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Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 6:38 pm
by GORDON
What happens when a naval battle group accidentally gets time shifted from the year 2031 to Midway, 1942?
I knew the broad strokes of the story... and while I am not really a "alternate-history" Turtledove fan, I gave it a read.
It's kind of a bummer.
The biggest shock was that I never considered how a present-day racially )and sexually_ integrated combat unit would be completely shit upon in 1942. There's lots of that problem in this book.
Was written in 2004, and the future battlegroup was gearing up to fight the newly-formed jihadi caliphate. I found some of the author's opinions about the ability of muslims to wage war amusingly dated, a mere 8 years later. It was appropriate for 2004, though.
The existence of the Supercarrier USS Hillary Clinton, though, named after "the most unrelenting wartime president in US history," was amusing.
The future combat capabilites were also enjoyable for an old jarhead like me.
All in all, too much of a bummer, and I didn't enjoy it. Then it ended on a cliffhanger and I looked and saw it was a trilogy (did not know that) so then I had to order the other 2 books used from amazon.
Sigh.
It better have a happy ending. I hate bummer endings.
Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 3:50 pm
by GORDON
Second book is a little less... depressing. The future battlegroup gets a little traction under their wheels, but problems arise because one of the older ships is found by the Axis, and with all of the history books that were onboard, they learned how badly, and why, they were about to get their asses kicked.... and Stalin, Hitler, and Tojo/Yamamoto adjust plans accordingly. So holy shit, Stalin took the Soviet Union neutral, agreed to a cease-fire with Hitler, the Japanese have landed on Australia, and shit is fucking fucked up.
But, interestingly, the future peeps find themselves an even bigger enemy on the homefront in the form of "the vicious little faggot" J. Edgar Hoover.
Am now looking forward to the 3rd book.
Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 4:14 pm
by Malcolm
They found the books when? Because after a certain point, even had the Axis played things perfectly, they still lose, it just takes longer.
Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:45 pm
by GORDON
Malcolm wrote:They found the books when? Because after a certain point, even had the Axis played things perfectly, they still lose, it just takes longer.
Not so much books, but, basically, a fleet-cached internet from 2021. 80 years of Janes Military Weaponry books, music, and movies. And they were recovered right before the battle of Midway in 1942.
And all that it implies. For example, everyone knows how to make nukes, now. And jets. And body armor. And assault rifles. And helicopters. And they know about terrorist strikes on civilian targets. And everybody knows about the Japanese ongoing treatment of POWs. And Hitler's ongoing plan for the Jews in Europe. And that a chick named Norma is going to be named Marilin Monroe. And who the next several Presidents are... or were... going to be.
So yeah. Historical left turn, Clyde.
Edited By GORDON on 1364260152
Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:46 pm
by GORDON
It cracked me up when I read what the motto of the USS Hillary Clinton was. Not sure if I should spoiler it.
Spoiler below.
"It takes a carrier."
Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 9:03 pm
by Malcolm
Shit. Yeah. '42 would have made a difference. Particularly if Adolf could get over his "must invade Russia" strategy.
Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 9:16 pm
by GORDON
Started the 3rd book.
It is a LITTLE irritating in that some major shit was building up at the end of the second book... and the 3rd book is like 18 months later and it is just recalled as, "Yeah, wow, that was some major shit we went through."
I feel like I got cheated out of some Marine combat porn.
Edited By GORDON on 1364260614
Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 9:26 pm
by Malcolm
Much easier just to leave that shit to your imagination than put the huge effort into the background. Hell, consider it 2.5 material.
Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 9:33 pm
by GORDON
Yeah, I get that they wanted to advance the plot to 1944 and everybody's race to build Future Tech 1. But I wanted my FutureTech Marine Amphib Landing in... that place.
Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 8:35 pm
by GORDON
Book 3 was satisfying enough. Less "social consequences" and more "Let's get down to the business of Europe and the Pacific, and why has Stalin been so quiet for the last 2 years?"
And, the story didn't end, so I am guessing there is a book 4 in development.
Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 8:38 pm
by GORDON
Just looked. Apparently there was a novella released last month on Kindle, regarding what Stalin is doing in 1955.....
Here is one of the amazon reviews: This book changed my life, removed my dandruff, altered my voting intentions, helped me lose 83kg of ugly fat named NowhereBob and whiled away a pleasant afternoon. Some of which may be true. Although I'm not an author writing under a fake name, I genuinely enjoyed this book - as I did the previous trilogy - and look forward to more from this mysterious and reclusive man. Neither this nor any other 5 star reviews of Mr Birmingham's work are paid for or indeed influenced by the fact that he holds my sweet little kitten, Tiglath-Pileser III - hostage in an underground cat-box guarded by his flatulent labrador. Don't worry Tiggy, you'll be home by Xmas.