15 facing the books in the genre of alternative history

As we know, history has no subjunctive mood. Everything that once was, is no longer changed. And only art allows you to imagine what could happen if, in the important moments of the history of mankind has made a different decision.

1. "Last and First Men: history nearby and distant future," Olaf Stapledon

The book was written on behalf of the representative of the Eighteenth age of people living in the distant future on Neptune. He tells the whole history of the world from its creation until the inevitable death: a human epochs and important turning points in history.

Stapledon book is considered one of the most detailed "history of the future." And speaking of the first era of the people, he is referring to the current civilization. Since the novel was written in 1930, it is now possible to compare the author's imagination about the near future with the current realities.

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2. "1984" by George Orwell

The action takes place in 1984 in London. A huge country in Oceania live in a totalitarian regime, and is constantly at war with their neighbors. It is prohibited in an open relationship and even reckless thought, defaming the party and its supreme leader - Big Brother.

In this world of Winston Smith starts a reckless affair with his colleague. Love - the only resistance that they can have a severe fine. But Big Brother constantly monitors all.

The famous dystopiaWritten in the late forties, still has not lost its relevance. In the description of the world "1984" is not difficult to learn, and the cult of Stalin, and hints of other totalitarian regimes of the time. But the idea of ​​ubiquitous surveillance and mass deception in the news still looks topically.

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3. "The Man in the High Castle," Philip K. Dick

After the assassination of US President Franklin Roosevelt, the country has not recovered from the Great Depression and did not support the Allies in World War II. As a result of Nazi Germany and Japan won.

The book tells about the life of the various layers of the US population over the years since the Nazis established their dictatorship practically worldwide. And in the center of the plot - the author's search for the mysterious book "and feels full locusts", which explains how the world could be if Hitler lost.

the famous science fiction writer Philip K. Dick Many people know the novels, in spirit close to the cyberpunk and other "mind games." Here he not only created a great example of alternate history, but also showed that in this version of the events of our ordinary world just might be someone's fantasy.

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4. "Hell, or the joy of passion," Vladimir Nabokov

Van and Ada live on Anti-Terre (the antipode of the Earth). Here the world captured the English-speaking countries. Eastern Hemisphere owns the British Empire and Western - Estotiya US alliance and Russia. In this part of the actual land last it took the Golden Horde.

And in the center of the plot story of the strange love of Van and Ada, which they carried through the years - from early childhood to adulthood - through prohibitions and deprivations.

The famous author of "Lolita" wrote "Hell" for more than 10 years. As a result, he was born a work where eroticism and themes of forbidden love combined with the philosophy and fiction. Many consider this book the most complex and profound works Nabokov.

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5. "Long live the transatlantic tunnel! Hurray! ", Harry Harrison

Once British citizen John Cabot discovered the American continent. A Spanish left under the influence of Muslim and did not develop other continents. The American colonists were unable to find their feet. George Washington was executed as a traitor, and the British Empire conquered both American continents.

In the early seventies, one of the descendants of the failed President Gus Washington is trying to build a transatlantic tunnel that would connect America to Europe.

American Harrison cleverly beat a fundamental topic for the United States - independence from Britain. And this could be woven into the history of ideas and even a tunnel, which was first proposed by Michel Verne - son of the famous Jules Verne.

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6. "The Island of Crimea", Vasily Aksenov

During the Civil War troops whites were able to retreat and settle on the island of Crimea, which is located in the Black Sea. They separated from the Soviet Union and built a state of their own, maintaining neutrality even during the Second World War.

Years later, the island of Crimea is far ahead of the Soviet Union in the development, but the main character - the editor of a local Newspaper Andrew Archer - obsessed with the idea of ​​"common destiny" and is trying to convince others to join the big country.

Vasily Aksyonov came up with an alternative version of the story with only one assumption - Crimea is an island. From this grew a satirical novel about the development of the country, which in irony now reads quite differently.

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7. "The machine differences," by Bruce Sterling and William Gibson

In the XIX century, Charles Babbage (the real inventor of the first computer), built on the basis of his administration the first analog computer. And from that moment the story went quite differently. It is a world where everything is moving in the vapor transport and paromehanicheskie computers with punch cards regularly hack claque.

In such realities unfolding lives of several characters. They all share a mysterious program "Modus", which can enrich its owner.

Masters cyberpunk Bruce Sterling and William Gibson skillfully changed the direction of his work and decided not to tell the future, and computer networks, and an alternative history in the spirit of steampunk. It turned slowly, but very deep work with a detective story.

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8. "Vaterland", Robert Harris

Nazi Germany had won the Second World War, hid the destruction of the Jews and, along with the United States became a superpower. In 1964, Adolf Hitler was celebrating its 75th anniversary and signs a peace agreement with the president of America.

And at this time of the criminal police inspector SS Xavier Marsh investigates a series of murders and finds evidence of genocide of the Jews.

Englishman Robert Harris novel became an instant bestseller. He translated into dozens of languages ​​and sold millions of copies around the world. In this book the author has successfully combined the atmosphere of a typical nuarny detective with the idea of ​​alternative history.

9. Series "River Chronos" Kir Bulychev

The main characters of the cycle - Andrew and Lydia Berastau Ivanitskaya. After the death of her stepfather Andrew inherits handheld devices that let you move forward in time. However, they can throw a person in a real future, and in the "branch" where the story develops differently. Throughout the book the characters are witnesses of various historical events, and are investigating various crimes.

The unfinished series Bulychev interesting experimented with genres. The first series of books - fiction stories about alternative, others - ordinary detectives where world events are only the background. But still some twists and turns of world history, he showed very suddenly.

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10. "Making History", Stephen Fry

English graduate student Michael Young wrote a thesis devoted to Hitler's rise to power. And this time he became acquainted with Leo Tsukkermanom professor who invented a device for moving objects over time. Together, they are sent in the time of conception, the preparation of the future dictator who would not allow Hitler to be born.

After that Michael is another version of this, where Nazi Germany led by a prudent leader who has managed to win the war. But as a result of the global situation has become worse. And Michael himself from the British turned to the Americans.

Stephen Fry in this book with a satirical exaggeration tells about the problems of the real history and society. He picks up the theme of genocide, homophobia, racism and many other problems that could not be eradicated not only in the alternate world, but also in ours.

11. "The Country of the Blind", Michael Francis Flynn

Journalist Sarah Beaumont finds a piece of paper on which are written the names and important events in the history of mankind. And this discovery brings her to a secret society, for many years, affecting the life of the world.

And there is nothing supernatural. Members of the public just know when and how to throw people to this or that idea, so she hit the weight and began to develop.

This book is often criticized for its ease of a detective story. Indeed, from a certain moment of intrigue in it almost does not remain. But here's an idea that the masses are very susceptible to outside influence, and time enough to engender some kind of direction, to change the story, described very well.

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12. "Heart of Parma", Alexey Ivanov

The plot tells about the life of Russian lands of the XV century, though, dating is conducted from the creation of the world. The main part of the action of the book focuses on the struggle of the different princes and peoples of Perm.

Roman Alexey Ivanov has grown from its local history hobbies. He decided to combine with the fundamental principle of historical legends and myths, with the result that the book was not purely historical epic, but rather a fantasy on the theme of past events.

In addition, it is written in an unusual language, which skips the Slavic, Finno-Ugric and Turkic words, it helps to feel the atmosphere of the book as deeply.

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13. "Variant" Encore "" Sergey Anisimov

In 1944 he succeeded in the attempt on Hitler's Germany, and soon signed a peace treaty with the Allies. But the Soviet Union continues to advance, and then England and the United States go to war with the Soviet troops.

A special advantage of this book - the technical study. Ships and aircraft since the war are described clearly and in detail, and thus creates a feeling of complete realism of what is happening. The more that such an alternative version of the story looks quite plausible.

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14. "11/22/63", Stephen King

Teacher Jake Epping gets an amazing opportunity to correct the story - to prevent the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963. But the portal brings it in 1958, and Jake have to live in the past as much as 5 years.

During this time he finds a mate, and even meets his love. But time itself is trying to prevent him to break the story, and Jake is constantly faced with all sorts of difficulties.

Stephen King I took another important historical moment. It was originally planned to focus more on alternative development of the world after the rescue Kennedy. But in the process immersed in the study of real history, and so the book is more like a barometric memory of the life of the sixties.

However, the final still shows what could be the world if Kennedy had survived. In the afterword, King states that while working on this part of the consulted experts.

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15. "Tellurium", Vladimir Sorokin

The novel consists of substantially unrelated chapters. They tell the future of Europe, which combines understandable changes and the emergence of centaurs and giants. Combines all the action only supernarkotik tellurium.

The book is one of the most famous contemporary Russian authors immediately attracted attention. Sorokin in the traditional self ironic and rude manner fantasizes about the future and clearly alludes to the present.

After the release of "tellurium" won several prestigious literary awards, it has even been called the top creative writer.

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