There were some good parts and I found it a decent read overall but the AH itself was absurd.
AH Novels to Avoid
- Thread starter Willmatron
- Start date
There were some good parts and I found it a decent read overall but the AH itself was absurd.
Well, I haven't read nearly as many as I should have, but Turtuledove's Colonization and Atlantis series were disappointing. Colonization was annoying because nothing really changed and it was somewhat unrealistic and cliche (he basically handed the Nazi's and Americans the idiot ball). Atlantis started out good, but the last two books were too predictable and bland for my tastes. They're worth a read, but not paying full price for.
I haven't read much by Conroy (most of the summaries turned me away) but I did enjoy "Himmler's War"
Most AH books won't be as plausible as the timelines here; authors aren't mercilessly critiqued as they write!
I haven't read much by Conroy (most of the summaries turned me away) but I did enjoy "Himmler's War"
Most AH books won't be as plausible as the timelines here; authors aren't mercilessly critiqued as they write!
That's what I like about writing. Somebody doesn't have to read what the author writes, they just have to buy it for the royalties to roll on in.
Speaking of Conroy, is it just me or are a lot of his books rehashes of other AHs: 1862 being a retread of Henry Harrison's Stars and Stripes trilogy, Himmler's War being that of Fox on the Rhine, 1920: America's Great War being a retread of an old books during World War I about a German invasion of America etc?
Also I nominate By Force of Arms by Billy Bragg which seems very implausible, and a retread of How Few Remain http://www.amazon.com/By-Force-Arms-Billy-Bennett/dp/147933717X/ref=pd_sim_b_17
Also I nominate By Force of Arms by Billy Bragg which seems very implausible, and a retread of How Few Remain http://www.amazon.com/By-Force-Arms-Billy-Bennett/dp/147933717X/ref=pd_sim_b_17
i typically do that anyway
in general, i disagree about Atlantis being avoided, but that's just me. i like reading about the ecology of Atlantis, partly in figuring out what is analogous to what.1901 was one of the first out and out AH novels I'd read, and I rather liked it. Didn't really care for anything else he wrote though...
Don't read Turtledove's 'The War That Came Early'. I hate to say it, but it's the first series of books I've ever given up on. He really starts to phone it in arguably by the time the first book is ending, and after the second one the AH itself descends into madness, removing any point from the series (because you sure as hell aren't reading them because you give a shit about Peggy Druce).
I didn't exactly "give up" on the whole TL-191 series, but I did find that skipping several entries in the "WW2" part and reading just the concluding novel reduced my pain level considerably without any equivalent loss of plot understanding. I think with every multiple volume Turtledove series it may be a good practice to just read #1, the last one, and randomly pick one in the middle. With trilogies I guess you're stuck.
Well, I guess I can understand that...but the silly Ersatz-Americans keep getting in the way.
The ecology didn't work though. Where were the mammals? Mammals existed as a globally distributed group when Atlantis broke off. They may not have been crown mammals (depending on exact dates), but they were furry and warm blooded and probably lactating.i typically do that anyway
The third book in the Atlantis series was not well executed and i would avoid it. I really liked the first book and the second book was pretty good as well, but Liberating Atlantis just felt preachy and implausible.
I get the feeling that even if London surrendered, the Empire would remain free with the monarchy going into exile or something.
Robert
Banned
The Two Georges by Harry Turtledove and Richard Dreyfus
A mystery story where the American Revolution never took place, technology is a hundred years behind where it is today, steam is used for cars and Richard Nixon sells them, and Martin Luther King is the Governor General of British North America.
Those are the only interesting things about the book. The rest of the book is as pointless and frustrating a journey as Warday,
A mystery story where the American Revolution never took place, technology is a hundred years behind where it is today, steam is used for cars and Richard Nixon sells them, and Martin Luther King is the Governor General of British North America.
Those are the only interesting things about the book. The rest of the book is as pointless and frustrating a journey as Warday,