Alternate Histories
Alternate Histories are a subgenre of SF/F. What would happen, if, say, the Nazi's invaded England and won World War II? What kind of world would we have? And that has been done to death, by the way.
Here's an interesting column on the above sceanario and two relatively recent books.
http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/web/20061021-alternate-history-world-war-II-operation-sea-lion-invasion-of-britain.shtml
My particular favorite Alternate Histories, are the magical/mystery stories of
Randall Garrett which take place in Britain where Richard the Lionhearted's descendants rule (if I recall rightly, anyway the Plantagenets are still on the throne).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randall_Garrett
The article on Nazis-Win-World-War II above made some excellent points about doing your research (especially military), suspension of disbelief and polemics -- using a novel to state political concerns.
Digressing (don't I always?) I have themes in my books that can be seen as slightly political sometimes -- the gangs in HeartMate and the cleaning up of Downwind, but, to be honest, those came out of the story.
It's my world (as the above are other authors') and I get to have no male pattern baldness, nudity is not something to be embarrassed about, and (something I realized yesterday) the old Sins-Of-The-Fathers-Visited-Upon-The-Children does not apply. I write relatively light.
May your own world be deeply satisfying today.
Robin
Here's an interesting column on the above sceanario and two relatively recent books.
http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/web/20061021-alternate-history-world-war-II-operation-sea-lion-invasion-of-britain.shtml
My particular favorite Alternate Histories, are the magical/mystery stories of
Randall Garrett which take place in Britain where Richard the Lionhearted's descendants rule (if I recall rightly, anyway the Plantagenets are still on the throne).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randall_Garrett
The article on Nazis-Win-World-War II above made some excellent points about doing your research (especially military), suspension of disbelief and polemics -- using a novel to state political concerns.
Digressing (don't I always?) I have themes in my books that can be seen as slightly political sometimes -- the gangs in HeartMate and the cleaning up of Downwind, but, to be honest, those came out of the story.
It's my world (as the above are other authors') and I get to have no male pattern baldness, nudity is not something to be embarrassed about, and (something I realized yesterday) the old Sins-Of-The-Fathers-Visited-Upon-The-Children does not apply. I write relatively light.
May your own world be deeply satisfying today.
Robin
posted by FantasyAuthor RobinDOwens | 7:50 AM
1 Comments:
Thank goodness for "light." I readlly don't understand the fascination with things dark. I see more than enough dark when I watch the news.
So even with alternate realities...I prefer light.
;)
moon
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