What work of AH is the worst offender of the butterfly effect ?
- Thread starter Petike
- Start date
Anything.
Okay well a quick search of the cruel depths of Alt History Wikia and it now turns out that in a Nazi Wank which is eventually crushed by an America under Castro John McCain becomes president in 1999
(Worst about it for me is that it was co-written by me a long long time ago)
Deleted member 5719
Recently there was a doggerland timeline in which there was a whole new island in the North Sea.
So far it's only reached the reign of Canute the great (who is of course, King of Doggerland).
But we can see where it's going in the initial post:
Millions of tiny butterflies scream out in pain.
So far it's only reached the reign of Canute the great (who is of course, King of Doggerland).
But we can see where it's going in the initial post:
Millions of tiny butterflies scream out in pain.
Actually, boynamedsue, the author of that work has taken onboard everyone's criticism and is now logically constructing a fairly decent history. I suggest you reread the latest draft as Cnut is definitely not "King of Doggerland" .
.Burton K Wheeler
Moderator
As far as actual GOOD TLs go, I think robertp's one about Ancient Egypt surviving to the present takes the cake.
I can't remember the name, but there is a book set in a Universe where space is hyperbolic and as a result, the surface of the Earth is also a hyperboloid rather than a sphere, so it's impossible to cross the Pacific Ocean. The book's plot starts with Britain losing WW2 to Nazi Germany because due to no Pearl Harbour, the USA did not enter the war.
well, when it comes to ignoring butterflies, you have to look at the Temeraire series... humanity has tame dragons on almost every continent, yet history goes on much as before; it's set in the Napoleonic wars. Yet, these books are so well done, that I forgive this little quirk...
well, when it comes to ignoring butterflies, you have to look at the Temeraire series... humanity has tame dragons on almost every continent, yet history goes on much as before; it's set in the Napoleonic wars. Yet, these books are so well done, that I forgive this little quirk...
I have to get around to reading those one of these days.
Deleted member 5719
Actually, boynamedsue, the author of that work has taken onboard everyone's criticism and is now logically constructing a fairly decent history. I suggest you reread the latest draft as Cnut is definitely not "King of Doggerland"
*sigh*
Doggerland not just butterflies away Canute, but every individual born after 8000 BC.
Also the entire Germanic language family would never have existed. So, yeah, that's pretty bad butterfly abuse.
well, when it comes to ignoring butterflies, you have to look at the Temeraire series... humanity has tame dragons on almost every continent, yet history goes on much as before; it's set in the Napoleonic wars. Yet, these books are so well done, that I forgive this little quirk...
Then there's Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell which has abundant magic, a magic kingdom that ruled northern England for three centuries . . . and a Napoleonic war, a mad King George III, a Lord Byron, and a Regency society straight out of a Harlequin romance.
Thande
Donor
Turtledove's "The Two Georges" is a fairly big offender...
I think he takes a similar view to Turtledove in A Different Flesh - history is fixed on a set track and things only start to change when effects of the POD itself start to interfere with them, and so for example the Americas will carry on exactly the same even if things in the Old World change radically, until contact between the two occurs.
Well, that depends what you mean. It's still possible that the Nazis could come into existence as a political party (though probably not with that exact name, and not led by Hitler) and marginally possible that they could have come to power with a coup if the economic crisis of the 1930s still happened. I think someone once wrote a TL about that.
Yes, and his Guns of the Tawantinsuya as well. They're good TLs, but they basically ignore the butterfly effect.
I think he takes a similar view to Turtledove in A Different Flesh - history is fixed on a set track and things only start to change when effects of the POD itself start to interfere with them, and so for example the Americas will carry on exactly the same even if things in the Old World change radically, until contact between the two occurs.
Yes, that as well.
Indeed, but they at least try to justify some things and do so in interesting ways. And I agree that the writing is does well enough that I forgive the butterfly net. I really should get the second book sometime.well, when it comes to ignoring butterflies, you have to look at the Temeraire series... humanity has tame dragons on almost every continent, yet history goes on much as before; it's set in the Napoleonic wars. Yet, these books are so well done, that I forgive this little quirk...
there are 5 books now. To be fair, there are a few butterflies... it's mentioned that there is an Inca kingdom with fire-breathing dragons (!), and that Jamestown colony was destroyed by Native Americans on dragons. Without going into spoilers here, the books themselves introduce some pretty wild PODs into the stream of history...
Valdemar II
Banned
Okay well a quick search of the cruel depths of Alt History Wikia and it now turns out that in a Nazi Wank which is eventually crushed by an America under Castro John McCain becomes president in 1999
(Worst about it for me is that it was co-written by me a long long time ago)
Let me guess SUPERIMPERIALIST AMERICA
Hey, I'm at the top of the page.
I lurked for the most part but stopped when Straha and Hashemite showed up.
General Mung Beans
Banned
Ill Bethsiad Timeline. Also The Year the Clouds Fell, in it dinosaurs don't go extinct yet there still is a United States of America, and General George Custer! ARRGGHHH!!!!!!
Deleted member 5719
Ill Bethsiad Timeline. Also The Year the Clouds Fell, in it dinosaurs don't go extinct yet there still is a United States of America, and General George Custer! ARRGGHHH!!!!!!
That's got to be the winner.