Black Chamber by S.M. Stirling

[Strategos' Risk]

Paperback
Jul 03, 2018 | 400 Pages
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ABOUT BLACK CHAMBER
The first novel in a brand-new alternate history series where Teddy Roosevelt is president for a second time right before WWI breaks out, and on his side is the Black Chamber, a secret spy network watching America’s back.

1916. The Great War rages overseas, and the whole of Europe, Africa, and western Asia is falling to the Central Powers. To win a war that must be won, Teddy Roosevelt, once again the American president, turns to his top secret Black Chamber organization–and its cunning and deadly spy, Luz O’Malley Aróstegui.

So anyone read it yet?

 

[Worffan101]

Not yet, but I am willing to bet that the Germans will act like cartoon Nazis, there will be a moderately stereotypical Arab character fighting against Islamic-fundamentalist Ottomans, and the tech will be wanked to Hell and back.

A second TR administration during WW1 is a really interesting concept and could easily lead to something interesting like a faster defeat of the CP, but Stirling is nothing if not a fan of pulp, so this will probably be very pulpy. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, but it's kinda a waste of the premise. I'm sure that at some point someone in Post-1900 will do a TL that does the same concept justice.

 

[theg*ddam*hoi2fan]

Not yet, but I am willing to bet that the Germans will act like cartoon Nazis, there will be a moderately stereotypical Arab character fighting against Islamic-fundamentalist Ottomans, and the tech will be wanked to Hell and back.

And there'll be an evil bisexual domme. And cannibalism will be involved somewhere.

 

[Worffan101]

And there'll be an evil bisexual domme. And cannibalism will be involved somewhere.

I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt on those, since it isn't postapocalyptic (until the KaiserNazis get the Bomb in book 2, at least).

 

[theg*ddam*hoi2fan]

I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt on those, since it isn't postapocalyptic (until the KaiserNazis get the Bomb in book 2, at least).

You're more charitable to the man than I am, buddy

 

[EnglishCanuck]

I've read the free sample chapters and I actually liked the prologue. But then I wasn't overly wooed reading the first sentence in Chapter 1: "I’ve never flown before, Senior Field Operative Luz O’Malley Aróstegui thought."

If you don't choke on that name I applaud you. Doesn't really roll off the tongue.

As for pulp, well: "He had a long scar over his sandy eyebrows, a very deep tan, an Arkansas Toothpick tucked into his boot and a drum-fed Thompson gun with a use-pitted muzzle in an assault sling across his belly. The rest carried the light self-loading rifles Browning had developed and Colt manufactured, or battle-shotguns. The Bureau got their pick of the new toys, of which there were many these days since Uncle Teddy loved gadgets and inventions, particularly those that shot bullets. Or flew, or better still flew through the air shooting bullets."

There's some other odd tidbits, but suffice to say I could probably never bring myself to spend money on this book. Seems like it might be a fun popcorn read, but not much else.

 

[Worffan101]

As for pulp, well: "He had a long scar over his sandy eyebrows, a very deep tan, an Arkansas Toothpick tucked into his boot and a drum-fed Thompson gun with a use-pitted muzzle in an assault sling across his belly. The rest carried the light self-loading rifles Browning had developed and Colt manufactured, or battle-shotguns. The Bureau got their pick of the new toys, of which there were many these days since Uncle Teddy loved gadgets and inventions, particularly those that shot bullets. Or flew, or better still flew through the air shooting bullets."

Jesus christ, Stirling, learn to space out description...

 

[EnglishCanuck]

Jesus christ, Stirling, learn to space out description...

And some improved punctuation would be nice. It was so hard to read some of the later Change books because things were so damn clunky.

So far this book seems to be a bit of an improvement in that regard.

 

[NHBL]

I enjoyed Island in the Sea of Time, as a fun read one time, abhored the premise of The Change, and was coming on to post a request for reviews when I saw this thread. Clearly a tech wank if there's already Tommy Guns.

 

[Art]

I hate the fact the cops and military in the Change/Emberverse just lie down and die, even if Stirling had fanfiction in which some survive.

 

[MrGreyOwl]

As for pulp, well: "He had a long scar over his sandy eyebrows, a very deep tan, an Arkansas Toothpick tucked into his boot and a drum-fed Thompson gun with a use-pitted muzzle in an assault sling across his belly. The rest carried the light self-loading rifles Browning had developed and Colt manufactured, or battle-shotguns. The Bureau got their pick of the new toys, of which there were many these days since Uncle Teddy loved gadgets and inventions, particularly those that shot bullets. Or flew, or better still flew through the air shooting bullets."

Hey everybody! This is my favorite Battlefield V loadout- no wait, wrong topic.


Seriously, I gave up on Stirling long ago.

 

[Letterman]

I read the book about a month ago.

It's actually pretty good and I look forward to the next book in the Chamberverse.