1984;
an ERB series, neither Tarzan nor John Carter;
the British Secret Service of the James Bond series;
the FBI of our timeline;
Franklin Roosevelt's declaration of war in our timeline.
Black Chamber begins with the exciting prospect of a technological twentieth century but ends with a horrifyingly changed global power struggle. In the remaining volumes of this trilogy, will there be:
a protracted Great War;
a German world empire resisted by the Black Chamber;
an American Empire in all but name;
an American Empire even in name?
The future looks bad. Things can only get bitter.
14 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I will be looking for the references to Orwell's 1984. Cool!
I've already seen some mentions of ERB. But, no Tarzan or John Carter? Drat!
And this alternative WW I and it's possible consequences will make for fascinating reading. If only because the real WW I tends to be ignored as a source or inspiration for alternative world SF stories.
I think the closest we see Poul Anderson touching on WW I and it's possible alternatives would be in "Details," where we see non human aliens using a "predictive science of society" to interfere in human affairs. In this story the aliens manipulated Germany into supporting Lenin and sending him back to Russia in that infamous sealed train. Incidentally, Austria-Hungary opposed this very bad idea and would have nothing to do with it.
Sean
Sean,
Michael Moorcock has an alternative history trilogy about a character called Oswald Bastable who meets a very old revolutionary called Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov who knows that he missed a revolutionary opportunity at some point in his career!
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I've never read many of the works of Michael Moorcock, largely because of how his Elric of Melnibone stories had not appealed to me. And I only wish Lenin HAD continued to languish in his increasingly forgotten and obscure exile in Switzerland. Alas, the German and revolutionary agent Parvus persuaded Hindenburg and Ludendorff that Lenin would be a useful tool for knocking Russia out of the war in 1916. Which reminds me (and you, I'm sure!) of what we are readinag in Stirling's BLACK CHAMBER.
Sean
Sean,
A prime point for a time criminal to target.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I had not thought of that, but I agree! A time criminal from the future, in Anderson's Time Patrol stories, might have tried to prevent Lening from being injected like a plague bacillus into Russia (to use Churchill's all too mordantly apt phrase) and been thwarted by the Time Patrol. Not because Manse Everard and his colleagues thought Lenin was a good man, merely that it was necessary, as part of the line of events leading to the Danellians.
I noted with interest how in Stirling's BLACK CHAMBER he had Tsar Nicholas II abdicating in September 1916, not in March 1917 (as in our timeline). And being succeeded not by a Provisional Gov't but by his son Alexis II, under the regency of Grand Duke Nicholas. I actually know something about the latter person, an able soldier and a strong willed man. I think we will read of him trying to cut Russia's losses and extricate her from a disastrous war.
Sean
Kaor, Paul!
Your question about "An American Empire even in name?" belatedly reminded me of some speculative reflections of Luz, that Theodore Roosevelt would not only be reelected President for as long as he wished, but one of his four sons might have aspirations of becoming president, assuming they helped to win victories against the Central Allies. I can see that leading to a Roosevelt dynasty!
Sean
Sean,
I suspect that that is SM Stirling's secret plan.
Paul.
Well, his cousin FDR (who married his niece) -did- become President...
Ted Jr. was a very able man, if a bit overshadowed by his father, as anyone would be! He won the Congressional Medal of Honor -- he was the only general officer who landed in the first wave in Normandy in 1944 (he had to move heaven and earth to get permission) and probably saved the Utah beachhead after the monumental screwups that resulted in the first and second waves being landed in the wrong places. He was an a noted administrator (Puerto Rico and the Philippines), successful in business, and well-liked.
Mr Stirling,
So maybe we are on track for a dynasty in the Black Chamber timeline.
Paul.
Or maybe not... 8-).
Of course...
Kaor, Paul and Mr. Stirling!
Now I'm really wondering what the second BLACK CHAMBER volume will reveal to us!
Will Theodore Roosevelt remained President long enough for one of his sons to become a plausible successor (not necessarily directly and immediately so)? That might be possible if the Central Allies are at least partially defeated.
And if the US became an empire in all but name after the conquest of Mexico, what would be the most logical way to expand? Canada! What if the US came to quarrel with the British Empire? I can't help but think a sparsely populated would be easy to overrun.
And could the current political forms and institutions of the US survived unaltered after the conquest of Canada, Mexico, Central America, etc? I can't help but think such a vast expansion of power might undermine the old institutions. It would be analogous to how the institutions of the Roman Republic were more shown to be unable to govern the vast Empire conquered by Rome. I can imagine strife amd upheavals within the US leading to, say, a grandson of Theodore Roosevelt being hailed as Emperor.
I have heard of TR, Jr. My recollection was he had some kind of fairly minor disability which the Army bureaucrats insisted disqualified him from field service. Also, I'm surprised he was the only major general or brigadier to land with the first wave at Normandy on D Day. I would not expect the Supreme Commander to do that, nor should he (his job was to think and plan, not directly lead troops in the field). But it seemed reasonable to think a lower ranking general would be with first wave, precisely to have a senior officer with the authority to act on the spot to unexpected emergencies and crises. So it was fortunate TR, Jr. was on the spot to untangle the mess caused by the botching of the first and second waves.
And Mr. Stirling's interesting comments about Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. makes me wonder if he became a US president in the BLACK CHAMBER timeline. And was he to conquer Canada?
I knew TR and FDR were patrilineal cousins and that the latter married TR's niece. If I had to make a choice between the two, I would say TR was by far the most able and intelligent. Despite my dislike for some of his "progressive" ideas.
Sean
Kaor, Sean!
I agree: TR was able and intelligent, whether you agree with all of his ideas or fully approve of his personality and conduct or not. I do not think so highly of FDR.
Best Regards,
Nicholas
Kaor, Nicholas!
And one of TR's "progressive" ideas in BLACK CHAMBER was to nationalize the BOY SCOUTS and make membership compulsory for all boys! And to strongly encourage girls to join the GIRL SCOUTS. I absolutely oppose this abominable idea! Membership in the BOY/GIRL SCOUTS should be voluntary, and the Scouts should not become an agency of the gov't. This is all too reminiscent of Nazi Germany's HITLER YOUTH or Soviet Russia "Young Communists"!
And, like you, I think poorly of FDR!
Regards! Sean
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