Rating: 
Summary: How Few Remain
Review: Great idea, not such a good story.Turtledove's alternate history -- the South won the Civil War and, plausibly, the North is starting a second war -- is generally well thought of. My opinion is more negative than most, I think, so take it for whatever it may be worth. The basic idea here is a good one, and Turtledove has the facts of the period down. To me, though, he doesn't get the feeling. I never felt transported to the times. And the characters, most of whom are historical figures, seem shallow; caricatures of the real people. The result is low drama and tension, even given that the theme was one in which I was interested already. I wanted more action and battle scenes, and more vivid characters with whom I could identify. A limited-POV soldier character would have been a godsend.
Rating: 
Summary: One Quick Thought
Review: This is a great book, and I'd recommend it to anyone. However, I tire of everyone applauding the realistic premise of the book. The storyline (and, subsequently, the storylines of the entire series) hinge upon the plans for Lee's first invasion of the north not being dropped and then found by the northern army. The leadership of the union army had these plans, yet did not act upon them. They merely reacted to Lee's advance. The bottom line is, whether or not these plans had been "lost and found", the result would have been the same. He would have done much better by changing the result of the Civil War by having Lee advance on Washington instead of digging in and fighting at Gettysburg....
Rating: 
Summary: Southern View
Review: This book is like a jigsaw puzzle where some of the pieces don't fit and others are missing. Some parts can be interesting but you wish the overall picture fit together better. The sections on the Mormans highlighted a part of American history about which I knew little. Other parts I plain disagree with. Lincoln's writings on the immorality of slavery would seem to exclude him from ever becoming a socialist. Also the idea of invading the US from Canada through Montana is about as stupid as it gets. However, it does provide the opportunity to examine Roosevelt, Custer, and Gordon. Finally what about the reaction of African-Americans in the South? What does the US Army learn from its defeat in the Civil War? Apparently nothing. Understand that this book is written from a very southern perspective. For example, an impetuous CSA cavalry commander, Stuart, become a wise senior commander. His counterpart, Custer remains a hothead. Wouldn't the losers reflect more soberly? Taking the book for what it is, the individual pieces can be informative and interesting but the whole picture is lacking.
Rating:
Summary: A good novel and intelectual challenge
Review: This novel extends Turtledove's Civil War theme begun in The Guns of the South, but the premise here under which the Confederacy won the Civil War (The Second American Revolution) does not rely on the sci-fi gimmick of time travel that was used in the first novel. Here the South won the Battle of Camp Hill (Antietam) in 1862 thereby causing England and France to support the South. Faced with that combination, President Lincoln calls for peace to avoid further bloodshed and the Confederacy is firmly established. This novel begins in the year 1881 and focuses on a second war between the North and the South, which results from the North under President James G. Blaine attacking the South after Confederate President James Longstreet arranges to purchase two northern provinces from Emperor Maxmillian of Mexico (The South has already acquired Cuba). The acquisition of those two provinces would enable the South to build a rail connection to the Pacific (on the Gulf of Mexico), a situation which gives US President Blaine an excuse to declare War on the South in an effort to undue the results of 20 years before. Historical figures are portrayed in new roles, all stemming from the premise that the South won its independence early. Lincoln, who is blamed for losing the States from the Union has been defeated in the 1964 election and is now an itinerant socialist advocating the protection of the rights of the working man. Samuel Clemens appears as an antiwar newspaper publisher in San Francisco who has to defend his editorial positions from charges of sedition. The British, aligned with the Confederacy, invade the US from Canada through Montana where they are resisted by Theodore Roosevelt and George Custer ..... they also bombard San Francisco, Boston and New York as they effectively blockade the US ports. (Longstreet had to pledge to begin the abolition of slavery as the price for British and French support.) Stonewall Jackson (the war ended early enough that he was not killed and he is now the General-in-Chief of the Confederate States) repells the Union Attack on Louisville. JEB Stuart, the Confederate Cavalry Commander, based in El Paso, leads his troops - including a Cavalry Unit mounted on camels - - into the provinces acquired from Mexico and has to face the US forces based in New Mexico. Stuart makes an alliance with Geronimo, which creates problems for the US - and then for the CSA. It is a well written "what if" novel with familiar people from history popping up in new and different roles.
Rating:
Summary: Turtledove's Greatest Work
Review: For anyone who wants to read Turtledove's famous alternate history books and stories, How Few Remain is the THE work to start from. The most masterfully written part of the book are the characterizations. In Turtledove's other books, his charceters harbor a rather thin basis, due to his "skipping" style that tries to cover as much of his alternate worlds as possible. However, How Few Remain lacks this flaw. Turtledove's portrayals of Samuel Clemens and Alfred Von Schliffen particularly show some complex thought. The storyline itself is very well-drawn, with numerous familiar figures like Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and Stonewall Jackson inserted for reader enjoyment. (I particularly enjoyed the political debate between a young brash TR and an older Lincoln who never met the fatal bullet). Although serious historians may disagree with some of Turtledove's characterizations (especially that of James Longstreet), overall, this book shows some of the best reasons for Turtledove's great success as a writer. His ability to make a world so different from our own, and yet, create a reality that seems so tangible is his great strength. The flawed, shallow story lines and awkward dialogues of his other books do not appear in this masterpiece; How Few Remain is defintely Turtledove's finest work.
Rating:
Summary: Alternative masterpiece
Review: Unlike Turtledove's previous novel "Guns of the South", where the Southrons win the Civil War with the help of time-travelers, "how few" takes place in an alternative 1881 where the war has been won thruough "natural" causes. In this 1881 a new war is just about to break out, following the Confederate annexation of Sonora and Chihahua. "How few remain" is a prelude to Turtledove's "The Great War" trilogy, where WWI is fought on American soil. The novel thus gives much concern to the political implications of the events portrayed, showing how the Confederates' alliance with Britain and France finally drives the US into allying with Germany. "How Few Remain" is also the story of Abraham Lincoln's subsequent career after having lost the Civil War, and the part played by him in creating an American Socialist movement. It thus sets the stage for an America where history unfolds in a pattern much more similar to contemporary Europe than it eventually did in our world. And, of course, "How few remain" is an exiting, action-packed story which is almost impossible to put down. It progresses from scene to scene with very few quiet interludes. So, how does "How few remain" compare to "Guns of the South"? I would say, fairly good. As stated in the beginning, "How Few Remain" does not use the "Deus ex machina" device used in "Guns..." ;while this reduce the element of playfulness and "pure entertainment", it also makes the novel far more interesting and thought-provoking. Indeed very recommendable.
Rating: 
Summary: I understand the complaints
Review: Yes, I have read others' reviews of this book, and they have valid points. Turtledove's dialogue is not the best, but that isn't the point in my mind. I read Turtledove for his ideas on how things could have been. It is very interesting to look at what could have been. Sometimes what he writes isn't the most plausible, but you need to suspend disbelief here and enjoy a well thought out and intelligent account of what MIGHT have happened.
Rating:
Summary: a good diversion
Review: "How Few Remain" by Harry Turtledove is an good work of alternate history. I enjoyed it greatly. However, it did not grip me and not let me put the book down, the way the Greatwar Series(of which this is a prequel) did. However, let me not be a nay-sayer. This book is an absolutly necessary companion to the Greatwar Series. I greatly enjoy the way Harry Turtledove alters the lives of great Americans of the Civil War Era by changing the outcome of the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Mark Twain(known only in this work by his real name of Sam Clemens), Old Peete Longstreet, Stonewall Jackson and others. Also, I find this book a great improvement on "Guns of the South" (I loved "Guns", dont get me wrong) because, as Dr Turtledove puts it, the Civil War outcome is altered by "natural causes" rather than time travellers. As an entire series, Greatwar deserves six stars. It is premier fiction of the first rate. reading alternate history gives one an appreciation of real history, because we have a way of being what I call "temperocentric". That is, we believe that every moment before our own time existed solely to lead us up to this moment and that history could not have possibly gone any other way than it did. Alternate history as a whole is more than just an interesting diversion. It is a great teaching tool, or it could be. And Dr Turtledove writes the best, bar none.
Rating:
Summary: Like Turtledove but not this book
Review: In this alternative history, some South Africans Afrikaners, go back into the past with AK 47s to help the South win the Civil War. But they have dark designs of their own.... I really like Harry Turtledove, but this book just seemed too far fetched. I did not get the feeling, as I do with many of his works, that it is based on some reality. Even his Aliens invading during World War 2 Series (Worldwar) is more realistic. It is hard to really put one's finger on what dissapoints in this book, but perhaps it is that Harry did not really have his heart in it and the characters seem one dimensional.
Rating:
Summary: Sorry Harry, I tried.
Review: I'm a big fan of Harry Turtledove's work. I truely enjoyed Guns of the South and the Worldwar epic, as well as it's sequel. This book, however, just didn't grab me. It had me snoozing less than a third of the way through. I couldn't even finish it. It was just too darn boring. I find this a real shame because as I said, I'm a big fan of his work and expected much better.
| 
