Over half a year of work, research and animation its finally done. Feb 17, 2016 alternate history books bring readers to familiar but slightly foreign worlds. Explore endless hypotheticals with the books below. This is a list of alternate history fiction, sorted by type. These stories usually contain what if scenarios at crucial points in history and present outcomes other than those in the historical record. Tossing history out the window and running with this imaginative premise, this trilogystarter is one of the most fun alternative world war ii. This is because alternate history fiction is concerned with stories stemming from real life. Ultimate alternate world war ii perfected 19391951 youtube. The unsettling alternate history of the man in the high. A hypothetical axis victory in world war ii has become a common concept of alternative history and counterfactual history.
Im looking for recommendations for alternate history wwii. Best alternate history novels and stories 610 books. World war ii alternate histories alternative history fandom. Dominion is the first of many world war ii alternate histories you will see. The most common variant of these detail the victory and survival of nazi germany. Were introduced to a postwwii united states that is run by imperial japan and nazi germanythe result of axis victory and a place where slavery is legal and jews must hide. During world war ii, everyone had a planor at least thought they did. Tired of alternate history books where the axis won world war ii, or the south won the civil war. The big switch by harry turtledove, north reich by robert conroy, hold back the sun by warren bell, democracys m. Alternate history lists books most often tabbed as alternate history.
Discover the best alternate history science fiction in best sellers. Published in 2004 this is a collection of alternate history shortstories. An alternate history novel from the eyes of a german war correspondent. Alternate history fiction books to read now penguin. Hope peter g tsouras will edit more alternate history book. Dominion is the first of many world war ii alternate histories you will see on this list and is an example. Sometimes they take us to our worst nightmarelike a nazi ruled united statesor a place with time travel. The following five works are a great way to dip your toe into the unique genre, as each book neatly navigates fantasy and reality in great hypothetical historical tangents and boasts twisted plotlines that showcase the results of putting historical facts and fantastical elements in the blender. 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. Here, the inimitable roth imagines an alternate history that sees franklin roosevelt lose the 1940 election to the zealous isolationism of charles lindbergh, who was a spokesman for the america first committee and often spoke against the media and blamed american jews. May 25, 2018 many, many alternate history ask how the world would be different if germany had won world war ii. But for every plan put into action, an alternative one is scrapped or kept hidden for future use. There is no shortage of alternate histories based on wwii and nazis, but the hugo awardwinning the man in the high castle is certainly one of the most chilling and masterfully written. There lack of few alternate history films can be chalked up to the complexity of alternate reality fiction as a genre.
Hypothetical axis victory in world war ii wikipedia. For example in otl, the flensburg government essentially a remnant of nazi leadership with the same laws and ideology, restricted to a small north german city near the danish border managed to survive until 5 june 1945, arguably a record time considering hitler offed himself on 30 april 1945. An alternate history of picassos life and possibly death in paris during world war ii. This category has the following 7 subcategories, out of 7 total. World war ii alternate histories alternative history. Alternate histories of various events occurring in the past, such as the civil war, spark the curiosity of readers. A ghostly ferry makes passages between coexisting different earths. There is a secret history of the worlda history in which an alien virus struck the earth in the aftermath of world war ii, endowing a handful of survivors with extraordinary powers. Dick you cant discuss alternate history without bringing up the man in the high castle.
What would happen if magic and superheroes were real. Codenamed operation downfall, the planned invasion of japan is a popular source of inspiration for alternate history books, comics, and even board games. Alternate history the second american revolution waffen ss anti partisan patrol by theodoreeicke on deviantart alternative history axis win world war ii. The most unusual alternate history novels ever published. This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and if not signed in for advertising. Robots take over czechoslovakia and eventually the world just before world war ii in a thoughtprovoking script that raises questions about the future of humanity and science. Dicks the man in the high castle, a story about the residents of a nazi and japanoccupied united states, has long been famous for its alternate history inside an alternate. May 05, 2018 i am not a nazi, i do not support nazis, this video was just made for fun, and isnt my political view. The best alternate history stories of the 20th century explore fascinating, often chilling what if accounts of the world that could have existedand still might yet. But as the brothers story emerges from books, letters, and diaries, the evidence does not all add up, and there may be an even wider separation between them. Luckily for you, there are a ton of allohistories that pick more obscure and interesting points of.
Alternate history fiction books to read now penguin random. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. But is a major war involving every world power on the. World war ii alternate histories are texts wherein events during world war ii occurred differently to those in history. Who cares about boring, ol regular history when you can have alternate history. They do refer to wwii as the decisive moment in western history, and theyre not necessarily wrong. Here, the inimitable roth imagines an alternate history that sees franklin roosevelt lose the 1940 election to the zealous isolationism of charles lindbergh, who was a spokesman for the america first committee and often spoke against the media and blamed american jews for pushing the u. As an avid reader of alternate history and technothrillers ithought, 1945 was a great book. 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. I have been asked which alternate history books i think are the best. We have made a list of our favourite alternate history books which we think you will. Ministry of space by warren ellis is an alternate history in which the uk captures all the wwii german rocket scientists before the us and ussr can. 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. Subsequently, in the balance is a thoughtprovoking, well crafted and fresh approach to.
Speculate about wwii battles that never were, changes in battles and explore ideas about how the war could have been different. An alternate history novel of the american civil war. The weapons involved wereaccurate and the premise of germany surviving the second world war intact, is hardly outlandish. Alternate history is a branch of science fiction in which the course of history splits from the world as we know it, frequently at one crucial point, which aficionados call a point of divergence, and moves forward into speculative historical fiction. Eleven stories of the german victory in world war ii by. 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. Alternative history of the 19th century where wolves have migrated to england via the channel tunnel. Ultimate alternate world war ii perfected 19391951. What if some humans could wave magic wands and turn turtles into teapots. Two nuclear attacks on texan towns usher in world war iii, big brotherstyle us government surveillance, energy crises, an.
Sure, one could argue that it has become alternate history after the fact, but when it was written in 1948, it was a dystopian novel set in the then near future. He just finished the man in the high castle, and he was pretty disappointedhe found it. Herman wouks the caine mutiny is set in our own historical timeline for world war ii and is thus historical fiction. The hardsf book won a sidewise award for alternate history, and was nominated for the.
This is just a practice in alternate history and made in no way to offend anyone. Aug 29, 2018 basically, if you have an imagination, alternate history delivers. What if the confederates won the american civil war. An example of honorary alternate history is the 1980s series the zone by james rouch about world war iii in europe. There is no shortage of alternate histories based on wwii and nazis, but hugo awardwinning the man in the high castle is a chilling, masterfully written dystopian look of what could have happened if the axis powers had won the war. An ah story begins with a single fact that differentiates the world of the story from our own, and goes on to detail the events that might have occurred if this fact was true. Alternate history or alternative history is a genre of fiction consisting of stories in which one or more historical events occur differently. The most popular theme for alternative histories by far is world war ii it would have been possible to populate the entire list with books where the nazis won or the conflicts outcome is drastically different. Fortress falling moon brothers wwii adventure series book 2.
The classic example is what if the nazis had won world war ii. Such writings express ideas of what the world would be like had the axis powers of germany, italy, and japan won world war ii. Two nuclear attacks on texan towns usher in world war iii, big brotherstyle us government surveillance, energy crises, an underground neomarxist movement oh, and. Feb 02, 2017 harry turtledoves series that begins with an alternative series of american civil wars continuing on through into world war ii has 23 of the volumes in the wwi era and its interesting stuff with upton sinclair as president and the u. Science fictions most illustrious and visionary authors hold forth the ul. At the end of wwii yougoslavian troops took trieste and gorizia while also reaching klagenfurt, but were soon forced to pull their troops out, with cities eventually going to italy and austria. I felt that the raid on oak ridge was stretched, but not totally impossible. If the nazis dont come into power, is a second world war still likely. This book contains an example of alternate alternate history, in that one of its characters authored a book depicting a reality in which the allies won the war, itself divergent from realworld history.
The title of this listopia says best alternate history novels and stories, yet oryx and crake, the year of the flood, the handmaids tale and 1984, which was written in 1949, are all set in the future due to this, and as earlier comments agree with me, ive removed these titles from this list. Harry turtledoves series that begins with an alternative series of american civil wars continuing on through into world war ii has 23 of the volumes in the wwi era and its interesting stuff with upton sinclair as president and the u. Beyond turtledove and fatherland, i only know of the moscow option, but its not really so much an alternate history as an altered history. I have a book about an alternate britain ruled by oswald mosley the leader thats set during wwii, with britain obviously being a german ally. And the man in the high castle is among the most wellknown books that tackle that question. Are there any alternate wwi books like the abundance of ww2. An alternative evolution by dougal dixon, a book chronicling the world had the dinosaurs. In an alternative world war ii that lasts ten years, japan becomes a stronger naval power thanks to admiral isoroku yamamoto who appears. World war ii alternate histories are fiction wherein events during world war ii occurred differently to those in history. Turtledove has created a niche market all to himself through his alternate history novels. If the csa won world war i by jordanalternate history is a genre of speculative fiction which alters historical events and sets stories within the worlds created by those changes. An alternate history novel is mentioned by the protagonists in which ww 3 was averted, though needless to say it doesnt have the kennedys being assassinated either.
Jan 08, 2014 if the csa won world war i by jordan alternate history is a genre of speculative fiction which alters historical events and sets stories within the worlds created by those changes. Are there any alternate wwi books like the abundance of. Some were called aces, which were those with superhuman mental. A novel at personal tools for home lists products b the i new york times i bestselling classic of alternate history a murder mystery set in a world where the nazis won world war ii for fans of i the plot against america i an. World war ii alternate histories are one of the two most popular point of divergences to create an alternate. The story takes place in the united states, run by imperial japan and nazi germany, where slavery is legal and jews must hide. This is an alternate history based on no doubt the most ask. Basically, if you have an imagination, alternate history delivers. Thus with no nazi takeover, wwii as we know it cant happen. There is a secret history of the worlda history in which an alien virus struck the earth in the aftermath of world war ii. Turtledove has created a niche market all to himself through his alternatehistory novels. The most common variant of these detail the victory and survival of the axis powers. Dec 11, 2017 over half a year of work, research and animation its finally done.
A large amount of the appeal of this genre comes from the interplay between. This vibrant fiction genre could be renamed what if books. Set in 1962 after nazi germany and japan won world war ii in 1948. Dicks novel, the man in the high castle 1962, is an alternate history in which nazi germany and imperial japan won world war ii. My husband, who is very much interested in wwii history, would like some recommendations on books which deal with an alternate view of wwii history. In the balance sees the start of a grand war on earth between humans and an invasion force from the stars. The most common variant of these detail the victory and survival of nazi germany subcategories. Many, many alternate history ask how the world would be different if germany had won world war ii.
It differs from historical fiction, which mostly sticks to real history. While there was a moderate chance of yugoslavia getting a gorizia in post war negotiations, trieste. Best alternate history novels and stories other lists of note. Thanks to this and the iron will of space ministry head john dashwood who funds research with stolen nazi gold, the uk space program reaches the moon by 1960, and has colonies on mars and the. 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. We all love a good alternate history yarn no one more so, it must be. You cant discuss alternate history without bringing up the man in the high castle. Say the weimar republic is a bit more stable and remains ruled by the spd or zentrum another democratic party. Operation downfall has also served an important political function, justifying the atomic bombings of hiroshima and nagasaki by contrasting the reallife casualties with the projected loss of life in an invasion of the japanese home islands. I have always been uncomfortable giving my opinion because it would be based solely on the books i have read or that i heard are good. Looking at small decisions and events, creative storytellers look to see how different choices could have led to different outcomes and perhaps changed the course of history.
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