Thoughts on Harry Turtledove

Zort Boy

General

03 Jul 09 05:55

Zort Boy

Joined: 12 Jun 08
Moves: 19450

03 Jul 09 05:55

I've just started reading the World War series and am really enjoying them. What are your thoughts on Harry Turtledove and "Alternative histories" in general?

badmoon

lazy boy derivative

Joined: 11 Mar 06
Moves: 71817

03 Jul 09 15:32

Not bad. When you read these fellows you sacrfice real writing for ideas. Characters are pretty flat. Storyline carries you along.

badmoon

lazy boy derivative

Joined: 11 Mar 06
Moves: 71817

03 Jul 09 16:47

Stirling is sort of like him. The Natucket triology wasn't too bad.

For Turtledove I read the Civil War books. It's an interesting perspective.

HumeA

Joined: 21 Jul 06
Moves: 98470

04 Jul 09 16:31

Originally posted by Zort Boy
I've just started reading the World War series and am really enjoying them. What are your thoughts on Harry Turtledove and "Alternative histories" in general?

I have heard that the World War series is good, but when I went to the local bookshop, they didn't have them; I picked up his Ruled Britannia instead. So far: woeful.

It's my fault, though, should have looked at the book properly. A novel in which the lead character is William Shakespeare, and has the tagline on the cover "To be free, or not to be free..." Ouch. Could be the first book I ever make a conscious decision not to finish.

Zort Boy

Joined: 12 Jun 08
Moves: 19450

06 Jul 09 08:19

I usually go with the thirty page test. If I'm not in to it by then I don't bother.