In episode 154 of the SF Signal Podcast, Patrick Hester gathers a group of SFSignal folks to discuss: History That Never Happened, Our Favorite Alternate History Stories.

Alternate histories play a big part in SF&F – what are some of your favorites?

Why? What made them stand out to you?

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REVIEW SUMMARY: The second Assassini novel strongly continues the story of an alternate Venice in a world with Vampires, Magic and Werewolves.

MY RATING:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Tycho, Giulietta and the rest of Venice are caught in the gaze of two avaricious and dangerous Empires–the Holy Roman and the Byzantine

MY REVIEW:
PROS: Immersive and deep writing, excellent invocation of place and character
CONS: A few plot points seem strangely unresolved. A lack of sympathetic characters may turn off some readers.
BOTTOM LINE: Excellent build on the first novel that feels like a continuation rather than a middle book.

Jon Courtenay Grimwood, in The Fallen Blade [My SF Signal review here], introduced us to an alternate medieval Venice; a Venice where Marco Polo did not come back to be thrown in prison, but rather, with Mongol help (and a Mongol wife) set himself up to rule, a Venice with German Kriegshund (Werewolves), Vampires, and Magic, a Venice which is a powder keg of danger, discontent, and possibly, doom for the Queen of the Adriatic. The actions of an unlikely hero have saved the city from an enemy fleet, but even more pressing dangers remain…

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New Author Spotlight is a series designed to introduce authors with 3 books or less in the different SF/F subgenres.

Today’s spotlight shines on Anne Lyle!

Her debut novel is The Alchemist of Souls published by Angry Robot Books.

Here’s the cover copy…

When Tudor explorers returned from the New World, they brought back a name out of half-forgotten Viking legend: skraylings. Red-sailed ships followed in the explorers’ wake, bringing Native American goods–and a skrayling ambassador–to London. But what do these seemingly magical beings really want in Elizabeth I’s capital?

Mal Catlyn, a down-at-heel swordsman, is seconded to the ambassador’s bodyguard, but assassination attempts are the least of his problems. What he learns about the skraylings and their unholy powers could cost England her new ally–and Mal his soul.

Check out her book if you’re a fan of Elizabethan style alternate history. And, you might also like these titles…

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REVIEW SUMMARY: Sucked of life, this steampunk, vampire mash-up misses the mark.

MY RATING:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Vampires have taken over the world, ruling with a clawed fist. Humanity’s hope lies with a marriage of two nations, a “mysterious” freedom fighter, and a princess that is more than she appears.

MY REVIEW:

PROS: Fun premise; use of technology of the era.

CONS: No mystery or flow; prose is rudimentary and doesn’t excite.

BOTTOM LINE: A debut novel that reads like one, this is for hardcore steampunk and vampire fans only.

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REVIEW SUMMARY: An enjoyable blend of alternate history stories that offer a wide range of topics and styles.

MY RATING:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: An anthology of 11 alternate history stories.

MY REVIEW:

PROS: Lucius Shepard’s excellent story, occupying 30% of the book, was the anthology’s centerpiece; Robert Charles Wilson’s story was also excellent; six other worthwhile stories.

CONS: Three stories were mediocre or worse – two of which were more literary experiment than fiction.

BOTTOM LINE: An enjoyable assortment of alternate history stories.

Alternate history is a sub-genre that continues to intrigue and surprise me. Long-feared because of the natural association with history – and the painful reminder of boring, force-fed history classes – it wasn’t until I started reading alternate history short fiction that I came to realize this need not be the case. What I found was that, in some cases, the fictional accounts of real-life events actually prompted research on a topic – quite the opposite reaction I had in school.

Other Earths edited by Nick Gevers and Jay Lake is an anthology of short fiction that presents 11 diverse alternate history stories. The diversity is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the reader is exposed to various authors and styles that broaden reading horizons; on the other there are likely to be some stories that are your cup of tea.

That is a truism for most anthologies, and so it is here. Of the three stories that worked the least, one was hindered by writing style and the other two felt like literary experiments. That said, two other stories were quite excellent: Robert Charles Wilson’s “This Peaceable Land, or, The Unbearable Vision of Harriet Beacher Stowe” and “Dog-Earred Paperback of My Life” by Lucius Shepard. The latter of these is a novella occupying thirty percent of the entire anthology. This weighed heavily of the overall enjoyment of the anthology, which offered 6 other worthwhile stories.

Individual story reviews follow…

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• Adam Roberts reviews Sam Merwin, Jr.’s sexy time travel classic, The Time Shifters. Ack! That painful prose reminds me of Pel Toro!
• Interviews & Profiles:[some via Bibliophile Stalker]
  • Rick Kleffel podcast-interviews Kage Baker.
  • Darryl Whetter interviews Margaret Atwood.
  • Mur Lafferty podcast-interviews Jay Lake, Felix Gilman, Jim Kelly, John Kessel, and Pat Cadigan.
  • Suvudu interviews Chris Evans.
  • Jeff VanderMeer interviews Caitlin R. Kiernan.
  • Stargate Producer John G. Lenic answers reader questions at Joseph Mallozzi’s blog.
  • Suite101.com interviews Linnea Sinclair
  • If You’re Just Joining Us podcast-interviews SciFi Literary Agent Ginger Clark
• Pyr Books announces a handful of intriguing new forthcoming titles:
  • The Buntline Special: A Weird West Tale by Mike Resnick. “Picture a fractured America, steampunk technology, cowboys, rayguns, Native American shamans, and, drum roll please, zombies!”
  • The Greyfriar by Clay and Susan Griffith, the first book in the new Vampire Empire series. Elevator pitch: Alternate-History Steampunk Vampire.
  • Shadow’s Son by Jon Sprunk, the first in a trilogy that continues with Shadow’s Lure and Shadow’s Master. A swordplay story of “an assassin thrust into the middle of a political and religious upheaval that threatens to topple the last bastion of civilization.”
• Website Facelift of the week: Manybooks.net. [via MobileRead]
• The Daily P.O.P. looks at Michael Moorcock’s Jerry Cornelius and the Final Programme.
• Walter H. Hunt lists his 5 favorite Webcomics.
• SCI FI Wire lists 5 new things you don’t know about Tron Legacy.
• Here’s a fun SF Novel Crossword. [via Science Fiction Brewed Fresh Daily]
• Words that need no further explanation: Indiana Jones Giant R/C Ant.
• 1 Thing you can’t watch: Defying Gravity. Canceled! [UPDATE: Or not.]
• 2 Things you Should Watch Right Now:
  • Disney’s Mars and Beyond. Awesome.
  • Doctor Who: Planet Of The Dead – Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre. Hilarious!