Rating: 
Summary: An odd meld of SF and alternate history that really works
Review: I generally hate mixing SF and alternate history, and so I put off reading this for years. BIG MISTAKE! I picked this up in April, and have read not only it but all FOUR of its sequals (something like 3,000 pages) in the past two months. That's really saying something too, because I work about 12-16 hours a day. This whole series is a Turtledove home run, it's sequal-tetralogy is shaping up to be even better, and it all begins RIGHT HERE. Buy it now.
Rating: 
Summary: Works as historical fiction, but not as science fiction
Review: My two favourite genres of books are WWII history and science fiction. This series would seem an ideal match.Historically, this series feels right. The personalities of such notable "walk-ons" as Stalin, Molotov, Hull, and Ribbentrop rang true to what I imagine they would be like had they been confronted with such problems. Also, the technology, the personalities of the main (fictional) characters, etc. felt right. On the flip side, as science fiction, this series fails. The alien race is cliched. The description of their lifecycle and home planet are seem evolutionarily impossible (how can reptiles evolve on a desert planet?). They are essentially intellegent salamanders (dinosaurs?). However, this is not a fatal flaw, and I recommend this series on entertainment value and on historical interest.
Rating:
Summary: History meets Sci-Fi
Review: Harry Turtledove is undoubtedly the master of the rapidly becoming popular science fiction sub-genre of alternate history. In this, the first of the series, Mr. Turtledove introduces us to a cast of characters, each of which he imbues with enough intersting background to make us care about them. My favorite characters are Sam Yeager, an avid sci-fi fan himself, who becomes caught up in the thick of the battle and then, because of his back- ground in sci-fi, becomes the guard/interpreter for two alien prisoners. I also liked Liu Han, a Chinese peasant woman, who, as a prisoner of the aliens, became a "guinea pig" of sorts, so they can begin to understand the differences in mating habits from their own race. There are many other chacters we follow, including a plane crew from England, a German panzer leader, a female Soviet pilot, and several members of the alien race: a tank driver, a captured pilot in Japanese possession, and of course the fleetlord for the conquest. All in all, the series looks to be very compelling.
Rating:
Summary: Captivating, but not earthshaking...
Review: ...Several of the characters have acted out of character onseveral occasions. The rapid onset of bitterness and apathy in severalwas unfathomable. How Mr. Trutledove got from here to there was a mystery. The social conditioning of the Lizards is rigid and ingrained and expressed over and over, but the third in command is constantly insubordinate, and the obedience taught to hatchlings is often conveniently forgotten. For such an endeavor, these minor indiscretions would be merely disconcerting, but with such a huge cast, they quickly crumple characters and continuity. I will continue on with the series. The Guns of The South showed what Mr. Turtledove can do!
Rating: 
Summary: Not so original - Not so engaging
Review: I can't understand why anyone would give this book five stars. Three stars- sure- four -maybe. But five? Come on. From my perspective, this book was pretty boring and unoriginal. The "Lizards" are supposed to be so different but their society seems more Japanese than extra-terrestrial. They are also kinder than most human invaders. I find that implausible. Also, is anyone else tired of the "You humans are the most original, innovative race in the galaxy" spiel? I'd like to read a book where humans are nothing special. I also did not appreciate the gratuitous sex scenes. Ick.
Rating: 
Summary: Not bad...
Review: I like history, and alternate history, so I felt that Mr. Turtledove's books would be right up my ally. And, to a certain degree, In the Balance was. There was some cool actions, some neat characters, and then, of course, all of the real-life personalities present here. The aliens were kind of boring, however, and the beginning and endings of the novel were a chore to read, but some of the stuff in the middle (the core of the book, so to speak) was really "gripping." The Moishe Russie stuff and Otto Skorzeny's endeavors were particularly good. However, some of the real-life characters that I was particularly interested in (Skorzeny, Groves, Marshall) were there for so short a time. I'm expecting to see them some more in the next books, hopefully. Well, In the Balance was not the best book I've ever read, but it was pretty cool, if a tad on the long side.
Rating:
Summary: Good start to the series
Review: I've read a couple of Harry Turtledove's excellent short stories, so I knew I was in for a treat when I started reading. Other than a couple of minor slowdowns in the plot, it does make me want to get the next book in the series.
Rating:
Summary: Harry Turtledove's materful retelling of history
Review: Harry Turtledove secures his title as master of alternate history in this thrilling book for fans of history and sci-fi alike. In this alternate history of WWII, a reptilian alien culture called the Race ( labelled "the lizards" by humanity) launch a massive invasion of war-torn Earth in May, 1942. Expecting the conquest to be a walkover, the Race soon realizes that humanity is going to be far more difficult to passify than anticipated. Turtledove takes us on an exciting journey accross the globe, from Nazi-occupied Europe (where the aliens face the brutal efficiency of Hitler's war machine) to the suburbs of Chicago (where General Patton attempts to halt the alien onslaught). Turltedove expertly tells the story of a huge cast of memorable characters, some fictitious, others prominent historic figures. We are shown the struggle of a Chinese peasant woman and the desperation of a Jewish family in Warsaw. We join an RAF bomber crew on a suicidal mision and ride with a German panzer commander against unstoppable alien war machines. Likewise, we also get to see the war through the aeyes of the Race. We get to experience the suffering of an alien pilot with the misfortune to be captured by the Japanese. We also get to experience the inner workings of the Race's military and political hierarchy. Turtledove also forces us to look at humanity's own shortcomings. In some ways humanity seems to be far worse than the Race (such as the Nazi and Soviet death camps and the Japanese enslavement of China's populous). All in all, Worldwar: In the Balance is a must read for any fan of sci-fi OR history. In a fascinating story of bitter enemmies forced to unite against the greater foe, Turtledove brings together the horrors of war and the strength of the human will to survive adversity to weave on of the greatest tales in the history of sci-fi.
Rating:
Summary: Great book, but a little hard to follow
Review: The first 50 pages of the book pulled me into the story, but after that the book became a little hard to follow. I had to read it twice before I got the hang of it. Other than that, this is a very entertaining and interesting sci-fi novel, based on a very original idea.
Rating:
Summary: somewhat predictable, but entertaining
Review: Yes, the aliens were too much like humans. Even given that they were the type that might like our planet, the similarities in technology, physical sturcture, and psychology to that of humans is hardly greater than that of the Klingons (sp?) in Star Trek. But assuming that they evolved the way we are told they did, the book is quite good. The action is quite believable, with a few lucky breaks for each side, but nothing that defies reason. The author describes WWII techniqes and technologies, and historical events very precisely, and if he's faking any of it, it's good enough for me. The character interaction, while not remarkable, was interesting at times. The aliens were always confused about how humans worked, and their discussions were very repetitive, but this can be forgiven because the aliens are supposed to think and act slowly. The writing had a few gramatical and structural flaws, but was acceptable in general. Had a few unnecessary scenes. Don't expect anything of a conclusion. Series looks to be over 2,000 pages in length. Recommended for anyone with a taste for battlefield tactics, a somewhat open mind, and a lot of time on their hands.
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