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Harry Turtledove bibliography
View on WikipediaBibliography of science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction and nonfiction writer Harry Turtledove:
Writing as Eric Iverson
[edit]Elabon
[edit]Set in a Bronze Age fantasy world, these stories follow Gerin the Fox as he tries to maintain order in the Northlands.
- Wereblood (1979)
- Werenight (1979, revised in 1994 to include Wereblood)
- Prince of the North (1994, as by Harry Turtledove)
- King of the North (1996, as by Harry Turtledove)
- Fox and Empire (1998, as by Harry Turtledove)
- Wisdom of the Fox (1999, collects the revised Werenight and Prince of the North; as by Harry Turtledove)
- Tale of the Fox (2000, collects King of the North and Fox and Empire; as by Harry Turtledove)
Writing as H. N. Turteltaub
[edit]- Justinian (1998)
This historical fiction series is about two cousins who are traveling merchants in the 4th-century BC Mediterranean.
- Over the Wine Dark Sea (2001)
- The Gryphon's Skull (2002)
- The Sacred Land (2003)
- Owls to Athens (2004)
- Salamis (2020)
Writing as Harry Turtledove
[edit]The series is set in a world analogous to the real-life Byzantine Empire.
- The Videssos cycle: One of Julius Caesar's legions is transported to a world that resembles the then-future Byzantine Empire but with magic.
- The Misplaced Legion (1987)
- An Emperor for the Legion (1987)
- The Legion of Videssos (1987)
- Swords of the Legion (1987)
- The Tale of Krispos series
- Krispos Rising (1991)
- Krispos of Videssos (1991)
- Krispos the Emperor (1994)
- The Time of Troubles series
- The Stolen Throne (1995)
- Hammer and Anvil (1996)
- The Thousand Cities (1997)
- Videssos Besieged (1998)
- The Bridge of the Separator (2005)
The series incorporates elements of both science fiction and alternate history. In Worldwar, aliens invade during World War II in 1942. The Colonization trilogy deals with the course of history a generation after the initial series, as the humans and aliens work to share Earth. Homeward Bound follows a human spaceship that brings a delegation to the alien homeworld.
- Worldwar tetralogy
- In the Balance (1994)
- Tilting the Balance (1995)
- Upsetting the Balance (1996)
- Striking the Balance (1996)
- Colonization trilogy
- Second Contact (1999)
- Down to Earth (2000)
- Aftershocks (2001)
- Homeward Bound (2004)
Order 191 is never found by Union troops during the Maryland Campaign and so the Battle of Antietam never occurs. Instead, the Army of Northern Virginia, under Robert E. Lee, marches into Pennsylvania, crushes George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac at Camp Hill, and proceeds to capture the city of Philadelphia. As a result, the Confederacy wins the War of Secession in 1862 with official recognition as an independent nation from Britain and France. Another popular moniker for the series is Timeline-191.
- How Few Remain (1997)
- The Great War trilogy
- American Front (1998)
- Walk in Hell (1999)
- Breakthroughs (2000)
- The American Empire trilogy
- Blood and Iron (2001)
- The Center Cannot Hold (2002)
- The Victorious Opposition (2003)
- The Settling Accounts tetralogy
- Return Engagement (2004)
- Drive to the East (2005)
- The Grapple (2006)
- In at the Death (2007)
The fantasy series is about a global war that occurs in a world related to medieval Europe in which magic exists. Many plot elements are analogous to elements of World War II, with kingdoms and sorceries that are comparable to the historical nations and technologies.
- Into the Darkness (1999)
- Darkness Descending (2000)
- Through the Darkness (2001)
- Rulers of the Darkness (2002)
- Jaws of Darkness (2003)
- Out of the Darkness (2004)
The fantasy series is based heavily on the American Civil War except that magic exists, the geography of the North and South have been reversed, and blond-haired serfs are featured rather than black slaves.
- Sentry Peak (2000)
- Marching Through Peachtree (2001)
- Advance and Retreat (2002)
Travel between parallel timelines, for the purpose of harvesting resources, has become possible in the late 21st century. It is a young adult fiction series and so racial slurs, profanity, and sex are considerably muted, compared to Turtledove's other work.
- Gunpowder Empire (2003) - the Roman Empire won an analog of the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest and still goes strong, but technology never advanced beyond the discovery of gunpowder.
- Curious Notions (2004) - the German Empire won a Blitzkrieg version of World War I in 1914.
- In High Places (2006) - the effects of the 14th century's bubonic plagues were doubled, so that the world never left the Middle Ages.
- The Disunited States of America (2006) - the United States did not form a federal government in 1787, and North America balkanized into several dozen nation-states who have periodic border wars.
- The Gladiator (2007) - the Soviet Union won the Cold War, and Italy became an inefficient impoverished communist nation.
- The Valley-Westside War (2008) - civilization remains at a quasi-medieval level since the nuclear world war of 1967.
The Japanese Empire gains the initiative in the Pacific War by invading and occupying Hawaii immediately following the attack on Pearl Harbor.
- Days of Infamy (2004)
- End of the Beginning (2005)
The trilogy describes a world in which the American East Coast, from the tip of Florida to Nova Scotia, broke away from the mainland around 85 million years ago and has an island biota that is similar to New Zealand's. It was discovered in 1452 by a Breton fisherman, François Kersauzon, and was named Atlantis. The seventh continent becomes a focal point in a gradually diverging timeline. Two short stories, "Audubon in Atlantis" and "The Scarlet Band," have been set in the milieu.
- Opening Atlantis (2007)
- The United States of Atlantis (2008)
- Liberating Atlantis (2009)
- Atlantis and Other Places (2010) contains "Audubon in Atlantis" and "The Scarlet Band" (a Sherlock Holmes pastiche of A Study in Scarlet and "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" in which the Dr. Watson analog repeatedly voices racial concepts common to that time) among ten other unrelated stories.
Opening Atlantis was nominated for the 2009 Prometheus Award.[1]
The trilogy describes a fantasy world in which inhabitants of an empire that is of the Iron Age but has Pleistocene wildlife explore a land uncovered by a receding glacier and then discover a threat to their national security.
- Beyond the Gap (2007)
- Breath of God (2008)
- The Golden Shrine (2009)
A hexalogy describing an alternate World War II which begins in 1938 over Czechoslovakia. The first volume, Hitler's War, was released in hardcover in 2009 without a series title.
- Hitler's War (2009); published in paperback as The War That Came Early: Hitler's War (2010).
- West and East (2010)[2]
- The Big Switch (2011)[3]
- Coup d'Etat (2012)
- Two Fronts (2013)
- Last Orders (2014)[4]
Supervolcano
[edit]The trilogy has the Yellowstone Caldera erupt at some unspecified point in the future and covers the decade following the Eruption.
- Supervolcano: Eruption (2011)
- Supervolcano: All Fall Down (2012)
- Supervolcano: Things Fall Apart (2013)[5]
The Hot War
[edit]Point of divergence: 1950. The Korean War escalates into World War III after Harry Truman allows Douglas MacArthur to use atomic bombs as the latter had wanted to, leading to a chain reaction of nuclear bomb attacks throughout Asia, Europe, and North America.
- Bombs Away (2015)
- Fallout (2016)
- Armistice (2017)
State of Jefferson Stories
[edit]First published in May 2016, the stories are set in a world in which Sasquatch, Yeti, Indonesian Hobbits, merfolk, and other cryptids are real or not extinct. Unlike common popular depictions of such creatures as less evolved primates, they are integrated into a world designed for ordinary humans ("little people"). Like other ethnic minorities cryptids experience cultural assimilation and racial stereotyping, become less familiar with ancestral customs and languages, and interbreed with the majority.
In 1919 several counties in northern California and southern Oregon secede, forming the State of Jefferson. Neither the new state nor the earlier discovery of cryptids greatly affects United States or world history, with events such as the Chinese invasion of Tibet, 1973 oil crisis, and Iranian hostage crisis still occurring. Most American Sasquatch live in the state; although they are still a small minority, size is a protected class in Jefferson, with anti-discrimination law guaranteeing reasonable accommodation.
Most stories depict Governor Bill Williamson, Jefferson's second Sasquatch leader, who during the late 1970s and early 1980s meets Charles Kuralt, Jerry Turner, Nobuo Fujita and a Yeti Dalai Lama. From the state capital of Yreka he promotes his small, rural, and obscure state to the nation and world as an example of how different species can peacefully cooperate.
- "Visitor from the East" (May 2016)
- "Peace is Better" (May 2016)
- "Typecasting" (June 2016; set at the 1980 Ashland Shakespeare Festival)
- "Three Men and a Sasquatch" (January 2019)
- "Something Fishy" (January 2020)
- "Always Something New" (January 2020; set the day of the 1980 United States presidential election)
- "Tie a yellow ribbon" (January 2020; set after the Iranian hostage crisis)
Standalone books
[edit]- Agent of Byzantium (1987): Imperial Byzantine special agent Basil Argyros is sent on various missions in a world in which Muhammad became a Christian saint and so Islam never existed and the Byzantine Empire never declined—and also its arch-enemy, the Persian Sasanian Empire, surviving intact into the 13th century and beyond.
- A Different Flesh (1988): A related set of short stories spanning the 17th to 20th centuries set in a universe in which, along with the prehistoric megafauna, the Native Americans are Homo erectus, who are known as "sims" to the colonists of English descent. Suggested by Turtledove's reading of Stephen Jay Gould, the novel's main theme is what effect the proximity of a closely related but significantly different species would have on how humans view themselves, one another, and the great chain of life.
- Noninterference (1988): A human interstellar survey team violates a directive to avoid interference with alien civilizations, with disastrous long-term consequences. Republished in the collection 3xT.
- Kaleidoscope (1990): A short-story collection, including "The Road Not Taken". Re-published in the collection 3xT.
- A World of Difference (1990): In this alternative history story, the fourth planet of the Solar System is larger, and named Minerva instead of Mars. The Viking space probe of the 1970s sends back one picture—that of an alien creature swinging a stick—before losing contact. A U.S. mission and a Soviet mission are sent to explore the planet; both missions back rival primitive groups in a tribal war.
- Earthgrip (1991): A woman whose desire is to teach a university course in Middle English Science Fiction joins a trader ship's crew, just to get something different on her curriculum vitae. Re-published in the collection 3xT.
- The Guns of the South (1992): A science fiction/alternate history in which the Confederate army is supplied with AK-47s by time traveling members of the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging from the year 2014 and win the Civil War in 1864.
- The Case of the Toxic Spell Dump (1993): EPA agent David Fisher battles displaced magical powers in a very creative sorcerous equivalent to late-20th century Los Angeles. He follows the evidence to a toxic spell dump, where dangerous remnants of industrial sorcery are stored.
- Departures (1993): A short story collection
- Down in the Bottomlands (1993, reprinted in 2015 in We Install and Other Stories): At the end of the Miocene period, the Mediterranean Sea stays dry to the present day. The dry sea basin is a large canyon containing a national park, and a strongbrow who works as a park ranger must race to stop terrorists from letting in the Atlantic and flooding the area.
- The Two Georges (1995) alternate history/mystery, co-authored with Richard Dreyfuss: Set in 1995 in a world in which the American Revolution was peacefully avoided. The painting that symbolizes the union between North America and the United Kingdom is stolen by the terrorist group known as the Sons of Liberty, who want independence from the British Empire. Officers of the Royal American Mounted Police must find it before it is destroyed.
- Thessalonica (1997): Early Christians in the Greek city of Thessalonica deal with barbarian invaders on both physical and metaphysical levels (the book was inspired by the Medieval Miracles of Saint Demetrius).
- Between the Rivers (1998): Taking place in a fantasy realm equivalent to ancient Mesopotamia, city-states ruled by different gods fight for dominance.
- Justinian (1998): Fictionalized account (with some speculation involved) of the life of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian II—using the H. N. Turteltaub pseudonym.
- Household Gods (1999); co-written with Judith Tarr; science fiction/alternate history: A modern California lawyer finds herself in the Roman Empire of Marcus Aurelius.
- Counting Up, Counting Down (2002): A short story collection.
- The Daimon (2002): A novella included in the alternate history collections Worlds That Weren't and Atlantis and Other Places. It describes a world in which the philosopher Socrates aids the Athenian general Alcibiades in defeating the Sicilians and Spartans, allowing him to unite the city-states of ancient Greece and to contemplate war on the Persian Empire about 80 or 90 years before it happened in our history.
- Ruled Britannia (2002) alternate history: The Spanish Armada conquers England and forces Shakespeare to write a play about Philip II. At the same time, he is secretly writing a play for the English underground resistance about Boudica's rebellion, with Boudica meant to be analogous to the imprisoned Elizabeth I.
- In the Presence of Mine Enemies (2003) alternate history: Follows the struggles of a family of secret Jews in Berlin, nearly 70 years after a Nazi victory in World War II. The events in the story follow a common theme of Turtledove's work by transplanting one set of historical events into another setting (the most prominent example being Southern Victory Series moving European history onto the American continent). In this case, the decline of the Soviet Union in the 1990s is translated to the Third Reich in the 21st century, and the secret Jews' way of life is reminiscent of that of Marranos in Spain.
- Conan of Venarium (2003): An authorized prequel to Robert E. Howard's tales of Conan the Barbarian depicts a 14-year-old Conan's resistance to the imperialist legions who occupy his village.
- Every Inch a King (ISFiC Press) (2005): An acrobat becomes king of a small country. Although set in a fantasy world, it is analogous to the real-world, this time in the Balkans between the First and the Second Balkan Wars. Shqiperi is modeled on Albania, and the story itself is modeled on the story of Otto Witte.
- Fort Pillow (2006): A historical novel detailing the Battle of Fort Pillow.
- "Under Saint Peter's" (2007): Short story found in The Secret History of Vampires (edited by Darrell Schweitzer) and We Install and Other Stories. This is Turtledove's rare concession to the secret history genre, which he professes to have little interest in writing. In 2005, viewpoint character Pope Benedict XVI (unnamed but recognizable) is led by an eccentric priest to a secret bunker under the Vatican for a little-known initiation that is undertaken by each new pontiff since the days of Saint Peter.
- The Man with the Iron Heart (2008): Reinhard Heydrich survives an assassination attempt in Czechoslovakia by partisans and later goes on to lead an insurgent movement against the Allied occupation of Germany. Turtledove mixes information gleaned from authentic German documents and intentions with another historical transplant, which in this case is the Iraqi insurgency of 2003 being transplanted to mid-1940s Germany.
- After the Downfall (2008): A Wehrmacht officer is transported into a fantasy world during the Fall of Berlin at the end of World War II. The story resembles the formula of Edgar Rice Burroughs and L. Sprague de Camp, mixed with Turtledove's usual allegorism as the central character sees parallels between the politics and notions of his new world and those of the world he just left.
- Reincarnations (2009): A limited edition hardcover containing eight stories, including six never before reprinted and one original story.
- Give Me Back My Legions! (2009): A historical novel detailing the events leading up to the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, as well as the battle itself.
- Joe Steele (2015): Expanded from the short story of the same name, the alternative history deals with Joseph Stalin, whose Americanized name is the title character, having been born and raised in America. When the life of New York State Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt is ended by a fire at the New York State Executive Mansion, the Democratic Party has little choice but to nominate the up and coming Steele as its candidate for the 1932 Presidential election. The novel mirrors Stalin's real world acts with actions taken by Steele through the Great Depression, the lead-up to World War II, and the ensuing Cold War through the eyes of a president with the soul of a tyrant.
- The House of Daniel (2016). Historical fantasy: during the Great Depression, a young "Okie" joins the roving church-sponsored baseball team of the title. As the team travels to play against the home teams of various western American towns, the young man learns about the culture of the towns they visit and has passing encounters with vampires, werewolves, zombies, and other magical beings.
- Through Darkest Europe (2018): Set in modern times in which Islam developed science, technology, and enlightenment, but Western Europe remained a hotbed of Christian fundamentalism. The working title for the book was God Wills It.
- Alpha and Omega (2019): A depiction of the End of Days, based on Christian legend.
- And the Last Trump Shall Sound (2020), co-authored with James K. Morrow and Cat Rambo: Set in an alternate future where Donald Trump was reelected in 2020.
- Or Even Eagle Flew (2021): Amelia Earhart does not go missing in 1937 and later joins the Eagle Squadrons of the British Royal Air Force to fight against the Nazis in World War II.
- The Best of Harry Turtledove. A short story collection.
- Three Miles Down (2022): A first contact story set in the 1970s.
- The Wages of Sin (2023): An alternate history set in a nineteenth-century England ravaged by HIV.
Short stories
[edit]- "A Massachusetts Yankee in King Arthur’s Court" (1992): John F. Kennedy is briefly transported back in time to ancient Britain, where he meets up King Arthur of Camelot. The story is collected in Mike Resnick's 1992 alternate history anthology Alternate Kennedys.
- Uncle Alf (2002): A novella included in the collections Alternate Generals II and Atlantis and Other Places. The German Empire has won World War I when Alfred von Schlieffen lived to see his Schlieffen Plan executed successfully and Germany occupies France and Belgium. In 1929, Feldgendarmerie Sergeant Adolf Hitler is sent to occupied France to hunt down Jacques Doriot, an agitator against the German occupation of France.
Nonfiction
[edit]- The Chronicle of Theophanes, Harry Turtledove editor and translator, University of Pennsylvania Press, 1982. A translation of an important Byzantine historical text, completed soon after Harry Turtledove's PhD studies.
Web publishing
[edit]- Winter of Our Discontent: The Impeachment and Trial of John F. Kennedy (2007). Fragment of a novel, co-written with the television series creator Bryce Zabel. After John Kennedy survives the attack at Dealey Plaza unharmed, the resulting investigation sets events in motion that tear apart his administration. Zabel eventually published the final work as a solo project entitled Surrounded by Enemies: What If Kennedy Had Survived Dallas? in 2013.
- Turtledove, Harry (2009). "The House That George Built". Babe Ruth remains a minor league player for most of his career until he retires and opens a Baltimore pub. In 1941, Ruth reminisces about what could have been with a skeptical H. L. Mencken.
- Vilcabamba (February 3, 2010). After an alien race known as the Krolp subjugates most of the world in the 22nd century, a rump United States and Canada that run along the Rocky Mountains and the Wasatch Range must decide how to respond to the aliens' plans to violate the treaty that guarantees the country's sovereignty. The story is told from the perspective of US President and Canadian Prime Minister Harris Moffatt III, and parallels the treatment of indigenous peoples of the Americas. The title is a reference to the city of Vilcabamba, Peru, the site of the last Inca resistance to Spanish colonization.[6]
- Turtledove, Harry (April 14, 2011). "Shtetl Days". Tor Books. After a Nazi victory in the Second World War, Aryan historical reenactors portray the prewar lifestyle of the exterminated Jews at a tourist attraction. However, many of the actors come to identify more with the Jews than with their German heritage.
- Lee at the Alamo (September 7, 2011). When Texas secedes from the Union in 1861, Lieutenant-Colonel Robert E. Lee, acting commander of the Department of Texas, decides to defend US munitions at the Alamo and launches the first battle of a slightly different American Civil War.[7]
- Turtledove, Harry (January 8, 2014). "The Eighth-Grade History Class Visits the Hebrew Home for the Aging". Tor.com. Macmillan. Retrieved January 28, 2014. In 2013, an elderly Jewish woman shares stories of her life with a group of eighth graders.
- Hail! Hail! (2018). Shortly after the release of their film Duck Soup in mid-1934, the Marx Brothers visit Nacogdoches, Texas, where all four of them are struck by lightning and are transported back in time to December 15, 1826; arrive in the same town; and interfere with the Fredonian Rebellion.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ "Prometheus Finalists". Science Fiction Awards Watch. March 24, 2009. Archived from the original on April 17, 2009. Retrieved March 26, 2009.
- ^ Turtledove, Harry (July 27, 2010). The War That Came Early: West and East. Del Rey. ISBN 978-0345491848.
- ^ Turtledove, Harry (July 19, 2011). The Big Switch: The War That Came Early. Del Rey. ISBN 978-0345491862.
- ^ Turtledove, Harry (2014). Last Orders (The War That Came Early, Book Six): Harry Turtledove: 9780345524713: Amazon.com: Books. Random House Publishing. ISBN 978-0345524713.
- ^ Supervolcano: Things Fall Apart (Supervolcano, #3) by Harry Turtledove. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
{{cite book}}:|website=ignored (help) - ^ Turtledove, Harry (2010-02-03). "Vilcabamba". Tor.com. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
- ^ Turtledove, Harry (2011-09-07). "Lee at the Alamo". Tor.com. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
- ^ "Hail! Hail! by Harry Turtledove". www.fantasticfiction.com.
Harry Turtledove bibliography
View on GrokipediaPseudonymous Works
As Eric G. Iverson
Under the pseudonym Eric G. Iverson, Harry Turtledove published two sword-and-sorcery fantasy novels in 1979, marking his debut in professional fiction. These works, Wereblood and Werenight, launched the Gerin the Fox series (also known as the Elabon series), set in a medieval-inspired world called Elabon where humans coexist uneasily with werebeasts—shapeshifting creatures tied to lunar cycles—and face threats from invading monsters and internal feudal strife.[1][3] Wereblood, issued by Belmont Tower Books, centers on Gerin the Fox, a baron of the north marches, who contends with a surprise attack by the monstrous Trokmoi and the supernatural vulnerabilities of wereblood inheritance among his people. The sequel, Werenight, published later the same year by the same imprint, continues Gerin's struggles against werebeast unrest during the perilous full-moon period known as werenight, blending political intrigue with battles against supernatural foes.[3] The pseudonym was chosen by Turtledove's editor to differentiate the early fantasy output from his scholarly background in Byzantine history, though later series installments—Prince of the North (1994) and King of the North (1996)—appeared under Turtledove's own name.[3] No additional novels were released under Iverson, confining the pen name to these foundational entries.[1]As H. N. Turteltaub
Under the pseudonym H. N. Turteltaub, Harry Turtledove published historical fiction novels set in classical antiquity.[4] These works include the standalone novel Justinian (1998), which details the reign and reconquests of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, and the tetralogy comprising the Hellenic Traders series (2001–2004), chronicling the seafaring trade voyages and adventures of Rhodian cousins Menedemos and Sostratos amid the politics and commerce of the late Hellenistic era.[5][6] Justinian was released in hardcover by Forge Books on January 15, 1998.[7] The Hellenic Traders series, published by Forge Books, consists of:- Over the Wine-Dark Sea (November 2001), the inaugural volume depicting the cousins' initial trading expedition from Rhodes to Alexandria and encounters with Ptolemaic Egypt.
- The Gryphon's Skull (December 2002), continuing their journeys involving piracy, diplomacy, and relics in the Black Sea region.
- The Sacred Land (December 2003), focusing on ventures to Judea amid tensions between Seleucids and Ptolemies.
- Owls to Athens (December 2004), culminating in travels to Athens and dealings with Macedonian intrigue.[8]
Works as Harry Turtledove
Videssos Cycle
The Videssos Cycle is a tetralogy of epic fantasy novels by Harry Turtledove, marking his first major series under his own name and published between 1987 and 1988 by Del Rey Books. Set in the empire of Videssos—a magical realm modeled on the Byzantine Empire with elements of Orthodox Christianity, Haloga (Viking-like) mercenaries, and sorcery—the narrative follows a Roman legionary cohort from the era of Marcus Aurelius (circa 161–180 AD) that is mystically transported eastward, becoming entangled in imperial politics, civil strife, and invasions by the Yezda nomads akin to historical Seljuks or Mongols.[10][11] The series blends historical military tactics, alternate-world displacement, and theological conflicts, with the Romans' disciplined phalanx formation providing a key advantage against Videssian cataphracts and Kubrat (Bulgarian analog) horsemen.[12] The novels, issued in rapid succession to capitalize on the series' momentum, are:- The Misplaced Legion (January 1987), introducing the legion's arrival and initial service under Videssian general Mavros.
- An Emperor for the Legion (April 1987), depicting the legion's role in deposing a usurper and installing a puppet emperor amid sorcery and betrayal.
- The Legion of Videssos (August 1987), focusing on the defense against Yezda incursions and internal Videssian schisms.
- Swords of the Legion (May 1988), concluding the arc with the legion's return to their original world after reclaiming lost artifacts and resolving the imperial crisis.
Worldwar and Colonization Series
The Worldwar and Colonization series is an alternate history science fiction saga centered on an interstellar empire, the Race, launching a conquest fleet toward Earth a millennium in advance, only to arrive in 1942 amid World War II. The aliens, expecting a medieval-level society, encounter industrialized humanity armed with tanks, aircraft, and nascent atomic weapons, leading to a protracted conflict that alters global alliances and accelerates technological exchange. Turtledove structures the narrative through interleaved viewpoints from human leaders, soldiers, and civilians across Allied, Axis, and Soviet fronts, as well as Race commanders, emphasizing realistic military tactics, espionage, and the uneven diffusion of alien tech like radar and jet propulsion.[15] The Worldwar tetralogy details the invasion's opening phases, from the Race's orbital bombardment and landings in December 1942 to a fragile 1944 armistice after humans detonate their first nuclear device on the invaders. Publication order:- In the Balance (January 1994)[15]
- Tilting the Balance (March 1995)[16]
- Upsetting the Balance (October 1996)[16]
- Striking the Balance (November 1996)[17]
- Second Contact (February 1999)[18]
- Down to Earth (2000)[19]
- Aftershocks (2001)[19]
Southern Victory Series
The Southern Victory Series, also known as Timeline-191, encompasses eleven alternate history novels by Harry Turtledove, published from 1997 to 2007. In this timeline, the Confederate States of America secure independence following a decisive victory at the Battle of Camp Hill in 1863, averting the historical Union triumph in the War of Secession. The narrative examines ensuing tensions, including a second Mexican-American War in the 1880s, a reimagined World War I analog termed the Great War, interwar geopolitical shifts, and a divergent World War II equivalent culminating in the 1940s, with the United States allying against the Confederate States and other powers.[21] The series commences with the standalone novel How Few Remain (1997), which establishes the point of divergence and explores immediate postwar ramifications, including Confederate expansionism and Anglo-American rivalries. Subsequent volumes are grouped into trilogies and a tetralogy, chronicling escalating conflicts across decades through multi-perspective accounts of military campaigns, political intrigue, and social dynamics in North America and beyond.[22]How Few Remain
- How Few Remain (1997)[23]
Great War Trilogy
- American Front (1998)[24]
- Walk in Hell (1999)[25]
- Breakthroughs (2000)
American Empire Trilogy
- Blood and Iron (2001)
- The Center Cannot Hold (2002)
- The Victorious Opposition (2003)
Settling Accounts Tetralogy
- Return Engagement (2004)
- Drive to the East (2005)[26]
- The Grapple (2006)[27]
- In at the Death (2007)
Darkness Series
The Darkness series is a hexalogy of epic fantasy novels by Harry Turtledove, published by Tor Books from 1999 to 2004, in which a continent-spanning war unfolds among kingdoms employing sorcery as the dominant military force, with spells substituting for industrial-era armaments and leviathans or dragons paralleling mechanized vehicles.[28] The narrative follows multiple viewpoints across fictional realms analogous to mid-20th-century powers, emphasizing strategic maneuvers, logistical challenges, and the human cost of prolonged conflict through magical means.[29] The series begins with Into the Darkness (June 1999), depicting the outbreak of hostilities as Algarve invades Unkerlant, prompting alliances and initial sorcerous engagements. This is followed by Darkness Descending (April 2000), which escalates the front lines with intensified egg-based magic production and aerial dragon strikes. Through the Darkness (March 2001) explores grinding attrition warfare and internal dissent amid resource strains. Subsequent volumes include Rulers of the Darkness (March 2002), focusing on shifting command structures and counteroffensives; Jaws of Darkness (July 2003), detailing amphibious assaults and experimental curses; and Out of the Darkness (August 2004), culminating in decisive battles and postwar reckonings.[30] Each installment spans hundreds of pages, maintaining Turtledove's characteristic multi-perspective approach to depict geopolitical intricacies.[28] No additional volumes or related works have been published in this series.[31]War Between the Provinces
The War Between the Provinces is a trilogy of fantasy novels by Harry Turtledove, recasting the American Civil War as a conflict within the fictional Kingdom of Detina, where King Avram seeks to free blond serfs held by anti-king provinces led by his cousin Grand Duke Geoffrey.[32] The series incorporates low fantasy elements, such as unicorns and sorcerous scrying, alongside military strategy analogous to historical campaigns like Gettysburg and Sherman's March.[33] Published by Tor Books, the volumes follow multiple viewpoints from soldiers, officers, and civilians on both sides.[34]- Sentry Peak (2000), depicting early battles including the titular engagement mirroring Second Bull Run.[2]
- Marching Through Peachtree (2001), focusing on an invasion of the anti-king south akin to the Atlanta Campaign.[35]
- Advance and Retreat (2002), concluding with sieges and retreats paralleling the war's endgame.[4]
Crosstime Traffic Series
The Crosstime Traffic series consists of six young adult alternate history novels published by Tor Books from 2003 to 2008, centered on a 21st-century corporation that facilitates limited trade across parallel timelines via traversable portals, with each volume featuring adolescent protagonists entangled in the target world's events to protect crosstime operations.[36] The series emphasizes low-profile interventions to avoid timeline contamination, drawing on historical divergences such as prolonged Roman persistence or averted industrial revolutions.[37] The books, in publication order, are:- Gunpowder Empire (December 2003)
- Curious Notions (October 2004)
- In High Places (January 2006)
- The Disunited States of America (September 2006)
- The Gladiator (May 2007)
- The Valley-Westside War (August 2008)
Days of Infamy Series
The Days of Infamy series is a duology of alternate history novels by Harry Turtledove, focusing on a divergence from World War II in which Imperial Japanese forces launch a full-scale amphibious invasion of the Hawaiian Islands immediately after their aerial attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, resulting in the conquest and occupation of Hawaii.[39][40] The first novel depicts the initial Japanese assault, the overwhelmed American defenses, and the rapid subjugation of the islands, including the establishment of military governance and the treatment of captured U.S. personnel.[40] The second volume examines the ensuing occupation under a puppet regime, Japanese efforts to consolidate control amid local resistance, and the buildup to an American counteroffensive aimed at liberation.[39]- Days of Infamy (November 2, 2004, New American Library)[40][34]
- End of the Beginning (November 1, 2005, New American Library)[39][34]
Atlantis Series
The Atlantis series comprises a trilogy of alternate history novels by Harry Turtledove, published by Roc between 2007 and 2009, centered on the fictional continent of Atlantis—a landmass situated in the Atlantic Ocean between Europe and the eastern coast of Terranova (the renamed North America in this timeline). The narrative spans generations of the Radcliff family, beginning with the continent's discovery by English explorers in the late 14th century, progressing through colonial expansion and conflicts with indigenous populations and pirates, and culminating in revolutionary struggles for independence from Britain and the abolition of slavery. A related collection of short stories, Atlantis and Other Places (2010), expands the universe with tales such as "Audubon in Atlantis," set in the 19th century, alongside other alternate history vignettes.[41] The novels are:- Opening Atlantis (2007), which depicts the initial European discovery and settlement of Atlantis, including clashes with native tribes and the establishment of early outposts by figures like Edward Radcliffe.[2]
- The United States of Atlantis (2008), chronicling the late 18th-century rebellion against British rule, led by Victor Radcliff, paralleling but diverging from the American Revolution through Atlantean-specific geography and politics.[2]
- Liberating Atlantis (2009), focusing on the early 19th-century slave uprising commanded by Frederick Radcliff, a formerly enslaved descendant of the founders, aiming to dismantle hereditary servitude across the newly independent United States of Atlantis.[2]
Opening of the World Series
The Opening of the World series is a trilogy of fantasy novels by Harry Turtledove, published by Tor Books.[34][43]- Beyond the Gap (2007)[34][35]
- The Breath of God (2008)[34][35]
- The Golden Shrine (2009)[34][35]
The War That Came Early Series
The War That Came Early is a hexalogy of alternate history novels by Harry Turtledove, published by Del Rey between 2009 and 2014, in which World War II commences in 1938 after Adolf Hitler orders the invasion of Czechoslovakia on September 30, defying the Munich Agreement and prompting immediate war declarations from Britain and France.[46][47] The series diverges further from historical events through shifting alliances, such as a hypothetical Anglo-French-Soviet pact against Nazi Germany by 1940, and examines military campaigns, espionage, and civilian experiences across Europe, Asia, and beyond via ensemble casts of fictional characters from diverse nationalities.[48] Turtledove employs point-of-view chapters to depict granular tactical decisions and their broader strategic ramifications, emphasizing how early hostilities accelerate technological developments and alter geopolitical alignments without U.S. involvement until later volumes.[49] The volumes, released annually, build chronologically from the 1938 outbreak through 1943:- Hitler's War (2009): Covers the initial invasions and early battles, including Germany's push into Czechoslovakia and subsequent clashes with Western Allies.[46]
- West and East (2010): Expands to the Eastern Front and Pacific theater, with Soviet entry complicating Axis advances.[49]
- The Big Switch (2011): Depicts alliance realignments, including Britain and France allying with the USSR against Germany while fighting Japan.[48]
- Coup d'Etat (2012): Focuses on internal political upheavals, such as assassination attempts and leadership changes amid stalemated fronts.[47]
- Two Fronts (2013): Explores intensified multi-theater warfare, including U.S. neutrality fraying and naval engagements.[49]
- Last Orders (2014): Concludes with decisive 1943 offensives, atomic research hints, and resolutions to prolonged conflicts.[48]
Supervolcano Series
The Supervolcano series is a trilogy of science fiction novels by Harry Turtledove, published by Roc, an imprint of Penguin Group, that examines the eruption of the Yellowstone Caldera and its cascading effects on global climate, economies, societies, and politics.[50] The narrative employs multiple viewpoints, primarily following the Ferguson family—centered on California police lieutenant Colin Ferguson—and other individuals as they navigate the immediate disaster and long-term fallout, including ash clouds disrupting air travel, agriculture failures from volcanic winter, and geopolitical strains.[51] Turtledove incorporates geological realism, drawing on supervolcanic eruption models to depict scenarios such as pyroclastic flows devastating the American Midwest and stratospheric ash inducing years of cooling.[52] The series begins with Eruption, released on December 6, 2011, which builds to the caldera's explosion roughly a year after initial seismic warnings, obliterating much of Wyoming and initiating widespread evacuations and supply chain breakdowns.[53][54] The second installment, All Fall Down, appeared in December 2012 and continues the timeline, focusing on escalating scarcities, international aid efforts, and social unrest amid persistent ashfall and darkened skies.[55] The concluding volume, Things Fall Apart, published on December 3, 2013, addresses recovery challenges, including famine, migration waves, and strained alliances, as humanity adapts to a permanently altered environment with reduced sunlight and erratic weather.[56][55] Each novel spans approximately 400 pages and maintains a focus on everyday resilience rather than total apocalypse.[56]The Hot War Series
The Hot War is a trilogy of alternate history novels by Harry Turtledove, published by Del Rey Books from 2015 to 2017.[57] The series examines a counterfactual escalation of the Korean War into World War III, beginning with U.S. President Harry S. Truman authorizing General Douglas MacArthur to deploy atomic bombs against People's Liberation Army forces advancing across the Yalu River in late 1950. This decision provokes Soviet leader Joseph Stalin to retaliate with nuclear strikes on Western targets, expanding the conflict to Europe, the Middle East, and beyond, while incorporating period-specific military technology and political maneuvering.[58] The narrative follows multiple viewpoints, including American, Soviet, Chinese, and other national perspectives, to illustrate the strategic decisions, battlefield developments, and societal impacts of limited nuclear warfare amid Cold War tensions.[59] Unlike Turtledove's other works involving extraterrestrial elements, this series remains grounded in human geopolitics, emphasizing realistic divergences from historical records such as declassified military documents and diplomatic cables.[2]- Bombs Away (July 2015, ISBN 978-0-345-52470-7): The opening volume covers the initial atomic strikes and Soviet counteroffensives through 1951.
- Fallout (July 2016, ISBN 978-0-553-38554-7): Continues the war into 1952, focusing on intensified nuclear exchanges and efforts to halt escalation; it received the 2017 Dragon Award for Best Alternate History Novel.[58]
- Armistice (July 2017, ISBN 978-0-553-38555-4): Concludes the trilogy with armistice negotiations amid widespread devastation, exploring postwar reckonings.
State of Jefferson Stories
The State of Jefferson Stories are a series of short fiction pieces by Harry Turtledove, initiated in 2016, depicting an alternate history in which the proposed State of Jefferson—encompassing rural regions of southern Oregon and northern California—exists as a U.S. state governed by Bill Williamson, a Sasquatch serving as its leader. These works incorporate fantasy elements, such as the existence of mythical creatures like yetis and merfolk integrated into society, alongside satirical examinations of politics, identity, and governance challenges for minority species. The series lacks an overarching title and features standalone tales often centered on Williamson's administration.[60] Key stories include:- "Visitor from the East" (June 2016): First published in the anthology Thirty Days Later: Steaming Forward: 30 Adventures in Time, this introduces elements of the Jefferson setting through interactions involving Williamson.
- "Peace is Better" (June 2016): A sequel-like tale also appearing in Thirty Days Later: Steaming Forward, expanding on diplomatic and interpersonal dynamics in the state.
- "Typecasting" (June 15, 2016): Released as a Tor.com Original, the story is set during the 1980 Ashland Shakespeare Festival and explores familial and professional pressures on Williamson's daughter in the performing arts.[61]
- "Something Fishy" (January 8, 2020): Published on Tor.com, this narrative delves into state resource management and encounters with merfolk as a newly recognized sentient species.[62]
- "Always Something New" and "Tie a Yellow Ribbon" (2020): These two tales, bundled with "Something Fishy" in the Tor.com Original collection Three Bill Williamson Stories, address ongoing governance issues, including cultural integration and political symbolism in Jefferson.[63]
Standalone Novels
Turtledove's standalone novels consist of self-contained narratives primarily in alternate history, science fiction, and fantasy, distinct from his multi-volume series. These works frequently examine counterfactual historical events, technological divergences, or mythological reinterpretations, showcasing his expertise in speculative fiction grounded in historical detail.[65] The following table lists his standalone novels in chronological order of publication, excluding any tied to ongoing series:| Title | Publication Year |
|---|---|
| Noninterference | 1987 |
| Agent of Byzantium | 1989 |
| A Different Flesh | 1990 |
| A World of Difference | 1990 |
| Earthgrip | 1991 |
| The Guns of the South | 1992 |
| The Case of the Toxic Spell Dump | 1993 |
| The Two Georges (co-authored with Richard Dreyfuss) | 1996 |
| Between the Rivers | 1998 |
| Household Gods (co-authored with Judith Tarr) | 1999 |
| After the Downfall | 2001 |
| Ruled Britannia | 2002 |
| In the Presence of Mine Enemies | 2003 |
| Give Me Back My Legions! | 2009 |
| Joe Steele | 2015 |
| The House of Daniel | 2016 |
| Fort Pillow | 2016 |
| Through Darkest Europe | 2018 |
| Three Miles Down | 2021 |
| Powerless | 2025 |
Short Fiction Collections and Stories
Harry Turtledove has authored multiple collections of short fiction, often centering on alternate history, science fiction, and fantastical divergences from real-world events, with stories originally published in magazines such as Analog Science Fiction and Fact and various anthologies.[70] These works demonstrate his ability to compress complex counterfactual narratives into shorter forms, earning recognition including a Homer Award for the short story "Designated Hitter" in 1990. His short fiction output exceeds 100 pieces, many of which explore themes of technological intervention in history or biological what-ifs.[70] Key collections include:- A Different Flesh (1988, NESFA Press), comprising linked stories set in an alternate America where Homo erectus descendants survive alongside colonial expansion, examining clashes between archaic hominids and European settlers.[70]
- Kaleidoscope (1990, Del Rey Books), an assortment of unthemed short stories spanning science fiction and fantasy, including pieces like "The Last Article" depicting a Nazi occupation of India.[70][71]
- Departures (1993, Del Rey Books), featuring novelettes and short stories such as "In the Presence of Mine Enemies," an early exploration of a surviving Byzantine Empire, and "Pillar of Cloud, Pillar of Fire," blending biblical motifs with speculative history.[72]
- Counting Up, Counting Down (2002, Baen Books), a mix of alternate history tales including "The Last Article" reprint and new stories like "Before the Beginning," totaling 20 pieces.[73]
- 3xT (2004, Baen Books), collecting three novellas: "A Tree Froze in the Snow," "Forty Thousand Geeks," and "We Haven't Got There Yet," focusing on time travel and cultural clashes.[71]
- Atlantis and Other Places (2010, Roc Books), gathering alternate history stories such as "The Daimon," with settings from lost continents to reimagined American frontiers.[66]
- We Install and Other Stories (2015, WordFire Press), including contemporary speculative pieces like "We Install" and selections from earlier career works.[73]
Nonfiction Works
Harry Turtledove's nonfiction output spans scholarly works on Byzantine history, academic articles, introductions to reprinted science fiction and historical texts, and essays on writing, literature, and cultural topics. His early nonfiction reflects his doctoral training in Byzantine studies from the University of California, Los Angeles, focusing on sixth- and seventh-century imperial transitions and religious dynamics. Later pieces shift toward speculative fiction commentary and personal reflections, often appearing in anthologies or periodicals.[78] Scholarly contributions include his 1977 unpublished dissertation, The Immediate Successors of Justinian, which examines Persian issues and Roman imperial changes from 565 to 582 CE.[78] Turtledove served as editor and translator for The Chronicle of Theophanes, published by the University of Pennsylvania Press in 1982, providing an English rendering of the ninth-century Byzantine chronicler's account.[78] Peer-reviewed articles cover topics such as the dating of Patriarch Nikephoros's Historia Syntomos (published in Byzantina kai Metabyzantina, 1985), Justinian's 562 Persian treaty under Justin II (Byzantinische Zeitschrift, 1983), post-Justinian army sizes (Byzantine Studies/Etudes byzantines, 1983), and Samaritan-Jewish-pagan relations under Justin II and Tiberius II (Byzantine Studies Series NS, 1996/97).[78] He also edited the historical text "Meeting with a King of Axum" for Ancient African Civilizations: Kush and Axum (Markus Weiner Publications, 1997).[78] In practical nonfiction, Turtledove co-authored The Green Book: A Manual for School Districts on Developing Proposals for Special Funding in 1984 with Mary D. Martin, Patricia Cabrera, and Joseph F. Payne, offering guidance for Los Angeles-area educational funding applications.[78] Literary essays and appreciations include "L. Sprague de Camp: An Appreciation" (Locus, December 2000), "Poul Anderson" (Locus, September 2001), "Catherine Crook de Camp: An Appreciation" (Locus, June 2000), and "Leigh Brackett" in Lorelei of the Red Mist (Haffner Press, 2007).[78] Writing-focused pieces encompass "Alternate History: the How-to of What Might Have Been" (Writer's Workshop of Science Fiction & Fantasy, 2013), "Historical Realism, or, Oh My God, Not Another Movement" (OtherRealms, Fall 1987), "How I Do What I Do" (SFWA Bulletin, Summer 1998), and "Why I Write..." (Publishers Weekly, April 10, 2011).[78] Cultural essays feature "The Ring and I," a reflection on J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings in Meditations on Middle-Earth (St. Martin's Press, 2001), and "Perspectives on Chanukah," originally broadcast on National Public Radio (December 9, 2001).[78] Both were reprinted in We Install and Other Stories (Open Road Media, 2015), alongside story introductions.[78] Turtledove contributed three essays to 101 Stumbles in the March of History (New American Library, 2016), edited by Bill Fawcett, exploring counterfactual historical errors.[79][80] Turtledove has written numerous introductions for reprints, primarily L. Sprague de Camp novels via Arc Manor Press (2013–2014), including The Bronze God, The Dragon of the Ishtar Gate, An Elephant for Aristotle, and The Golden Wind; also The Arrows of Hercules (2014), Lest Darkness Fall & To Bring the Light (Baen, 1996), The Lost Continent: The Story of Atlantis by C.J. Cutcliffe Hyne (Bison Books, 2002), If the South Had Won the Civil War by MacKinlay Kantor (Tor, 2001), Surrounded by Enemies by Bryce Zabel (Mill City Press, 2013), and This is Where I Came In for Imperium by Keith Laumer (Baen, 2005).[78] An introduction appears in The Best Time Travel Stories of the 20th Century (co-edited with Martin H. Greenberg, Del Rey, 2005).[76]| Category | Key Examples |
|---|---|
| Scholarly Monographs/Editions | The Chronicle of Theophanes (1982)[78]; The Green Book (1984)[78] |
| Academic Articles | "Justin II's Observance..." (1983)[78]; "Samaritans, Jews, and Pagans..." (1996/97)[78] |
| Literary Essays/Appreciations | "The Ring and I" (2001)[78]; Contributions to 101 Stumbles... (2016)[80] |
| Introductions to Reprints | De Camp series (2013–2014)[78]; If the South Had Won... (2001)[78] |
Digital and Miscellaneous Publications
Web Publications
Harry Turtledove has published a number of short stories originally on Tor.com, a platform specializing in speculative fiction, where they appeared as web-exclusive or digital-first releases before any print or broader ebook distribution.[81] These works often explore alternate history, science fiction, or fantastical premises in concise formats typical of online short fiction.- "We Haven't Got There Yet" (March 19, 2009), a speculative piece reflecting on historical progress and its limitations.[82]
- "Running of the Bulls" (March 27, 2013), involving fantastical elements in a historical setting.[83]
- "The Eighth-Grade History Class Visits the Hebrew Home for the Aging" (January 8, 2014), blending humor and reflection on generational memory.[84]
- "Something Fishy" (January 8, 2020), featuring a yeti character in a political intrigue narrative.[85]
- "Manuscript Tradition" (February 19, 2020), centered on textual transmission and historical divergence.[86]
- "No Period" (November 30, 2020), designated as a Tor.com Original and released simultaneously in ebook format, depicting a narrator's attempt to rewrite personal and global history.[87][88]
