Worldwar: Upsetting the Balance
Written by Harry Turtledove
Narrated by Todd McLaren
3.5/5
()
About this audiobook
Far worse beings than the Nazis were loose. From Warsaw to Moscow to China's enemy-occupied Forbidden City, the nations of the world had been forced into an uneasy alliance since humanity began its struggle against overwhelming odds. In Britain and Germany, where the banshee wail of hostile jets screamed across the land, caches of once-forbidden weapons were unearthed, and unthinkable tactics were employed against the enemy. Brilliantly innovative military strategists confronted challenges unprecedented in the history of warfare.
Even as lack of fuel forced people back to horse and carriage, physicists worked feverishly to create the first atomic bombs-with horrifying results. City after city joined the radioactive pyre as the planet erupted in fiery ruins. Yet the crisis continued-on land, sea, and in the air-as humanity writhed in global combat. The tactics of daredevil guerrillas everywhere became increasingly ingenious against a superior foe whose desperate retaliation would grow ever more fearsome.
No one had ever put the United States, or the world, in such deadly danger. But if the carnage and annihilation ever stopped, would there be any pieces to pick up?
Harry Turtledove
Harry Turtledove is an American novelist of science fiction, historical fiction, and fantasy. Publishers Weekly has called him the “master of alternate history,” and he is best known for his work in that genre. Some of his most popular titles include The Guns of the South, the novels of the Worldwar series, and the books in the Great War trilogy. In addition to many other honors and nominations, Turtledove has received the Hugo Award, the Sidewise Award for Alternate History, and the Prometheus Award. He attended the University of California, Los Angeles, earning a PhD in Byzantine history. Turtledove is married to mystery writer Laura Frankos, and together they have three daughters. The family lives in Southern California.
More audiobooks from Harry Turtledove
The Guns of the South Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5In the Presence of Mine Enemies Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Agent of Byzantium Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5If The South Had Won The Civil War Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Give Me Back My Legions!: A Novel of Ancient Rome Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5How Few Remain: A Novel of the Second War Between the States Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Alpha and Omega Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Or Even Eagle Flew Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Three Miles Down Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fort Pillow: A Novel of the Civil War Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Homeward Bound Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Man with the Iron Heart Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Different Flesh Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to Worldwar
Titles in the series (4)
Worldwar: Tilting the Balance Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Worldwar: Upsetting the Balance Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Worldwar: Striking the Balance Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related audiobooks
Pass of Fire Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5On the Oceans of Eternity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Golden Shrine: A Tale of War at the Dawn of Time Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Gates of Hell: A Military Sci-Fi Series Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/51637: The Polish Maelstrom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Against the Tide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5End of the Beginning Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Atlantis and Other Places: Stories of Alternate History Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/51637: No Peace Beyond the Line Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Rising Sun Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Destroyermen: Crusade Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Drakas! Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBlood and Iron Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Vorpal Blade Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/51634: The Baltic War Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Sword Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Anvil Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Against the Tide of Years Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Last Centurion Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Things Fall Apart Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Center Cannot Hold Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Liberating Atlantis: A Novel of Alternate History Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Bombs Away Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Hammer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Colonization: Down to Earth Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Victorious Opposition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Days of Infamy: A Novel of Alternate History Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Berlin Project Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The War That Came Early: Coup d'Etat Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/51637: The Transylvanian Decision Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Alternative History For You
The Prague Cemetery Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Mongoliad: Book Two Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Mongoliad: Book One Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Shamshine Blind: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5River of Teeth Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Berlin Project Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Trial Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Scholars of Night Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Everfair Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5All the Dead Shall Weep Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Embroidered Book Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Book of Joan: A Novel Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Tuck Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Strange Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5When We Cease to Understand the World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boneshaker: A Novel of the Clockwork Century Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Burning Page Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Lavinia Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Inside American Education: The Decline, The Deception, The Dogmas Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Land of Delusion: Out on the edge with the crackpots and conspiracy-mongers remaking our shared reality Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Mortal Word Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Great Gatsby Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Beautiful Spy: From the million-copy Sunday Times bestseller Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lord of Mountains Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Actual Star: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Peacekeeper: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Now, Then, and Everywhen Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5
Reviews for Worldwar
226 ratings10 reviews
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Odd. Usually I really like Harry Turtledove's books, but this one didn't impress me so much. Rather than read the other three books in the series, I contented myself with reading the synopses on Wikipedia. Anyhoo, this is an alternate history/science fiction hybrid speculating on what would happen if aliens invaded Earth in the middle of World War II. Mr. Turtledove tells the tale from a variety of perspectives--a technique I fell in love with when I read the first book of his The Great War series. My biggest complaint is that this "global" perspective is actually limited to the northern hemisphere. Logically, there would be a lot of invasion activity in Africa and South America, but that all takes place behind the scenes.--J.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A fascinating scenario where aliens invade during World War II, leading to a fragile alliance between all the major combatants to resist the new common enemy.This is by far the most readable of the series so far. With the first two I struggled a bit - at times they were slow-moving and turgid. I found this one very fast-moving and could hardly put it down.This one has more action in Britain. Generally the books seem to be very well researched, but there are a few small errors which grate a bit. Turtledove introduces a Royal Air Force "Flight Officer", whereas unless I'm mistaken the RAF rank is "Flying Officer". He has a BBC newsreader use the word "momentarily" in the US way, meaning "very soon", whereas in British usage momentarily means "for an instant or moment" or "for a very short time" - the BBC in that era were sticklers for correct grammar and pronunciation. These are small things in themselves, but they niggle precisely because so much else is correct. I wonder whether Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Polish and Russian readers would also find similar things? Turtledove enters a minefield when he starts using British regional accents, but seems to have got away with it.There's a nice little dig at Pope Pius X11 right near the end, quite insightful really considering a lot of recent speculation about the extent of his collaboration with the Nazis in the real war.All in all, a very good book, by far the best of the series so far.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I was hoping for more, but this book is the first book of Turtledove's that I read, and I enjoyed it. I wasn't sure how I would like an alternate history book, but add in an alien invasion during world war II and it was a very interesting read. A classic example is how would a less technical race (Human kind) fare in a battle against a more technologically advanced race that is bent on taking over their planet and subjugating them.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I was looking for a new series to start and I had read reviews of the books in LT. The Martha Canfield Library had the first book of this series in the stacks so I check it out. I found the book to be well written and the premise of the story interesting. In many science fiction books only one or two characters are not two dimensional, this tale has many and I find this fascinating. Can't wait to read the nex book in the series.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Another good vol. in this series. Very readable.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5the third book in the Worldwar series is better than the second, IMO and character development, not a HTD highpoint, is a great deal better than his other casts. By now we've had a chance to live with this group. The research is of a high standard, and the widening war is well portrayed.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The sagga continues as the earth forces strive to block the lizards from taking over the earth. A good enjoyable read.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Turtledove's alternate-history-by-numbers continues with the third of the WorldWar series. This chunky tome continues to follow the diverse set of people across the Superpowers as they defend themselves from oppression. The aliens too are struggling to find the resources necessary to fight a prolonged war, light years from home. The story's perspective sways from alien to human throughout the novel, each chapter detailing the horrors of war on our planet. There's no conclusion here, as expected in a middle chapter, however very few of the characters achieve much throughout this book, which ultimately makes it hard going. The final quarter holds some unexpected turns which ensure readers will see it through and return for more.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I thought the first half of this was starting to pall and lacked the excitement of the first two books. There were too many set piece battles, not enough plot. I got a bit irritated by the endless repetition - banging on over and over again about the Race's conservatism and slow adaptations to technology compared to that of humans, and the way ginger distorts their judgement but leaves then thinking it enhances it. The plot did pick up though and the tit for tat atomic bomb blasts quite chilling. The twist at the end bodes well for a more interesting fourth volume.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A fascinating scenario where aliens invade during World War II, leading to a fragile alliance between all the major combatants to resist the new common enemy.This is by far the most readable of the series so far. With the first two I struggled a bit - at times they were slow-moving and turgid. I found this one very fast-moving and could hardly put it down.This one has more action in Britain. Generally the books seem to be very well researched, but there are a few small errors which grate a bit. Turtledove introduces a Royal Air Force "Flight Officer", whereas unless I'm mistaken the RAF rank is "Flying Officer". He has a BBC newsreader use the word "momentarily" in the US way, meaning "very soon", whereas in British usage momentarily means "for an instant or moment" or "for a very short time" - the BBC in that era were sticklers for correct grammar and pronunciation. These are small things in themselves, but they niggle precisely because so much else is correct. I wonder whether Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Polish and Russian readers would also find similar things? Turtledove enters a minefield when he starts using British regional accents, but seems to have got away with it.There's a nice little dig at Pope Pius X11 right near the end, quite insightful really considering a lot of recent speculation about the extent of his collaboration with the Nazis in the real war.All in all, a very good book, by far the best of the series so far.