In his stand-alone novels, Turtledove has explored a wide range of historical turning points. In the “Hot War” series, the Korean War escalates into World War Three after Truman allows MacArthur to use nuclear weapons Bombs Away ( e-book | print) is the first of three volumes. The stand-alone novel The Guns of the South ( e-book | e-audio | print) is sometimes incorrectly listed as part of this series that is a “South wins the Civil War” story, but the victory in that one comes about when time-traveling racists provide 20th-century weapons to the Confederate army. Most elaborately, and tossing science fiction into the mix, the 8-volume “Worldwar/Colonization” series, which begins with In the Balance ( e-book | e-audio | print) begins when World War II is interrupted by an alien invasion.Īnother common alternate history turning point is “What if the South won the Civil War,” and Turtledove’s major contribution to that theme is the 11-volume “Southern Victory” series, which starts with How Few Remain ( e-book | print | audio) the series follows the turbulent relationship between the United States and the Confederacy through the World War II era. Days of Infamy ( e-book | e-audio | print) begins a two-volume series in which Japan follows up the bombing of Pearl Harbor by invading and occupying Hawaii, changing the course of the war in the Pacific. The six-volume “The War That Came Early” series, beginning with Hitler’s War ( e-book | e-audio | print | audio), imagines that the war began in 1938 with a German attack on Czechoslovakia, and follows how the war plays out when neither side is well prepared for it. The series continued with eleven more novels, setting a template for Turtledove’s career many of his books are written in long, multi-volume series.įor writers of alternate history, the “what if” turning point often centers on World War II, and Turtledove is no exception.

The Misplaced Legion ( e-book | print), published in 1987, was the first book of the Videssos Cycle, set in a fantasy universe very much like the Byzantine Empire, but with magic.

Turtledove’s first major success as a novelist put that Byzantine history knowledge to use. He briefly attended Caltech and earned a Ph.D. He was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Gardena. Turtledove is a novelist who works in several genres-science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction-but is best known as a writer of alternate history.

Harry Turtledove was born on June 14, 1949.

Harry turtledove days of infamy