Rating: 
Summary: This is the best the industry has to offer?
Review: It wasn't but thirty pages into reading that I found myself skipping ahead to get to the exciting parts of this heavily worded novel. If Turtledove was looking to write a plausible history, then this work is more miss than hit. I did like the idea of the war starting over the purchase of Mexican territory, but for a leader of a nation to just fly off the handle and declare war struck me as a little odd. It would have been more plausible if perhaps the U.S. attempted to outbid the C.S.A. and war resulted due to some covert action from both sides. Also, I was interested in how Theodore Roosevelt developed since commanding a regiment at such a relatively early age, however the circumstances were nearly insane. A British invasion of Montana instead of the previously U.K.-U.S. disputed Oregon Country (Washington and Oregon)? It would be easy to keep Roosevelt in the fray if his regiment were shipped over to Washington State to help some hard pressed troops there. Also, if plausiblity is an issue with writers and readers of alternate history, then something must be said about what Turtledove thinks about the Mormon church. With a little research, a good author will find that never in the history of the church has the leadership sanctioned rebellion from the U.S. government. So, why all of a sudden change that. A much more interesting story would have Custer sent to the Mormon leaders to "ensure" raising of a regiment to be sent south to face Stuart. Then, the question of religious bigotry wouldn't come to mind in the case of Mr. Turtledove. All in all, this is a potentially good story that's been hashed by the "master". I have only read this book and I don't plan on wasting money on another written by him. Harry Turtledove has been hailed as "The Master of Alternate History". Is this a self-proclaimed title? Yes or no, in my opinion, the field is wide open.
Rating: 
Summary: I loved it!!!!!
Review: It sounds Cheesey, but I'm not kidding when I say this is the best book I've ever read. This book is possibly one of the best books ever written, and is proof that it is possible to write a modern masterpeice that is not a sleeping pill on paper. I personally love how he strings the story between many different view points of many people in the story and the reader gets to see each of them grow and in many cases meet each other. The best part of this story is the fact that if one little detail such as a rider dropping a bundle of cigars had changed this plot may have played out in real life as Turtledove speculates.
Rating: 
Summary: A very worthy read, a real page-turner
Review: I was disappointed to find that this was not Guns of the South II, but it turned out to be better, since it makes you consider what history would really be like if the South had won. Makes you sit around the extend Mr. Turtledove's reasoning to the present day. Very well written, and very compelling, my only complaints would be that a) he clearly loves to beat up on the North -- apparently he's a frustrated Southerner -- and b) some of his plot devices you see coming from a mile off.
Rating:
Summary: it's not a sequel to guns of the south, its a new series.
Review: Like I said, this book is not a sequel to guns of the south, in this book the south wins by normal means, McClellan doesn't get hold of Lee's battle plan for Antietam and loses the engagement, so Lincon doesn't issues the Emancipation Proclamation that changed the whole character of the war. Now France and Britain pressure the US to accept the secession of the Confederacy. 20 years latter the CSA buys the states of Chihuahua and Sonora to the Mexican empire and gain an exit to the pacific ocean along a large strip of border with the US, the new president (first republican after Lincon was thrown out of the white house for loosing the war), threatens to go to war if the sale is not reverted, and so it happens. But the north has no generals to speak of, their best were expelled of the army after loosing the first war between the states, and the south still has Stonewall Jackson and Jeb Stuart, besides the mormons on Utah are making troubles and Lincon is going around the country with some new ideas picked up from a couple of europeans called Marx and Engel.
Rating: 
Summary: Basic lack of research
Review: Though a wonderful premise, this novel lacks some basic research. The entire plot deals with a United States that could not possibly defend itself from a boyscout troop much less a combined colition of dubious allies. At the time speculated by this novel, victory for the Confederates or not, the United States Navy was very powerful. Neither the Brittish, nor the French could have projected Ironclads across the Atlantic. Science Fiction maybe, but when you are trying to convey an alternate history, there are still limits. The character creation lacked research as well. Lincoln a Marxist? Custer and Pope anti-Mormon fanatics? Jackson a magical tactician? It goes on. Lets make this easy, the United States is full of bafoons, the Confederates are all crafty and brilliant. The only remotely amusing/entertaining character is good old Teddy. The book never gets up any steam due to long and strained philosophical discussions that are constantly rehashed throughout the book. Gad! how painful.
Rating:
Summary: This book is a waste of time
Review: The story is dull, the characters are flat and their actions and motivations are those of puppets. There's no unifying thread or theme, and the action is deadly slow and repetitive. Save your money and time, don't bother with this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Weak, but important
Review: Kind of like _The Two Georges_, Turtledove gets lost in (outstanding) period detail and ends up with a pretty dippy story. But no matter: you have to read it anyway. It is a prequal to his new World War One tetralogy, and if you don't read it, a lot of the stuff you're going to WANT to read won't make sense. And let me tell you: if the first book in that tetralogy (The Great War: American Front) is any indication, that series will go down as Turtledove's best. So spend the money, waste the time: for the sake of the later books, How Few Remain will reward your effort.
Rating:
Summary: Turtledove doesn't meet The Guns of the South standard.
Review: Turtledove's How Few Remain was at best disappointing. In Guns of the South, he took us on a thought provoking ride through a brand new history. In this book we get more "Gee, what if Jeb Stuart fought Indians?" approach. Turtledove forgets the most basic rule of alternative history, once the fabric of histroy is torn it changes from that point. Famous people would vanish while the unheard-ofs would rise. In this book though the acts of historically famous people dominate the narative. This goes to the point that characters seem to be in the book only to meet the authors whimsy. The Jeb Stuart in the Southwest subplot, for eaxmple, could have been removed from the book with no significant impact. There are moments of light in the darkness. Teddy Roosevelt serving under the command of George Custer provides us with the wonderful sight of two of the century's greatest egos meeting. Abe Lincoln as the former President turned Socialist is a bit more strained but none the less enjoyable. Over all the book provides no real incite into the characters or their times, and its narative does not seem to want to drive home any particular point. But then again, it was easy to read at the beach this summer so perhaps it serves some small purpose.
Rating:
Summary: A lot of fun!
Review: It haven't seen such contempt for a book (in some of the previous reviews) since the "Satanic Verses". I enjoyed it and had a lot of fun reading it....it was my first Turtledove, and first alternative fiction novel. I read a lot and come across bad books from time to time but I certainly wouldn't include this one in the pile.
Rating:
Summary: Don't bother.....
Review: If you're a Civil War or history buff or a fan of speculative or science fiction (or just someone who enjoys a damn fine read!) and you haven't yet experienced "The Guns Of The South", then do yourself a favor and pick it up today. On the other hand, if you're someone who's already read "Guns" and, like myself, on the basis of its promise had high expectations for "How Few Remain", do yourself an even bigger favor and pass this turkey by. It's almost unimaginable that the two books could have been written by the same author. The depth of character and plot so strongly evidenced in "Guns" have been whittled down to caricature and one-dimensionality in "How Few Remain", and as for the premise of "alternate reality" -- let's just say that the time travel of the former is more believable than the military/political scenarios concocted for the latter. I didn't enjoy writing this review, but then I didn't enjoy being taken for an expensive ride by Mr. Turtledove either. At the very least, check it out of the library first.
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