Rating: 
Summary: Mixed reaction
Review: It is hard to understand how a book can be so boring and so compelling at the same time. Turtledove still manages to create a richly detailed world for his characters to live in, but the plot is becoming more and more allegorical. Clearly, he plans a World War II in reverse, with a Franco-British-Confederate Axis against the old Central Powers. But the Confederacy isn't Germany. Germany, when unified, was and is the most powerful of European states, while the Confederacy will always be much smaller than the U.S. I suppose it is possible for the C.S. to win-after all, it did so twice before- but it isn't quite the same situation. Even if it was, it doesn't mean that I want to see World War II again. I know how World War II turns out- I don't care too much to see it replayed with different characters. Several attempts to change pace (the war with Japan, the court challenge to the Canadian occupation) never pan out.
The other major problem here is the utterly pedestrian nature of the characters' peacetime lives. In the course of the book, most of the character marry (or have a relative marry), have children, and talk about their aging. Occasionally, to spice things up, Turtledove will kill someone off ( I almost envy Marie Galtier- at least she got out of that godawful storyline). I did like Clarence Potter, though- and he could have used good old Flora a bit more (and she has become a lot less orthodox than she used to be). Also, echoing other reviewers, I have to make note of Turtledove's endless reiteration of certain details (that "swell" has replaced "bully," for example- a fact noted far too often."
I am sure I'll read his next book- I just hope I don't already know the ending.
Rating: 
Summary: Turtledove slogs on, still chained to the timeline
Review: Jake Featherston's Hitleresque rise continues in this book, as the other characters slowly reposition themselves in preparation for the Second Great War,which we know is bound to come. This book brings us to 1933. While the second book in a trilogy is always under a handicap, this one is particularly disadvantaged in that this is actually a lengthy series from "How Few Remain" on. And basicly, none of the characters are doing anything that we couldn't have anticipated at the end of "Blood and Iron". The farmers are farming, the lawyers are lawyering, the politicians are plotting politics. Frankly, three quarters of this book could have been tossed, except then we wouldn't have been able to see the backdrops, such as the stock market run up, the Great Depression, etc. But nonetheless, we could have used less of it. Turtledove kills off his statutory one viewpoint character, he is unfortunately replaced by another. And if you didn't think he was chained to a timeline, we are told that the 1936 Olympics will most likely be in Richmond. Can you say "Jesse Owens"? Turtledove also gives us a fair number of analogues of historical characters, from Hugo Black (who would have been better placed in the Freedom Party, given his KKK background before he went into politics and the Supreme Court) to Clarance Darrow, who actually livens the book for a couple of pages before vanishing as quickly as he appeared. A few details on Darrow's cases in this world (Leopold and Loeb? Scopes?) would have been nice. The fact that the third book, Settling Accounts, will apparently bring us to the Second Great War is the only one that makes me feel better around the series. The period between 1933 and 1939 is the most likely to be interesting. The problem is, while we have little sympathy for the Freedom Party, we do have sympathy for the South, and it is hard to see it being set up for another frustrating and territory-losing war. A few notes--it is interesting to note how the fact that this is a different timeline affects historical characters' lifespan. Teddy Roosevelt is granted a couple of years extra (perhaps his real-life gunshot wounds shortened his life in our universe, according to Turtledove), but Calvin Coolidge (who died of natural causes) drops dead right on schedule. Slightly troubling is the introduction of a Jewish character, who is perfectly content to see the Freedom Party rise to power, and even help it, so long as the Jews are not troubled. Let's see where he goes with it. It's too early to be sure, but just maybe, the Jewish character will wind up as Featherston's Joseph Goebbels. But let's see what happens. "Bridge" books in series are often bad books. But two stars is the best I can do--it still is not a good book. When will Turtledove write great single novels like "Guns of the South" again, and not concentrate as much on these interminable series?
Rating:
Summary: Good, not great, GET WITH THE STORY ALREADY!
Review: Kids, unemployment, death and sex. Seems to be pretty much all this one has in it. Some small action with Jefferson Pinkard and Hipolito Rodriguez, some small action with Sam Carstens, a sneak attack by the Japanese and a cameo by Joe Kennedy are pretty much the high points here. Seemingly every one of our viewpoint characters has kids, lots of sex, (note to Harry: The sex scenes are unneeded), and winds up broke and unemployed, with two minor characters dying for no apparent reason, and a major one getting killed early on, also for no reason. Jake Featherston rebuilds his Freedom Party, and most of the books seems to be moving us along to 1933, so Jake's assumption of power coincides with Hitler's in reality. I'm not sure why. Oh yes, Hitler shows up, too, then is completely forgotten. I'd rather have seen Jake take over early on, and give us a glimpse of what his plans are, the build-up leading to the next war, instead we get endless exposition, and some of the best characters get their stories run into the ground. I'm really hoping for better from the next one.
Rating:
Summary: Just Ok, neither bad or good
Review: Look this is one of what I like to Harry's "filling up space books". He doesn't have an actual war to write about so he keeps dangling us along with these little bits of "Almost Wars". This is the case in the alternate Canada, Utah and Pacific nothing really happens and you are left feeling sad and confussed wondering to yourself "How could the guy that came up with Guns of the South write this"? All of you vets of Harry's work(which has, with the exception of a few good gems, gone to the dogs) know the pattern A. The killing off of minor charecters for no good reason
B. Whenever you have a charecter you love to hate he is the one who ends up winning(General Custer, Jake Featherington)
C. That you are constantly told(again) useless information about the characters you memorized 2 books ago.
D. The Stupd Sex sceans!!! They were wonderful when I was 14 but for Gods sake Harry grow up!! Now in its defense let me say that the book is good for what it is, but you guys are asking me for my honest assesment. The thing that annoyes me the most is that none o fthe charecters does anything unexpected Moss does his lawyering thing
Ann Calton continues to be a turncoat who joins causes which will futher her own ends(God forbid she matures and comes up with an attack of conscience)
And it goes on from there I really hope that Featherington takes the Rebel hordes over the border pretty quick, I'm about to give up on one of my fav writers.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, but fails to capture the misery of the period
Review: The American Empire: The Center Cannot Hold" is the sixth volume in Harry Turtledove's ongoing alternate history series and the middle volume of his second trilogy-within-a-tetralogy. The title is fitting considering the events that take place, where an economic depression erodes the fragile peace that exists between the United States and Confederate States after their war a decade before.
While readers familiar with Turtledove's series will find much to enjoy in this volume, it suffers from a flaw typical of a middle volume in a trilogy. Often, the characters seem to be treading water, as Turtledove invents developments (such as a lame naval war between Japan and the United States) that seem to serve little purpose beyond giving his extensive cast of characters something to do. That he feels it necessary to do this underlines his greatest failure so far in the series - his inability to capture the misery of the Great Depression. The Depression was a defining event in the origins of the Second World War, radically transforming the political environment of the world and making the rise of extremist politicians like Hitler possible. Turtledove uses an economic depression to achieve a similar end, yet nowhere in these pages is there the sense of despair and misery that set the stage for the madness of the 1930s. This is a serious letdown for a writer of Turtledove's imagination and ability, and it results in the weakest volume so far in the series.
Rating: 
Summary: Enough of actual history to be plausible
Review: The best alternate histories are tales where historical figures are doing things that are not what they did, but are similar enough to the actual events to be plausible. In this area, Harry Turtledove is one of the best. This book is one of a series where the outcome of the American civil war is a draw. There is a subsequent war equivalent in time to World War I where the Confederacy is aligned with Britain and France and the Union with the German empire. The outcome is different, in that the German side emerges victorious, the United States occupies Canada and a great deal of Mexico is part of the Confederacy. Mexico is still an empire, as are the nations of Eastern Europe.
There are several plots that weave through the book. One is in occupied Canada and involves Canadians and transplanted Yankees, one in Confederate Mexico where there is a low-level civil war, one involving a black man in Iowa and an overall one where a Hitler style personality is about to legally take power in the Confederacy. All of these different threads require that you follow them carefully, but it is possible to do so and it reinforces the idea that the alternate history changes are global in nature.
As a student of history, I found the alternate events very plausible. Turtledove keeps enough of the actual events in the story line to make it believable and interesting. I found myself thinking about some of the critical points in history and wondering if a slight change in certain events could have led to the outcome described by Turtledove. In some cases the answer was yes.
This book is an interior one in a series describing an alternate history of the last 150 years. Therefore, if you read only this one, it will take some time to place the events and you will be left eager to read the next one. Once I was done with it, I went on Amazon.com looking for a copy of the next in the series, which is very high praise indeed.
Rating:
Summary: Necessary but unfulfilling
Review: The Center Cannot Hold continues American Empire series, and covers a roughly ten year period starting in the mid 1920's. It carries on the lives of those seen in "American Empire: Blood and Iron", most of whom were introduced in The Great War series. I found the book to be interesting, and a necessary time link with the run-up to what promises to be some form of World War II. I say "some form" as Turtledove has introduced various elements that suggest the alliances that held in the Great War may not hold again. He has artfully taken actual historical conditions and wedded them to his alternative time line. Nonetheless, overall I found the book curiously unfulfilling. The driving cultural events are all based in actual cultural and political currents of the 20th century (Economic boom and bust of the 20's and early 30's, Japanese imperialism and sneak attacks, growing desire of the losing nations in WWI to toss off restrictive and demeaning peace treaties and reassert themselves); there are no new original concepts beyond the idea that we are in an alternative time line. Events in original portions/events of the American Empire world (Occupied Canada, Utah, and the Republic of Quebec) are either mundane or to be expected. Almost all the characters come across as more one dimensional than in previous books. The long time span of this book and his desire to get everyone in the book results in little time devoted to many of them (much like a Baseball All-Star game-you're on the roster, you get in the game!). The depth of earlier book(s) in this and and earlier series is not evident, and he seems more willing to go in for drive-by drama. The best example of this is the death of a long-standing character. It was sudden, unexpected, and completely without impact on the story line. If you removed this death the story line would stay the same. I understand that he is setting the stage for "The Great War: Round 2", but I wish Turtledove had chosen to give more depth to the characters and to certain events. I look forward to the next entry in this series, and hope for more depth and even more originality in future American Empire books.
Rating:
Summary: engaging alternative history
Review: The Great War is over with the United States of America and its ally Germany victorious. For the Confederate States of America it means their first defeat with all the acrimonious accusations following the loss. The noble victories in the War of Secession and the Second Mexican War seem like distant history lessons though not much more than a half of a century has passed. By 1924, a new generation replaces the glorious war leaders with the incumbents fighting to hold on to their power while insurgents want to grasp authority. In the United States of America, post war prosperity is the greatest the nation has ever known so the in party has the edge. In the Confederate States of America, the defeat is psychologically damaging and the economy is as depressed as ever. Civil war explodes in Mexico and the USA control of Canada is tenuous due to terrorist activities of separatist freedom fighters. Violence fueled by poverty even among the winners threaten control. However, the American Empire learns that the CENTER CANNOT HOLD when the aerial attack from Asia occurs. Insightful, the latest entry in the AMERICAN EMPIRE: THE CENTER CANNOT HOLD demonstrates why Harry Turtledove is so highly regarded. The detailed plot adheres to the time line and anecdotal information from the previous novels, but moves the clock forward at a very slow pace. Fans of the series will want to see what happens to their heroes during the 1920s, but casual readers need to realize that era is a relatively quiet decade even in the Turtledove alternate world when compared to the previous generation's Great War. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Things Fall Apart
Review: The latter phrase from W. B. Yeats' poem is more dramatic, the previous line is more appropriate as a title. Indeed, in Turtledove's alternate 1930s, things are falling apart.
The Confederate States soon loses its reprieve from inflation in time to suffer natural disasters and the weight of the Great Depression. And Jake Featherston is ready to reap the despair with his demogogery.
Up north, Canadians are continuing a struggle against the United States occupation. The United States, meanwhile, struggles to maintain supremacy against the Confederates and Canadians, and suddenly, the Japanese.
Turtledove continues to weave a tapestry of event of people caught up in a world they can't control. All walks of life intersect and diverge, as a real world does.
Rating:
Summary: Going Nowhere Slowly
Review: The number of stars is not so much for the quality of this book but the fact that as a part of the series this book and Blood and Iron combine to make only a small advancement in the story. The two books' goal is to show life in post-WWI depression and make the Freedom party a viable threat to control of the Confederacy. The thing is Turtledove could have accomplished both in one book. The other thing is the best part of the book is the US going to war with Japan but the parts about this war are few and far between while repetitive chapters about some of the weaker characters, like (all the) Canadiens, are far too common. Also the Scipio and Cincinnatus storylines, although providing insight to what life would likely have been like for blacks in the north and south, really aren't that interesting. One or the other could have been cut completly and the other would have been enough. Plus they are depressing and if the storyline leads to something resembling the holocaust (which it seems to be heading towards), well I don't know whether I would even want to read such a thing at all. Some things I would have liked to have seen in this book are, more about the war with Japan. Europeans, to give insight into the differences they are experiencing with a very changed Europe. More about the Conferacy interfering in Mexico. Also more people from history as characters, perhaps though this will happen when WWII breaks out. Finally, I wish Turtledove didn't have such anti-northern mentality. The US in this whole series (and Guns of the South) is led by a bunch of bunglers who foul up nearly every advantage. While the southerners are all geniuses who make the best of everything even when faced with overwhelming odds.
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