Alternate Generals II

Alternate Generals #2

by Harry Turtledove

A new collection of alternate history stories speculates about how world history would have been changed if the great battles, from the Spanish Armada to Pearl Harbor, had been fought under different circumstances. Reprint.

Genres: Alternate History, Science Fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Short Stories, Fantasy, Anthologies

378 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 25, 2002

About the author

Dr Harry Norman Turtledove is an American novelist, who has produced a sizeable number of works in several genres including alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction.

Harry Turtledove attended UCLA, where he received a Ph.D. in Byzantine history in 1977.

Turtledove has been dubbed "The Master of Alternate History". Within this genre he is known both for creating original scenarios: such as survival of the Byzantine Empire; an alien invasion in the middle of the World War II; and for giving a fresh and original treatment to themes previously dealt with by other authors, such as the victory of the South in the American Civil War; and of Nazi Germany in the Second World War.

His novels have been credited with bringing alternate history into the mainstream. His style of alternate history has a strong military theme.

Reviews

[Randal · Rating 2 out of 5]

A couple of the stories didn't suck ... one about an Egyptian pharaoh almost sticks out.
But the ones featuring American generals were, for the most part, shaggy dog stories intended for a narrow audience of grognards. They are about the only readers who could really get into a story about the U.S. getting stuck into the Gallipoli campaign in WWI. (And as Turtledove chose to start the book there, it sort of set the tone.) For the most part, my reaction to the stories varied all the way from "So what?" to "Who gives a fat rat's ass?"
"George Patton slept here" in particular was so dire and lifeless I almost didn't finish the book.

[Al Berry]

Some good stories, some not so good, all relatively short at about 30 pages, the highlight is probably Michael Flynns 'Southern Strategy, which take a look at what might have been had America not joined WW1 but joined the subsequent League of Nations. Seen from the point of view of Adalai Stevenson.

[Rob Roy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Turtledove has collected a group of alternate history short stories. Some are better than others, but the whole is excellent. Many are thought provoking, and well worth the read.

[Brentman99 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book with its what-ifs and different types of short stories. I think this is a great concept and hope that Turtledove collaborates with more authors. A great read.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Typical of this style of anthology, some really good stories, others, not so much. Overall, there should be enough meat on the bone to appeal to most fans of alternative history.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

While Harry Turtledove’s name is featured prominently on the cover, he authors just one of the thirteen short stories in this collection of alternate history tales. Though the settings range from ancient Egypt (in Noreen Doyle’s “Horizon”) to twentieth-century Istanbul (the setting of James Fiscus’s “American Mandate”), the theme uniting them all is the different paths events might have taken should the people, choices, and settings have been any different. Like most collections, the stories are a mixed bag in terms of quality, with some working better than others. Readers will undoubtedly differ as to which stories these are, but just about any fan of the alternate history genre will find something to enjoy within the pages of this book.

[Kenneth Cook · Rating 2 out of 5]

A series of thirteen short stories of alternate history -a few good entertaining ones scattered among the majority of mediocre ones. Not a fitting sequel to the original Alternate Generals but I would hope better than AG III which I have also seen available but probably will not investigate based upon this volume I had hoped for better quality from Harry Turtledove as editor.

[Mark Moxley-Knapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent collection of shorts edited by Harry Turtledove. He writes one, the rest are interesting variations on the theme. Some better than others, all well-thought-out.

[Lynn Calvin]

baen ebook

[Steven Raszewski · Rating 4 out of 5]

More great stuff. My type of fiction, short stories with a beginning a middle and an end. One and done always entertaining always thought provoking.

[Nicholas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Engaging enough read, probably more interesting if you're familiar with *all* the times, places, and people involved (Smedley Butler? Nope! Didn't even realize that was a real person!)

[Alexander · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting collection of alternate history short stories. Worth reading if you like the genre.