My science fiction reading has diminished quite a bit since the end of the pandemic restrictions (although I'm still a faithful reader of Analog). However, after reading Vince W's entrée in the thread Is there any non-US alternate history?, I picked up Wasteland of Flint by Thomas Harlan.
Thank you Vince W; it is indeed a good novel and well worth reading. Although I generally don't read alternate history SF, I made an exception with this book and am glad I did.
There are in particular two points I found interesting. I have always wondered what would have happened if Japan, which shares geographical characteristics with England, had instead been an outgoing, expansionist power, and England the inward-looking isolationist. In the novel, Japan reaches North-America first, and trades with the Aztec empire instead of attacking it. The Aztecs get iron ingots, steel sword blades and "hornless deer". The Aztecs themselves have no doubts about expansion, and go on the conquest eventually becoming the supreme world power.
The second point, which perhaps touches on the metaphysical, is the ongoing conversation between two of the characters about the nature of reality, that the mind hides the true world from consciousness, and how small children have the ability to perceive things that education eventually eliminates. There is more, but it is certainly a theme that does not appear in your typical SF space opera.
I have one nitpick which I shall put in a spoiler:
All in all, though, a good read.
Thank you Vince W; it is indeed a good novel and well worth reading. Although I generally don't read alternate history SF, I made an exception with this book and am glad I did.
There are in particular two points I found interesting. I have always wondered what would have happened if Japan, which shares geographical characteristics with England, had instead been an outgoing, expansionist power, and England the inward-looking isolationist. In the novel, Japan reaches North-America first, and trades with the Aztec empire instead of attacking it. The Aztecs get iron ingots, steel sword blades and "hornless deer". The Aztecs themselves have no doubts about expansion, and go on the conquest eventually becoming the supreme world power.
The second point, which perhaps touches on the metaphysical, is the ongoing conversation between two of the characters about the nature of reality, that the mind hides the true world from consciousness, and how small children have the ability to perceive things that education eventually eliminates. There is more, but it is certainly a theme that does not appear in your typical SF space opera.
I have one nitpick which I shall put in a spoiler:
I found the conclusion rather abrupt. The author spends quite a bit of time writing about how the fleet ship locates the mining ship, and on the assault team sneaking up on the mining ship. However the confrontation onboard between the two captains ends rather strange IMO. Ketcham, the mining ship captain, shoots Hadeishi, the fleet captain. Hadeishi manages a very brief conversation then collapses. And then we next see him in the infirmary on the fleet cruiser. We don't really learn what Ketcham decided to do although I gather we assume he cooperated. I just found this all a bit awkward giving the amount of time spent on actually finding and entering the mining ship.
Of course, there are also questions about the planet that have not been completely answered. Hence the second novel which I just got so we shall see what happens
Of course, there are also questions about the planet that have not been completely answered. Hence the second novel which I just got so we shall see what happens
All in all, though, a good read.
