Alternative History Novels - Harry Turtledove

In part one of this series, I introduced the genre of alternative history, and I gave the names of two authors I have read recently. Let me tell you a little about Harry Turtledove. (I'll consider the other author, Eric Flint, in another entry.) A simple Google search will provide you with a good deal of information on Harry Turtledove and his novels, 60 or so to his name and pen names.

What information that is harder to find is about his style. Yes, you may see reference to Alternative History, Sci-Fi, etc ... but that isn't style - that's genre (and subgenre). Here's my impression of his novels. First of all, let me say I've read two types of his novels. One type I would call his true alternative history, meaning he deals with events that have either already occurred or would have occurred by our time in the alternate reality. The other type is a future alternative style, dealing with a story line that wouldn't take place until the end of the 21st century (a set of novels I will discuss in further detail in future entries).

As of today, I have read 8 of his true alternative history novels, and they all have followed the same pattern. There are scores of characters - 25, 30 or more of them. You follow most characters through the length of the book, and if it is a series, you get to know some characters through the entire series. Many of his books deal with war time, so some characters become casualties of war. Before he kills them off, though, the author ties you in emotionally, their death meaning all the more so to the story.

I didn't get lost among the long list of characters. Harry Turtledove does a good job of keeping track for you. Each chapter is seperated into several sections of usually equal length, each section from the point of view of one of the characters. The character's name is usually found at the beginning of the section. This may sound like a no brainer, but it's important that it's there because I have read some books that quickly lose me because I don't know who is talking, so to speak.

Another nice feature that comes with Harry's long list of characters is the pace of the story. Since there are so many individual story lines that must be addressed, there is little boring time, meaning that almost every page has something to say that is worthwhile to the major story line. You learn just what you need for each character, not much more.

Stay tuned for more on Harry Turtledove.