alternate_history:alternate_history_faq
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==== About the FAQ ==== | ==== About the FAQ ==== | ||
- | The purpose of this FAQ is to serve as a general purpose introduction to alternate history. It is mainly intended to answer the questions of people who arrive at the [[htp:// | + | The purpose of this FAQ is to serve as a general purpose introduction to alternate history. It is mainly intended to answer the questions of people who arrive at the [[https:// |
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- | Alternate history stories are usually considered a subgenre of science fiction, which is where you will usually find them in the book store, and there are also often alternate history " | + | Alternate history stories are usually considered a subgenre of science fiction, which is where you will usually find them in the book store, and there are also often alternate history " |
- | There is also a thriving community of alternate history fans on the web, with many amateur works of alternate history and active discussion forums. In other media, however, alternate history is relatively rare. It is found occasionally in television, film, comics, and computer games. This is probably both because developing an alternate history in such a way that it is interesting requires a level of background that comes across best with the detail of writing, and because alternate history requires a level of historical knowledge and interest that is not present in enough of the potential mass media audience to justify going to frequent effort to do it well. | + | There is also a thriving community of alternate history fans on the web, with many amateur works of alternate history and active discussion forums. In other media, however, alternate history is relatively rare. It is found occasionally in television, film, comics, role-playing games, and computer games. This is probably both because developing an alternate history in such a way that it is interesting requires a level of background that comes across best with the detail of writing, and because alternate history requires a level of historical knowledge and interest that is not present in enough of the potential mass media audience to justify going to frequent effort to do it well. |
===== What Do Historians Think of Alternate History? ===== | ===== What Do Historians Think of Alternate History? ===== | ||
- | Generally, " | + | Generally, " |
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- | Those who are interested can find arguments for and against the use of counterfactuals by historians in the book **History That Never Happened: A Treatise On The Question, What Would Have Happened If--?** (Alexander Demandt, 1993). Two books of counterfactuals written by professional historians recently, both of them collections of essays, are Virtual History: Alternatives and Counterfactuals (ed. Niall Ferguson, 1997) and What If? The World' | + | Those who are interested can find arguments for and against the use of counterfactuals by historians in the book **History That Never Happened: A Treatise On The Question, What Would Have Happened If--?** (Alexander Demandt, 1993). Two books of counterfactuals written by professional historians recently, both of them collections of essays, are **Virtual History: Alternatives and Counterfactuals** (ed. Niall Ferguson, 1997) and **What If? The World' |
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====2. Future History==== | ====2. Future History==== | ||
- | This category is included mainly for completeness. A [[alternate history:future history]] involves how events turn out in the future, perhaps looked back on from a historical perspective or dealt with as a history. Although a future history story may share some of the trappings of an alternate history story, it is fundamentally about things that haven' | + | This category is included mainly for completeness. A [[future history]] involves how events turn out in the future, perhaps looked back on from a historical perspective or dealt with as a history. Although a future history story may share some of the trappings of an alternate history story, it is fundamentally about things that haven' |
- | Future history is not alternate history, even when multiple alternate possible futures are considered, or someone encounters or creates what is an " | + | Future history is not alternate history, even when multiple alternate possible futures are considered, or someone encounters or creates what is an " |
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====In the Sea of Time (ISOT)==== | ====In the Sea of Time (ISOT)==== | ||
- | "In the Sea of Time" or ISOT is a term usually used in alternate history discussion groups, especially the newsgroup soc.history.what-if. It originally comes from S.M. Stirling' | + | "In the Sea of Time" or ISOT is a term usually used in alternate history discussion groups, especially the newsgroup soc.history.what-if. It originally comes from [[S. M. Stirling]]' |
====Alien Space Bats (ASBs)==== | ====Alien Space Bats (ASBs)==== | ||
- | "Alien Space Bats" (ASBs) are a mysterious alien species dreamed up by soc.history.what-if regular Alison Brooks. The ASBs have a peculiar liking for sudden and miraculous interventions in human history. Their original and still primary use is sarcastic - one way to say that a timeline is very implausible is to say that you would need the Alien Space Bats to arrange it. After a while, many posters took to using it as a term for the serious consideration of what would result if impossible or miraculous events did in fact happen (for example, "ASBs give Adolf Hitler a nuclear submarine in 1939, what happens next?" | + | "[[Alien Space Bats]]" (ASBs) are a mysterious alien species dreamed up by soc.history.what-if regular Alison Brooks. The ASBs have a peculiar liking for sudden and miraculous interventions in human history. Their original and still primary use is sarcastic - one way to say that a timeline is very implausible is to say that you would need the Alien Space Bats to arrange it. After a while, many posters took to using it as a term for the serious consideration of what would result if impossible or miraculous events did in fact happen (for example, "ASBs give Adolf Hitler a nuclear submarine in 1939, what happens next?" |
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=====Most Cliched AH Scenarios===== | =====Most Cliched AH Scenarios===== | ||
- | No single period of alternate history is really cliched, but for every period there are a few cliches that become very noticeable after reading a lot of alternate history (in some cases, you don't even have to read a lot). There are also a few noteworthy general cliches. Probably the most obvious is " | + | No single period of alternate history is really cliched, but for every period there are a few cliches that become very noticeable after reading a lot of alternate history (in some cases, you don't even have to read a lot). There are also a few noteworthy general cliches. Probably the most obvious is " |
- | Some specific events are cliches not just because they are so common, but because they are so fundamentally unlikely and yet far more popular than any of the alternatives anyway. If you got your history by inferring it from alternate history stories, you would come away with a view of a rather odd history. A history where Nazi Germany came within an inch of invading Britain by sea, when in fact they hadn't a prayer of success at it and they knew it. The Confederacy was just a battle or two away from winning the Civil War, despite the overwhelming industrial and numerical superiority of the Union (and Britain and France were just a hair away from entering the war on the Confederacy' | + | Some specific events are cliches not just because they are so common, but because they are so fundamentally unlikely and yet far more popular than any of the alternatives anyway. If you got your history by inferring it from alternate history stories, you would come away with a view of a rather odd history. A history where [[Nazi Germany]] came within an inch of invading Britain by sea, when in fact they hadn't a prayer of success at it and they knew it. The [[Confederacy]] was just a battle or two away from winning the Civil War, despite the overwhelming industrial and numerical superiority of the Union (and Britain and France were just a hair away from entering the war on the Confederacy' |
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**[[Draka|The Domination]]** (S.M. Stirling, 1999) is an omnibus edition of the first three books of his Draka series, which is out of print. Reader opinions on this series seem to vary widely, but it is certainly well known enough to get a mention here. | **[[Draka|The Domination]]** (S.M. Stirling, 1999) is an omnibus edition of the first three books of his Draka series, which is out of print. Reader opinions on this series seem to vary widely, but it is certainly well known enough to get a mention here. | ||
- | **Down in the Bottomlands** (And Other Places) (Harry Turtledove and L. Sprague de Camp, 1999) is a collection of short stories which is often regarded as containing some of Turtledove' | + | **Down in the Bottomlands** (And Other Places) ([[Harry Turtledove]] and L. Sprague de Camp, 1999) is a collection of short stories which is often regarded as containing some of Turtledove' |
**Fatherland** (Robert Harris, 1992) is the quintessential novel about life inside a victorious Nazi Germany. | **Fatherland** (Robert Harris, 1992) is the quintessential novel about life inside a victorious Nazi Germany. | ||
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**Lest Darkness Fall** (L. Sprague de Camp, 1949) involves a time traveller who brings modern technology and knowledge to the Roman Empire. | **Lest Darkness Fall** (L. Sprague de Camp, 1949) involves a time traveller who brings modern technology and knowledge to the Roman Empire. | ||
- | **The Man in the High Castle** (Philip K. Dick, 1962) is an older, well regarded novel about a timeline where the Axis won the Second World War. | + | **The Man in the High Castle** (Philip K. Dick, 1962) is an older, well regarded novel about a timeline where the Axis won the Second World War. Meanwhile turned into a TV series. |
**Voyage** (Stephen Baxter, 1996) is a very highly regarded novel about an alternate space race, although its narrow focus makes it of most interest to space enthusiasts. | **Voyage** (Stephen Baxter, 1996) is a very highly regarded novel about an alternate space race, although its narrow focus makes it of most interest to space enthusiasts. | ||
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====Most Popular Books==== | ====Most Popular Books==== | ||
- | Recently, the most popular alternate history books have been series from authors S.M. Stirling and Harry Turtledove. Turtledove is easily the single most prolific alternate history author around, and his Worldwar and Great War series have sold well. Stirling' | + | Recently, the most popular alternate history books have been series from authors S.M. Stirling and Harry Turtledove. Turtledove is easily the single most prolific alternate history author around, and his //Worldwar// and //Great War// series have sold well. Stirling' |
====Upcoming Books==== | ====Upcoming Books==== | ||
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====Alternate History Discussions==== | ====Alternate History Discussions==== | ||
- | There are many different alternate history discussion forums available, but most are fairly small. | + | There are many different alternate history discussion forums available, but most are fairly small. |
There are also mailing lists dedicated to specific authors, such as the [[http:// | There are also mailing lists dedicated to specific authors, such as the [[http:// | ||
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====Alternate History Web Sites==== | ====Alternate History Web Sites==== | ||
- | There is currently no comprehensive listing of alternate history web sites. | + | There is currently no comprehensive listing of alternate history web sites. |
====Alternate History in Other Media==== | ====Alternate History in Other Media==== | ||
- | Alternate history as defined at the start of this FAQ is relatively rare in media other than books (and of course the web). Most " | + | Alternate history as defined at the start of this FAQ is relatively rare in media other than books (and of course the web). Most " |
- | The one major exception to this trend was the television show Sliders, which was based around travel to alternate and parallel worlds. There have also been a few alternate history movies, such as the film version of the best-selling novel Fatherland, some true alternate history comics such as Captain Confederacy. In the venue of computer and video games, explicit alternate history is rare, but can be found as part of the backstory of games including Red Alert and Crimson Skies. Many computer games allow you to refight historical battles or control historical civilizations (such as the popular Civilization games), although this is usually at a very abstract level. | + | The one major exception to this trend was the television show //Sliders//, which was based around travel to alternate and parallel worlds. There have also been a few alternate history movies, such as the film version of the best-selling novel //Fatherland//, some true alternate history comics such as //Captain Confederacy//. In the venue of computer and video games, explicit alternate history is rare, but can be found as part of the backstory of games including |
- | For those wishing to role-play alternate history, detailed and comprehensive alternate history roleplaying sourcebooks are available for the GURPS role playing system. GURPS: Alternate Earths and GURPS: Alternate Earths 2 each contain six detailed alternate worlds, plus tips and rules for alternate history role playing (the main GURPS books are also required if you wish to use the GURPS role-playing system itself). | + | For those wishing to role-play alternate history, detailed and comprehensive alternate history roleplaying sourcebooks are available for the [[GURPS]] role playing system. |
====Help for Aspiring Alternate History Authors==== | ====Help for Aspiring Alternate History Authors==== | ||
- | There are several sources of specific help for aspiring alternate history authors. Amateur authors seeking to have stories put on the web for free mght try [[http:// | + | There are several sources of specific help for aspiring alternate history authors. Amateur authors seeking to have stories put on the web for free might try [[http:// |
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Beyond that, writing a good alternate history requires knowledge, consideration, | Beyond that, writing a good alternate history requires knowledge, consideration, | ||
- | Getting from A to C requires having some idea of the general direction you think your alternate history should be going in - so that you can catch yourself if you try to butcher history with a dull knife to get there. It can be tempting to come up with a point of divergence | + | Getting from A to C requires having some idea of the general direction you think your alternate history should be going in - so that you can catch yourself if you try to butcher history with a dull knife to get there. It can be tempting to come up with a Point of Divergence |
There are two main ways to resist this problem. First, be willing to consider many different points of divergence if you have a certain sort of end result in mind. You may be able to get the results you want as fairly straightforward effects of one or a few big changes, rather than many many small shoves. Second, don't become too attached to a particular result. If a particular event looks really unlikely but also necessary to get where you want to go, consider where the likely course will lead. It may not be somewhere you expect. Some of the most interesting alternate history scenarios out there have been produced by people who took a few historical " | There are two main ways to resist this problem. First, be willing to consider many different points of divergence if you have a certain sort of end result in mind. You may be able to get the results you want as fairly straightforward effects of one or a few big changes, rather than many many small shoves. Second, don't become too attached to a particular result. If a particular event looks really unlikely but also necessary to get where you want to go, consider where the likely course will lead. It may not be somewhere you expect. Some of the most interesting alternate history scenarios out there have been produced by people who took a few historical " |
alternate_history/alternate_history_faq.1553886833.txt.gz · Last modified: 2019/03/29 15:13 by 127.0.0.1