He's not far from being a great writer. Personally, I think there are two things that have stopped him from being really good.
First, he shouldn't have based TL-191 off of European history so much. You pretty much know what's going to happen overall once you find out that he's basing the conflict between the USA and CSA on actual European history.
However, I'm still willing to read TL-191 despite that. I only just finished reading The Center Cannot Hold last week, and I want to read more. That's because the characters are actually interesting. It's the micro-level stuff that makes the books interesting, not the macro-level world history. Still, I wish his inspiration had deviated somewhat from actual history so that the overall events would be a surprise.
Oh, and the second thing is obvious... the awkward sex scenes. TONE THEM DOWN OR GET RID OF THEM ENTIRELY!
Ah, you haven't gotten to the later books eh? They'll make you want to throw up. Seriously.
The American Empire series was still fine, through the point of this thread is that if HT made AA to AAA books to this day.
How good? "Literature good" (Bradbury or Orwell)? Serviceable pulp SF? I will assume the latter:
HT writes the following AH novels pretty much as we have them:
How Few Remain
I never understood why HT wrote sex scenes in his books. Is it because he is a pervert who just likes writing that? Does he think it makes him seem to be a better writer? who the hell knows.
aside from the random and pointless sex scenes, his books are semi-alright. not the best things out by far, but IMO still readable.
Because even fictional Americans and Confederates need sex.
I am somewhat tired of people speaking out against HT so much. I shall admit he is repetitive, has his TL's mirror OTL somewhat often, and needs an editor. Yet I started reading AH because of him, so I have to defend the man for some reason.
The truth is, the guy writes good stories, we whine, we yell, we say he sucks, yet we keep reading them. If people read one book and stopped, that is one thing, but for the most part many pick up his books. Now I will soon get the "Well Fenwick I only stopped reading after Breakthroughs," yet I would like to point out, that the people who say this know the books well. You mention Moss, Featherstone, or Dowling and they know who you are talking about.
That to me says in terms of AH he is an average writer, but in terms of character he is a good one. So please do not yell at the man who introduced many of us to AH, unless you yourself can write something better. And if you can why on earth have you not published?
That to me says in terms of AH he is an average writer, but in terms of character he is a good one.
I just find it annoying beyond belief when people complain unendingly about the books, and then proceed to buy and read all of them, painstakingly taking notes of every last deficiency, and then claim they do it "because they don't like to quit." It's a bad excuse, IMO.