Coup d'Etat

June 4, 2012
Turtledove follows The Big Switch with a ponderous fourth volume in an alternative WWII saga in which the British and French have formed an uneasy alliance with Germany against the Russians. Once again, the action takes place on a variety of fronts, focusing not only on the battles that rage across Spain and Egypt but also on the personal stories in Philadelphia and Münster. The large cast of characters is handled adroitly, even when some are culled. The titular coup causes upheaval for the military brass, politicians, and common soldiers. Fans of battlefield action may be disappointed by the emphasis on character development, and by the end, the war feels nearly stagnant, despite the description of gains made in Russia and losses in the Pacific. It’s not clear how Turtledove will stretch the scenario to the planned fifth and sixth installments. Agent: Russell Galen, Scovil Galen Ghosh Literary Agency.

June 15, 2012
Turtledove (The War That Came Early: The Big Switch, 2011, etc.) delivers the fourth installment in his latest series, depicting an alternate-history version of World War II. This grandly staged what-if series began with Turtledove's 2009 novel Hitler's War, which portrayed an alternate version of WWII starting with a 1938 German invasion of Czechoslovakia. (In the real world, the war began in 1939 when the Nazis invaded Poland.) A domino effect of divergent events followed in the next two books. As this book opens in January 1941, British and French forces have joined with Germany against the Soviets, while the U.S., fighting Japan, is staying out of the European conflict. Soon, however, a governmental coup in England begins a shifting of alliances. As with previous books, Turtledove tells his story through many different characters--frontline soldiers, civilian Americans and persecuted German Jews, among others--while major historical figures, such and Hitler and FDR, exist solely in the background. (Winston Churchill, however, has already met an untimely end.) Turtledove's huge cast is a testament to his commitment to worldbuilding, but the constant scene shifts make the story feel a bit scattered, and some plotlines, such as the English situation, are more consistently interesting than others. For the most part, the story merely inches along, which may tax the patience of all but the most ardent WWII aficionados. While the book's grand scope and Turtledove's impressive historical knowledge are admirable, this installment seems to be merely laying groundwork for more earthshaking events to come. A fair middle chapter in the series, which will undoubtedly appeal to Turtledove's fans.

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Starred review from August 1, 2012
Turtledove's masterful presentation of an alternate WWII reaches its fourth volume with its quality undiminished. The main feature of the story is the British switching back to hostility toward Germany, thanks to the bold stroke of an army coup led by General Archibald Wavell. The panorama, however large it may seem to be growing, is still presented through the eyes of people in danger of being ground between upper and lower millstones. Well, maybe not Peggy Druce, who has become an effective speaker in favor of continued aid to Britain and Spain, even if the U.S. and Japan are going toe-to-toe. (So far the Japanese are getting the better of it, which makes some difference to U.S. Marine Pete McGill when his ship is sunk but none to Hideo Fujita, still mired in the brutal discipline of the imperial army and apparently destined to spend the rest of the war spreading germs.) Sarah Goldman is now Sarah Bruch, but nothing else has changed for her or any other German Jew, Theo Hossbach now rides in the comparative luxury of a Panzer III, while Ivan Kuchkov, ex-Red aviator, slogs around the front with the infantry outfit that rescued him. Every reader who has come this far will have favorite characters, supplying which constitutes a classic method of keeping a saga flowing and is a tribute to Turtledove's commanding skills. High-Demand Backstory: Turtledove is a master of alternate history will line up for his latest.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)