What if Henry Turtledove never wrote Alternate History books?

[NHBL]

I didn't even know alternate history existed when I made my first attemt back in 6th grade, before kids even had acccess to typewriters, a d computers were something seen on Star Trek reruns. In 6th or 7th grade English (I was born in the mid 60's, so long long ago) , we were told to write a science fiction story, and I wrote what must have been an awful alternate Battle Of Jutland. A German genius had developed a primitive radar set--just good enough to tell that there was something out there--so the High Seas Fleet was in line of battle and caught the Grand Fleet in cruising formation. The results were obvious, at least to a junior high kid that knew the cost of war--had an uncle that didn't come back froom Vietnam. War over, no USA in the war, no Hitler, and a century of peace. Obviously simplistic, but the teacher pointed me at a SC Foreser collection that had an alternate history story--the inevitable Sealion. IIRC, it failed badly. That got me interested in the genre, when I could find anything of it--small town library...
So alternate history has been around for a long time

 

[CaptainCalvert]

I was aware of alternate history [1] and variants [2] well before I'd ever heard of Turtledove. When I did see his books on sale, they didn't sound like my kind of thing so I've not read them.
So while no Harry Turtledove might affect others it would have no impact on me or my interest in alternate history.

[1] The first specific one I recall was " When William Came" which I read in the very late 70s or early 80s.
[2] including scifi/ fantasy works that reference historic events that came out differently, which would be more or less since I was allowed to choose my own books at the local library. .

 

[Hugh Third of Five]

Maybe Ward Moore and Philip K. Dick would be the icons of the genre.

 

[neamathla]

There was also the "What Might Have Been?" anthologies edited by Gregory Benford and Martin H. Greenberg that came out 1989 through 1992.

Also, MacKinlay Kantor wrote "If the South Had Won the Civil War" for Look Magazine in 1960 which due to reader response was released a book in 1961.

 

[wilji1090]

I guess the question is who would write an actual series showcasing characters living in the alternate world though? This is one area I feel that Turtledove is woefully inadequate in as the main character of his books is the premise itself.

 

[vl100butch]

Obviously simplistic, but the teacher pointed me at a SC Foreser collection that had an alternate history story--the inevitable Sealion. IIRC, it failed badly. That got me interested in the genre, when I could find anything of it--small town library...
So alternate history has been around for a long time

I had to think about this for a minute or two. The story you’re talking about is the last story in a collection called “Gold From Crete” by C. S. Forester (the creator and author of the Horatio Hornblower books).

Personally, I’d say that the 1632 series and the ability to participate through Baen’s Bar resulted in my small contribution to that universe, the concept of TACRAIL and the creation of the characters of Elizabeth Pitre and Caroline Platzer.

 

[NHBL]

So while no Harry Turtledove might affect others it would have no impact on me or my interest in alternate history.

It could have, indirectly, if his influence had inspired others to write it.
I kinda discovered it for myself, then found that there were BOOKS with different histories.

 

[Post]

I think people forget that alternate history was actually pretty mainstream when Turtledove started publishing about it.

This. I never even heard of him before I joined this site.

 

[Aisha Clan-Clan]

I heard of AH as a random offtopic discussion before I read any turtledove tbh. I remember running into "Delenda Est" in an anthology in like 1999 and liking it.

 

[Derek Pullem]

Science Fiction in the Golden Era was always creating "alternate" futures which were recognisable but just a little different from real life. Triplanetary by EE Doc Smith and Heinlein's Future History arc are two examples with Asimov's Robot stories also qualifying (although with some retrospective editing).

Turtledove's World War was arguably more of a homage to these series than a true alternate history. Only with TL-191 does he really embrace the genre.

(Although Agent of Byzantium is one of his best works and published much earlier I'd argue it was more historical fiction than alternate history. The alternate history was important but the historical detail and the storyline was more important).

 

[PrezZF]

We would change the name of the awards on the site.

 

[Tsipouras1997]

All I know of Turtledove are the AH.com Turtledove Awards.