The Best Alternate History Stories of the 20th Century by Harry Turtledove

The Best Alternate History Stories of the 20th Century Reviews

• 
  Sud666

  As the title states, this is an anthology of Alternate History short stories. As with any anthology, the overall quality is determined by the combined quality of all the stories. Sadly, this collection of stories straddles the line between alternative history (known as "Counter-Factual") and fantasy fiction. So I'll just give a summary of the stories herein:
  
  The Lucky Strike- An interesting counter-factual about dropping the bomb on Japan. 3/5
  
  The Winterberry- A what-if scenario about if JFK not being dead. 2/10
  
  Islands in the Sea- What if the Roman Empire (including Constantinople) had faded in the year 500 AD, and how would that have affected the Eastern/Central European nations in choosing their religion. 4/5
  
  Suppose they gave a Peace- A strange story about the Vietnam War if President McGovern were President. 2/5
  
  All the Myriad Ways- A strange story about objects that can travel back through time. 2/5
  
  Through Road No Whither- Nazis run into a mysterious old woman who is now what she seems. 4/5
  
  Dance band on the Titanic- A man gets a job ferrying around ghosts. Can he change their fate? 3/5
  
  Bring the Jubilee- A convoluted story about America in a future where the Confederacy won. But then it becomes a time traveler story. 2/5
  
  Eutopia- A strange story about a very different world where the Settlers worked with the natiive Americans instead of conquering them. 2/5
  
  The Undiscovered-William Shakespeare ends up on the American continent and joins a native American tribe. 2/5
  
  Mozart in Mirrorshades - A company from the future invades alternate timelines and changes history. 3/5
  
  The Death of Captain Future- Have no idea what this has to do with any historical alternatives, this is more sci-fi. Good story though. 4/5
  
  Moon of Ice- an interesting story about the revolution in a future where the Nazis won the war. 4/5
  
  So all in all, a decent collection of stories. I'd be hard-pressed to call this "Alternative History" as it's mostly sci-fi or fantasy set in historical times. Over all? It was ok. I expected better.
• 
  fourtriplezed

  The best?? Some of these were abysmal. In fact the only story I would consider anything close to "the best" was Ward Moore’s Bring the Jubilee.
• 
  Jessica

  This is a collection of short stories by different authors so I've decided to review each story separately as I read them.
  
  The Lucky Strike by Kim Stanley Robinson:(4 stars) I liked how the author got inside the head of the bomber as he realized the ramifications of his actions and tried to find a way out of dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. I would have liked it better if the story had explored the results of his actions on the future of our country instead of just alluding to them in passing at the end of the story.
  
  The Winterberry by Nicholas A. DiChario:(2.5 stars) Good writing, but this isn't really what I think of when I think "alternate history story". Instead, it's an incredibly sad and depressing story that imagines JFK living with a traumatic brain injury.
  
  Islands in the Sea by Harry Turtledove:(2.5 stars) This is another one that I don't really consider an alternate history story. It was more a story about two envoys trying to persuade a ruler to choose their religion. While it was an interesting comparison of the basic similarities and differences between two of the largest religions, it would have been very interesting to read the author's take on what the modern world would be like if Bulgaria had become Muslim rather than Christian, but he never discusses it.
  
  Suppose They Gave a Peace by Susan Shwartz:(2 stars) The writing was okay but the only thing this story had going for it was that it was "alternate history" and then it doesn't really go into what that history would be so instead you're left with characters that you don't really know or care about and no plot.
  
  All the Myriad Ways by Larry Niven:(3 stars) This is probably a reading in an Intro to Philosophy class somewhere. It was interesting and definitely thought-provoking.
  
  Through Road No Wither by Greg Bear: (3 stars)
  
  Manassas, Again by Gregory Benford: (4 stars) I really would have liked to have seen this be developed into a full-length novel. Interesting premise, good writing, characters that it would have been fun to get to know.
  
  Dance Band on the Titanic by Jack Chalker: (3 stars)
  
  
• 
  Chet

  This book should have had a short paragraph about each story telling something about the time frame or person or history involved. I gave up on most of the stories because I did not have the patience to figure out what alternative histories to which the authors were referring. I bought the book for one story, "Bring the Jubilee," which was an alternative history of the Civil War. This story was a first person account very well written which I would rate 5 stars on its own.
  
• 
  T.J.

  Not bad work here, although it's mainly worth it for tis collection of Ward Moore's Bring the Jubilee. Other stuff is good but not perfect by any means. I did like the "Shakespeare writes Hamlet for the Cherokee tribe" one quite a bit, however.
• 
  Joan

  Did Not Finish. Ironically, I gave up in the middle of the story I had borrowed this book for: "Bring the Jubilee" by Moore. I forget what exactly inspired me to try to read this story but I simply couldn't stand this story any longer. It seems endless, and so far, not much had happened. This guy couldn't physically and emotionally make it on the family farm, went to a city, got robbed, worked for a bookseller, ended up applying to various universities and one he didn't apply asked him to consider them, went there and I suppose got accepted since there is a comment about looking back 22 years from that place. I still have no real idea what is the guy's goal in life, other than not doing the work his parents did and study history. To get back to the other stories I read in the volume leading up to Jubilee,None of them were more than somewhat interesting. Many were highly uninteresting, but none as bad as Jubilee. I think I'm through with alternative history, which is a shame. It could have been a lot of fun I think.
• 
  Steven Belanger

  Very entertaining collection of 14 stories that offer a different view of history, or a view of a history yet to come. Though I found 2 or 3 of them to be clunkers, the others are more than worth your while.
  
  My preferred ones, in no particular order, are:
  
  In "The Lucky Strike," the pilot of the Enola Gay does not drop the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Though the U.S. government uses his punishment to send a message, a new feeling of hope and peace arise, and the bomb never has to be dropped at all. This Kim Stanley Robinson tale is rightly popular in the genre, and constantly referenced.
  
  Ward Moore's "Bring the Jubilee" is more a novella, but it reads as quickly as a short story. The historical change here is at the end, and almost an afterthought, as it takes up about 2% of the story time. Instead we get a very well-written and engrossing take on what America would be like today if the South had won the Civil War, but it doesn't bog itself down with politics and stereotypes. In our current political climate, this is a welcome change. Very well-constructed story with believable characters. This one is considered a masterpiece of the field.
  
  "Dance Band on the Titanic" is an interesting little story that will stayed with me afterwards, more for the thoughts the story inspires than for the story itself. It's about a loner who works on a ferry that carries passengers and products over several time rifts, several alternate realities and possible some parallel universes. Throws it all in there. The core of it is a girl who commits suicide many times over, in the same way. But many times, because there are many of her in all of the alternate and parallel realities. But if he's able to talk her out of it, all of the "hers" will not do it, as well. Rather well carried out, but I laid on my bed last Saturday, ready to write a short story that I thought would be better. I stopped writing 6 hours later, and I found I had a new novel on my hands! That's how a lot of my ideas come, which is why writers say you should read a lot if you want to write. You'll see something you like, but you think could be better, and then you try to do it. I've never written in this genre before, and I was actually in the middle of two other novels when this one hit. But I'll finish this one first.
  
  "The Death of Captain Future" is a really good short story. It's not alternate future fiction as I understand it, because it all takes place in the future, and there's no history or time change in it. A little confused about why it's in this collection, actually...But it's a good story that's more about heroism and courage (and spin) than anything else. The female character in it looks and talks and acts like a female character in one of my short stories, written months ago, long before I knew this story existed, that I'm also making into a novel. So I wasn't happy to see that...
  
  These are my four favorites. A few others were good, but not worthy of review here, and, like I said, two of them I thought were clunkers. A couple others were...meh. One story was about Shakespeare hitching aboard a ship that lands in present-day Virginia. His crewmates get killed, but he's so entertaining that he's allowed to live. Because of his stagework, he's a good fighter with a pole, too. He writes Hamlet, but the tribe laughs at it...Meh.
  
  In another one, time and history get severely screwed up, as Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette and Mozart and a general for Genghis Khan are all thrown together. Good story, actually, but really out there, which is the whole point of the story. I could've given this one more review time.
  
  There's a long one, the last one, in which Hitler comes up with the bomb just before America does, and so there's a stalemate and Germany is allowed to move on. Hitler lives a lot longer, as does Goebbels, who tells the story. Hard to get through; difficult because both are so correctly reviled. Meh.
  
  In another one, a good one, two Nazis stop at a cottage because they're lost. A witch / crone tells them their unfortunate future. One almost shoots her but thinks better of it. Popular story in the genre. I could've covered it more, but it's mostly allegorical, rather than a story. Still good, though.
  
  Another good one, very short, is about a guy who realizes suddenly all of the "hims" that exist in all of the alternate and parallel realities, and it drives the story's "him" into suicide. Not all of the "hims," though. I'm torn about it. Interesting concept and understandable conclusion, but I still feel it was bungled. Good / meh.
  
  But get this book to at least read the four I described above. Or find them somewhere and read them. Well worth it. Enjoy!
• 
  Tim

  I got this book from a fellow S-F enthusiast. Alternate history seems a somewhat different approach within the S-F genre, with the basic premise being “what if…” Such stories as Philip K. Dick’s “The Man in the High Castle” and Stephen King’s “11.22.63” are examples. One of the editors, Harry Turtledove, is himself an author of such alternate history, most notably “The Guns of the South” (which also includes S-F and time travel).
  
  In the introduction, Mr. Turtledove gleefully gives a sort of “history of alternate history, starting with Livy up through contemporary works. These seven pages are dense with such references and will be copied as sort of a “reading list” for future use.
  
  This book consists of some 14 stories, by several authors familiar to S-F fans, including Greg Bear, Bruce Sterling, and Larry Niven as well as Mr. Turtledove himself. The collection includes a novella (“Bring the Jubilee,” by Ward Moore) about the South winning the Civil War (with some time travel interwoven), but most are of shorter length. My favorites are “The Lucky Strike, by Kim Stanley Robinson, which explores what might have happened if someone besides Colonel Tibbetts flew the plane delivering the atomic bomb to Hiroshima; “The Winterberry,” by Nicholas A DeChario, in which the reader only gradually comes to discover the identity of the narrator; and “Moon of Ice,” by Brad Linaweaver, told from the point of view of Joseph Goebbels, in which Germany has won the war with England. Hitler is aging and thus increasingly infirm and unreliable, fomenting a political firestorm over who will replace him. Goebbels has his own problems, as his daughter is espousing anti-Nazi sentiments. Very clever and intriguing story.
  
  I enjoyed this somewhat quirky anthology and would definitely recommend it for Alternate History fans. Four stars.
  
• 
  Dhove

  The lucky strike / Kim Stanley Robinson
  Islands in the sea / Harry Turtledove
  
  These are the sort of true alt history stories that draw me to this genre. The ones that change one factor just to imagine the result. Not that they are all exciting. The event that is central to "Islands in the Sea" seemed more interesting for the impact it would have on the next two millennia than the event itself (which is just a very long religious debate).
  
  The winterberry / Nicholas A. DiChario
  Suppose they gave a peace / Susan Shwartz
  
  By contrast, "Peace" (which has several distracting grammatical errors) changes a factor that doesn't really do much of anything in the long run. As Stephen King said in 11/22/63 (another great story of this genre), the past is obdurate. "Winterberry" changes absolutely nothing and I don't see much point to it.
  
  All the myriad ways / Larry Niven
  Dance band on the Titanic / Jack L. Chalker
  Mozart in mirrorshades / Bruce Sterling and Lewis Shiner
  
  These take the idea of branching timelines to their logical extreme - although I'm pretty sure "Mozart" is more about time travel than alternate history (does it even really address how pulling people out of their timestreams affects the past?). The other two are great psychological sci-fi, especially "Myriad Ways" which suggests that TOO much free will can be paralyzing.
  
  Through road no whither / Greg Bear
  Moon of ice / Brad Linaweaver.
  
  Of course, there has to be at least two alt histories involving Nazis. "Moon" is...odd and kind of falls into campy toward the end. "Through Road" is much better, even if it takes a while to figure out what exactly is going on because of the way the story is structured.
  
  Manassas, again / Gregory Benford
  
  So...............steampunk cylons?
  
  Bring the jubilee / Ward Moore
  
  I skipped this one because I bought a separate copy of it to read later on the suspicion it was the best story in this whole book.
  
  Eutopia / Poul Anderson
  
  I couldn't get more than a couple pages into this one. I don't know what the author was smoking when he wrote it.
  
  The undiscovered / William Sanders
  
  This. This was my favorite of all the stories. It took me a while to figure out what was going on as I initially assumed it took place in a world where white people didn't come to North America, but... It is a fun story as long as you don't think too deeply about the implications for the English language.
  
  The death of Captain Future / Allen Steele
  
  It's interesting how comic book characters always seem to get wrapped up in these "imagine a world where..." stories. I had never heard of Captain Future before. I'm still not sure this is really alt history so much as pure sci-fi, but for a story about legends vs reality it's good.
• 
  Mark Brown

  Fun book if you enjoy alternative history!
• 
  Chris Hart

  Three stars is my standard rating for any short story anthology. As usual, some stories are great, some so-so, and some just don't appeal to me for whatever reason. That said--
  
  I do like me a good time travel story. Unfortunately, the Wuhan virus has my local library closed so I'm working through my TBR stack of purchased books and came across this one. Alternate history is almost like time travel, right? Right?
  
  As Harry Turtledove says in his introduction, alternate history stories start with two words: "what if?" With those two words, an infinite number of possibilities can branch off, from the tired--"What if Hitler won WW2?" to the unique--"What if William Shakespeare was captured by American Indians?"
  
  These stories all came from the last third of the twentieth century, with one outlier from 1952.
  
  The Lucky Strike by Kim Stanley Robinson: What if Colonel Tibbets crashed the Enola Gay on a test flight, killing all on board, and a substitute crew had to take the nuclear bombing run to Hiroshima...but the bomber on the flight didn't want to drop the bomb?
  
  The Winterberry by Nicholas A DiChario: What if JFK survived the assassination attempt but was severely brain damaged?
  
  Islands in the Sea by Harry Turtledove: What if the Byzantine Empire had fallen to Islam in the 8th century instead of remaining until the 15th, spreading Christianity north and east? (Harry Turtledove has a degree in Byzantine history, hence his affection for the era.)
  
  Suppose They Gave a Peace by Susan Schwartz: What if just about everything political in the US since the Viet Nam war went the other way?
  
  All the Myriad Ways by Larry Niven: What if there are multiple timelines where every possible action occurs somewhere in some universe? Will people change their behavior?
  
  Through Road No Whither by Greg Bear: What if Hitler won WW2? (Yeah, I know.) But the Nazis in the story, secure in the victory won by their fathers, get sent back to the time of the war.
  
  Manassas, Again by Gregory Benford: More a science fiction story than alternate history, it involves a war against "mechs" or robots. I guess it qualifies as alternate history because there are a few throwaway lines about America seceding from the Roman empire.
  
  Dance Band on the Titanic by Jack L Chalker: What if there is a place where the parallel universes intersect, and people can (mostly unknowingly) cross over? Probably my favorite story in the book.
  
  Bring the Jubilee by Ward Moore: What if the South decisively won the battle of Gettysburg and from there the Civil War--excuse me, War of Southron Independence. ;-) This is one of the longer stories in the book, and I like my short stories to be, well, short. Plus the first 2/3 of the story meanders along, telling the life story of the main character, and I was wondering if there was a point to it all. The last third of the tale ties it all together with a unique treatment of the grandfather paradox, which makes the whole thing worth it.
  
  Eutopia by Poul Anderson: What if one timeline discovers a way to travel between the timelines, and does so, for research purposes and to feel good about their elite status. This story was originally published in 1967 and ends with what is supposed to be a shocking twist. In 1967, it probably was scandalous, but now it's just--yawn--pretentious. (Full disclosure: I know Poul Anderson is a giant in the SF genre, but I've never been able to take to his stuff. This story is no exception.)
  
  The Undiscovered by William Sanders: What if William Shakespeare got drunk one night, stowed away on a privateer, was shipwrecked in the New World, and captured by a band of Indians? And what if writing was such a part of who he was as a person that he writes a play and persuades his tribe to put it on? And what if that play was Hamlet? This is such a sly, subversively funny story. It's told in parallel with Shakespeare's writings and the memories of the tribal elder who befriends him. Great fun.
  
  Mozart in Mirrorshades by Bruce Sterling and Lewis Shiner: What if one timeline discovered how to travel between the timelines and does so, for exploitative purposes, willy nilly breaking the Prime Directive along the way?
  
  The Death of Captain Future by Allen Steele: For the life of me, I can't figure out why this is alternate history, It seems like fairly straightforward SF to me. A freighter diverts to answer a distress call and finds the crew of the other ship all dead...except one...(cue ominous music).
  
  Moon of Ice by Brad Lineaweaver: What if Hitler won WW2 (again)?
• 
  David Valentino

  Contains the Original Novella “Bring the Jubilee”
  
  Alternate history buffs might enjoy this volume for a few reasons, not the least of which being the inclusion of Ward Moore’s original novella version of Bring the Jubilee that appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (1952) prior to the novel version (1953). It’s notable for being one of the earlier alternate history novels and is national and international in its scope. That is somewhat the opposite of the other shorter selections in this collection, many of which are at best marginally alternate history fiction.
  
  Generally, though, you’ll find good, thoughtful writing here, and some very intriguing stories. It would take too much space to comment on all, but here are a few many may find intriguing:
  
  “The Winterberry,” by Nicolas A. DiChario. What if JFK had through some miracle survived the 1963 assassination? DiChario’s take on this is not what you might expect, and really tender when you sit back and contemplate it.
  
  “The Undiscovered,” by William Sanders. Sanders wonders aloud about what would have become of Bill Shakespeare if he had been banished to the New World and captured by native tribes. This story is at once arresting for its simple style, fascinating for its alternate cultural perspective, and poignant because Bill can’t seem to see beyond his own desire.
  
  “The Death of Captain Future,” by Allen Steele. Those of a certain age who remember pulpy science fiction and the cheaply made TV shows
  Captain Video and His Video Rangers and
  Tom Corbett, Space Cadet will find Steele’s story tailor-made for them. Here, a delusional captain of a space scow has collected, read, and digested all the adventures of his hero Captain Future and his Futuremen. In his mind he is Captain Future, and claims all the prerogatives of such a hero, to the consternation of his newest crew member. When a distress signal comes in, opportunity presents itself, and reader hope gets dashed.
  
  “Moon of Ice,” by Brad Linaweaver. In his “what if the Nazis won,” Linaweaver visits Goebbels and extracts a revenge of sorts on his. It’s the mid 1960s, the world’s pretty much divided between the U.S. and the Nazis, Hitler’s on his deathbed, and Goebbels reminisces. He’s equally troubled by his daughter Hilda (who in fact was his daddy’s little girl, murdered by him in 1945) who is too much of a freethinker, and his soon-to-be SS son. One day, shortly before his departure for Burgundy, a country made for and by the SS, to see his son graduated into the SS ranks, Hilda comes to her father with two startling revelations, one being his own pending assassination. Lots of color and terrific moments in this story. For instance, how often does Hanns Hörbiger’s discredited Welteislehre (World Ice Theory) get trotted out? Best part though is Goebbels subjected to the extreme conclusion of his virulent racial hatred.
  
  You’ll find this a bit of an uneven but overall enjoyable collection.
  
• 
  Ron Kerrigan

  Hard to believe these are the "best" alternate history stories, maybe in an alternative universe (insert groan here.) One isn't really even alternate history, taking place in the future, which of course negates the term "history."
  
  Contents and my rating (* to *****):
  
  The Lucky Strike - something prevents the Enola Gay from dropping its cargo of atomic bombs on Japan. (** -- Well written, but ultimately not that interesting a twist on history.)
  Winterberry - a man lives in isolation for years with only his elderly mother and an "uncle" aware of his presence. (** - the twist is telegraphed many pages before the end which defuses some of the impact.)
  Islands In The Sea - Muslim emissaries to a coveted area meet with rival factions. (* - when the story has to start with an explanatory paragraph about what happened to get to this point in time, it's a poor start. Ultimately boring.)
  Suppose They Gave A Peace - a family is affected by the Viet Nam war. (* - not much alternate history in play and not that interesting a story.)
  All the Myriad Ways - a possible contamination from an alternate reality infects a world plagued by suicides. (**** -- first satisfying story in this collection; well thought out and thought-provoking.)
  Through Road No Whither - Victorious Nazi's encounter a force they can't control in 1984. (*** - short and interesting take on a different WWII outcome.)
  Manassas, Again - Robots vs. Humans during a "civil war." (*** - nicely told take on the possibility of intelligent machines.)
  Dance Band on the Titanic - an unemployed deckhand takes a job on a ferry that runs between Maine and Nova Scotia, sometimes. (***** -- best story in the collection is interesting and has great atmosphere.)
  Bring The Jubilee - the South wins the Civil War (***** - one of the best tales in this sub-genre. Long story, a novella really.)
  Eutopia - while exploring an alternate/parallel universe, a man breaks a sacred taboo and must flee for his life. (**** - one of those stories that strikes home in the last page, paragraph or sentence. In this case, the last word. Thought-provoking.)
  The Undiscovered - a noted Englishman spends the remainder of his life in pre-Colonial America. (**** - nice twist and interesting story.)
  Mozart In Mirrorshades - After the discovery of alternate realities and time travel, a company goes back to the 1700's to drill for oil in Germany. (*** - light-hearted tale peopled with famous persons of the time.)
  The Death of Captain Future - a vagabond space-worker winds up on the rocket ship of a (probably) insane captain who reckons himself a real Captain Future, based on and old comic book hero. (*** - okay but not an alternate history, more a sci-fi story.)
  Moon of Ice - A top WWII Nazi contends with even more radical thinkers shortly after the death of Hitler in 1965. (*** - starts out interestingly, but bogs down at the end.)
• 
  Ebenmaessiger

  "The Winterberry," by Nicholas A. DiChario (1992): 6
  - Points for knowing how dreadful it is, and getting in and getting out accordingly. So, the question with alternate histories, if we are to view them as pieces of art rather than genre bon bons, is how do you divorce the narrative quality from the puzzle game of "how fast can you figure out a. Who is this? b. When exactly is the watershed divergence point? and c. How well can I pick out the untrues from the true trues? Sadly, here, one gets the whole gist quite early and the rest is a gallop to the finish, in which we're all watching only to see if he can get the thing across the finish line instead of having it blow up in motion. Playing very very light indeed on the "reveal" here was a smart move and did much to thankfully keep it in the former rather than latter option.
  
  "The Lucky Strike," by Kim Stanley Robinson (1984): 9.25
  - An expression of earnest moral outrage, nearly overwhelmed by the polemical fire spurring the telling, but, ultimately, all the better for it. A manifestation of that that pedantry: the fact that this alternate history is, like so many, simultaneously a time-travel story (a self-evident fact so often glossed over in critical assessments of both sub genres). Unlike most of those althist examples, however, in which the time-travel is intentional and a part of the story (LEST DARKNESS FALL or Connie Willis, etc.), here the conundrum is different (and largely unintentional, I take it, even though the story couldn't really exist absent it): January, ostensibly a long-tenured bombardier from the South, is in reality a reflective upstanding moralist from the 1980s, replete with a prescient and immediate cognizance of both the physical and diplomatic implications of a bomb he only just learned existed (one is tempted, as is still true today, to query his take on the concomitant firebombing of Japanese cities). In that sense, I thought at first the story was going for a much more pessimistic message, as January (insert: You, Person reading this in 1984 + x) would nonetheless drop the bomb, still knowing what he knows and how things will go (as seen in my favorite section, where he imagines on the flight over the basic indifference of his fellow soldiers, the professional success this indifference will engender, the way they'll consider this period nostalgically, and the wars that will inevitably follow thereafter), too overwhelmed by the momentum of the thing, the clinical sheen army life and camaraderie and militarism's assumptions place between action and responsibility. But, that wouldn't be Robinson then, would it?
  
  "Islands in the Sea," by Harry Turtledove (1989): 9.25
  - Admittedly a yearling to the genre, I’ve nonetheless been skeptical of alternate history, for two reasons, especially: first, the essential conceit would seem to necessarily structure the narrative in what I can only imagine as a diminishing way (meaning, more than most other “genre” stories, fitting all this correctly into a short story package eventually becomes something akin to a math equation, or algorithm [gesture at “real” world, “reveal” the left turn, drop “clues” or nuggets throughout for audience pleasure, sometimes surface (whaaat? it’s 1943 and there’s no war?) and sometimes deeper (“if not for the accident, Private Richthofen dreamed of flying”)]; and secondly, Harry Turtledove. Bar none, he’s the “guy” any newby to the genre would associate/find associated with the genre. And, having read, at this point, three other Turtledove stories, I can say I was a bit underwhelmed. My thoughts were either premature or misdirected, as this story hit all the enjoyable beats I imagine the genre aspires to. That STORY: Arab armies took Constantinople in early C8; envoys are dispatched to convert the pagan Bulgar kind some fifty years later; the Bulgar king, however, has also summoned a papal party to make the constrasting case for christ; uh oh, who wins!? (Interestingly, for readers like me, I’d imagine the genre is either helped or hindered by the fact that the spectrum of quality for such stories is drastically foreshortened, on both the bottom and top-end. Meaning, it would be hard to throw in the real dud [0-2], as just throwing in enough referential chestnuts gives an audience a pleasure they can’t deny, while it’s also hard to transcend [8-10] the admittedly tawdry/cheap aspect of the same, as hard to reach the sublime when we’re basically just playing to a certain demographic’s self-vanity. So, that said, take my score with that grain of salt in mind and adjust accordingly along the new 2-8 metric). The story, then, proceeds like clockwork, according to the path Turtledove had (very nicely [such as the backstory to a-Stambuli, the late reveal that Christians would also be there, the interest in the concubines given over to the Muslim delegates, etc.) set up--we’re basically rehashing historical apologia between the two, thrown in with whatever Realpolitik would also have to go into the decision by the Bulgar. And, yes, Turtledove does this well enough (even so much that it would be fun to consider it’s value as a kind of alternative, novel teaching tool in an undergrad history class, both to get some concepts across, as well as to pick out hyperbolizations/fabrications, or flesh out the geo-political ramifications of all this religi-izing.
  
  "Suppose They Gave A Peace," by Susan Swartz (1992): 7.75
  - A maliciously cynical little echt-Boomer alt history, in which the cynicism is inextricably tied up in the otherwise neat conceit of the story—namely, that McGovern wins the 72 election on the back of an anti-war wave, only to immediately withdrawal from Vietnam and have basically '75's chaotic scenario happen early (the story’s one master stroke), except that now its easier to pin on peaceniks and disillusions a whole generation (the cynicism: the daughter, a classic radical in Boomer Lit tradition, deciding that her anti war stances were misguided, as her brother died at the embassy during the evacuation [leaving only his secret Vietnamese wife and son, to be raised by their conservative-but-evolving Ohio grandparents]). Too long.
  
  "All the Myriad Ways," by Larry Niven (1968): 9
  - The apotheosis of some stereotyped idea-strong character-lame sf, in which — to Niven’s great credit here — he nonetheless still manages to pull off an effective (and, dare I say, with a smidge of emotional resonance as well) ending. What I mean, is the fundamental characterological reality mentality on display here would never respond to be the the type of plot factors arisen in this way. It’s just counter-intuitive for those, at least, familiar in the slightest with swimming in the waters of others motivations (and he even admits as such in the last page!). Nonetheless, a worthy addition to this collection, throwing, as it does, a bit of a curveball to the audience in terms of what our Alt Hist expectations.
• 
  Earl Truss

  I don't usually read much alternate history but this one appeared interesting. It turned out to be mostly enjoyable except the last one. Moon of Ice was just too long. Most of the stories were shorter and I liked them more. I wonder if that's true of more of these stories?
  
  • “The Lucky Strike”: When the Lucky Strike is chosen over the Enola Gay to drop the first atomic bomb, fate takes an unexpected turn in Kim Stanley Robinson’s gripping tale.
  • “Bring the Jubilee”: Ward Moore’s novella masterpiece offers a rebel victory at Gettysburg which changes the course of the Civil War . . . and all of American history.
  • “Through Road No Wither”: After Hitler’s victory in World War II, two Nazi officers confront their destiny in Greg Bear’s apocalyptic vision of the future.
  • “All the Myriad Ways”: Murder or suicide, Ambrose Harmon’s death leads the police down an infinite number of pathways in Larry Niven’s brilliant and defining tale of alternatives and consequences.
  • “Mozart in Mirrorshades”: Bruce Sterling and Lewis Shiner explore a terrifying era as the future crashes into the past—with disastrous results.
  
  . . . as well as “The Winterberry” by Nicholas A. DiChario • “Islands in the Sea” by Harry Turtledove • “Suppose They Gave a Peace” by Susan Shwartz • “Manassas, Again” by Gregory Benford • “Dance Band on the Titanic” by Jack L. Chalker • “Eutopia” by Poul Anderson • “The Undiscovered” by William Sanders • “The Death of Captain Future” by Allen Steele • and “Moon of Ice” by Brad Linaweaver
  
• 
  Robert

  I spend a lot of time with counterfactuals and alternate histories though usually with a more academic approach than that used in writing 'alternate history' fiction. This collection reflects very much more the historical fantasy approach rather than a strict counterfactual one. The fact that the master of this genre of 'alternate history', Harry Turtledove, is the editor should have tipped me off. The majority of these stories depend upon author ex machina more than a step by step historical pathway based upon the most minimal yet critical change to the historical record. Nicolas DiChario's "The Winterberry" most held my interest and attention as I read through it, the several stories set against America's Civil War were the least interesting. Jack Chalker's "Dance Band on the Titanic" was also good and typical of several stories that seemed not to truly fit under either the 'alt-history' or 'historical fantasy' but are just good science fiction stories. Both the two star rating and much of this reflects very much personal opinion - your mileage may well vary.
• 
  Shanna

  Decent collection of short stories. Some interesting premises which I hadn't seen before, as well as the typical fare.
  
  1. Kim Stanley Stanley Robinson “The Lucky Strike” 1984 ****
  2. Nicholas A. DiChario “The Winterberry” 1992 ****
  3. Harry Turtledove “Islands in the Sea” 1989 ***
  4. Susan Shwartz “Suppose They Gave a Peace” 1992 ***
  5. Larry Niven “All the Myriad Ways” 1968 ***
  6. Greg Bear “Through Road No Whither” 1985 ***
  7. Gregory Benford “Manassas, Again” 1991 **
  8. Jack L. Chalker “Dance Band on the Titanic” 1978 ****
  9. Ward Moore “Bring the Jubilee” 1953 **
  10. Poul Anderson “Eutopia” 1967 ***
  11. William Sanders “The Undiscovered” 1997 ***
  12. Bruce Sterling and Lewis Shiner “Mozart in Mirrorshades” 1985 **
  13. Allen Steele “The Death of Captain Future” 1995 ****
  14. Brad Linaweaver “Moon of Ice” 1982 **
  
• 
  Sydney Smith

  Like many collections of stories, they're pretty hit or miss. Some were very interesting looks at how things may have been had historical events gone differently. The ones that irked me a bit (even if they were good stories) were the ones that were just straight up sci-fi that had nothing to do with history going any differently. There were some great 5-star stories, but some I struggled through or just wasn't interested enough in the historical event involved.
  
  The good stories were good, the others were passable. I wouldn't completely skip the book, just be willing to skip the stories that don't interest you.
• 
  Kim Megahee

  Some commented on the lack of diversity of the authors. As with all anthologies, it only reflects the editor’s opinion. The review should be based on the text - the reviewer liked it or they didn’t like it.
  So Thrtledove edited this collection in 2000-2001. Back then, he only had traditionally published books to review. So the books we all saw back then were vetted (for better or worse) by agents, editors, and Madison Avenue.
  Who were the great alternative history writers of color or different genders before 2000? I’m sure there must be some since then. I’m not making a political statement here - I’m just saying there aren’t that many alternative history writers now, much less twenty years ago. I wasn’t crazy about many of these stories, so please help out a fan of the genre and make some recommendations. I’d love to see some new approaches. Thanks in advance.
• 
  Hugues

  If some stories are really good, others are barely above average. I don't understand editors' choices : Ward Moore's "Bring the Jubilee" is a very good alternative story novela, but it exists also in novel form, the Hugo Award winning "The Death of Captain Future" is a wonderful story but it's not an alternative history one. The uchronia side of "Manassas Again" is very frustrating and I could go on and on.
• 
  Blogul

  overlong and over-boring - the description applies to almost all the stories*, and it definitely applies to the anthology as a whole, which I consider a failure. I am a history buff and also a scifi fan, so I expected and wanted to love this book. But I did not.
  Most stories are not badly written, on the contrary; unfortunately, they are utterly uninteresting.
  
  *the only exception being Chalker's ”Dance Band on the Titanic”, but even that is not a 5/5 because of the lame ending.
• 
  Jim

  Just ok. Some stories were good, others were completely terrible. Turtledove's "Islands In The Sea" and DiChario's "The Winterberry" were the best of the collection. Bear's "Through the Road No Hither" and Shwartz's "Suppose They Gave A Peace" I thought were the two worst. Unless there's a specific story from this collection that you want to read, I would skip it entirely for another one.
• 
  Matt Daneman

  An interesting collection w/ some great gems - Brad Linaweaver’s “Moon of Ice,” with an incredibly unsympathetic protagonist you still root for because the alternative is worse; Bruce Sterling’s “Mozart in Mirrorshades”; and Kim Stanley Robinson’s “The Lucky Strike” in particular. I’d question including “Death of Captain Future” by Allen Steele, as it’s straight up space opera.
• 
  Sean C.W. Korsgaard

  If you can only own one Alternate History collection, this is a prime candidate, which includes some of the genre's best short stories and novellas. Only reason I docked a star is a couple stories included aren't really alternate history.
• 
  Tim

  A misnomer. There are fourteen stories; some were reasonably good, but there must be better ones. Some were very long also, whereas I was looking for provocative short stories. A good introduction by Turtledove includes descriptions of titles (novels/essays/short stories) to pursue sometime.