Coup d'Etat
The War That Came Early, Book Four
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- $13.99
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
In 1941, a treaty between England and Germany unravels—and so does a different World War II.
In Harry Turtledove’s mesmerizing alternate history of World War II, the choices of men and fate have changed history. Now it is the winter of 1941. As the Germans, with England and France on their side, slam deep into Russia, Stalin’s terrible machine fights for its life. But the agreements of world leaders do not touch the hearts of soldiers. The war between Germany and Russia is rocked by men with the courage to aim their guns in a new direction.
England is the first to be shaken. Following the suspicious death of Winston Churchill, with his staunch anti-Nazi views, a small cabal begins to imagine the unthinkable in a nation long famous for respecting the rule of law. With civil liberties hanging by a thread, a conspiracy forms against the powers that be. What will this daring plan mean for the European war as a whole?
Meanwhile, in America, a woman who has met Hitler face-to-face urges her countrymen to wake up to his evil. For the time being, the United States is fighting only Japan—and the war is not going as well as Washington would like. Can Roosevelt keep his grip on the country’s imagination?
Coup d’Etat captures how war makes for the strangest of bedfellows. A freethinking Frenchman fights side by side with racist Nazis. A Czech finds himself on the dusty front lines of the Spanish Civil War, gunning for Germany’s Nationalist allies. A German bomber pilot courts a half-Polish, half-Jewish beauty in Bialystock. And the Jews in Germany, though trapped under Hitler’s fist, are as yet protected by his fear of looking bad before the world—and by an outspoken Catholic bishop.
With his spectacular command of character, coincidence, and military and political strategies, Harry Turtledove continues a passionate, unmatched saga of a World War II composed of different enemies, different allies—and hurtling toward a horrific moment. For a diabolical new weapon is about to be unleashed, not by the United States, but by Japan, in a tactic that will shock the world.
BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Harry Turtledove's The War That Came Early: Two Fronts.
Praise for Coup d’Etat
“Turtledove’s masterful presentation of an alternate WWII reaches its fourth volume with its quality undiminished. . . . A tribute to [his] commanding skills.”—Booklist (starred review)
“For lovers of alternative history, and particularly the very popular Turtledove with his appealing weaponry, battle tactics, and setting details, this story will satisfy. It sets out to entertain . . . and that it does.”—Historical Novels Review
“The book’s grand scope and Turtledove’s impressive historical knowledge are admirable.”—Kirkus Reviews
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Turtledove follows The Big Switch with a ponderous fourth volume in an alternative WWII saga in which the British and French have formed an uneasy alliance with Germany against the Russians. Once again, the action takes place on a variety of fronts, focusing not only on the battles that rage across Spain and Egypt but also on the personal stories in Philadelphia and M nster. The large cast of characters is handled adroitly, even when some are culled. The titular coup causes upheaval for the military brass, politicians, and common soldiers. Fans of battlefield action may be disappointed by the emphasis on character development, and by the end, the war feels nearly stagnant, despite the description of gains made in Russia and losses in the Pacific. It's not clear how Turtledove will stretch the scenario to the planned fifth and sixth installments.
Customer Reviews
The War That Came Early: Coup D'Etat
Not his finest work, but Turtledove is still the master alternate history writer.
Just ok - some glitches
Not much progress - seems to be stretching it out to fill a contract, unlike the Atlantis storyline - more like the last books of the Colonization series.
Also, some of the chapter endings were "cut off" in the digital download.
Then again, I am looking forward to the next installment.
Finally, the recently published shorts by Tuetledove have been very enjoyable.
Problem with electronic version
In many chapters the LAST page of the chapter is a copy of the next-to-last page of the chapter. That is extremely frustrating if you care about things like who lives, who dies, and what actually happens. I was given a refund and apple is "looking into it" but I'm clearly not the only one to report this problem and they're still selling it. So consider yourself forewarned.