The most popular theme for alternative histories by far is world war ii it. Napoleon and the conquest of the world by louis geoffroy, napoleon s first french empire emerging. In 1942, a series of meetings took place between the war planners of the imperial. It is thus a novel of future history rather than an alternative one. The man in the high castle the man in the high castle is usually placed near or at the top of all alternative history lists and for good reason. 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 stories usually contain what if scenarios at crucial points in history and present outcomes other than those in the historical record. During world war ii, everyone had a planor at least thought they did. American archaeologist martin padway is visiting the pantheon in rome in 1938. The most common variant of these detail the victory and survival of the axis powers. The popular harry turtledove, who specializes in alternate history novels, has suggested what might have happened in 11.
Once again culling from the excellent comments left in my original post on the topic from a while back, here are the books. This is a story that inspired philip k dick to write an alternate history who we will talk about later and still has one of the best twists in alternate history, even if it has been done to death by the present. Does anybody know of any alternate history novels set inaround the revolutionary war period. Swastika night, authored by katherine burdekin under the pseudonym murray constantine in 1937, is a unique case given that it came out before world war ii even began. Because world war ii played out differently, the cold war is very different. 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. The subsequent novels, hapenny and half a crown, follow inspector carmichael, the. In an alternative world war ii that lasts ten years, japan becomes a stronger.
Written in 1962, its set in a fictional 1962 where nazi germany, fascist italy and imperial japan have won the war and more or less divided the world between themselves see map above. There are several stories that are set in timelines in which world war ii took a different course or reached a different. Hhour, an alternate history novel of the late cold war, is available for purchase on amazon. 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. World war ii is a frequent setting in the works of harry turtledove, particularly his alternate history works. World war ii alternate histories alternative history.
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. 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. A genre of speculative fiction stories sometimes called uchronia or anachronism, set in a world where one or more historical events unfolded quite differently than they did in the real world. What if the confederates won the american civil war. His days of infamy books have japan occupying hawaii. For the sake of all the current and future alternate historians. The most intriguing alternate history weve heard of in ages.
The undisputed king of alternative histories is the prolific harry turtledove, who has helped guide the genre into mainstream reading. Alternate decisions of world war ii and millions of other books are. Not to be confused with another novel with a similar name, this book is amazing, enriching, and well worth a read. In the second great war commonly known as world war ii, the axis powers represented right wing authoritarian nations like germany, italy, japan, and spain. The books are opening atlantisdiscovery, colonization, and alternate version of frenchindian war, the united states of atlantisrevolutionary war, and liberating atlantiscivil war. World war ii alternate histories are one of the two most popular point of divergences to create an alternate. The second half of the novel is more in the present day, but still flips back and forth to world war ii. 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. A gripping alternate history of england after world war ii.
Dick is one of the first alternate history novels to look at an axis victory in world war two. These alternate history books imagine the possibilities. This vibrant fiction genre could be renamed what if books. The world war ii part of my alternate history section got big enough that it needed a section of its own. Oct 23, 20 dj taylors top 10 counterfactual novels. World war ii was the biggest war in human history, but what if it wasnt entirely human. Apr 10, 2019 all of the world war ii novels on this list help us do just that.
Feb 26, 2018 this post on world war ii books is sponsored by libby. Novelists as varied in their techniques as robert harris, cj. Best alternate history novels and stories 610 books. World war ii alternate histories are one of the two most popular point of divergences to create an alternate history in the english. World war ii alternate histories are texts wherein events during world war ii occurred differently to those in history. There are several strong sexual scenes in the book. Some major names such as sinclair lewis, kingsley amis, michael chabon and philip roth have imagined alternate.
Published in 2004 this is a collection of alternate history shortstories. This novel follows the red leather book, an incriminating document listing nazi sympathizers at the height of world war ii and the extension of the nazi party into south america. The alternate history scenarios listed take place from 1919 through at least 1946. Alternate history the value of debating what might have been.
Pages in category world war ii novels the following 200 pages are in this category, out of approximately 441 total. If the soviet victory had been less decisive, the japanese might have tried for a rematch. The bat and balloon war an alternate history of wwii. The big switch by harry turtledove, north reich by robert conroy, hold back the sun by warren bell, democracys m. Dick you cant discuss alternate history without bringing up the man in the high castle. 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 world s history. What if, by the passing of just two events, japan and germany had won world war 2. Id really love to read another authors alternate take on the era, but i havent found any other titles yet. Many readers suggested anthony beevors books stalingrad and the fall of berlin 1945. Lest darkness fall is possibly the earliest and best example of the alternate history genre. World war ii historical fiction, historical fiction, books. 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 the genre. There are just so many to choose from that it is hard to pick just one. It starts with the age of colonization, but the east coast of north america was separated from the rest before the europeans discovered it.
After yesterdays world war ii fiction post, now its time for the nonfiction. The italian world war ii alternative history l iterature. Eleven stories of the german victory in world war ii by gregory benford east of the sun the prometheus saga by jade kerrion. The alternate history list is a bibliography of over 3400 novels, stories, essays, collections, and other printed material involving the what ifs of history. Thats good, or else the man in the high castle by philip k.
Two nuclear attacks on texan towns usher in world war iii, big brotherstyle us government surveillance, energy crises, an underground neomarxist movement. The most common variant of these detail the victory and survival of nazi germany. The japanese decided to make peace and leave the soviets alone, which they did through most of world war ii. Create an imaginative world war 2 alternate history book. This following video is for fun, and does not display my, or any others political views, nor is it a prediction for our future. Japan went to war to gain the resources it felt it needed, and to be honest, it did need a lot of those resources to survive and thrive in the more modern world. 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.
Jan 08, 2014 if you love alternate history or military fiction, this series will keep you on the edge of your seat with excitement. Im guessing the op would want a book with a timeline on the nazis winning the war, more like turtledoves early tl191 books. Many, many alternate history ask how the world would be different if germany had won world war ii. The novel posits a scenario where the august coup of 1991 succeeds, leading eventually to world war iii. Though my kids are mostly too young to stay up for saturday night live, we occasionally watch parts of the show online. The goddess of fortune is a work of speculative fiction in which alternate history is explored, and consequences examined. Hypothetical axis victory in world war ii wikipedia. See the complete world war ii series book list in order, box sets or omnibus editions, and companion titles. By downloading libby to your smartphone, you can access thousands of ebooks and audiobooks from your library for free anytime and anywhere. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading third reich victorious. Its a natural question given the axis winning world war ii is a standard alternate history plot line and even if we know it is unlikely its interesting to. There are several stories that are set during or after world war ii, but have their point of divergence in the period between 1937 and 1945. 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. Its a common question on here to ask how you can make nazi germanyimperial japanfascist italythe axis in general do better in wwii.
We all love a good alternate history yarn no one more so, it must be. Nov 03, 2018 the best alternate history stories of the 20th century by harry turtledove hitler victorious. The first novel, how few remain 1997, introduced a world where, years after the war, the former usa is divided into two nations. The best historical fiction books about world war ii you. Its not a literary book, but it is definitely wellresearched. Plus, it is the only american civil war alternate history to make the list, and for good reason. Civil war alternate history novels nonfiction history of. Dec 11, 2017 this is my alternate history of world war 2. The allied powers represented more leftwing nations such as the soviet union and china. His novels have been credited with bringing alternate history into the mainstream. Alternative history of the 19th century where wolves have migrated to.
Some of them are, colonization and worldwar series alien invasion during world war 2 cross time traffic series a trading company with a. And the man in the high castle is among the most wellknown books that tackle that question. Because the factor that limits the authors imagination arent the boundaries of science but those of history itself. World war ii alternate histories alternative history fandom. Tired of alternate history books where the axis won world war ii, or the south won the civil war. The most unusual alternate history novels ever published. The european nations that have colonies in asian will not give up their territory very easily and will not be much more inclined to trade with japan in this scenario than they were in otl. Dick explores what life would be like if the allied powers lost world war ii, and japan and germany became rulers of the united states. Weird and wacky versions of an alternate world war ii. The genre has a variety of names, but it is best known as alternate history. At their worst, these books may seem like an empty exercise in world building. World war ii alternate histories are fiction wherein events during world war ii occurred differently to those in history. 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.
American civil war alternate histories are alternate history fiction that focuses on the civil war or a lack thereof ending differently. Alternate history or alternative history is a genre of fiction consisting of stories in which one or more historical events occur differently. This is a list of alternate history fiction, sorted by type. Dj taylors top 10 counterfactual novels books the guardian. But they both concentrate on the aftermath and how messed up a nazi world would be. And if any of the plans below had been used, our history would have changed entirely.
But for every plan put into action, an alternative one is scrapped or kept hidden for future use. Alternate universe world war ii works archive of our own. On august 6, 1945, during world war ii 193945, an american b29 bomber dropped the world s first deployed atomic bomb over the japanese city. Though its a slight alternate history in that women are able to serve in combat and on the front lines in this series. Alternate history novels take significant events and ask how things might have turned out differently. World war ii fiction recommendations historical fiction. Jun 25, 2018 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. Jan 19, 2015 the man in the high castle by philip k. The soviets had more and better material, more manpower, and better. Five weird and wonderful versions of an alternate world.
Five favorite and weird and wacky versions of an alternate world war ii. His southern victory or timeline191 series has the confederates beating the union. Alternate history fiction is a popular and exciting subgenre of speculative fiction. Alternate histories of world war ii kindle edition by tsouras, peter g download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. It is similar to mark twain s a connecticut yankee in king arthurs court. Alternate universe world war ii 1258 world war ii 269 angst 220 alternate universe historical 215 alternate universe 214 romance 106 fluff 86 war 85 periodtypical homophobia 70 violence 62 other tags to exclude more options crossovers. The american civil war is a popular point of divergence in englishlanguage alternate history fiction. 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. 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 civil war or the victory of nazi germany in the second world war. Nov 07, 2016 i can suggest some of the books by harry turtledove. Alternate history fiction is where an author takes a point in history and asks what if it had happened differently. Set in 1964, this alternatehistory spy thriller takes place in a world where nazi germany launches a massive. The world war ii book series by multiple authors includes books the rising sun, the battle of the atlantic, time life world war ii.
Plenty of alternate history books focus on world war ii, but a new series coming in 2011 goes one better. An alternate history novel of the american civil war. For examples of alternate history work, see alternate history literature and alternate history web. Map of north america in bring the jubilee by federation x 8. Harris 1992 novel is among the ultimate alternate world war ii stories. Alternate history is a curious branch of science fiction or, perhaps more properly, of speculative fiction. The popular harry turtledove, who specializes in alternate history novels, has suggested what might have happened in 11 volumes so far. The most obvious answer, of course, would be a world where nazi germany won wwii and took over the world. 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. Luckily for you, there are a ton of allohistories that pick more obscure and interesting points of. Tsouras has assembled an ateam of wellknown historians and military analysts who have given a great deal of thought to the various turning points of world war ii.
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