Once There Was a Way: What if The Beatles Stayed Together?

by Bryce Zabel

We all know the tragic story by now. After seven years as the most popular rock-and-roll group the world has ever seen, The Beatles—torn apart by personal and creative differences—called it quits in 1970, never to play together again. The fact that their contemporaries like the Rolling Stones are still playing today makes their ending even more painful.

Once There Was a Way: What if The Beatles Stayed Together? is a story of another reality, the one we wished had happened, where the Fab Four chose to work it out rather than let it be. This book is no mere fairy tale, but a chronicle crafted from the people and events of our own history, shaped to create a brand new narrative in which John, Paul, George, and Ringo find a way to stay friends and keep the band together. Imagine there was more. Lots more. It’s easy if you try.

Genres: Alternate History, Music, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy

308 pages, Paperback

First published December 5, 2017

About the author

Screenwriter Bryce Zabel has created five primetime network television series, including NBC's Emmy-winning "Dark Skies." He has written for a dozen other popular TV shows, and written and produced feature and television projects for many of Hollywood's networks and studios. He's collaborated with such top creative talents as Steven Spielberg and Stan Lee. A former CNN correspondent, Bryce received the Writers Guild of America (WGA) award in 2008 for writing his third four-hour Hallmark mini-series, "Pandemic," and has written and produced films and mini-series that include "Atlantis: The Lost Empire," "Mortal Kombat: Annihilation," "Blackbeard" and "The Poseidon Adventure." He wrote SyFy's first original film, "Official Denial," a produced film that is now being developed for a feature re-boot. His end-of-World War II true story, "The Last Battle," is now in studio development.

In television, Bryce also created or developed such series as "Kay O'Brien" (CBS), "M.A.N.T.I.S." (FOX), "The Crow: Stairway to Heaven" (SYN) and "E.N.G." (CTV). He has worked on such series as "Steven Spielberg's Taken," "L.A. Law," "Life Goes On," and "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman." After 9/11, Bryce served as the elected chairman/CEO of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the first writer in that position since Rod Serling. His Hollywood career has spanned ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, HBO, Showtime, Syfy, Sony, Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, Universal, Paramount, Hallmark, USA, and Animal Planet.

His journalism and screenwriting work has been nominated for awards from the Environmental Media Association and Mystery Writers of America, and for Golden Mike, Gemini and Emmy awards. He is a member of the Directors Guild of America (DGA), Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA). His debut book, "A.D. After Disclosure" (Career Press, 2012), now in its fourth printing, was a Barnes & Noble "New & Noteworthy" selection.

Bryce lives in Los Angeles with his wife and writing/producing partner, Jackie Zabel.

Reviews

[Don Gerstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

I last read an alternative history book when I was in grade school and chose one on the South winning the Civil War. Since then, I stayed away from books that twisted history into something new. I reasoned that authors would have to engage in a ton of research in order to produce a viable product, and there was enough “real” history to fill my reading hours.

But “Once There Was a Way” seemed like it might be fun and the premise was too good to pass up. What if the Beatles had somehow found a way to keep it all together and continue working as a group? Would they have continued to be an incredible talent or eventually fade into obscurity and up as just another nostalgia band?

Author Bryce Zabel has produced an incredible book, weaving some of what really happened with his view of what could have occurred. Mercifully, he doesn’t imagine an earth-shattering event that causes them all to immediately reconcile and live happily ever after. Mr. Zabel fills the years immediately following the Beatles’ actual break-up with controversies, hard-fought battles, and reluctant accommodations. The events fit with the personalities of the band members, yet even they might not have envisaged some of the crucial moments depicted in the book.

I was totally wrapped up in the story until near the end. When a monumental crisis was introduced, I found it hard to entirely suspend disbelief and buy into the events. The only things that helped the plot at that time become palatable were the logical events that led up to the crisis. These steps made sense, and thus could have been the catalysts.

Anyone who lived through the Beatles and their breakup almost 50 years ago as well as those with passable knowledge about the band’s music will enjoy this mixture of fact and alternative history. Mr. Zabel has written this book like many other authentic biographies, including numerous quotes from well-known people, and it would be easy to believe this account was factual if one didn’t know better. The author’s inclusion of “The Sources of Speculation” will help those not up on all things Beatlemania, as he explains how some of his choices were based on reality as well as telling us which one were completely made up.

All in all, this is a fun, rollicking ride that keeps you wondering how it will all turn out (and Mr. Zabel wisely keeps the ending a secret until the last possible moment). Kudos to the author for creating an enjoyable alternative. Four stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and Diversion Books for an advance copy of this book.

[*TUDOR^QUEEN* · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a diehard Beatles fan, the premise of this book was intriguing: What if the Beatles did NOT break up in 1970, but stayed together??? I have an extensive Beatles literary library spanning decades, so it's well-trodden ground for me. This is definitely a new twist on the subject, so I dived into this offering.

There was a tug of war going on inside of me while reading this. There were so many alternative reality moments in this book which were kind of cute and whimsical. When you are as well-read on The Beatles as I am, the diversions from reality are easy to pick up on. A part of me was saying, "Why am I reading this?...Because, you know it didn't happen." Then another part of me was in awe of the possibilities that could have been realized had The Beatles not broken up. For instance, what if the solo hits of the individual Beatles actually were coalesced as part of a new Beatles album? What if John Lennon had remained in his limo until it entered the safety of The Dakota's courtyard on December 8, 1980? And, after George Harrison passed away of cancer in 2001, who did he designate as his replacement? These questions are all answered in this book along with many others.

The author lends authenticity to this book by drawing upon truths to spin his alternative realities. For instance, in real life The Beatles final album was "Abbey Road," but the original working title was "Everest." In this book, that album was called "Everest" (although it wasn't their final album as The Beatles stayed together). Another well-known fact is that the solitary time John Lennon and Paul McCartney appeared on The Johnny Carson Show, Johnny was off that night and it was hosted by baseball great Joe Garagiola. In this account, John Lennon insists that Johnny cancel whatever he's doing and host the show, or he and Paul won't show up. This fact twisting occurs throughout the book, providing a grain of truth to show that the author did his homework on this subject.

I think Beatles fans will enjoy this the most and get the jokes. But, if they're like me, they will grapple with the notion that "It's All Too Much."

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this advance reader copy in return for my honest review.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely a brilliant work that is so much fun to read. Zabel presents an alternative history where the Beatles didn’t actually break up, although they tried to and nearly did several times. It reads like a rock documentary written about bands that have been around for decades, reporting all the minutiae of how each album was created and the tensions between the members. But it is so well-written that there are times it is hard to separate fact from fiction. For instance, the discussions about a crazy project with Stanley Kubrick directing the Lord of the Rings with John as Gollum and George as Gandalf were actually real as bizarre and fictional as it sounds. Ditto, for the double album project called Dollhouse, which actually became what we know of as the White Album.

But in this alternate universe the Beatles go on to headline at Woodstock, get robbed of their lyrics and tapes in Nigeria, they play Central Park, drop Acid and appear at a presidential debate between Ted Kennedy and Humphrey, and strangest of all, Yoko and Linda become close friends. It blends actual social history with fiction skillfully and intimately takes the reader on a magical mystery tour through a world of what could of happened.

It may just be the best and most detailed rock band biography you’ve ever read and not all of it happened in this reality. A blast to read from cover to cover. At no point was it dull. An experiment like this could have ended up all wrong. Zabel never hits a note out of key.

A big shout out to Diversion Books For graciously providing a copy of the book for reviewing.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light, entertaining "alternate history", though the lyric references are often cringe-worthy. Not as good as Mark Shipper's "Paperback Writer".

[Brian Bess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once there was a way...to stay together

Bryce Zabel’s ‘Once There Was a Way’ is a twilight zone/funhouse mirror version of the Beatles’ story, continuing with the band into the 70’s and beyond, averting breakup through plausible managerial/financial means. Being pretty knowledgeable about the real story, both while the group was together as well as during the solo years of the 70’s, I could usually detect where the story zagged while the real story zigged, so to speak.

First of all, the book begins in 1968 at the point in the real world when the Beatles first began to break up, a long, slow, painful death that culminated in the 1970 official break and the ensuing solo years of bickering at both the personal and business level. John and Paul really did go on The Tonight Show to promote their new business, Apple. However, in reality Joe Garagiola was the guest host and they never did meet Johnny. In this version, John insisted on appearing on the show only when the host and his sidekick Ed McMahon would be there. The interview is a bit off-putting to me, as it inserts quotes of future songs in an implausible way, as in John’s Dick Cavett interview in the film ‘Forrest Gump’. I hoped the story would become a bit more plausible and was happy that it did. In this world, the White Album takes its real-world potential title ‘A Doll’s House’. The next year, ‘Abbey Road’ appears in a version entitled ‘Everest’, a proposed title for that album.

At the time when in the real world John, followed by George and Ringo, advocated using Allen Klein as the group’s manager while Paul wanted to use his in-laws the Eastman’s for his managers, in this world a third party is brought in, another real-life figure, Lord Beeching, who had recommended cutbacks in the British railway system earlier in the 60’s and was known for sorting out messes. His work is cut out for him with the Beatles and he comes up with a compromise option that all four members have to grudgingly accept, considering the financial and legal mess they’re bogged down in—they can record solo projects but they are obligated to produce one group album each year for the next five years. On each album at least two Beatles must play or sing on every song. Beyond this, they can sort it out, although they gravitate toward a plan in which John and Paul each contribute at least four songs, George contributes three and Ringo contributes three.

The recording process, in which members often literally phone in their songs and air the dirty laundry on record, is a fascinating scenario which overlays the real-world output of the members throughout the early 70’s. Before the real-world breakup, there are still changes, such as a shortened version of “Hey Jude” appearing in place of the John and Yoko track, “Revolution 9”, which appears on their album ‘Two Virgins’. Another alternate product is the concept single of “The Ballad of John and Yoko” with B-side “Two of Us”, two compositions by John and Paul about life with their respective new spouses.

The 1971 incendiary tracks “How Do You Sleep” and “Too Many People” sit side by side on an album with the double entendre title ‘Saville Row’, in which each respective Beatle responds to other songs, a sort of collective primal scream album.

One scenario that seems totally implausible to me is the continuance of a parallel film career for the group. In reality, the group did contemplate a film version of ‘Lord of the Rings’ and really did approach Stanley Kubrick to direct it. Mercifully for us, Kubrick turned it down, Tolkien wouldn’t consent, and the Beatles had their hands full with their internal squabbles. In this world, the project does happen but, like the possible real-world counterpart, in my mind it does a disservice to Kubrick, the ‘Lord of the Rings’, and the Beatles. Paul plays Frodo, Ringo plays Sam, John plays Gollum, and George plays Gandalf. For one thing, the Beatles were only ever good on film at playing themselves, at which they were brilliant. For another, what kind of Beatles songs would fit comfortably in a film of ‘Lord of the Rings’? Furthermore, such a film would be totally unsuited to Kubrick’s approach. All of his films had a measured, if not slow pace and there is simply too much happening to too many characters to fit comfortably into a leisurely paced Kubrick production.

Two following film projects don’t sound any more promising: a version of ‘The Hot Rock’ in which the Fab Four take the roles occupied by Robert Redford, George Segal, and their cohorts; a Sidney Lumet version of ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ in which the Fabs take roles occupied by actors such as Martin Balsam and Michael York in the real world.

So much for the might-have-been film career. What of the possible studio albums and live appearances, of which there are plenty still to come for the band in this book? In this world, the Beatles appear at Woodstock in a chaotic mass of people and frenzy that rivals their real-life terror in 1966 escaping from the Philippines and the ire of the Marcos regime, as well as at George’s concert for Bangladesh. These are brief concerts for the most part, not much longer than their typical real-world appearances from 1964-66. However, they do pack a louder punch with better sound systems and audiences that are more prepared to listen than to scream.

One of the more inventive scenarios involves the alternate world counterpart of Paul’s album ‘Band on the Run’, which was recorded in Lagos, Nigeria and during which Paul and Linda not only got mugged but Paul almost had a heart attack. In this world, Lagos is an out-of-the-ordinary location in which to record that is out of the U.S., where they are constantly targeted by the Nixon administration, as well as Britain, where previous recordings have been fraught with tension. John supplies the opening lyric, “Stuck inside these four walls/Sent inside forever/Never seeing no one…” to which Paul adds a verse, the song builds and becomes a Beatles version of “Band on the Run”. In this world, John and Paul are mugged, tapes stolen and ransomed, and Paul has an extreme attack of hyperventilation. This world’s album cover features the Beatles, caught in the bright glare of a searchlight, in the place of Paul, Linda, Denny Laine, and assorted celebrities.

Without spoiling too much, in this world John is kidnapped by the Weather Underground but rescued, fortifies his personal security and refuses to autograph records for fans in front of his Dakota apartment, thus averting the real-world assassination threat. The Beatles periodically appear together and record together until and beyond George’s appointed date with cancer in this world as well as the real one. They become a band with longevity rivaling their competitors the Rolling Stones, each continuing to tour in a sort of one-upsmanship of performing.

This story, although rocky and filled with fighting as intense as what occurred between the members in the real world, nonetheless restores a sense of closure that real-world fans were denied. As many have speculated, including the ex-Beatles themselves, if they had stayed together, their status might not be as mythic and enshrined in the past, glowing brighter with each successive year, as it did in this world. However, they would be survivors and veterans with an even longer, more prolific career, if more uneven, than the one they left us in this world. There’s a brighter destination for this long and winding road than the real one, even if it is less mythic. For all of its misfires and contrivances that work better in some cases than others, it is an enjoyable, consoling what-if for all of us real-world Beatles fans.

[Barb Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a music fan. Especially “older” music. While my fellow high schoolers were fan zoning about Depeche Mode, Duran Duran and Culture Club (I mean, I liked those too), my favourite band was The Beach Boys. The same friend that went to Beach Boys concerts with me, also sat with me in her parents basement while we listened to (and sang along with) Beatles records. I have been a fan of the Beatles for a long time.

When I came across this book that asks the question: what if The Beatles stayed together? I had to read it.

I quickly got sucked in to this story. It was so well written. The slant is that it’s written by a music magazine and it has that vibe. It’s like you are reading an extended Rolling Stone article. The attention to detail is amazing and the way the author weaves in truth and fiction is remarkable. There were times when I was like, wait…did that happen or did he make it up? And then Googled it. (It was a 50/50 split on made up vs. real.) I do appreciate the end chapter where the author clarifies which big plot points are real and not, and why he chose the paths he did.

The thing that I was the most curious about was how the author was going to deal with John Lennon and George Harrison’s deaths. I won’t spoil it for you, but I do think he did a good job of dealing with both situations.

There was a point in the book where I got a bit emotional, which I was surprised at. I can’t reveal what exactly it was, because I don’t want to include spoilers. I think that part of my reaction was melancholy over what could have been.

Whether I agree with all of the alternate history points that the author chose or not is beside the point. Part of the fun in reading the book (and I am assuming writing it) is to imagine all the cause and effect and (mostly) infinite possibilities that could exist. It’s like the butterfly effect – a small change in the early days, morph into these larger changes later.

If you are a Beatles fan or a music fan, I would highly recommend this book. It is engaging, interesting and thought provoking.

Full disclosure: I received this eARC from NetGalley for a fair and honest review. (Thanks NetGalley!)

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite genres to read is Alternative History, and this book doesn’t disappoint.

The Beatles, one of my favorite bands, broke up a year before I was born. This book examines what would have happened if John, Paul, George, and Ringo stuck it out and stayed together. Bryce Zabel, expertly imagines the inner workings of the Fab 4 and takes the reader behind the legend and shows them as four men who not only played music together, but loved each other.

I got the feeling of seeing The Beatles as four “Forrest Gumps” who altered the history of the late 20th Century in much the same way as Winston Groom’s title character did. That doesn’t take away from the story as Zabel makes it all work. The history he created is one that I wish would have happened.

This is a must read for any Beatles, rock music, or pop culture fan. It is a great escape and a fun read.

[Claire Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

In baseball terms, Bryce Zabel is two for two in the alternate history realm. Or better still, I should say he’s knocked it out of the park a second time.

His first alt-history novel, “Surrounded by Enemies,” focused on a well-explored theme: what if John F. Kennedy had not died in Dallas? Zabel managed to bring a fresh take to the concept, despite the fact that dozens of titles on that topic already being on the shelves. In his new book, “Once There Was a Way,” he delves into a lesser-explored subject, but just as compelling to Baby Boomers or anyone steeped in the history of the sixties: What if the Beatles had not broken up in 1970, but instead continued to make music into the seventies?

It’s hard to provide a detailed plot summary without spoilers, so I’ll just tell you that the story begins in the post-Sgt. Pepper era. Small changes in the Beatles’ story produce a cascading effect that averts the breakup and allows the world’s greatest band to continue into another decade and another day. Zabel obviously has a deep understanding of not only the Beatles themselves, but the times in which they lived. The result is a story that’s by turns plausible, realistic, surprising moving (expect at least a couple of lumps in the throat)….in short a great read. In fact, the only complaint I can offer is that I finished the book wishing that it was fact, not fiction.

[Gareth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intoxicating and delightful What If, Once There Was A Way is an alternate history of the Beatles roughly from the formation of the Apple company, in which the very concept of breaking up simply does not catch a break. It’s related as a journalistic history.

Real history is interwoven to give it the ring of authenticity. (I didn’t know most of it, but an epilogue handily clarifies which bits really happened, so to speak.) It comes down to a series of obligations that in the end allow John, Paul, George and Ringo to feel better about carrying on as a band. Author Bryce Zabel flirts with some wonderful ideas for follow up albums, mostly using what ended up as solo music for each band member. He manages a real coup with Savile Row, a concept album that reframes such famed conflict-music as How Do You Sleep, Too Many People and Wah-Wah as call-and-response group therapy. For obvious reasons, I want to live in this universe.

It’s wish fulfilment, plain and simple, but of a highly skilled kind, and not without its share of hardships and unpleasantness for the band. (Some of which, as above, is based in reality.) So it keeps one foot on the ground, which helps earn the loveliness.

[Neil Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a massive fan of the Beatles work an idea of a what if scenario with the Beatles piqued my interest.

The book did not disappoint as it was impressive how Bryce created storylines from seemingly nothing whilst keeping it plausible from an alternative history point of view.

Bit of a spoiler but the Beatles appearing as actors in a lord of the rings film directed by Stanley Kubrick was mind blowing.

Having recently watched the get back documentary it was plain to see that the Beatles struggled being part of a band and this book follows on from that and breaks it down bit by bit to create something that many fans would like to have seen.

As an avid reader on the Kennedy assassination it will be good to read Bryce's other alternative history book too in order to see what Kennedy might have achieved.

All in all a very interesting book and an easy read that I would recommend to any Beatles fans out there.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun look at what might have been. It read like an interesting non-fiction book. I found myself questioning whether the events described were factual or fiction. Good use of actual history with a spin.

[Michelle Mallette · Rating 1 out of 5]

See my full review at https://mmbookshelf.wordpress.com/201...
Alternative histories can be interesting explorations of “what if” scenarios, and often inspire me to learn more about historic events. I have to confess I’m not a particular fan of The Beatles, though I certainly enjoy much of their music. I’m too young to remember them performing, and I honestly don’t know very much about their history. So, this sounded interesting. I soon found myself cursing at the book out of sheer irritation. Zaber has taken real events and twisted them to fit a fictional narrative. The problem was that I didn’t know enough about the Beatles’ history to sort out fact from fiction; as a result I spent as much time looking up the truth about the Fab Four’s history as I did reading the book. Beyond this, I found that few of these characters, real or imagined, is worth spending time with as a reader. The imafinary journalistic approach fails to help the reader understand John and Yoko as a couple, George Harrison’s fascination with Eastern music and philosophy, etc. I wanted to get into their heads, and this feels like dispassionate reporting of what in reality is a series of made-up “facts.” Fake news, lol! Zaber includes a postscript in which he sorts out the truth from the imaginary. Perhaps a real Beatles fan would enjoy the crazy playing with album and song titles, rumours (like the making of a Lord of the Rings film with Kubrick) and real events. Thanks to Diversion Books for the advance reading copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read author Zabel's biography on Goodreads, and you'll find an impressive resume steeped in sci-fi and speculative fiction, and it's not limited to book format. Once There Was A Way is an alternative history, and while it is a work of fiction I hesitate to call it a novel. It's not a narrative in the traditional sense, like previous Beatle-related fiction reviewed here. Ian R. MacLeod's Snodgrass stands out in my mind because it also asks "what if?" That story followed John Lennon in a life of near squalor, having left The Beatles before reaching any level of international fame. Once offers not just a "what if" but "what could have been."

The book begins in 1968 at the dawn of the Apple age, with John and Paul about to announce its genesis on The Tonight Show. Immediately the trajectory veers from actual history. Reality shows (or it would, if the full footage still existed) John and Paul had to settle that night for a substitute host, Joe Garagiola. Book John and Book Paul have enough sense to hold out for the real thing, and Carson jumps.

From there we're treated to a story laid out in lengthy Behind The Music style as The Beatles flirt with divorce but ultimately agree to probationary periods of togetherness for the sake of keeping Apple viable and solvent. They agree to completing film and album commitments, yet take turns gazing longingly at the exit. Unlike bands that stay together for the paycheck despite passing their prime, The Beatles continue to spin gold.

Zabel threads in non-events ingrained in band lore (the invitation to Woodstock, the Lord of the Rings adaptation) and makes them happen. As the band's life span lengthens, so some of the individual achievements in song become those of the group. Some moments in the story seem almost too far-fetched and "Forrest Gump", even for speculative fiction, but as escapism it inspires a smile.

My big issue with the book was the style. Once I realized I didn't have a straight narrative story I felt apprehensive about following through. The strength of Once There Was A Way comes in the characters. If you're big on The Beatles you're more likely to enjoy this than a non-fan. After getting through the initial chapter about The Tonight Show, I found my groove and finished this with good speed.

As for how long The Beatles remain together in this book, and who survives to the end, I won't spoil it. I will say Zabel's ending probably reflects the feelings of a number of fans who had hoped for more after 1970.

An ARC from Netgalley was received from the publisher for the purpose of this review.

[Mary C · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had never read a book classified as “alternative history”, but, being a Beatles fan, I thought Once There Was a Way would be a good one to try. Unfortunately, being a fan of the music apparently wasn’t enough to engage me in the story, and I have abandoned the book. It is hard to define exactly what made it difficult for me to connect with it. I found it amusing, then annoying, how many phrases used in the narrative were taken from lyrics in the later Beatles songbook. I only got about a quarter way through the book, and perhaps it got better but it felt a little too smirky for my tastes.

Having said that, my husband, who loves reading about the backstory of groups and musical artists he like, and who devours books about the Beatles, would love this book. As, I’m sure, will many others. Just not me.

[Jonathan Palfrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a not a novel but a fictional biography, an ingenious mixture of real events and inventions in the lives of the Beatles from about 1968 onwards, in an alternative world in which they managed to avoid splitting up. I’m not a big reader of biographies, but this one is well done: I find it surprisingly readable.

I was born in 1954, so I grew up with the Beatles in the background, I still listen to them, and I’m reasonably well acquainted with their history. However, I’m not an obsessive fan and don’t know all the details of their lives. Consequently, the maddening thing about this book is that I often can’t tell what’s real and what’s invented (unless I do some extra research elsewhere). Major events are obvious: I know that the Beatles played at Woodstock only in this alternative world, not in ours. But I don’t know enough about the minor events to distinguish truth from fiction; and truth is blended with fiction throughout.

The book is a relatively conservative exercise in imagination. Yes, there are inventions such as the Beatles playing at Woodstock and Lennon being kidnapped. But the songs mentioned are mostly real, although in our history some of them appeared on solo albums by the split-up Beatles. If the Beatles had not split up, I feel sure that they would have conceived and released more songs that never existed in our history; but I suppose that trying to imagine the titles or content of such hypothetical songs would be a bit silly.

One invention I can’t swallow is the idea of a Lord of the Rings film made in 1971 by Stanley Kubrick and starring the Beatles. I don’t think it would have been made, even in an alternative world, and if it had been made I think it would have flopped. The Beatles weren’t suited to it, the special effects in 1971 weren’t up to it, and the story would have had to be abominably compressed to fit into one film. Given an infinite number of alternative worlds, I suppose it must have happened on some of them, but surely on a very low proportion of them.

I’m rather surprised to find that this is a book I can reread periodically. I rarely reread non-fiction, and this feels like non-fiction even though it is, in fact, a work of fiction.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I was really hesitant at first because I was worried that there would be too much wishful thinking on the part of the author - the Beatles were the first major group that the general public seemed to think that they had a personal right to and ownership of, and Beatles historians frequently will profess to know the Beatles better than they knew themselves. However, I was pleasantly surprised, as Zabel took an extremely frank look at the issues that actually did cause the Beatles to break up, and proposed acceptable alternate histories to those events. The style was enjoyable, and I'm personally just a huge fan of literature presented in the format that a reporter would use.

The alternate history presented in the book was just plausible enough that it seemed a shame to get to the end and remember how it all actually panned out. Perhaps wishful thing was involved, but it had just enough validity to it that the reader can't help but get drawn into its possibilities. A really enjoyable read.

[Stella · Rating 3 out of 5]

The great...what if The Beatles never broke up? One There Was A Way is an alternate reality where...this is exactly what happens. Reading like a VH1 Behind The Music/Rolling Stone deep dive, we, the reader, are put into a world where John, Paul, George and Ringo keep cranking out hit after hit.

As another reviewer mentioned, there is a bit of a 'Forest Gump' effect, where The Beatles are put into high profile pop culture events, and...it works! It's a nice thought....The Beatles and Woodstock...

All of that being said, I don't know that I really even enjoyed this. It was entertaining, yes, but some of the minutiae was...too much. This book would be best enjoyed by a Beatles fan, a true, blue fanatic.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Paul Shotsberger · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t get alternate history. The people are real, but nothing actually happened the way the book describes. On the other hand, I understand historical fiction, because even though most of the characters are fictional, the events aren’t, and that gets you interested in the actual history. But the point is, the events actually happened. Most of the events of this book never happened, it’s just fantasy. (Spoiler alert) Is it really necessary to make John Lennon into a serial adulterer (with Linda Ronstadt, for pity sake)? It’s creative but kind of dumb. I prefer the alternate (and much more positive) history of a story like the movie Yesterday that makes us glad to meet that fictional John Lennon. Unless you’re devoted to this kind of literature, I wouldn’t bother with Once There Was a Way.

[Paul Heatley · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, the alternative history genre typically imagines a huge historical event turning out differently. What if the Nazis won WWII? Or what if the Confederacy won the Civil War? But who really wants to think about horrible things like that?!

What I love about Bryce Zabel's Once There Was a Way is that it imagines a parallel universe in which the Beatles' acrimonious disputes of the late '60s almost tore the band apart but they valued their 'brand' enough to keep it together, at least on a part-time basis for several more years. The result is entertaining, imaginative and extremely poignant - thinking of what the Fab Four might have done together if they'd had more time.

It's not always a pretty picture, but it's a very enjoyable ride!

[Cindi Sempert · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if the Beatles had stayed together is the premise ofmthis book. Filled with numerous true elements and realistic imaginings, Zabel creates a world that I wanted to live in--I did not want this book to end. I often googled things to see if there was a germ of truth to the adventure, and there was! That's what makes this journey so realistic and fun--it COULD have happened this way ifthe Beatles had stuck together for several more years. My favorite imagining (SPOILER ALERT) was the meeting up of George Harrison and Steve Jobs in India--it COULD have happened because they were both in India at the same time. I LOVED this book!

[Roger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now that I have already discarded Harry Turtledove, I gave another "alternate history" a chance because I know so much about the subject, and just having finished "The Last Days of John Lennon"--a true recollection of the end of his life. This book is a cute "what if" that stumbles many times on things that couldn't happen. ie. Yoko accepting that John needed to stay in the Beatles for business reasons and John stepping out on her. Paul taking the back seat to John. Very interesting use of the facts as we know them but the later you get in the book, away from the reality that we all know, it falls apart. Still, I got through 75 percent before I had had enough.

[Dead John Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a darling of a book. A skilful weaving of fact and fiction to the point where it's hard to remember what's made up and what isn't, assuming that what we thought we knew to be true actually was.

A sheer joy to read, faultless in its execution and bringing people to life in a way that biographies never do. I could rave on about this, but if you are of that generation you really should read this. Also puts me in mind of the movie Yesterday.

In no time at all I have no doubt you could feed this book into an AI program and have it create the movie because every character in the book is already well documented. Personally, I can't wait.

[Tyler Browne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite simply, this is one of the greatest novels I have ever read. Zabel's book intertwines real events from the lives of the post-breakup Beatles into an alternative timeline where the band never quite breaks up, despite numerous close calls. Zabel's description of the fabled LOTR film starring the Fab Four makes me wish that this could have been a reality, and he writes each Beatle, especially Lennon, in a way that makes them seem so like the iconic men we hear about. I have reread this novel countless times, and I will never get sick of it.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great journey into the world of "What If?". As with Zabel's previous Breakpoint novel, SURROUNDED BY ENEMIES, things that happened in the real world also happen in this book, but in completely different ways. Being a huge Beatles fan, I have often wondered if they could have worked things out by taking breaks from each other rather than disbanding. That is something we will never know, but this novels is a fascinating exploration of the possibilities.

[Dino Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I encourage Beatle fans to read this one. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and believe they will too. I was very entertained by the way the author “mashed up” the solo careers of the individual band members and wove the mash up into other current events from 1970 -1975 (and invented many more). ... awesome fantasy (very much like seeing a 70 year-old John in “Yesterday (the movie).” ... a neat treat to see The Fab Four go out with a bang instead of the whimper of “Let It Be.”

[Colin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Must say I hurried through this one - being a massive Beatles fan I struggle to remember everything I read, so reasding alternative history is just not for me. There was however a very good section at the end detailing where some of the ideas came from, and recording what actually happened, for example, the Beatles almost reuniting to play Woodstock (they play it in the book)

[Rob Stevens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well researched and recognisable stories for the average Beatle fan. But the characterisation is very shallow, the Beatles come over as cardboard characters. The dialogues are funny, and it is a pleasant read, but it is not more than a gimmick. Only for Beatle fans this is a nice way of spent some time. 2½ stars.

[Jeffrey Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm new to this genre of Alt-His ... so can't really make an informed decision about that side, but as a Beatles fan, I enjoyed much of the speculation and weaving of known "solo" work into a fictional Beatles canon. The abrupt ending was a let down, but still a good read overall.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fan Fantasy

This book will attract Beatles fans, so an interest, perhaps obsession, in what could have been is an allowed presumption to indulge exploration. This book is well written and weaves in enough reality to feel both plausible and pleasurable.

[Will Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! One of the best books I've ever read, thank you for making such a spell-binding & thought-provoking work! I hope that you do more of these books in the future, especially if they're music-related.