The best alternative histories in literature by richard davies at. Alternate history novels take significant events and ask how things might have turned out differently. Alternate history novels craft a fictional narrative with a mixture of both true and imagined historical context to create a world thats both familiar and enjoyably different to readers. Alternate war history novels like the man in the high castle. World war ii continues to be a popular subject of published and online alternative. Often times, historical fiction books capture the mood of an era just as deftly as their nonfiction counterpartsand the following novels are no exception. Mar 22, 2019 you might also be interested in my post, 5 top nonfiction books about world war ii plus many runnersup and 20 most enlightening historical novels plus dozens of runnersup. Ssgb presents an alternate history world where winston churchill has been executed by the nazis and great britain is under the oppression of brutal nazi occupation. Dick is one of the first alternate history novels to look at an axis victory in world war two. The first novel in a brandnew alternate history series where teddy roosevelt is president for a second time right before wwi breaks out, and on his side is the black chamber, a secret spy network watching americas back. In our list of ten great novels that rewrite history, youll also find a jewish.
The north rather than the south seceding from the union. Mar 12, 2020 alternate history novels take significant events and ask how things might have turned out differently. The colonization trilogy deals with the course of history a generation after the initial series, as the humans and aliens work to share earth. This category has the following 7 subcategories, out of 7 total. By turns disturbing and heroic, they represent some of the greatest works of world war ii literature, offering a multicultural perspective of the deadliest conflict in human history. American civil war alternate histories are one of the two most popular points of divergence to create an alternate history in the english language, the other being an axis victory in world war ii.
Check out the 10 most consequential events of world war ii and 15 good books about the holocaust, including both fiction and nonfiction. But they both concentrate on the aftermath and how messed up a nazi world would be. Yamato dynasty survives world war ii the japanese imperial family was abolished after japan surrendered to the allied powers at the very end of the second world war. Luckily for you, there are a ton of allohistories that pick more obscure and interesting points of.
Dick was first published in 1962 and use an alternate historical timeline as its setting. What if the confederates won the american civil war. World war ii alternate histories are fiction wherein events during world war ii occurred differently to those in history. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Some major names such as sinclair lewis, kingsley amis, michael chabon and philip roth have imagined alternate. This was a major stumbling block during the negotiations and caused some serious setbacks and stumbling blocks for negotiatiors on both sides. For the sake of all the current and future alternate historians. Not to be confused with another novel with a similar name, this book is amazing, enriching.
Id really love to read another authors alternate take on the era, but i havent found any other titles yet. Frangie, rio, and rainy, three girls from different walks of life, sign up to fight against the nazi war machine, the greatest threat the world has ever seen. Alternate history notes on the best and worst novels and. During world war ii, clementine served as a close adviser to winston. Does anybody know of any alternate history novels set inaround the revolutionary war period. Alternate history ultimate pop culture wiki fandom. Alternate history fiction is where an author takes a point in history and asks what if it had happened differently. An alternate history of the second world war worldwar.
Published in 2004 this is a collection of alternate history shortstories. So there was recently a thread about a hypothetical world war ii in a hypothetical central powers victory scenario, and it gave me the idea for this thread. The 1963 kennedy assassination is a popular event of alternate history, inspiring novels. Though it may be a popular genre, only a select few historical fiction books about world war ii truly capture the nuance and danger of that period of time in our worlds history. Set in 1964, this alternatehistory spy thriller takes place in a world where nazi germany launches a massive. There is a secret history of the world a history in which an alien virus struck the earth in the aftermath of world war ii, endowing a handful of survivors with extraordinary powers. Map of north america in bring the jubilee by federation x 8. I have pursued an interest in alternate history for several years now but only in the last few months have i. Harris 1992 novel is among the ultimate alternate world war ii stories. The most common variant of these detail the victory and survival of nazi germany.
Apr 10, 2019 though it may be a popular genre, only a select few historical fiction books about world war ii truly capture the nuance and danger of that period of time in our worlds history. At their worst, these books may seem like an empty exercise in world building. There are just so many to choose from that it is hard to pick just one. Black chamber a novel of an alternate world war book 1 ebook. Best alternate history novels and stories 611 books. In his first alternate version of world war ii, depicted in 1945, the u. Frangie, rio, and rainy, three girls from different walks of life, sign up to fight against the nazi war machine. You might also be interested in my post, 5 top nonfiction books about world war ii plus many runnersup and 20 most enlightening historical novels plus dozens of runnersup. Dj taylors top 10 counterfactual novels by dj taylor at the guardian. World war ii alternate histories are texts wherein events during world war ii occurred differently to those in history.
World war ii produced alternate history for propaganda. In addition, he has been credited with giving original treatment to alternate themes previously dealt with by many others, such as the victory of the south in the american. Im guessing the op would want a book with a timeline on the nazis winning the war, more like turtledoves early tl191 books. The genre has a variety of names, but it is best known as alternate history. Superhero roleplaying in a world on fire, 19361946, set in an alternate history version of world war ii where people known as talents have developed unexplained powers. The most unusual alternate history novels ever published.
An alternate history novel from the eyes of a german war correspondent. Alternate history project gutenberg selfpublishing. Alternate war history novels like the man in the high. Over half a year of work, research and animation its finally done. There is a secret history of the worlda history in which an alien virus struck the earth in the aftermath of world war ii. These were the real people, they took a science fiction alternate history and. Some were called aces, which were those with superhuman mental. Len deighton has written extensively about world war 2 from a nonfiction perspective and his depth of knowledge adds detail and authenticity to this gripping novel.
One of the delights of the alternate history genre of fiction is that its authors generally expend some considerable effort on the notion of history itself, especially the way in which history unwinds out of a skein of causes both large and small. Set in a version of america that is ruled by japan and germany, with a neutral zone in between, this book is gets a little loopy, but its a classic of. World war ii alternate histories alternative history. Jan 12, 2019 its a question that has spanned countless hours of speculation among the communities of the internet, giving birth to fictional films, television series and novels. Pages in category novels about world war ii alternate histories the following 33 pages are in this category, out of 33 total. According to steven h silver, alternate history requires three things. World war ii alternate histories are texts wherein events during world war ii occurred differently to. Tarantino basically rewrites history as a jewish revenge fantasy, as his basterds annihilate the entire nazi leadership inside a cinema and win the war. Feb 26, 2018 this post on world war ii books is sponsored by libby. The third reich and the united states are locked in a cold war, and harris delights in dropping hints concerning everything that is different as a result of the twist of the historical record. The big switch by harry turtledove, north reich by robert conroy, hold back the sun by warren bell, democracys m. Dicks brainwarping story is set in a world where the axis powers won world war ii, and america has been divided between japan and nazi germany the brain twisting bit.
Dicks the man in the high castle, fatherland by robert harris, and jo waltons farthing trilogy farthing, hapenny, and. May 25, 2018 many, many alternate history ask how the world would be different if germany had won world war ii. By downloading libby to your smartphone, you can access thousands of ebooks and audiobooks from your library for free anytime and anywhere. In the literature of alternate history, nazi germany often wins world war ii. And then in the later part of the book the americans just bulldoze their way across the rhine anyway and win quickly, throwing in a noble clean wehrmacht rommel to save the day and neatly clean up the potentially messy aftermath, because conroy realized he didnt use that particular world war ii alternate history cliche yet. Written in 1962, its set in a fictional 1962 where nazi germany, fascist italy and imperial japan have won the war. The alternate history list is a bibliography of over 3400 novels, stories, essays, collections, and other printed material involving the what ifs of history. A set of characters by death and rebirth see the technological and. Dec 11, 2017 over half a year of work, research and animation its finally done. His site has the largest alternate history forum im aware of and a good set of links.
In this novel, it was the axis powers that emerged victorious from world war ii and imperial japan, along with nazi germany ended up ruling the former united states. Set in the 20th century where the aztec empire is now a global super power. This vibrant fiction genre could be renamed what if books. The best historical fiction books about world war ii you. In an alternate history, the nazis occupy england mal. The subsequent novels, hapenny and half a crown, follow inspector carmichael, the detective who investigated the farthing. I love great historical novels, so i was looking forward to this book set at the cusp of world war ii, but i wasnt expecting it to be so good, or so impactful. And the novel within the novel, where an author the titular man in the high castle has written a book about the allies winning the war, is a great reversal of this idea. Many, many alternate history ask how the world would be different if germany had won world war ii. In writing an alternate history, the author makes the conscious choice to change something in our past. As a big alternate history fan, i get asked often to recommend a good alternate history books, but that is like asking me what my favorite film is.
The forums owner is a former contributor to point of divergence. The premise, where dick imagines a world where the axis powers won world war ii, is certainly interesting. World war ii alternate histories alternative history fandom. The most common variant of these detail the victory and survival of the axis powers. Its a question that has spanned countless hours of speculation among the communities of the internet, giving birth to fictional films, television series and novels. And the man in the high castle is among the most wellknown books that tackle that question. Apr 20, 2017 in an alternate history, the nazis occupy england. Small means playing in the margins, subtly twisting known history, or exploring. How could world war one end in a stalemate, with no side winning, and how could that lead to a possible second world war.
Hitler is debilitated for weeks after a plane crash on december 6, 1941, leaving germany in the hands of a troika of goring, goebbels, and halder, vicious nazis all but more pragmatic than the darkly romantic fuehrer. Dick you cant discuss alternate history without bringing up the man in the high castle. These alternate history books imagine the possibilities. The axis of time trilogy is an alternative history series of novels written by australian journalist and author john birmingham, from macmillan publishing the novels deal with the radical alteration of the history of world war ii and the sociohistorical changes that result when a technologically advanced naval task force from the year 2021 is accidentally transported back through time to 1942. The most common variant of these detail the victory and survival of nazi germany subcategories. He has written some excellent articles on how alternate timelines might work. The top 25 novels about alternate history worlds that never were at. This book highlights the atrocities committed by stalin during world war 2, which rival those of the germans towards the jews during the same time period. Tired of alternate history books where the axis won world war ii, or the south won the civil war. Alternate history fiction is a popular and exciting subgenre of speculative fiction. These two authors also wrote 1945, a fairly strong alternate history in which the us went to war with japan, but not germany, during world war ii.
Kim stanley robinson 2002 the black plague wipes out 99% of european population. World war ii alternate histories are one of the two most popular point of divergences to create an alternate. Black chamber a novel of an alternate world war book 1 3. Jan 08, 2014 if you love alternate history or military fiction, this series will keep you on the edge of your seat with excitement. In worldwar, aliens invade during world war ii in 1941.