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Alternate History General Discussion

Maybe Cold War goes hot but you'd need to tweeze out all the stuff that was future history when it was written.

Not really, at least in mainstream AH books (games are a much different story)

There's a lot of big-name Cold War Hot stuff that takes place right after WWII. After 1950 there's a bit here and there (A Turtledove series, a Conroy book), but anything that's after Vietnam AND is unambiguous AH (ie takes place well before the publication date of the book) is purely the domain of enthusiasts.
 
It’s a half-cheat answer, but if that’s how you define the first two, the third one is definitely “other WWII AH”.

Fair point.

I honestly consider 1940s WW3s to be a type of WW2 AH (same people and very similar technology). Or if not exact, at least far closer to that than to technothrillers/1980s Fuldapocalypses.
 
Has anyone read or heard of this book?

Alternate Tyrants is a 1997 Toralternate history anthology, edited by Mike Resnick.[1] [2]The anthology contains 20 short stories, with each story by a different author, and presents a scenario where an individual becomes a tyrant or dictator in a way that did not occur in real life.”

Scenarios vary from “Caesar Lives”, “Cleopatra seduces Octavian” and “Mandela dies” to “ President Capone” and “Einstein, dictator” to:

Douglas MacArthurrenounces his American citizenship and becomes dictator of Japan in the aftermath of World War II, enacting harsh policies to accelerate Japanese reconstructionand industrial output. The front cover of the anthologydepicts Douglas MacArthur in Japanese style clothingwhile standing in front of both the American and Japanese flags, referencing the story.

Angelo Giuseppe Roncallibegins radically reinvigorating the Catholic Church early in his career. After becoming Pope, he calls for a world-wide holy waragainst Israelat the Second Vatican Council that ultimately leads to World War III.

A young Caligulaexperiences tormenting visions of Christ's crucifixionand converts to Christianity, leading to a more peaceful (and sane) rule of the Roman Empire.

An amendment to the United States Constitutionlowers the voting age and America's youth elects Elvis Presleyas president. Presley establishes an ageistdictatorship, bans all music other than rock 'n roll, and fosters an unstable political system violently dominated by musicians.
 
Has anyone read or heard of this book?

Alternate Tyrants is a 1997 Toralternate history anthology, edited by Mike Resnick.[1] [2]The anthology contains 20 short stories, with each story by a different author, and presents a scenario where an individual becomes a tyrant or dictator in a way that did not occur in real life.”

Scenarios vary from “Caesar Lives”, “Cleopatra seduces Octavian” and “Mandela dies” to “ President Capone” and “Einstein, dictator” to:
Excuse me,what the fuck
 
Excuse me,what the fuck

The Alternate __ anthologies were very much a product of the early days of AH as a genre. Lots of weird ideas we'd call ASB today were thrown in with more realistic scenarios. I still vaguely remember one where Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders volunteer in the early days of WWI and get wiped out launching a cavalry attack on a German position.
 
The Alternate __ anthologies were very much a product of the early days of AH as a genre. Lots of weird ideas we'd call ASB today were thrown in with more realistic scenarios. I still vaguely remember one where Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders volunteer in the early days of WWI and get wiped out launching a cavalry attack on a German position.

Sure two of the anthologies had Communist Elvis and Gandhi wielding an M60 on the covers, think Alternate Outlaws and Alternate Warriors.
 
Sure two of the anthologies had Communist Elvis and Gandhi wielding an M60 on the covers, think Alternate Outlaws and Alternate Warriors.

I don't recall Communist Elvis, but Snake Gandhi rings a few bells.

Ah, there we go...



The 90s, errybody!
 
The Alternate __ anthologies were very much a product of the early days of AH as a genre. Lots of weird ideas we'd call ASB today were thrown in with more realistic scenarios. I still vaguely remember one where Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders volunteer in the early days of WWI and get wiped out launching a cavalry attack on a German position.

That sort of tone (I had Alternate Presidents once, so I know that theme) is something I like.
 
Has anyone read or heard of this book?

Alternate Tyrants is a 1997 Toralternate history anthology, edited by Mike Resnick.[1] [2]The anthology contains 20 short stories, with each story by a different author, and presents a scenario where an individual becomes a tyrant or dictator in a way that did not occur in real life.”

Scenarios vary from “Caesar Lives”, “Cleopatra seduces Octavian” and “Mandela dies” to “ President Capone” and “Einstein, dictator” to:
I really like that Caligula idea, especially since I'm of the opinion that the man himself wasn't a monster insomuch as he was a victim of untreated mental illness that had the misfortune to grow up as part of an awful extended family.
 
I really like that Caligula idea, especially since I'm of the opinion that the man himself wasn't a monster insomuch as he was a victim of untreated mental illness that had the misfortune to grow up as part of an awful extended family.

I'm personally sceptical of the idea that Christianity would make an emperor less violent and arbitrary, given that it seemingly didn't stop Ivan the Terrible or Eric XIV.
 
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