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How few remain
First published 1997 · 595 pages
A sprawling, meticulously detailed thought experiment that plunges readers into the gritty realities of a fractured American continent.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like stepping into a meticulously crafted parallel universe where the familiar is twisted just enough to be deeply unsettling. The narrative unfolds at a steady, deliberate pace, weaving together a sprawling tapestry of perspectives that range from the highest political offices to the muddy, blood-soaked front lines. The prose is utilitarian and grounded, prioritizing historical verisimilitude and tactical detail over lyrical flourish, which grounds the sweeping alternate history in a gritty, believable reality. There is a pervasive mood of tension and tragic inevitability as iconic historical figures navigate a fractured continent. It is a deeply immersive experience that will delight history buffs and military fiction fans who crave expansive, multi-POV epics and love exploring the profound butterfly effects of altered pasts.
- Mood
- gritty
- tense
- expansive
- immersive
- Tone
- sweeping
- objective
- ironic
- earnest
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- the butterfly effect of history · tragedy of war · fragility of nations · ideological shifts · burden of leadership
- The writing
- Utilitarian and highly detailed, prioritizing historical verisimilitude and military logistics over lyrical flourish.
- The arc
- Moves from simmering geopolitical tension into the chaotic, sobering realities of a continent-spanning war, culminating in an uneasy, reshaped world order.
- Who it's for
- History buffs and military fiction fans who love sprawling, multi-perspective narratives and playing 'what if' with the past.
Content notes
- war violence
- historical racism
- political violence
About the book
From the master of alternate history comes an epic of the Second Civil War. It was an epoch of glory and success, of disaster and despair. Twenty years after the South won the Civil War, America writhed once more in the bloody throes of battle. Furious over the annexation of key Mexican territory, the United States declared total war against the Confederate States of America. And so, in 1883, the fragile peace was shattered.But this was a new kind of war, fought on a lawless frontier where the blue and gray battled not only each other, but the Apache, the outlaw, and even the redcoat. Along with France, England entered the fray on the side of the South, with blockades and invasions from Canada. Out of this tragic struggle emerged figures great and small. The disgraced Abraham Lincoln crisscrossed the nation championing socialist ideals. Confederate cavalry leader Jeb Stuart sought to prevent wholesale slaughter in the desert Southwest, while cocky young Theodore Roosevelt and stodgy George Custer bickered over modern weapons--even as they drove the British back into western Canada.Thanks to the efforts of journalists like Samuel Clemens, the nation witnessed the clash of human dreams and passions. Confederate genius Stonewall Jackson again soared to the heights of military expertise, while the North's McClellan proved sadly undeserving of his once shining reputation as the "young Napoleon." For in the Second War Between the States, the times, the stakes, and the battle lines had changed... and so would history.Once again, Harry Turtledove has created a thoroughly engrossing alternate history novel, a profoundly original epic of blood and honor, courage and sacrifice, set amidst the raw beauty of young America's frontier wilderness.From the Hardcover edition.
Description from Open Library.
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