The Sword and Laser discussion

I haven't seen much from people on this genre, I personally am a HUGE fan of it (probably the history nerd in me). I'm curious what people have read.

Ones I've read:
Dies the Fire- most in the series, except a couple of the newer ones I haven't gotten around to reading, Includes the Island in the Sea of Time trilogy that started the whole universe.

Timeline-191, including: How Few Remain, Settling Accounts: Drive To The East, Settling Accounts: Return Engagement, The Great War: American Front, American Empire: Blood And Iron, American Empire: The Center Cannot Hold, Settling Accounts: The Grapple - probably one of the longest series in the AH genre, and most repetitive :( but takes on one of the most popular AH scenario's (along with If the Nazi's had won WW2) even though HT essentially repeats history and forces the South into a Nazi-esq regime for the "Second Great War". I have also read several of HT's other books including Guns of the South (which is a better read over all than the Timeline-191 universe).

Stars and Stripes Forever Harry Harrison's take on the Civil War if the British got involved then accidently slaughtered a Southern town, which pushes the South Back into the Union, then they turn on the British. Fun read, though not the most plausible

few others
The Two Georges The Sky People Resurrection Day and several others.

What have you guys read and loved?

1632 by Eric Flint

that's one I've been meaning to read, but also haven't gotten around to it. must put it on my "to-read" list :D

Gregory Keyes' Age of Unreason series, starting with 'Newton's Cannon' was pretty interesting. A solid mix of magic, physics and alternate history.

Edit: I should have mentioned story; Ben Franklin runs from his newspaper apprenticeship in the colonies for a chance to study magic and physics under Sir Isaac Newton.

No list of Alt-History is complete without The Man in the High Castle.

By far and away, by Mary Gentle. One of my all-time favourite books, simply amazing. I keep meaning to set aside time to re-read it. I believe she has another due out shortly.

Fatherland is also a good "true" alt-history, as is The Yiddish Policemen's Union.

By "true" I mean one based in real physics, etc. No fantasy elements like Wild Cards, Leviathan, His Majesty's Dragon and so on.

Kim wrote: "Fatherland is also a good "true" alt-history, as is The Yiddish Policemen's Union.

By "true" I mean one based in real physics, etc. No fantasy elements like Wild Cards, Leviathan, His Majesty's D..."

yeah, I like fantasy, just not in my Alt. History, or a majority of it.

Kim wrote: "No list of Alt-History is complete without The Man in the High Castle."

Now in the 'to read' list. Thanks.

Guns of the Southby Harry Turtledove and Agent of Byzantium.
The firts deals with the American Civil War in an interesting manner and the secod is a fix up novel about a secret agent in alternate Byzantine empire.

I liked the timeline-191, but I've always called it "that one series where the south won the civil war"

Once I'm finished the Nantucket trilogy I might try the Emberverse books.

This is a mild side track from the topic at hand, but I'm looking for some advice on Harry Turtledove and this seems like a good enough place as any to ask. :)

He's been on my radar for a while, specifically his Atlantis series and How Few Remain.

Recently, I was looking for a book to read for a challenge and stumbled across Gunpowder Empire, part of Turtledove's Crosstime Traffic series and I wasn't too impressed by it. The story is told from the PoV of two characters and the jumps from character to character were awkward, caught me off guard and generally made the book a bit confusing to read. I also felt like I was always being told about the was of live in this alternate Roman Empire and being told how it contrasted with the historical Roman Empire - rather than being shown through the actions of the characters in the story.

I didn't realize until after reading the story and checking out some more reviews that this is a Young Adult series - so I'm wondering if this is just his YA writing style or if this is something I can/should expect from his other books as well?

The Yiddish Policemen's Union is one of the best written books I've ever read in general. What I like in AH terms is that it takes place well after the point of divergence and focuses less about how the world is different from our timeline and more about the story that takes place in it, which is a fantastic detective tale.

Fatherland is another great one. Good writing there.

I've read the majority of the Turtledove timeline 191 series...I gave up at the first "WWII" book. Not only basically transplant what happened in our timeline to the US his writing is so repetitive and boring. If I read about one more damn character "clicking his tongue" or "augmenting" their beverage I would have eaten my book. I put those words in quotes because he not only repeated those actions, but used the same damn phrases each time.

Vicky wrote: "He's been on my radar for a while, specifically his Atlantis series and How Few Remain."

I didn't think too much of Opening Atlantis. It's put me off trying his other books.

Declare or Last Callby Tim Powers would be my first two picks, although both have some fantasy elements, Bitter Seedsby Ian Tregellis is another...

for those wanting good Turtledove, read his early stuff, pretty much anything prior to Timeline-191

The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson

Wild Cards by George R.R. Martin