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From: ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: RI October 2024
Date: 18 Nov 2024 23:25:18 GMT
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In article <vhgg0u$1f9mv$1@dont-email.me>,
William Hyde  <wthyde1953@gmail.com> wrote:
>Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
>> Here we are again, possibly less late than usual with books from October.
>> As is traditional (and possibly required): The links below are Amazon
>> affiliate ones which could potentially earn me something should you
>> choose to buy through one.
>> 
>> ====
>> 
>> Acts of War: A World War II Alternative History
>> (The Usurper's War Book 1)
>> by James Young
>> https://amzn.to/3UAZsmc
>> 
>> Collisions of the Damned: The Defense of the Dutch East Indies
>> (The Usurper's War Book 2)
>> by James Young
>> https://amzn.to/3AryUx3
>> 
>> Here's the first two books of what I believe is to be an alt-hist
>> WWII trilogy.
>> 
>> The jumping off point for this universe is that the British take
>> out Hitler in a bombing raid on Berlin.  They had no idea where he
>> was -- it was just one of those lucky accidents of war.  Or, in
>> this case unlucky accidents of war.
>> 
>> Unlucky because taking out Hitler proved a very good thing for the
>> Germans.  Himmler came in after sidelining Goering (possibly fatally,
>> I don't quite recall),
>
>Plausible enough, but I suspect that "Der Treue Heinrich" would have 
>been dead in the same ditch as Goering and the generals would have taken 
>over, in effect at least.  Perhaps with a nonentity like Hess as titular 
>leader.
>
>Of the leaders only Goebbels had any talent for backstabbing, but I 
>don't think the army would put up with him.
>
>Besides, if the author wants a German leader who is keen on peace 
>Goering is the ideal choice.  Having looted to his heart's content, he 
>was happy to enjoy his wealth and status (and morphine) without the 
>risks of war.
>
>  and said to the Brits basically: Look Hitler
>> was really a loose cannon and things got out of hand.  What's done
>> is done, and we're not giving back anything our boys died for, but
>> is there really any reason we still need to be at war?
>> 
>> Churchill said 'yes', but was eventually turfed out in favor of
>> Eden
>
>Let me guess, the author looked up a list of UK cabinet members and 
>threw a dart?  Eden was well down the list of possible PMs at this 
>point, with only the war having restored him to the leading circle from 
>the pariah status he was consigned to in the late 1930s.
>
>And if peace broke out certainly an appeaser like Halifax would have 
>been handed the job.  Might as well say they gave the PM position to 
>Brendan Bracken.
>
>
>  who turned out to be what some people have always suspected
>> and made peace.
>
>And some people think that Washington was George III's illegitimate son.
>
>Or at least I could convince some of that.
>
>Sounds like an author to avoid.
>
>William Hyde
>

No, this is entirely my fault.  Rather than going back to the book
while I was writing the review, I was going on my memory which was
entirely wrong on at least two issues: battle cruiser vs battleship
and Halifax vs Eden.  I don't know why I had Eden on the brain when
I was definitely familiar with Halifax, but it was Halifax who was
the accommodationist PM in this setting, not Eden.
-- 
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..