Roads Not Taken

Rating:
Summary: Roads Not Taken - A reading path to be Taken .
Review: First I read the Reviews. Many know Dozois is a very good editor. Many like the big boys, Turtledove, Silverberg, Benford. Many know a weak ending when they see one. This is a Del Ray Book and Del Ray realy does love Alt History. Thus Smitty loves Del Ray. Take the time to search out the Del Ray monthly newsletter, you'll be very glad you did. As for the book, read the reviews, below. 30

Rating:
Summary: Good Summer Reading
Review: First let me say that I am not a fan of short stories. I enjoy getting a novel and living with it for a while. Regardless, I liked this collection of short stories. I particullarly liked the one where a time traveler has to live with the changes that they made. I only wish that each of the stories were novels.

Rating:
Summary: Good Stories--Broad Themes
Review: Good short stories that compensate in length and detail for direct focus on varying universal themes.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining "alternate history" from beginning to end
Review: I normally find a collection of stories from several different authors irritating to read, due to the different styles they write in, fluctuating quality, etc. This book, on the other hand, has solid and entertaining stories from beginning to end. They span a wide range of time frames, from the ubiquitous American Civil War alternative to North America in 1492, Alexander/Aristotle's time, and of course WWII. My only complaint on the scope is that there are too many stories centred on North America, but this is not a serious problem, just a personal dislike.

Favourites include the stories by Greg Costikyan and Michael F. Flynn. GC's story involves an alternate history where Communism is the clear winner in the economic cold war and the western capitalist system collapses. I would urge everyone to read it, especially if you have little sympathy for the plight of the former Soviet republics. MFF's story takes place in a North America where George Washington is killed early in the American Revolution and the colonies end up as several independent states all warring on each other.

These two examples illustrate the diversity and entertainment possible in alternate history fiction, and I recommend this book to anyone who already loves this type of story or anyone that thinks they might like to start reading in the area.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining "alternate history" from beginning to end
Review: I normally find a collection of stories from several different authors irritating to read, due to the different styles they write in, fluctuating quality, etc. This book, on the other hand, has solid and entertaining stories from beginning to end. They span a wide range of time frames, from the ubiquitous American Civil War alternative to North America in 1492, Alexander/Aristotle's time, and of course WWII. My only complaint on the scope is that there are too many stories centred on North America, but this is not a serious problem, just a personal dislike.

Favourites include the stories by Greg Costikyan and Michael F. Flynn. GC's story involves an alternate history where Communism is the clear winner in the economic cold war and the western capitalist system collapses. I would urge everyone to read it, especially if you have little sympathy for the plight of the former Soviet republics. MFF's story takes place in a North America where George Washington is killed early in the American Revolution and the colonies end up as several independent states all warring on each other.

These two examples illustrate the diversity and entertainment possible in alternate history fiction, and I recommend this book to anyone who already loves this type of story or anyone that thinks they might like to start reading in the area.

Rating:
Summary: If you like alternate history, save your money
Review: I was really eager to read this book because of all the good reviews.

I love alternate history, when it is plausible and when there is a STORY that plays along the alternate scenario.

So, I was really disappointed. Alternate history may be a minor genre, but nothing justifies reading minor writers.

Rating:
Summary: A weak collection
Review: I'll be the outlier to the other, mostly positive reviews. The stories by Robert Silverberg and L. Sprague de Camp are worthwhile, and Michael Flynn's "The Forest of Time" is nicely done. Of the rest, however, two are downright silly and one pathetic. The rest shade to mediocrity. If you are looking for an anthology, I think Alternate Generals is more consistently successful.

Rating:
Summary: Inkling to New Worlds of If.
Review: If you are an Alternate-History lover this is a good collection for you. If you are not, this book will help to make up your mind: you'll become a new addict or you'll understand that Alt-His is not your cup of tea.

It starts with brief essay "What is Alternate History?" that gives the reader a broad picture of the genre.
Each story begins with a little article describing the author and his works giving the reader useful information for future choices.
Next the book provides one of he best sample, I ever read, written by well known Alt-His' authors: Turtledove, Attanasio, Silverberg and Wolfe amongst others.
Many of the main "What if" themes are present: if the Roman Empire hasn't ceased to exist; if Communism has triumphed worldwide; if Chinese arrived to America before Columbus; if Civil War scars weren't cured; if ...if...; the reader is invited to a wonderful imaginative tour.

For me Flynn's "The Forest of Time" is a treat. Not only starts with the proposal of Disunited States of America but gives a turn in time and forking realities.
Wolfe's "How I Lost the Second War..." is a puzzling story in parody cue.

An enjoyable collection to be sure!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

Rating:
Summary: Been There, Done That
Review: If you are serious about AH fiction, you may find a certain sense of deja vu as you read this. Every single story in this collection has appeared before in Mike Resnick's ALETRNATE (fill in title) series or Bedford and Greenberg's WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN series, so if you have every volume of these prior collections you will be simply buyting a second copy of stories you already possess. If you are new to AH, this makes a good intro to the genre, but otherwise the only use you may have for this is to loan out to newbies you wish to introduce to this field if you only trust them with one book at a time.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting speculation.
Review: If you enjoy thinking about 'what if' this is a book for you. I also recommend THE ROCK by Robert Doherty which is in the same mode.