- Hardcover: 249 pages
- Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton Ltd; First Edition edition (6 Jun 2002)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0340689218
- ISBN-13: 978-0340689219
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 16.2 x 2.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 1.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,640,055 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
What if the American Civil War had been interrupted by a British invasion that persuaded the States to reunite? Harry Harrison's Stars and Stripes Triumphant is book three in the resulting alternate-history sequence.
Much action follows, with America winning through in the initial Stars and Stripes Forever--and then striking back at a British Empire still addicted to conquest, in Stars and Stripes in Peril. Even with Ireland now independent, the Brits remain aggressive in 1865 and use their famous mastery of the seas to stifle US trade, arrogantly confiscating ships and cargoes. President Lincoln can't take this lying down...
Harrison loads the odds enthusiastically. The Empire is complacent, stupid, bloated with too many easy victories. Meanwhile all Americans are staunch and indomitable, and US technological know-how (here about 70 years ahead of its time) develops an unbeatable war machine: destroyers, tanks, armoured columns, Blitzkrieg. As General Sherman puts it:
...If this new kind of army attacks in force it can destroy all who stand before it. The faster the attack, the quicker the end of the conflict. That is why I call it lightning war.
Exciting but one-sided clashes follow, with daring US strategy brilliantly dancing rings around the flabby Empire's larger forces. The politics has a cartoon-like simplicity--the Irish Question, for example, was solved forever when America "liberated" the North from British rule and ordered the country to get united. If only!
Harry Harrison is having lots of fun, and his boyish enthusiasm is infectious. In this alternate 19th century, America is wholly altruistic, concerned only for the greatest good of the greatest number and plans to reform even corrupt, royalist Britain with tough love. It's lightweight, slapdash fun.--David Langford
Review
"1 This pacy novel is an ingenious contribution to the burgeoning genre of "what if?" history.' Mail on Sunday on STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER 2 'Plausible as well as highly entertaining. Harrison does a masterful job of demonstrating how this became the first modern war, and changed forever the way nations conducted their affairs.' Science Fiction Chronicle on STARS AND STRIPES 3 'Verve and pace carry it through.' Time Out on STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER 4 'The tight writing and grasp of the period's technology is impressive.' Yorkshire Post on STARS AND STRIPES 5 'One of science fiction's most prolific and accomplished craftsmen.' New York Times Book Review
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is the third volume of a trilogy and is by far the weakest. It reads like the author was going through the motions to get the whole thing wrapped up but was no longer really interested. It has all the weaknesses of the earlier two volumes such as the british leadership being arrogant pompous airheads with one or two token exceptions and the american leadership being efficent far sighted and noble with no exceptions. But has few of the strengths of the first two volumes such as well thought out military campaigns. In this book the campaign is little more than a sketchy outline. ...In short this is a loser of a book.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Heavily biased, insulting to the intelligence, this story is wild American wish-fulfilment.
If you are looking for skillful plotting or exciting suspenseful battles, look elsewhere: "oh look it's a brand new pride-of-the-fleet British warship - that won't last very long - boom - yup, there you go. Ho hum. U.S. victorious."
If you are looking for skillful plotting or exciting suspenseful battles, look elsewhere: "oh look it's a brand new pride-of-the-fleet British warship - that won't last very long - boom - yup, there you go. Ho hum. U.S. victorious."
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Anti-British garbage ?
Yep, and more.
The yanks have a habit of being less reasonable towards the Brits than is understandable or even sane.
This series could be held up by USA-hating Islamacists as an "We told you so" to we Brits
I read an interview with Harrison about this series - full of self-praise and pomposity, and sneering at the antiBrit bias.
He is in reality what this dreadful book would have you believe
Only for the less intelligent old glory wavers, or Irish republicans
Yep, and more.
The yanks have a habit of being less reasonable towards the Brits than is understandable or even sane.
This series could be held up by USA-hating Islamacists as an "We told you so" to we Brits
I read an interview with Harrison about this series - full of self-praise and pomposity, and sneering at the antiBrit bias.
He is in reality what this dreadful book would have you believe
Only for the less intelligent old glory wavers, or Irish republicans
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Goodbye, it hasn't been pleasant.
This is the third and hopefully final instalment of the "Stars and Stripes" series, an alternate history that sees Great Britain intervening in the American Civil War. Read more
Published on 18 Jan 2009 by M. J. Bourne
Great fun
As with all Harrisons books, there is a certain amount of "tongue-in-cheek" in "Stars and Stripes Triumphant". But nevertheless, a really enjoyable read. Read more
Published on 20 July 2006 by D. O. BRIEN
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