It is 1914, and a generation lies rotting in the stinking trenches of modern warfare. A continent is crucified by a million miles of barbed wire. The cream of two powerful nationas are fighting each other to bloody stalemate. But this is not France . . . this is America.
The bloodiest of conflicts is played out in the heart of the new world, where north fights south to the death - again.
'The wizard of If.' Chicago Sun-Times
'The standard-bearer for alternate history.' USA Today
The Great War: the American Front
and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Special Offer until June 30, 2013: Receive an additional £5 promotional Gift Certificate, when you trade-in at least £10 worth of books. Learn more. |
Book Description
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
'With shocking vividness, Turtledove demonstrates the extreme fragility of our modern world . . . This is state-of-the-art alternate history, nothing less' (Publishers Weekly on HOW FEW REMAIN) )
'Turtledove plays heady games with actual history, scattering object lessons and bitter ironies along the way. Strong, complex characters against a sweeping alt-historical background.' (Kirkus Reviews on RETURN ENGAGEMENTS )
'Good fun. It has an authentic speculative quality, energy and dash.' (Time Out on A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE )
'Engrossing ... definitely the work of one of alternate history's authentic modern masters . . . totally fascinating.' (Booklist on THE GREAT WAR series )
'Turtledove plays heady games with actual history, scattering object lessons and bitter ironies along the way. Strong, complex characters against a sweeping alt-historical background.' (Kirkus Reviews on RETURN ENGAGEMENTS )
'Good fun. It has an authentic speculative quality, energy and dash.' (Time Out on A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE )
'Engrossing ... definitely the work of one of alternate history's authentic modern masters . . . totally fascinating.' (Booklist on THE GREAT WAR series )
About the Author
Harry Turtledove has lived in Southern California all his life He has a Ph.D. in history from the University of California at Los Angeles and has taught at UCLA, California State Fullerton and California State University, Los Angeles. He has written many works of speculative fiction and fantasy. He is married to the novelist Laura Frankos and they have three daughters.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
First Sentence
George Enos was gutting haddock on the noisome deck of the steam trawler Ripple when Fred Butcher, the first mate, sang out, "Smoke off the starboard bow!" Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
George Enos was gutting haddock on the noisome deck of the steam trawler Ripple when Fred Butcher, the first mate, sang out, "Smoke off the starboard bow!" Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
1914. The USA and Confederate States of America (see "How Few Remain" for the CSA's genesis) pick opposite sides and enter WW1 with gusto: the Confederates convinced they'll beat the USA for the third time running, the US forces nursing 50 years of resentment against their smaller neighbour. Here Harry Turtledove takes the events established in "How Few Remain" and expands on them as he details a very different world and world war. It's got a more soapy feel than the earlier book, focussing as it does more on ordinary folks than the historical figures of "How Few Remain" (Having said that, the image of a septuagenerian General Custer is an image I'll always treasure...), but it has the Turtledove hallmarks of historical sweep and thorough detail. It's the first in a tetralogy, so it's difficult to review alone, but his fully realised Confederacy and Europeanized - complete with Socialist Party! - USA commands the attention. Good, but the diffuse narrative and "first in a series" feel mean that it's not as good it could be. If you're going to buy this, get the full "Great War" set and read them back-to-back.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
The Great War: The American Front is the first in a series of four books examining an alternative history wherein the Confederacy won the Civil War and ends up allied to Britain and France whereas the USA allies itself to Germany. This means they're on opposite sides during World War One and that's basically the subject of this book. This book is also a sequel to How Few Remain which deals with events in 1881, the Confederate acquisition of provinces in Mexico which gives it a Pacific coastline. It's probably best to read that one first, though it's not necessary.
One major difference between the two is that where How Few Remain had the story told entirely from the point of view of historical characters such as Jeb Stuart, Fredrick Douglass, Colonel Custer, Abe Lincoln, etc, this one does not. This is perhaps appropiate as the Great War was such a "people's war" and beyond the influence of individuals so it is best seen from its effects. As for the story, I found it fascinating. The USA is hurled into a two front war against both the CSA and Canada but outnumbers them both put together. It faces all the hardships of World War One which it escaped historically and there's a certain schadenfreude you get from seeing this. Lets face it, the USA got off lightly in both World Wars historically. Not here though, there's gas, blockade, endless lists of casualties and the beginning of the social turmoil that wracked all european countries after WW1. It's going to be fun to see where this goes. Maybe Fascism will be an American idea here. Or Communism.
One criticism is that it would be nice to know what's going on in Europe. The Battle of the Marne seems to have gone as history did, but what next?
... Read more ›1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Mark Klobas
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
For fans of alternative history, the stories of Harry Turtledove have always promised enjoyable presentations of intriguing possibilities. This book is the second in his 'tetralogy' examining a world in which the South won the Civil War. American Front picks up the story in 1914 with the start of a world war between the U.S. and its ally Germany on the one hand, and the Confederate states, Britain, and France on the other. Turtledove knows his history and it shows, as the novel's events ring true enough to their real-life counterparts while developing in new and intriguing ways.
Yet this is a different novel from its predecessor. Though a sequel to How Few Remain, Turtledove examines the war from a different perspective here, following events through original characters rather than historical ones. This gives him greater flexibility in his depiction of them, yet it is the characters that are the weakest part of the book. While the plotting in most of the story arcs is quite good at sustaining interest, the characters have a sameness about them, using many of the same phrases and slang when expressing themselves. This stands in stark contrast to his previous novel, in which each of the main characters he uses is vividly and distinctly realized, and makes for a weaker work than the excellent inaugural work. Nonetheless, readers interested in an engrossing work of alternative history will find much to enjoy in this story about a divided America plunging into the hell of a 'Great War.'
Yet this is a different novel from its predecessor. Though a sequel to How Few Remain, Turtledove examines the war from a different perspective here, following events through original characters rather than historical ones. This gives him greater flexibility in his depiction of them, yet it is the characters that are the weakest part of the book. While the plotting in most of the story arcs is quite good at sustaining interest, the characters have a sameness about them, using many of the same phrases and slang when expressing themselves. This stands in stark contrast to his previous novel, in which each of the main characters he uses is vividly and distinctly realized, and makes for a weaker work than the excellent inaugural work. Nonetheless, readers interested in an engrossing work of alternative history will find much to enjoy in this story about a divided America plunging into the hell of a 'Great War.'
Format:Paperback
This is the second volume in the epic alternative history saga about a world in which the South has won the American Civil War.
The book is similar in style to the Worldwar series in which aliens invade earth during the second World War. The story unfolds through the eyes of a wide-range of ordinary people caught up in the war in North America during 1914/15. This is a change from the first book, How Few Remain, which is all from the point of view of the movers and shakers. I would have preferred a combination of the two but it still works pretty well.
There are a lot of characters and it did take me quite a while before I could remembered who was who with any certainty. Each chapter is broken into smaller snapshots of each character's story. Once you settle into this style it becomes quite engrossing. One of the advantages of having so many characters is that you can kill one or two off which comes as something of a shock for all that.
The book is similar in style to the Worldwar series in which aliens invade earth during the second World War. The story unfolds through the eyes of a wide-range of ordinary people caught up in the war in North America during 1914/15. This is a change from the first book, How Few Remain, which is all from the point of view of the movers and shakers. I would have preferred a combination of the two but it still works pretty well.
There are a lot of characters and it did take me quite a while before I could remembered who was who with any certainty. Each chapter is broken into smaller snapshots of each character's story. Once you settle into this style it becomes quite engrossing. One of the advantages of having so many characters is that you can kill one or two off which comes as something of a shock for all that.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 132 reviews
3.8 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
tour de force
one needs to start with"how few remain"before starting on "the great war",then "american empire"and finally"settling accounts" to really enjoy this tour de force. Read more
Published on 16 Nov 2009 by Terence Maltby
1.0 out of 5 stars
Empires of unending tedium.
Decline of the alternative history novel, part 17: Gone are the days when aspiring alternative-history writers wanted to be like Ward Moore or Philip K. Read more
Published on 14 Nov 2001
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great story, shame about a few innacuracies.
While I geatly enjoyed this book, and the other two in the series in terms of plot and character development I'm afraid that I have to nit pick on a few technical matters. Read more
Published on 1 Jan 2001
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good, but it was spoilt by USA being superior to her enemies
This was the first Turtledove book I read and by the time I finished it, I was already looking for his World War series. Read more
Published on 1 July 2000
4.0 out of 5 stars
A good read but there was little to choose 'tween CSA & USA
I enjoyed this book a lot but I did find it difficult to find any sympathy for either of the American protagonists. Read more
Published on 27 April 2000
3.0 out of 5 stars
A great concept, but Guns of the South revisited
I came to Harry Turtledove through Guns of the South, a very fine alternate history novel which taught us about our own world by showing the differences in another. Read more
Published on 22 Jan 2000
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent alternate WWI drama..Turtledove knows his history
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. Read more
Published on 11 July 1998
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
