UNDER THE YOKE

Rating:
Summary: The most terrifying dystopia since 1984.
Review: I first heard about the Draka series when I was hanging out on one of the alternative history newsgroups. There was much discussion about the Draka series, with many saying it was the most plausible alternative history series ever, and others called it unbelievable. Since the series seemed to stir such strong emotions, I decided to buy the series. Since Marching Through Georgia was out of print, I bought under the yoke instead. After finishing it, I realized that this wasn't really alternative history - instead, it was the best dystopian novel since 1984.

The Draka series does have an interesting, if implausible, alternative history. During the American Revolution, the Netherlands declares war against Britain two years early. Britain seizes South Africa, and after the Revolution is over, Britain sends all of the Tories, most of whom are slaveholders, to South Africa. This colony, named after Sir Francis Drake, florishes, and soon conquers all of Africa. The Domination of the Draka is made up of a master Race, and millions of serfs (slaves) who are utterly dominated by their masters. During World War I, the Draka seize most of the Middle East and parts of Asia. During World War II (known in this timeline as the Eurasian War), the Draka manage to conquer the rest of Europe and most of Asia. Under the Yoke is set in the aftermath of the war, when the Draka are still consolidating their hold over Europe.

Ostensibly Under the Yoke is a spy story, about an American agent who tries to smuggle out a nuclear scientist. But this story takes a back seat to Stirling's exploration of Draka society. What makes it so utterly terrifying is that Stirling makes us believe that a society where 90% of the populace are slaves could not only work, but actually thrive. In addition, the Draka themselves are fascinating. They are kind to their children, they are environmentalists, and they do not torture or kill without cause (usually). But they simply do not accept what we take to be "self-evident" - that all men are created equal. And in the end, the Draka are more terrifying and evil because they are also so human. (This is a weakness of the other Draka books, where often Stirling portrays the Draka as supermen without also showing their evil). Thus, the comparison to 1984 - you want to deny that a society could exist without freedom, but Stirling makes you doubt it. There are some problems with the book. Stirling seems to love to add gratuitous sex and violence, and seems particularly obsessed with the Draka's (...) promiscuity. Stirling also seems to be taken with the supposed realism of his timeline, when frankly it is wildly implausible - the Draka are unbelievably lucky way to many times in their history. But, if you have a strong stomach, Under the Yoke is an excellent, frightening novel of a world that none of us would ever want to visit.

Rating:
Summary: Best background creation since McCaffrey's Dragonriders
Review: Stirling writes military SF as well as Drake or Pournelle - fast paced with lots of action. Stirling does the best job I have ever seen an author do of creating a background for his novels. McCaffrey is the only other author I've read who came close. However, she created a world, society, and complete culture on Pern in her Dragonrider series. Stirling creates just as convincing and detailed a background when he creates the timeline of the Draka, which diverges from our own during the American revolutionary war. In the Draka timeline, the Netherlands entered the war on the American side and the British take South Africa from them during the war. After the war is lost, Hessian mercenaries and loyal colonists (mostly from the southern colonies) are resettled in South Africa by the British as compensation for pay and losses in the American colonies. From that point, the new settlers in South Africa (renamed "Drakesland", later the "Domination of the Draka") display a societal militarism and aggressiveness (and a perpetual animosity towards "Damn Yankees") that by the time of Under the Yoke, immediately after World War II, has them ruling about half the world. Aside from being an excellently written military adventure and alternate history novel, Under the Yoke gives the reader a disquieting view of what slavery might actually mean. Having a heritage of southern slaveholders, the Draka never gave up the institution, and have extended it to encompass ALL subject people (not just Africans) in the lands they've conquered. The very title "Under the Yoke" refers to the subjugation of conquered people to Draka slavery - at the time of this novel, the Draka are consolidating their conquests of most of Asia, and all of continental Europe during WWII. Whereas slavery was already waning in the US by the US Civil War, and would have eventually died out due to inefficiency, mismanagement, and ineptitude on an institutional scale, it survived and flourished in the Domination of the Draka. The Draka are efficient, practical, and ruthless. Accept your slavery to them and life is tolerable and rather pleasant - fight the Draka and they will crush you. A very chilling, but highly accurate analogy would be to compare the Draka to hereditary coprate executives, and their slaves to the regular clock-punching employees. They regard human slaves just the same as any other tool or labor animal (gives new meaning to 'human resources'). It's just common sense - take care of a work animal and treat it well to get the best work out of it. But just as you destroy a dog that turns on you, the Draka don't tolerate a rebellious slave. Under the Yoke is the second (and best) of 4 in this series. I highly recommend it and the others for a good action SF read, and as thought provokers

Rating:
Summary: A better than average alternate history thriller
Review: Stirling's Draka books are among the more disturbing science fiction works I have ever read, which is one measure of how good they are. If the purpose (a la Asimov) of good sci-fi is to provoke thoughts about the real future and our real society, UTY succeeds splendidly. The alternate history postulates, as said in the first book of the series, Marching through Georgia, an "anti-America." That is, a post-colonial nation with all the energies and ambition of the USA, but with an absolutely inverted philosophy of citizenship and the state. Racism, elitism, and totalitarianism are not only tolerated but actively encouraged, to preserve the eternal supremacy of the Draka, white overlords of a thoroughly industrialized Africa. Slavery is seen as a positive good, democracy is held in contempt, and history and culture are treated as plastic constructs, to be manipulated by the state as needed. (As examples, all religion is ruthlessly suppressed except for the official state-sponsored, slaves-only cults, with suitably doctored scriptures; furthermore, "widespread literacy" among slaves is targeted for elimination). The fans of deconstructionism would cringe; the Draka think nothing of rewriting history, literature, and art, if it serves their purpose of mass propaganda. The novel is set in a post WW2 Europe, where the Draka have subjugated all of continental Europe through mass purges, and America (us good guys) is trying to keep the flame of liberty alive. The most horrifying parts of the book deal with the utter degradation of the conquered peoples; one suspects that Hitler must have had fantasies like this. Stirling makes it all work, partly because the ruthless Draka are complex, believable characters, with their own code of ethics and honor. I would rate the book higher except for a few errors in execution, mostly having to do with language and technology, and for making the Draka seem just a little too much like Aryan supermen (they all seem to be black belts, Olympic quality marksmen, etc.) However, as a chilling picture of "what could be", this is hard to beat.

Rating:
Summary: The most terrifying dystopia since 1984.
Review: This is the sequel to Marching Through Georgia, itself a stunning piece of alternate history/military sf. If you can't find MTG, start here; UTY has an inexorable political logic, fascinating characters, splendid writing and the most disturbing plot and theme in sf, with the exception of its sequel, The Stone Dogs. Set in the aftermath of the most distressing alternate WWII I can imagine, this is the book that established Stirling as the greatest AH writer of our time.

Rating:
Summary: Captivating, but still fiction.
Review: Under The Yoke is pretty much a spy novel, but it deepens into the culture of the Draka. This is where Americans might think of them as evil.

However, there are some cultural/historial discrepancies. Although some things may have changed, like years how long the WW 2 was (Eurasian War for the Draka), and the description of Hitler. But I don't think things would have been remotely similar. For one, Americans, Australians, and other British-born colony/nations have evolved independently but are more alike than not. If there was a Domination of the Draka, I would believe they'd have been like us, not as bad as the series turned them out to be. I have a hard time thinking of an England that would have let their colony become so twisted as they did, slaughtering locals and enslaving them, calling them 'serfs'. I also have a hard time believing anyone would have the idiotic sense to ally with the Draka as they were. Those nations the Draka didn't/couldn't conquer, would alienate them or even invade the Draka in time. Most of all, when did the USA get on this territory expansionism and then STOP with N. America alone?

The story is quite intense, but I didn't care for the frequent unorthodox sexual encounters that the 'mistis' was so fond of. Romance and love is one thing; subtle rape is another.

Rating:
Summary: Captivating, but still fiction.
Review: Under The Yoke is pretty much a spy novel, but it deepens into the culture of the Draka. This is where Americans might think of them as evil.

However, there are some cultural/historial discrepancies. Although some things may have changed, like years how long the WW 2 was (Eurasian War for the Draka), and the description of Hitler. But I don't think things would have been remotely similar. For one, Americans, Australians, and other British-born colony/nations have evolved independently but are more alike than not. If there was a Domination of the Draka, I would believe they'd have been like us, not as bad as the series turned them out to be. I have a hard time thinking of an England that would have let their colony become so twisted as they did, slaughtering locals and enslaving them, calling them 'serfs'. I also have a hard time believing anyone would have the idiotic sense to ally with the Draka as they were. Those nations the Draka didn't/couldn't conquer, would alienate them or even invade the Draka in time. Most of all, when did the USA get on this territory expansionism and then STOP with N. America alone?

The story is quite intense, but I didn't care for the frequent unorthodox sexual encounters that the 'mistis' was so fond of. Romance and love is one thing; subtle rape is another.