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The War That Came Early: West and East Audiobook
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(3.04) - 306 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
In 1938, two men held history in their hands. One was Adolf Hitler. The other was British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, who, determined to avoid war at any cost, came to be known as "the great appeaser." But Harry Turtledove, the unrivaled master of alternate history, has launched a gripping saga that springboards from a different fateful act: What if Chamberlain had stood up to Hitler? What would the Nazis' next move have been? And how would the war—which Hitler had always regretted waiting eleven months to start—have unfolded and changed our world?
Here, Turtledove takes us across a panorama of conflict fueled by ideology and demagoguery. Nations are pitted against nations, alliances are forged between old enemies, ordinary men and women are hurled into extraordinary life-and-death situations. In Japanese-controlled Singapore, an American marine falls in love with a Russian dance hall hostess, while around him are heard the first explosions of Chinese guerilla resistance. On the frontlines of war-ravaged rural France, a weary soldier perfects the art of using an enormous anti-tank gun as a sniper's tool—while from Germany a killer is sent to hunt him down. And in the icy North Atlantic, a U-boat bearing an experimental device wreaks havoc on British shipping, setting the stage for a Nazi ground invasion of Denmark.
From an American woman trapped in Germany who receives safe passage from Hitler himself to a Jewish family steeped in German culture and facing the hatred rising around them, from Japanese soldiers on the remote edge of Siberia to American volunteers in Spain, The War That Came Early: West and East is the story of a world held hostage by tyrants—Stalin, Hitler, Sanjuro—each holding on to power through lies and terror even in the face of treacherous plots from within.
As armies clash, and as the brave, foolish, and true believers choose sides, new weapons are added to already deadly arsenals and new strategies are plotted to break a growing stalemate. But one question looms over the conflict: What will it take to bring America into this war?
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"If you're into "alternative history" or what if scenarios, than you will enjoy this book. The book kept me company on a recent vacation, and drew a sharply drawn picture of the daily life of the wartime soldiers during a war that in this book did not happen exactly as history unfolded."
— Garen (4 out of 5 stars)
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A sure bet for alt-history readers and Turtledove's legion of YA fans.
— Booklist Starred Review -
“Turtledove [is] the standard-bearer for alternate history.”
— USA Today -
“As entertainment, this is as good as any alternative fiction, or historical novel, you are going to read this or any other year.”
— Washington Times -
“[The book] whirls on, the suspense building inexorably, thanks to two of Turtledove’s gifts, in particular. One is for portraying so much of the action from the viewpoint of the grunts, or even civilians, who know little of what the Great Ones are up to until the consequences are all over them. The other proceeds from the first and is for envisioning WWII unraveling like an endless ball of yarn in the paws of an intelligent kitten. Keep reading or miss something exceedingly fine.”
— Booklist (starred review) -
“Turtledove focuses on turning his characters from stock military figures into specialists…The novel most fully shines when the characters are allowed to strive for their full potential…There’s plenty to satisfy fans of military strategy, tactics, and armaments.”
— Publishers Weekly
The War That Came Early: West and East Listener Reviews
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" The second in a series about what would happen if WWII started a year early. Typical Turtledove, and a rousing read "
— Rob, 1/19/2014 -
" Continuation of Hitler's War. Spanish Civil War continues as Germany/Poland and Italy face off with France, Britain and Soviet Union. "
— Ron, 1/17/2014 -
" Another good Harry book. Lots of charactors, lots of scenes, and I am sure a lot more to come. Keep up the good work, Harry! "
— Chris, 12/14/2013 -
" A classic Turtledove middle-book-in-a-series. If you haven't read the previous episode it takes time to become reacquainted with the huge cast of characters. This one tends to plod along with a very high talking-to-action ratio. A late plot device suggests the 3rd book will be much more interesting. "
— David, 11/30/2013 -
" The usual Turtledove format of segments blending into a whole. Enjoyable. "
— Carl, 11/14/2013 -
" Another awesome book in the series... "
— Greg, 11/8/2013 -
" It seemed to drag on for 200 pages more than it needed. "
— John, 10/28/2013 -
" I great read that leaves one wanting to read more. Character detail is amazing and that is a great feat looking back at how many characters there are. My personal favorite character is the Czech Sniper Corporal Vaclav Jezek. If you read it, you will know why. :D "
— Joseph, 10/21/2013 -
" this is a sci fi what if book. the book is also historical fiction with a twist. people who like this genre just have to try this! the characters good and bad are great as is the writing and plot... this is a book that i would highly recomend "
— Peter, 2/24/2013 -
" Good story. I do not understand why Italy and the North African campaign have not even really been mentioned as of yet in the story. But, I liked it and I recommend this series so far. "
— Wsprag, 12/20/2012 -
" Ground level view of a different WW2. Sequel to Hitler's War. "
— Bill, 10/22/2012 -
" the characters become more interesting as the war heats up. rooting interest for some takes hold. "
— David, 10/7/2012 -
" interesting how turtledove thinks the war will play out with an earlier start. This is not the end of the series so the outcome of wwII is still in doubt but so far it is closer to wwI. "
— Patricrk, 4/23/2012 -
" This book is just a continuation of the previous, so doesn't really need a separate review, as it has the same flaws and strengths. "
— Liz, 1/22/2012 -
" Will need to read more Turtledove "
— Gerry, 6/27/2011 -
" Well written book, with very defined characters, and a plot line that pulls you in quickly. "
— John, 4/27/2011 -
" Another good Harry book. Lots of charactors, lots of scenes, and I am sure a lot more to come. Keep up the good work, Harry! "
— Chris, 1/29/2011 -
" Good story. I do not understand why Italy and the North African campaign have not even really been mentioned as of yet in the story. But, I liked it and I recommend this series so far. "
— Wsprag, 1/28/2011 -
" The second in a series about what would happen if WWII started a year early. Typical Turtledove, and a rousing read "
— Rob, 12/4/2010 -
" Continuation of Hitler's War. Spanish Civil War continues as Germany/Poland and Italy face off with France, Britain and Soviet Union. "
— Ron, 8/2/2010
About Harry Turtledove
Harry Turtledove, known as the “Master of Alternative History,” is the Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author of a number of bestselling series and standalone novels. He received his PhD from UCLA in Byzantine history and worked as a technical writer for the Los Angeles County Office of Education before becoming a full-time fiction writer. He also served as the treasurer of the Science Fiction Writers of America. He has written a number of successful series, including the Crosstime Traffic series, the Darkness series, and the Worldwar I Colonization series, among others. His standalone works include Ruled Brittania, Every Inch a King, Conan of Venarium, Household Gods, and Justinian.
About Todd McLaren
Todd McLaren, an Earphones Award–winning narrator, was involved in radio for more than twenty years in cities on both coasts, including Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. He left broadcasting for a full-time career in voice acting, where he has been heard on more than five thousand television and radio commercials, as well as television promos; narrations for documentaries on such networks as A&E, Discovery, and the History Channel; and films, including Who Framed Roger Rabbit?