He changes a number of things to make the story work, but its a fun read. Many alternate history novels have explored what would have happened if hitler won the war, so the scenario of a stalemate is a welcome change of pace. Id really love to read another authors alternate take on the era, but i havent found any other titles yet. Best alternate history novels ars technica openforum. His southern victory or timeline191 series has the confederates beating the union. Hitler is debilitated for weeks after a plane crash on december 6, 1941, leaving germany in the hands of a troika of goring, goebbels, and halder, vicious nazis all but more pragmatic than the darkly romantic fuehrer. Does anybody know of any alternate history novels set inaround the revolutionary war period. Dick you cant discuss alternate history without bringing up the man in the high castle.
Its set about 60 years into an alternate future, one in which the nazis had developed the atom bomb first and won ww2. Magestic ebook free alternate history novels and stories. The boatgirls reflect on their cruel past experiences. This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and if not signed in for advertising. Together in one volume, here are the first three novels in naomi noviks new york times bestselling temeraire series, combining the gripping history of the napoleonic era, the thrill of anne mccaffreys dragonriders of pern books, and the excitement of patrick obrians seafaring adventures. It starts with the age of colonization, but the east coast of north america was separated from the rest before the europeans discovered it. Magestic ebook free alternate history novels and stories in a variety of formats. Alternate history, alternate realities fiction, books. Dec 11, 2017 this is my alternate history of world war 2. World war ii alternate histories alternative history. Hypothetical axis victory in world war ii wikipedia. Schmitz, 1962 star ships, aliens from the future, time travel, romance, cannibalism, pet humans and mutebutbrilliant aliens. Many, many alternate history ask how the world would be different if germany had won world war ii.
This following video is for fun, and does not display my, or any others political views, nor is it a prediction for our future. Set in a version of america that is ruled by japan and germany, with a neutral zone in between, this book is gets a little loopy, but its a classic of. Beyond turtledove and fatherland, i only know of the moscow option, but its not really so much an alternate history as an altered history. So, heres my list of the best alternative history novels written by women, presented in chronological order. Farthing touches on many social topics, such as antisemitism and homophobia, in a gripping tale drawing upon elements of the mystery genre. The first nazivictory alternate history as such, in any language, was published in 1945 months after hitlers suicide and written by the hungarian author laszlo gaspar. This particular selection of fiction mostly comes from the what if category where history has diverged from its path and gone in another direction. The third reich and the united states are locked in a cold war, and harris delights in dropping hints concerning everything that is different as a result of the twist of the historical record. The alternate events subgenre focuses on the changing events themselves. The most common variant of these detail the victory and survival of nazi germany subcategories. May 25, 2018 many, many alternate history ask how the world would be different if germany had won world war ii.
This following video is for fun, and does not display my, or any others political views, nor is. There was an otherwise great movie made that posited what if the south won the civil war and kept slavery. Turtledove did a short story, lee at the alamo, that i enjoyed. Written in 1962, its set in a fictional 1962 where nazi germany, fascist italy and imperial japan have won the war and more or less divided the world between themselves see map above.
The novella ends with an exhortation to the reader to make sure the story remains fiction. Alternate history may be divided into two subgenres. The best alternative histories in literature by richard davies at. However, this is a profascism narrative written by an alternatehistory adolf hitler, who in this timeline emigrated from germany to the united states in 1919 after the great war, and used his modest artistic skills to become first a pulpscience fiction illustrator and later a successful science fiction writer, telling lurid, purpleprosed. World war ii alternate histories are one of the two most popular point of divergences to. Tl191 uniform, weapons and equipment of the secondary combatants. And the man in the high castle is among the most wellknown books that tackle that question. Jul 01, 2016 however, this is a profascism narrative written by an alternatehistory adolf hitler, who in this timeline emigrated from germany to the united states in 1919 after the great war, and used his modest artistic skills to become first a pulpscience fiction illustrator and later a successful science fiction writer, telling lurid, purpleprosed.
Here are 10 writing mistakes that authors of alternate history fall into. This is perhaps because on the surface it can look like fantasy or sciencefiction involved as it is with stories of worlds not our own however beneath the surface its an entirely different thing. Well, avoiding ya dystopian cliches, which are another thread entirely, here are my top 5. Below youll find two lists, with the 10 best novels about world war ii listed first. Discuss, rate, and post links to ah sites on the web. Alternate history books are a great way to explore these questions, and alternate history for teens is becoming increasingly popular. A secret history in an alternate middle ages, a female captain of mercenaries travels through europe and the middle east, trying to prevent an invasion of europe by a carthaginian army. Walter john williams published a story in 1989, no spot of ground, that supposed that edgar allan poe survived his alcoholic dissipation, became a successful literary figure in the south, and went on to be a confederate.
Best alternate history novels and stories 619 books. World war ii alternate histories alternative history fandom. Alternate history, long popular with fiction writers, has also been explored by historians and journalists. Some of them are, colonization and worldwar series alien invasion during world war 2 cross time traffic series a trading company with a. Critically acclaimed novels have explored diverse whatifs, including ben winterss underground airlines and nava semels isra isle, about a. The world of the man in the high castle alternate wwii. Mar 30, 2017 turtledove did a short story, lee at the alamo, that i enjoyed. Robert conroys red inferno, for example, is a novel in form but addresses primarily a war between the soviet union and the western allies in 1945. The top five alternative history novels written by women. Lest darkness fall is possibly the earliest and best example of the alternate history genre. World war ii alternate histories are texts wherein events during world war ii occurred differently to those in history. Jan 09, 20 alternate history, long popular with fiction writers, has also been explored by historians and journalists. Ww2 has produced so many great alternate histories robert harris fatherland novel is probably one of the best and most famous but never has it been.
There are lots of alternate history novels out there about the civil war, but mark sumners novel is different. It differs from historical fiction, which mostly sticks to real history. These stories usually contain what if scenarios at crucial points in history and present outcomes other than those in the historical record. Dec 14, 2014 its one of the most famous alternate history novels and inspired countless authors to write their own scenarios. Alternate history novels, free ebooks in pdf, kindle, mobi, epub and many other formats. The undisputed king of alternative histories is the prolific harry turtledove, who has helped guide the genre into mainstream reading. The great war harry turtledove goes the fuck off recounting american history from a. Civil war alternate history novels nonfiction history of. The meeting of odysseus and penelope after two decades.
Its one of the most famous alternate history novels and inspired countless authors to write their own scenarios. World war ii alternate histories are fiction wherein events during world war ii occurred differently to those in history. The alternative history of the origins of black people is a classic blend of science, scriptures and secular history, which addresses questions relating to the origins of the black race, their skin colour, present experience, pressing controversies and future possibilities in the 21st century. Jun 28, 2016 alternate history books are a great way to explore these questions, and alternate history for teens is becoming increasingly popular.
It is similar to mark twain s a connecticut yankee in king arthurs court. The alternative history of the origins of black people is a classic blend of science, scriptures and secular history, which addresses questions relating to the origins of the black race, their skin colour, present experience, pressing controversies and future possibilities in. Alternate history is a genre of speculative fiction which alters historical events and sets stories within the worlds created by those changes. Hitler is rendered comatose and doesnt oversee the invasion of russia which is why the german army moves straight for moscow instead of dividing in two, attacking cities in the north and south, and then moving to moscow. The big switch by harry turtledove, north reich by robert conroy, hold back the sun by warren bell, democracys m. Jan 08, 2014 alternate history may be divided into two subgenres. In his first alternate version of world war ii, depicted in 1945, the u. Agent of byzantium has the byzantine empire surviving. World war ii alternate histories are one of the two most popular point of divergences to create an alternate. The most common variant of these detail the victory and survival of the axis powers. Farthing touches on many social topics, such as antisemitism and homophobia, in a gripping tale. Alternate history or alternative history is a genre of fiction consisting of stories in which one or more historical events occur differently.
What cliches should i avoid in my alternate history novel. Alt hist readers might be interested in a new anthology containing 28 science fiction and fantasy stories based on an extraordinary secret history vatican vaults is a captivating collection of original science fiction and fantasy stories based on the same alternate world premise. Operation downfall has also served an important political function, justifying the atomic bombings of hiroshima and nagasaki by contrasting the reallife casualties with the projected loss of life in an invasion of the japanese. The action in many of the novels by furst and kerr takes place either before or after the war and do not appear on this list.
American archaeologist martin padway is visiting the pantheon in rome in 1938. Examples of alternate history can be found in literature as far back as the 1st century bc. Civil war alternate history novels nonfiction history. They had subsequently set up a number of reichs in different parts of the world and ethnically cleansed them, resulting in a dramatic drop in the worlds population. Harris 1992 novel is among the ultimate alternate world war ii stories.
But an alternate history novel can easily turn into a disaster of historic proportions, if you dont know what youre doing. The most unusual alternate history novels ever published. The books are opening atlantisdiscovery, colonization, and alternate version of frenchindian war, the united states of atlantisrevolutionary war, and liberating atlantiscivil war. The list tries to avoid novels featuring timetravel or parallel universes as they could be seen as subgenres. The top 25 novels about alternate history worlds that never were at. Recommendations alternate historyselfoc insert novel. Together in one volume, here are the first three novels in naomi noviks new york times bestselling temeraire series, combining the gripping history of the napoleonic era, the thrill of anne mccaffreys dragonriders of pern books, and the excitement of. The most common variant of these detail the victory and survival of nazi germany. My favorite alternate history novels can be found at this horribly ugly website. These stories can blend speculative elements with historical facts, which is perfect for prompting discussion about what is truth and what is fiction in the novels discussed. The black plague devastated the population of europe. I can suggest some of the books by harry turtledove. Set in a version of america that is ruled by japan and germany, with a neutral zone in between, this book is gets a little loopy, but.
So ive already read a very reluctant fuhrer and the one about an irish guy gradually fixing post ww1 germany. In devils tower, the mass deaths of the civil war have brought about the return of. Codenamed operation downfall, the planned invasion of japan is a popular source of inspiration for alternate history books, comics, and even board games. Magestic ebook free alternate history novels and stories in. Philip roths bestselling novel, the plot against america 2002, gives us an alternate history in which charles lindbergh, transatlantic pilot and allamerican hero, becomes the. Dicks brainwarping story is set in a world where the axis powers won world war ii, and america has been divided between japan and nazi germany the brain twisting bit. Alternate history fiction is one of the hidden gems of literature, a sprawling chasm of a genre often overlooked by those not familiar with it. The most unusual alternate history novels ever published vs day. His days of infamy books have japan occupying hawaii.
Walter john williams published a story in 1989, no spot of ground, that supposed that edgar allan poe survived his alcoholic dissipation. Nov 07, 2016 i can suggest some of the books by harry turtledove. This category has the following 7 subcategories, out of 7 total. The years of rice and salt by kim stanley robinson. Please add suggestions on the talk page world war ii alternate histories are fiction wherein events during world war ii occurred differently to those in history.