04/read-..."Thank you for this! I'm not a big sci-fi person so My Real Children sounds like it'll be up my alley.
Does “The Terror” by Dan Simmons fit this category? I know it falls under historical fiction, but i figured the supernatural elements in the book might move more in the alternate history category.
Emily wrote: "Any thoughts on whether Lincoln in the Bardo would fit under alternate history?"Interesting question. My first thought is that I would not think so, but I can see where the argument could be made. Interested to see what others think. Lord knows its a hard book to classify! (I loved it, but it is profoundly weird.)
I think I answered my own question. I planned to read The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon. I found this...The Bone Season is the 2013 debut novel of author Samantha Shannon. Set in a Dystopian, Alternate History England, the story follows a magic-user (called "voyants", short for clairvoyant, in the book) named Paige Mahoney. Since 1859, when the voyant phenomenon first became public knowledge, England has operated under an oppressive and strongly anti-voyant government known as Scion.
I'm trying to fulfill these prompts with books for my Around-the-World Reading Challenge. So, I'm choosing She Would Be King.
I just finished Outlander #2, Dragonfly in Amber (loved it)! Thoughts on this categorized as alternate history?
Christopher wrote: "Does “The Terror” by Dan Simmons fit this category? I know it falls under historical fiction, but i figured the supernatural elements in the book might move more in the alternate history category."I would count it. I'm reading The Hunger which adds a supernatural element to the Donner party for this prompt (although I'm planning to read The Terror this year as well, I loved the show!)
Abbie wrote: "Christopher wrote: "Does “The Terror” by Dan Simmons fit this category? I know it falls under historical fiction, but i figured the supernatural elements in the book might move more in the alternat..."Thanks Abbie!
LYNDSEY wrote: "I think I answered my own question. I planned to read The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon. I found this...The Bone Season is the 2013 debut novel of author Samantha Shannon. Set in a Dystopian, Al..."
Love this series! She's one of my favourite authors!
Diane wrote: "This article lists many optionshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..."
Interesting to see Never Let Me Go on the list, wouldn't have thought have that as alternate history.
When I was looking at ideas for task #3 I found out that there's a literary prize just for alternative history: Sidewise Award for Alternative History https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidewis...
I'm wondering if you all think The Power by Naomi Alderman fits this category? Technically it's set in the future and framed as a historical fiction written from the perspective of someone in that future, but it does examine what would happen if the world took a completely different turn...
Katie wrote: "I just finished Outlander #2, Dragonfly in Amber (loved it)! Thoughts on this categorized as alternate history?"I wouldn't consider that alternate history, no.
Just finished Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. It was just as good as the first time I read it. And it reminded me of why I like to re-read books - it’s a different experience each time. Life experience, different moods, and even other things I’ve read in the many intervening years made it a completely different, yet still wonderful experience.
I'm currently reading The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead and I'm wondering if this fits the bill for this challenge? I'm thinking no, since the only big thing is that he imagines the underground railroad as a physical one. Thoughts?
I'll be reading Curtsies and Conspiracies by Gail Carriger. It's the second book in the Finishing School series.
Emily wrote: "I'm currently reading The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead and I'm wondering if this fits the bill for this challenge? I'm thinking no, since the only big thi..." IMHO this would definitely be an alternative history-- the book completely reimagines the underground railroad and how it works.
Christopher wrote: "Does “The Terror” by Dan Simmons fit this category? I know it falls under historical fiction, but i figured the supernatural elements in the book might move more in the alternate history category."I think this one certainly fits, it's definitely not the real history of the expedition. I'm considering it as well, I've been reading a chapter here and there since I finished the AMC series.
Genie wrote: "Emily wrote: "I'm currently reading The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead and I'm wondering if this fits the bill for this challenge? I'm thinking no, since th..."Thanks so much! I'd love to use it for this task, but I just wasn't sure.
I read Lost in a Good Book, the second Thursday Next book. The Crimean War is still going on in the 1980s, and dodos, woolly mammoths and Neanderthals have all been re-engineered.
I just got a copy of Everfair for my birthday, which I see has been mentioned already. So that's what I'm reading for this one. Really looking forward to it.
Alternate history freebie this week for the North American contingent. This will be my task 2 read: https://www.tor.com/2019/01/15/the-on...
Would mythological books count? I just read Norse Mythology, which has the history of the gods and how men were created.
Ashley, mythological books are #15.Of the books I have read I don't think American War or Dragonfly in Amber count as alternate histories. I liked, even loved them both. They may fit other categories, though.
His Majesty's Dragon, Freedom and Necessity, World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, Lion's Blood, My Real Children, The Underground Railroad and Underground Airlines, which I haven't seen anyone asking about, but it's really good. All are alternative history, imo.
I think I'm going to go with The Gilded Wolves for this one! Alternative 19th century Paris. Sign me up!
Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Kindred (other topics)Dread Nation (other topics)
American Hippo (other topics)
Taste of Marrow (other topics)
River of Teeth (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Justina Ireland (other topics)Sarah Gailey (other topics)
Philip K. Dick (other topics)
David R. Gillham (other topics)
Stephen King (other topics)
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If anyone is looking for a short read, A Dead Djinn in Cairo by P. Djeli Clark is fantastic and available to read on the Tor website for free in its entirety.