World war ii alternate histories are texts wherein events during world war ii occurred differently to those in history. This timeline is an alternate history about a weakness soviet union, and with it, a different 20th century. In devils tower, the mass deaths of the civil war have brought about the return of. The guns of the south has the confederates equipped with ak47s by. These alternate history books imagine the possibilities. This is an uncommon but grievous rookie mistake, says terry bisson, whose alternate history of 1968, any day now, comes out march 1. Robert conroys red inferno, for example, is a novel in form but addresses primarily a war between the soviet union and the western allies in 1945. The best historical fiction books about world war ii you havent read yet. 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. The most common variant of these detail the victory and survival of the axis powers. The first nazivictory alternate history as such, in any language, was published in 1945 months after hitlers suicide and written by the hungarian author laszlo gaspar. Alternate history, alternate realities fiction, books.
This vibrant fiction genre could be renamed what if books. The years of rice and salt by kim stanley robinson. But for every plan put into action, an alternative one is scrapped or kept hidden for future use. Magestic ebook free alternate history novels and stories. Alternate history or alternative history is a genre of fiction consisting of stories in which one or more historical events occur differently. Walter john williams published a story in 1989, no spot of ground, that supposed that edgar allan poe survived his alcoholic dissipation, became a successful literary figure in the south, and went on to be a confederate general in the army of northern. Set in 1964, this alternatehistory spy thriller takes place in a world where nazi germany. World war ii alternate histories are one of the two most popular point of divergences to create an. There are lots of alternate history novels out there about the civil war, but mark sumners novel is different. Farthing touches on many social topics, such as antisemitism and homophobia, in a gripping tale drawing upon elements of the mystery genre. The boatgirls reflect on their cruel past experiences. Many, many alternate history ask how the world would be different if germany had won world war ii. In an alternative world war ii that lasts ten years, japan becomes a stronger naval power thanks to admiral isoroku yamamoto who appears. Some of them are, colonization and worldwar series alien invasion during world war 2 cross time traffic series a trading company with a.
The top five alternative history novels written by women. In his first alternate version of world war ii, depicted in 1945, the u. Alternate history fiction is where an author takes a point in history and asks what if it had happened differently. Hitler is rendered comatose and doesnt oversee the invasion of russia which is why the german army moves straight for moscow instead of dividing in two, attacking cities in the north and south, and then moving to moscow. Best alternate history novels and stories 619 books. And if any of the plans below had been used, our history would have changed entirely.
July 16, 1995 age 24, better known online as alternate history hub, is an american educational youtuber who goes over different alternate histories, such as. The most unusual alternate history novels ever published. He changes a number of things to make the story work, but its a fun read. Alternate history, long popular with fiction writers, has also been explored by historians and journalists.
Well, avoiding ya dystopian cliches, which are another thread entirely, here are my top 5. The genre has become increasingly popular since the late 20th. However the genre is awash with overused tropes and concentrated on various eras to the detriment of others. The black plague devastated the population of europe. The top 25 novels about alternate history worlds that never were at. The world of the man in the high castle alternate wwii. The first novel, how few remain 1997, introduced a world where, years after the war, the former usa is divided into two nations. These stories can blend speculative elements with historical facts, which is perfect for prompting discussion about what is truth and what is fiction in the novels discussed.
The books are opening atlantisdiscovery, colonization, and alternate version of frenchindian war, the united states of atlantis revolutionary war, and liberating atlantis civil war. Its one of the most famous alternate history novels and inspired countless authors to write their own scenarios. What if the south won the civil war, what if germany won ww2, and other alternate history topics. 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. Titled we, adolf i adolf the first, the novel envisages german success after fighting in stalingrad eventually leading to the victorious hitler crowning himself a new modern emperor. World war ii alternate histories are texts wherein events during world war ii occurred differently to.
There was an otherwise great movie made that posited what if the south won the civil war and kept slavery. Does anybody know of any alternate history novels set inaround the revolutionary war period. The undisputed king of alternative histories is the prolific harry turtledove, who has helped guide the genre into mainstream reading. Maybe not quite what your thinking of but in the same ballpark.
This is a list of alternate history fiction, sorted by type. During world war ii, everyone had a planor at least thought they did. Magestic ebook free alternate history novels and stories in a variety of formats. Lest darkness fall is possibly the earliest and best example of the alternate history genre. This anthology collects stories that feature a range of unusual situations many based on recorded events from the first nine volumes of the visions of the. With a pod after february 6, 1922 washington naval treaty, create the best plausible navy for an otl ww2 combatant. Many alternate history novels have explored what would have happened if hitler won the war, so the scenario of a stalemate is a welcome change of pace. This same basic idea appears again and again, but im yet to read a good alternative history set in a 21st century which departed from our history from before world war one. I can suggest some of the books by harry turtledove. Harris 1992 novel is among the ultimate alternate world war ii stories. A secret history in an alternate middle ages, a female captain of mercenaries travels through europe and the middle east, trying to prevent an invasion of europe by a carthaginian army.
His days of infamy books have japan occupying hawaii. See more ideas about ww2 aircraft, aircraft and alternate history. So, heres my list of the best alternative history novels written by women, presented in chronological order. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Though its a slight alternate history in that women are able to serve in combat and on the front lines in this. The most unusual alternate history novels ever published vs day. The most common variant of these detail the victory and survival of nazi germany. Alternate history may be divided into two subgenres. His southern victory or timeline191 series has the confederates beating the union.
Below youll find two lists, with the 10 best novels about world war ii listed first. 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. American archaeologist martin padway is visiting the pantheon in rome in 1938. So alternate history has become a fairly respectable genre of speculative fiction these days. Alternate history books are a great way to explore these questions, and alternate history for teens is becoming increasingly popular. Best alternate history novels ars technica openforum. Ww2 has produced so many great alternate histories robert harris fatherland novel is probably one of the best and most famous but never has it been. These stories usually contain what if scenarios at crucial points in history and present outcomes other than those in the historical record. World war ii alternate histories alternative history.
The big switch by harry turtledove, north reich by robert conroy, hold back the sun by warren bell, democracys m. Civil war alternate history novels nonfiction history. The great war harry turtledove goes the fuck off recounting american history from a civil war in which the. Dick you cant discuss alternate history without bringing up the man in the high castle. Underexplored alternate history concepts alternate history. The subsequent novels, hapenny and half a crown, follow inspector carmichael, the detective who investigated the farthing. We all know about ww2, the american civil war, ww1, the american revolution, various roman. Agent of byzantium has the byzantine empire surviving. The action in many of the novels by furst and kerr takes place either before or after the war and do not appear on this list.
Alt hist readers might be interested in a new anthology containing 28 science fiction and fantasy stories based on an extraordinary secret history vatican vaults is a captivating collection of original science fiction and fantasy stories based on the same alternate world premise. Dick is one of the first alternate history novels to look at an axis victory in world war two. Dj taylors top 10 counterfactual novels from tales of a jewish state in alaska to a hitler who won, the novelist picks the best fiction written in the historical subjunctive dj taylor. Set in 1964, this alternate history spy thriller takes place in a world where nazi germany. The alternate events subgenre focuses on the changing events themselves. And the man in the high castle is among the most wellknown books that tackle that question. This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and if not signed in for advertising. An alternate history novel from the eyes of a german war correspondent by claude stahl 3.
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. However, this is a profascism narrative written by an alternatehistory adolf hitler, who in this timeline emigrated from germany to the united states in 1919 after the great war, and used his modest artistic skills to become first a pulpscience fiction illustrator and later a successful science fiction writer, telling lurid, purpleprosed. Robert conroy has written six alternate history novels none of which, despite the similarity of the idiosyncratic titles occur in the same universe 1901, about a german invasion of america, 1862, about britain entering the american civil war, 1945, about an american invasion of the japanese home islands. An alternate history novel from the eyes of a german war correspondent. Please add suggestions on the talk page world war ii alternate histories are fiction wherein events during world war ii occurred differently to those in history. The boat girls endure the perversions of the aristocrats. My favorite alternate history novels can be found at this horribly ugly website. We all love a good alternate history yarn no one more so, it must be said. Hypothetical axis victory in world war ii wikipedia. In 1942, a series of meetings took place between the war planners of the imperial. Ww2 had a great many naval participants but many of these navies didnt achieve as much as they had the potential to. The popular harry turtledove, who specializes in alternate history novels, has suggested what might have happened in 11 volumes so far.
Examples of alternate history can be found in literature as far back as the 1st century bc. Turtledove did a short story, lee at the alamo, that i enjoyed. Id really love to read another authors alternate take on the era, but i havent found any other titles yet. Alternate history novels, free ebooks in pdf, kindle, mobi, epub and many other formats. Imagine the great war never happening perhaps the balcan crysis is defused, the great powers reach a suitable agreement, bismarck makes a political successor, friedrich iii lives a bit longer and.
1381 793 1524 22 813 1306 1084 1193 1410 653 183 884 797 1103 117 160 696 1449 478 686 428 1071 110 174 489 1253 758 903 163 447 1126 1461 879 1269 1281 819 1021 1071 852