The Grapple, the third volume of Settling Accounts - Harry Turtledove's alternative history of the United States - brings his version of The Second World War into what would be the 1944/1945 period back in our space-time continuum. After sustaining a crushing defeat at the Battle of Pittsburgh, the Confederacy has been thrown off balance by the material might of the United States. A thrust south from Ohio that mimics the actions of Grant and Sherman in the actual Civil War has Atlanta a risk. Concurrently, US forces in west Texas have captured the largest of the Confederate death camps, where, in a scene straight out of Eisenhower and Patton forcing the local Germans to view Buchenwald, General Dowling makes local Texans view the camp just outside their town. I could relate how this volume ends but that would be cheating. However, anyone with the most limited knowledge of WWII and experience with Turtledove's style can probably guess what is going to happen. There has been much talk from reviewers about the repetition and tedious nature of portions of the narrative. I do think that Turtledove should have limited the number of characters he presented to readers because some a really not much more than shadowy stereotypes. To my mind the greatest example of this is the Dr. O'Doul arc. While O'Doul was interesting as a character to show the complexities of being an occupying power in a formerly third-party occupied land (Quebec), this whole story is now nothing more than a pale copy of MASH. In fact, this volume takes the imitation to the limit by affecting a Trapper John replaced by BJ Hunnicutt story line. Now, maybe this is trite and kitschy, or maybe Turtledove is taking alternative history to another level where life imitates art and vice versa. After all, it's pretty clear there are some very clear differences between the Turtledove America and the one in which we live. Has anyone else noted that baseball does not seem to exist? So, maybe it's harsh to criticize over things that seem just a little bit familar to use readers, but actually are not to those living in this other world. And yet, there are other characters that remain of vital interest to the reader. Sam Carstens and Abner Dowling are two that come to mind, though I do not want to give short shrift to Clarence Potter, Jefferson Pinkard and the absolutely marvelous Jerry Dover. While some sections of The Grapple drag badly, other parts are really quite transcendent. Make no mistake, this story - this epic of linked stories - is addicting. I cannot stop buying each new volume. I will do the same for the next (presumably last) of this series where I expect I will read of: 1) A July 20, 1944 type plot against Featherstone that will bring down Nathan Bedford Forrest III and maybe Potter 2) A Himmler signing a separate peace with the US type action by Ferd Koenig 3) A nuclear test that takes place probably in Utah - - shortly after the Mormon diaspora (which could lead to a whole series of its own) 4) A nuclear attack on the CSA - - which raise the questions of "will it be two bombs?" and "which cities." My money is one bomb because the US isn't divided between uranium and plutonium [remember that uranium bomb development was at Oak Ridge, Tennesee, in the CSA; while plutonium bomb development was at Hanford, Washington]. And so, I presume the US plutonium bomb will be used on a large Confederate city that is far from the front line, not mentionedRead full review
Harry Turtledove is the best alternative history writer bar none. This book is only one in a long series the follows after the Confederate victory in the Civil War. If you want sometinh that will keep you wanting more, check out this series. You will be hooked.
You have to read all of them in order or you will be lost. Do not even try to jump in this late in the game.
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