The Great War: American Front

Rating:
Summary: I enjoyed this book very much
Review: I enjoyed this book very much, He out did himself in true Turtledove style. This novel gives an extreamly educated view of a war that, only for a few changes, could have happened. This is what I've come to expect for Harry Turtledove, through books like How Few Remain and The Guns of the South one gets a feeling of how much he enjoys writting alternate war history.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding
Review: This is going to be Turtledove's all-time best series. It's still not as much of a page-turner as The Guns of the South, but it's gripping and extremely well done, and the stories are both very entertaining and very effective in painting the portrait of Turtledove's alternate America. Outstanding!

Rating:
Summary: Great book on the Confederate States surviving the Civil War
Review: This book continues Harry Turtledove's series that delves into the possible world of a seperate Confederate nation that not only survives the Civil War but has another war with the United States to be able to act as She chooses, i.e. acquiring Sonora and Chihuahua from Mexico to obtain an outlet to the Pacific. All characters are well developed and this reader is waiting in rabid anticipation for the next book in the series (it won't come soon enough). I have some minor criticisms which may be ironed out before the series is over: 1) more maps! I would enjoy knowing the geo-political situation of the world including a world map and perhaps more general statements on the war's battle lines and which countries are participating and how. 2)mulattos: I am curious how the free class of mixed raced blacks prior to the Civil War would have gotten along in this world. 3)I would like to hear more on the Hispanic states of this Confederacy and how their citizens are contributing to the war effort.

Overall, this book is outstanding and fun reading. I'm sure I'll have more questions before the series is over and Mr. Turtledove will answer most of them.

Rating:
Summary: I can't wait for the next one.....
Review: This was great book. I really enjoy Mr. turtledoves series that he writes. This gives him the opportunity to really build his characters. This series should turn out to be his best yet. The end of this book (which I will not spoil for you) left me screaming for more....

Rating:
Summary: IMHO, probably Turtledove's best work in years.
Review: The Great War : American Front is my favorite Turtledove book since The Guns of the South. I read the Worldwar series, and while I enjoyed them, and look forward to the Colonization series yet to come, American Front has not only been the most entertaining, but also one of his more historically accurate books so far (as nuch as an Alternate History can be). While some may have difficulty with the multiple plot lines, I feel that this made the story more credible. Instead of the action being centered on one side, with the other side being portrayed as 'the bad guys', the reader comes away with a sense of "seeing" action take place from the point of view from people on both sides of the war, and also from the Socialist view point, which gives the reader an idea of the motivation of each group.

All in all, American Front is an entertaining book, and I eagerly await the next in the series.

Rating:
Summary: Call me greedy...
Review: ...but I'd rather have the whole series at once. I am withholding the 5 stars in a fit of pique for just that reason. :)

Earlier reviews complained about the plethora of subplots, and I have to agree that they were a lot to keep track of. Over the course of the projected four-book series, I am sure this will become an asset rather than a liability, however.

Unlike another earlier reviewer, I have to say I enjoy the romantic interludes. There is something to be said for contrast...

As for the complaints about the two front war: I am sure President Roosevelt was unhappy about it too. In the course of 'history' that is what the U.S. ended up with. The course of the war was all too plausible.

In 'How Few Remain' I found the Mormon rebelliousness entirely unlikely. Their suffering at the hands of the United States in our 'real' 1800's remains one of our countries lesser known evils. Whenever I thought about the suffering these people went through for religion! 's sake, I was astounded that they didn't fight back.

This book is a painfully clear illustration of why they didn't . . .

And that is what good alternate history is all about--making sense of real history!

Rating:
Summary: So realistic I almost forgot the South lost the Civil War
Review: Turtledove once again creates an alternate world that is entirely believable. I get the feeling that had the South won the Civil War, this book might well have been based in historical fact, not speculation. Where most authors stop at speculating about a victorious South, Turtledove begins there, then traces the two embittered countries through not only one war (in How Few Remain, which set the stage for this series) but through World War 1 in this first volume of The Great War series.

His characters are sympathetic and believable. He does a great job of letting the reader feel the realities of citizens and soldiers on both sides of the conflict. And I love the way he is able to, based on what is really know about a historical character, lay out a future that person never had. Gen. Custer, Teddy Roosevelt, and even the socialist teachings of Abe Lincoln (as seen in How Few Remain) are entirely plausible.

There are a couple minor faults with the book, though. First, ! there are many characters to follow, and I had a hard time remembering who was who. It was enjoyable, however, to see many of them meeting others toward the end. Second, characters will often state their circumstances or explain strategy or politics that can get in the way of the story. It's probably necessary since there are so many characters and this world is an alien one, but it could have been done in a less obvious manner. Regardless, the book was incredibly enjoyable, and I will order the next volume as soon as it is available.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent alternate WWI drama..Turtledove knows his history
Review: I'm a relative newcomer to the works of Harry Turtledove, the most recent master of Alternate Fiction. I have read a fair amount of his work as of late. The "Warworld" series is an excellent twist on the World War II meets War of the Worlds theme. "Guns of the South" and "How Few Remain" lay the foundation for the timeline in which "Great War" is set. This is a classic what if scenario where the Civil War between the states ended in stalemate. North America bore witness to the birth of a new nation, The Confederate States of America. This new nation held her own against the embittered Union in the second war between the States in "How Few Remain" although only with the help of France and the United Kingdom.

Now the stage is set. An America divided. One nation led by Theodore Roosevelt. The other by Woodrow Wilson. They are poised to clash in the war to end all wars. When the Great War engulfed Europe in 1914 the United States and the Confederate States of America, bitter enemies for five decades, entered the fray on opposite sides. The United States aligned with the newly strong Germany, Austria and Turkey to create the Quadruple Alliance. While the Confederacy joined forces with their allies, Britain, France and Russia to form the Quadruple Entente. But it soon became clear to both sides this fight would be different.

As in all Turtledove books, he mixes in a plethora of historical characters, inventions and, movements that have changed his world and ours forever. Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, German General Von Shliefen, the machine gun, the airplane, poison gas, trench warfare, Mass Industrialization, and Communism. I feel that we as a society forget how much the world changed forever in those few short years during World War I. I'm glad to see an author like Turtledoeve revisited this time period. And remind us of how our modern century began.

This great setting lays the foundation for an interesting, and at times thought pro! voking story. Especially the chapters about the Union attacks on the Dominion of Canada! (the most enjoyable part for any good Canuck). Turtledove follows the same blueprint used in other books to develop his characters. He introduces about 10 different story lines, each with their own characters, viewpoints, and settings. He then advances them all at the same time. Although this method is interesting at first, it does tend to drag by the end of the book. Of particular interest to me though were the stories of a Manitoban farm family and a Quebecois farmer. It's almost heartwarming to see in this setting the often divided French and English factions of Canada stand side by side united against the tyrant to the south. There is little internal friction in this alternate Canada because of the common enemy. I do find his writing a little amateurish at times. A recurring theme I find through several of his books are the "Harlequinesque" love scenes he describes every few chapters. They are cheesy and often annoying. People are not reading his books for romance, but to see the North and South duke it out in the trenches with machine guns and poison gas.

In closing I give the book a thumbs up overall. Although is it a little amateurish and scattered at times his excellent grasp of history and the time period make for a very enjoyable read. If you are a big history buff like me you will not be disappointed.

Let's just hope that Turtledove has the Canuck fighter ace "Billy Bishop" show up in the next edition of the series. Chris McNeil [e-mail].

Rating:
Summary: Another excellent read from Turtledove, but incomplete.
Review: H. Turtledove is the master of alternate history novels and this novel is no exception. However, before you read it, realize that it is another TOO LONG 4-part series. Unless you have 3-4 years to spare waiting for all the others to come out, don't start it.

The publisher should be chastised for not mentioning on the cover that this is not a complete novel, just one quarter of one.

Rating:
Summary: Very good read, but perhaps too many subplots.
Review: What makes this book interesting is the shifting points of view and the "pox on both their houses" style. In most war books, the author has an "Us vs. Them" mentality. In Turtledove's Worldwar Series, it was Humans vs. Lizards. Here, you don't know who to root for. Should you root for the North because they won in "real life" and opposed slavery, or against them because they are allied with Germany, are the first to use poison gas, and don't treat Negroes much better than the South? Should you root for the South because they are the historical underdogs and are aligned with Britain and France or against them because they still treat the freed slaves like dirt? Or do you root for those on both sides who plot revolution, the Negroes, the Socialists, or the Mormons? Turtledove may know who the good guys are, but he isn't telling us yet, which is both interesting and frustrating. Like some of the other reviewers here, I have to state that some of the subplots should be eliminated. Still, one wonders, what is next? Does the title "American Front" imply that the next book will be "European Front," and all the plots left hanging here will continue to dangle until some future volume? I guess that is what defines a good series, is if the first book leaves you panting for more. This book certainly does that. Also, to those who said they would wait for the paperback next time, try your local Public Library,