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Cover of Upsetting the Balance (Worldwar Series, Volume 3)

Upsetting the Balance (Worldwar Series, Volume 3)

First published 1996 · 555 pages

A relentless, apocalyptic alternate history where humanity's darkest weapons are unleashed in a desperate bid for survival.

What it feels like

Reading this book feels like standing in the command center of a world on fire. It is a propulsive, dread-soaked experience that plunges you into a desperate, apocalyptic alternate history where the familiar horrors of global warfare are eclipsed by an even greater extraterrestrial threat. The mood is relentlessly tense, driven by the uneasy alliances of former enemies and the feverish, terrifying race to deploy unthinkable weapons. The prose sweeps across a devastated globe, capturing both the gritty, horse-drawn reality of resource depletion and the blinding, horrifying flash of atomic pyres. It is a grim, tactical read that will thrill fans of military science fiction who crave massive scale, high-stakes strategy, and the sheer, overwhelming adrenaline of humanity fighting for its very existence amidst total carnage.

Mood
  • dread-soaked
  • apocalyptic
  • tense
  • desperate
Tone
  • urgent
  • grim
  • intense
  • tactical
Pace
propulsive
Themes
uneasy alliances · technological desperation · the horrors of war · survival against overwhelming odds · global devastation
The writing
Action-oriented and sweeping, focusing on the grim mechanics of warfare and the sheer scale of global destruction.
The arc
Moves from desperate, uneasy collaboration to a horrifying realization of the apocalyptic costs of survival.
Who it's for
Fans of alternate history and military science fiction who enjoy massive, high-stakes global conflicts and tactical desperation.
Content notes
  • warfare
  • mass destruction
  • nuclear fallout
  • carnage

About the book

Russia, Communist China, Japan, Nazi Germany, the United States: they began World War II as mortal enemies. But suddenly their only hope for survival--never mind victory--was to unite to stop a mighty foe--one whose frightening technology appeared invincible. Far worse beings than the Nazis were loose. From Warsaw to Moscow to China's enemy-occupied Forbidden City, the nations of the world had been forced into an uneasy alliance since humanity began its struggle against overwhelming odds. In Germany, where the banshee wail of hostile jets screamed across the land, caches of once-forbidden weapons were unearthed, and unthinkable tactics were employed against the enemy. Brilliantly innovative military strategists confronted challenges unprecedented in the history of warfare. Even as lack of fuel forced people back to horse and carriage, physicists worked feverishly to create the first nuclear bombs--with horrifying results. City after city joined the atomic pyre as the planet erupted in fiery ruins. Yet the crisis continued--on land, sea, and in the air--as humanity writhed in global combat. The tactics of daredevil guerrillas everywhere became increasingly ingenious against a superior foe whose desperate retaliation would grow ever more fearsome.No one had ever put the United States, or the world, in such deadly danger. But if the carnage and annihilation ever stopped, would there be any pieces to pick up?From the Hardcover edition.

Description from Open Library.

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