Doing Map Mondays for more than a year now, I have to admire those alternate historians (who I usually refer to as "alternate cartographers") who have the patience and skill to create those wonderful and informative maps we find in timelines across the Internet. Wanting to learn more about this subset of our community, I decided to interview one of my favorite map makers: Lynn Davis. Check out our conversation below:

Who is Lynn Davis?

My name is Lynn Zelda Davis, a 21 year-old Texan college student currently working on their bachelor's degree in English Education. That's right, folks, history and cartography are just a side hobby for my real, crazy passion: teaching! Other than that, I love to write, to read, and just about everything involving Christmas. My favorite things in life are my partner Chris, my maps, and sleep. Most people around the web know me as ToixStory (formerly known as PlatoonSgt).

What got you interested in alternate history?

Sometime around 2010 I started to wonder about the usual history scenarios, about what would have happened if the Nazis had won, if Texas was still independent, etc., and found AlternateHistory.com that same year, which only fueled my passion. At the same time, I was becoming more and more interested in history itself, devouring every book I could find on any part of history, which only fueled my desire for alternate history. This past year has seen it really ramp up in terms of research and study, but the passion has been there for a while now.

When did you start creating alternate history maps?

Technically, I got started around 2011, using simple Wikipedia basemaps and the world-a basemaps you see on AlternateHistory.com Map Threads. However, I was never really satisfied with them, because they always seemed so...stale. Lifeless. After a while, I gave up on them. Then, last year, I picked up the hobby again, not with maps made in Microsoft Paint but in Inkscape, using more detailed techniques to create the beautiful maps I had seen posted on deviantart and AH.com before. I wanted to have maps that told a story, that showed a whole world instead of just a plate imitation of it.

In a world where geography is at the bottom of the list for someone's favorite subject, why do you think people make maps of alternate worlds?

I would say because, on some level, all people wonder how things would have gone had the circumstances been different. Alternate history is simply quantifying those thoughts and putting them into a study of how you think things could have gone, and maps are simply an extension of that. Not to mention, maps are something just about everyone has been exposed to at one time or another, from atlases to Google Maps, so I think anyone interested in alternate history has thought, at one time or another, of what the maps for different worlds would look like.

What programs do you use to create your maps?

I started out with, and still primarily use, Inkscape. It's a very sleek, free vector-based program that allows you to use all sorts of tools and tricks to get a map looking just right. It's easily manipulable and fairly easy to learn. Lately, I've experiment with using GIMP to make a base for the map before doing the details in Inkscape. There are definitely some advantages of GIMP, though I'm probably going to start going back to Inkscape more and more.

Where can people go if they wanted you to commission a map from you?

My deviantart is definitely the best place. I have a journal of all commission prices and info here or you can e-mail me at lzeldadavis at gmail dot com and we can talk prices and such.

Any other map makers you would like to recommend?

Oh, wow, there's almost too many to list. 1Blomma is definitely one of my favorites and is a master at the craft. There's also a ton more, off the top of my head: martin23230, Fenn-O-Manic, Kurarun, Undevicesimus, Pischinovski, ImDeadPanda, Kuusinen, Sapiento, ReagentAH, RvBOMally, nanwe01, and iselander. All of them are on deviantart, and definitely worth checking out.

Any other projects that you are working on now?

For alternate history? Well, something like 6 maps that are in some stage of completion, a tutorial, and a whole map series—world map, regional maps, flags, etc.--and that's just the tip of the iceberg. I may go a little overboard. As far as other things, I've got a couple novel ideas in the mix that I might sit down and write one day (alternate history, naturally), but mostly I just like my maps. Definitely my favorite and most soothing hobby.

What books are you reading?

Just like with my maps, I move between books very rapidly, so I'm never reading just one. At the moment, I'm reading In Spite of the Gods: The Rise of Modern India, An Empire of Wealth, Leviathan Wakes and A Canticle for Leibowitz. Like I said, my mind wanders a bit.

Any advice for aspiring alternate cartographers?

The biggest piece of advice I can give is: be patient. Cartography, whether it's digital or physical, takes time to get right. It can feel like a pain to meticulously trace coastlines, rivers, borders, and the like, but it definitely pays off in the end and makes your map look much nicer. More than half my maps took more than 50 work hours to make, with a couple taking over 100 hours of work time. It can be tedious, but find a rhythm and stick with it and you'll be a master of the craft before you know it.

Magic returns this summer according to BBC. The trailer for their adaptation of Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell was released a few days ago. Check it out below:
Although it is a very short video, it looks pretty damn good. I am actually excited about this show. If you haven't read the book, I highly recommend you pick up a copy and I hope you join me in catching the first episode this summer (unless UKIP shuts it down).

Editor's Note

Really short note today. I just want to thank everyone for following me on social media and buying from Amazon through The Update. Every little bit helps and I appreciate everything you guys have done for me.

And now the news...

Brooklyn Sudano joins the cast of Hulu's 11/22/63

It was announced last week that that Brooklyn Sudano has joined the cast of Hulu's adaptation of Stephen King's 11/22/63. Brooklyn, who according to Wikipedia is best known for playing the role of Vanessa Scott on the ABC sitcom My Wife And Kids and Felicia on the TV series Cuts, will be playing Jake Epping's (Franco) ex-wife...who was not a major character in the book.

Honestly, I don't even remember her appearing at all in the book. The only thing we know about her is that she was an alcoholic who after getting sober left Jake for someone she met in AA. Not exactly the most sympathetic character so I am not sure why they found the need to cast someone to play her. Will we see her in flashbacks or will she have a bigger role in pushing Jake to travel through time? I just don't know. I guess we will see when the mini-series finally premieres, but I am fairly optimistic.

Videos for Alternate Historians

Got a great slate of videos this week. We begin with the official trailer for Mr Holmes:
So essentially we are getting the "real story" about Holmes, from his perspective and not Watson's, sort of like we got from Tarzan in A Feast Unknown. I find this idea fascinating and I am looking forward to seeing it when it comes to the States. Next we have two new videos from Cody Franklin at the Alternate History Hub. First up, what if European diseases did not effect Native Americans:
And then we have a more serious take on history with Cody commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide:
Now I am going to talk about my new favorite channel: Test Tube. They have a lot of great videos on contemporary events and geopolitics that are easily digestible. Just check out their video on how powerful Mexico is:
Finally, don't forget to check out my latest video, a video review of Kim Stanley Robinson's The Years of Rice and Salt:
I promise there will be more ear pens.

Links to the Multiverse

Books & Short Fiction

Alternate History: Picking Out the Threads by Teramis at Notes From The Lizard Lair.
Alternate history stories - personal or grand scale? by Alison Morton.
Letter to the Editor: In Praise of Mrs. Coulter by Jean Rabe at Smart Pop Books.
More on the Hugos from a Dark, Dark Place by Eric Flint.
The Omnibus Volumes of H. Beam Piper at Black Gate.
Review: 1632 by Eric Flint at Adventures in Reading.
Review: The Custard Protocol 1: Prudence by Gail Carriger at Falcata Times.
Review: The Doors You Mark Are Your Own by Okla Elliott and Raul Clement at SF Signal.
Review: Gideon Smith and The Brass Dragon by David Barnett at SFcrowsnest.
Review: Joe Steele by Harry Turtledove at Antonio Urias.
Review: Vermilion by Molly Tanzer at NPR Books.
Richard Knaak (DUTCHMAN) on Why He’s NOT Writing the Great American Novel at SF Signal.
What Does George R. R. Martin Have to do With Dinosaur Lords? at Tor.

Counterfactuals, History & News

Buran: The Soviet Space Shuttle by Elizabeth Howell at Space.com.
Incredible Technology: NASA's Wild Airship Idea for Cloud Cities on Venus at Space.com.
Japan and World War II Atrocities at Dieselpunk.
Liberland wants to become the world's foremost tax haven at Business Insider.
A More Economically Rational Nazi Germany? at The Counterfactual History Review.
Special Report: British voters heading for a Disunited Kingdom at Yahoo!
What If Britain Didn’t Join The Iraq War? by Chris Nuttall at The Chrishanger.
What Catholic England would look like today by Dominic Selwood at Catholic Herald.

Film & Television

‘Castle,’ ‘Penny Dreadful’ and TV’s other under-appreciated shows at New York Post.
The Golden Compass: what went wrong? by Andrew Blaur at Den of Geek.
Maurice LaMarche Narrates Two Animations About Disney’s ‘Tomorrowland’ at Laughing Squid.
Review: Outlander 1.11: Vaccination and Time Travel at Paul Levinson's Infinite Regress.
Rufus Sewell plays ruthless Nazi official in The Man In The High Castle at Daily Mail.

Games

The Brilliant Star Wars Galaxies Idea That Didn't Happen at Kotaku.

Graphic Novels & Comics

The artist bringing Ada Lovelace back to life at BBC.
A Gay, Jewish Protagonist For Providence To Address Lovecraft's Prejudices at Bleeding Cool.

Interviews

Justin Pollard at Suvudu.

As perfect as many of you see me as, even I make the rare mistake. For example, when I saw Rubberduck3y6's map of an expanded United States I thought it looked well done, but I otherwise was not impressed by the lack of story, so I didn't mention it in last week's Map Monday. Nevertheless, when I saw his companion map for the nation of Ursalia, I just had to talk about it this week:
Like his last map, Ursalia lacks a story, but its the questions I have about its history that really intrigues me. Did this form out of the Hudson Bay Company's territory that the British maintained after losing the more populous parts of Canada to the USA? What is the culture of Ursalia like and do the Métis and Aboriginal Canadians have a greater role in this society? Is Ursalia part of the Commonwealth (if it exists in this TL) or is it a republic? So many questions. I would love to see a more fleshed-out scenario.

I end today's Map Monday by recommending the website Brilliant Maps, which has posted some awesomely weird maps lately, like what if the Mongol Empire reunited or Europe according to the Vikings in 1000 AD. If you want to submit a map for the next Map Monday, email me at ahwupdate at gmail dot com with your map attached and a brief description in the body of the email.

You can support The Update by clicking the banner to your right or the links below if you are purchasing through Amazon!

Hardcovers

Of Noble Family by Mary Robinette Kowal

Jane and Vincent have finally gotten some much-needed rest after their adventures in Italy when Vincent receives word that his estranged father has passed away on one of his properties in the West Indies. His brother, who manages the estate, is overwhelmed, and no one else in his family can go. Grudgingly, out of filial duty the couple decide to go.

The sea voyage is long and Jane spends enough time unable to perform glamour that towards the end of the trip she discovers that she is with child. They are overjoyed, but when they finally arrive at the estate to complete what they expect to be routine legal tasks, they realize that nearly everything they came expecting to find had been a lie. Also, the entire estate is in disarray, with horrifying conditions and tensions with the local slave population so high that they are close to revolt.

Jane and Vincent's sense of peril is screaming out for them to flee, but Vincent cannot stand to leave an estate connected with his family in such a condition. They have survived many grand and terrifying adventures in their time, but this one will test their skills and wits more than any they have ever encountered before, this time with a new life hanging in the balance. Mary Robinette Kowal's Of Noble Family is the final book of the acclaimed Glamourist Histories.

Paperbacks

The Adjacent by Christopher Priest

In the near future, Tibor Tarent, a freelance photographer, is recalled from Anatolia to Britain when his wife, an aid worker, is killed—annihilated by a terrifying weapon that reduces its target to a triangular patch of scorched earth.

A century earlier, Tommy Trent, a stage magician, is sent to the Western Front on a secret mission to render British reconnaissance aircraft invisible to the enemy.

Present day. A theoretical physicist develops a new method of diverting matter, a discovery with devastating consequences that will resonate through time.

Shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award for best science fiction novel of 2014.

The Army of Doctor Moreau by David F. Walker

On an unchartered island in the South Pacific, Nazis have uncovered the secret of transforming animals into a human-like army of killers. A team of British and American operatives is sent on a search-and-destroy mission. The team quickly finds themselves in a nightmarish war with savage animals that think they are men!

The Doors You Mark Are Your Own by Okla Elliott and Raul Clement 

Joshua City is one of seven city-states in a post-apocalyptic world where water is scarce and technology is at mid-twentieth-century Soviet levels. As the novel opens, the Baikal Sea has been poisoned, causing a major outbreak of a flesh-eating disease called nekrosis. Against this backdrop of political corruption, violence and oppression, a struggle for control of Joshua City ensues, and a revolutionary group called The Underground emerges.

The Doors You Mark Are Your Own is a sweeping literary epic—the result of years of painstaking writing and world-building by two brilliantly imaginative minds—that readers will get lost in and never want to end.

A Kill in the Morning by Graeme Shimmin

[Editor's Note: Check out my review.]

A fast, furious, fun, and acclaimed high concept alternate history thriller from a great new talent, shortlisted for the Terry Pratchett Fiction Prize

I don’t like killing, but I’m good at it. Murder isn’t so bad from a distance, just shapes popping up in my scope. Close-up work though—a garrotte around a target’s neck or a knife in their heart—it’s not for me. Too much empathy, that’s my problem. Usually. But not today. Today is different . . .

The year is 1955 and something is very wrong with the world. It is 14 years since Churchill died and World War II ended. In occupied Europe, Britain fights a cold war against a nuclear-armed Nazi Germany. In Berlin the Gestapo is on the trail of a beautiful young resistance fighter, and the head of the SS is plotting to dispose of an ailing Adolf Hitler and restart the war against Britain and her empire. Meanwhile, in a secret bunker hidden deep beneath the German countryside, scientists are experimenting with a force far beyond their understanding. Into this arena steps a nameless British assassin, on the run from a sinister cabal within his own government, and planning a private war against the Nazis. And now the fate of the world rests on a single kill in the morning. Take the meticulous research of Robert Harris, the spy thrills of Ian Fleming, the classic action of Alistair MacLean, and the wild ride of a Tarantino film and you're coming close to A Kill in the Morning.

To readers, authors and publishers...

I am happy to announce that friend of The Update, Ian Sales, has sent me a review copy of the final book in his Apollo Quartet series: All That Outer Space Allows. Unlike the previous entries in the series ("Adrift on the Sea of Rains", "The Eye with Which the Universe Beholds Itself" and "Then Will The Great Ocean Wash Deep Above") the finale will be novel-length. Check out the description from Amazon:

It is 1965 and Ginny Eckhardt is a science fiction writer. She’s been published in the big science fiction magazines and is friends with many of the popular science fiction authors of the day. Her husband, Walden, has just been selected by NASA as one of the New Nineteen Apollo astronauts… which means Ginny will be a member of the Astronaut Wives Club. Although the realities of spaceflight fascinate Ginny, her genders bars her from the United State space programme. Her science fiction offers little in the way of consolation—but perhaps there is something she can do about that… Covering the years 1965 to 1972, when Walden Eckhardt lifts-off aboard Apollo 15 as the mission’s lunar module pilot, this is Ginny’s life: wife, science fiction writer, astronaut wife… because that is ALL THAT OUTER SPACE ALLOWS.

To celebrate the launch of All That Outer Space Allows, Ian is releasing new editions of his previous Apollo Quartet stories complete with new covers and additional content. I highly recommend you read the entire series and I look forward to sharing my review of All That Outer Space Allows in the near future.

Guest post by Robert Gill.
In light of the recent release of Turtledove's book, Joe Steele, about a would-be totalitarian dictator from OTL as a U.S. Citizen, changing the U.S. for the worse, here's something in a similar vein from 20+ years ago--Simon Louvish's The Resurrections (a.k.a. Resurrections from the Dustbin of History).

The divergence? The survival of German Marxist leaders, Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, in post-Great War Germany (murdered by the Freikorps, in OTL), followed in 1923 by a successful putsch against the Weimar government, and the fledgling Nazi Party fleeing into U.S. exile as a result. (An apparent spillover effect of this is Trotsky killing Stalin, and coming to power, post-Lenin, remaining in power until he dies in '67.) The exiled Nazis are active in U.S. politics for decades, agitating against the USSR and Germany, and engaging in cloak-and-dagger plots to overthrow the German government (similar to OTL's Cuban exile activity against the Castros), even as Joseph Gable (Goebbels' Anglicized Ellis Island surname) grooms Hitler's U.S.-born sons for the White House (not unlike Joe Kennedy, Sr. and his boys). This is increasingly likely, as this U.S., unaware of the Nazi evil, is receptive to their xenophobia and nativism, when a surviving Empire of Japan (its expansion blocked by the U.S. in the Pacific War) turns nuke-capable, launching a nuclear Pearl Harbor--9/11-style attack on L.A in '52, allowing the rise of the Nazis as an independent party that challenges the survival of both the Democrats and the GOP.

The book also examines what a world sans World War II would look like, including Mussolini surviving into the '60s, his death bringing about an “Italian Spring,” and dramatically increasing the odds of a Communist revolution led by Che Guevara, operating out of Italian Ethiopia (absent a Second World War to erode their foundations, European empires are only now crumbling), China under Marshall Chu-Teh, not Mao (dead at Chiang Kai-Shek's hands, yet with Chiang's own death aborting a Taiwan-based Nationalist regime), and multiple POV chapters, with the world seen through the eyes of Che, Gable, an Italian Major in colonial Africa, plotting with Che, exiles from a Greek junta coming to power after the death of “the Antichrist Trotsky”, idealistic young Jews in a Zionist diaspora (sans Nazis to spur the creation of a Jewish state, Jews in Palestine fall prey to internecine conflict, delaying statehood for a generation), and news media coverage of various crises, to name a few. And minus the shot in the arm that exposure of the Holocaust provided to the Civil Rights movement in OTL, the volatile, racist political climate in the U.S. proves detrimental to it (and its icons) in this reality.

Plenty of stuff in this book that would be ripe for dramatic cinematic treatment, no shortage of tension, skullduggery and scheming, and the Nazi struggle for the White House is particularly harrowing, the latter effort shocking in a manner not unlike an unrelated moment near the end of Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policemen's Union. More than a few historical figures make Easter Egg cameos, if you keep an eye out for for them, and a 1990 Epilogue, rather than wrapping things up in a neat, tidy package, describes a world continuing to rotate on its grim axis, new world crises replacing old ones, which I felt added a level of realism.

Also, for a book written in 1994, much in the book feels eerily prescient. A nail-biter of a close Presidential race, the final outcome of which is to be decided by Florida? Check. A 9/11-style suicide attack on U.S. soil, nationwide outrage followed by later-discredited GOP administrations (McCarthy-Nixon) dragging the U.S. into wasteful decade-and-a-half long wars (Japan and Cuba) that are blamed for reducing the U.S. to a “political, economic, and moral basket case"? Check. Right-wing conspiracy-mongers (U.S. Nazis) manufacturing bogus claims about U.S. Presidents (or Presidential aspirants) having crypto-Communist, non-Christian, non-U.S. origins and/or names? Again, check; while hardly a new development, casual racist references to Rosenfelt/Roosevelt, Stevenson/Stevenshein, Goldwasser/Goldwater, and Rothschild-feller/Rockefeller remind one uncomfortably of present-day Birthers targeting “Barry Sotero” (i.e., Barack Obama).

If I had any complaints about the book, it's that Simon Louvish, not a U.S. Author (the jacket cover describes him as a “Scots-born Israeli”) needed to do a bit more research about U.S. politics, getting U.S. Presidential election years wrong on a few occasions, (describing 1921, 1935, 1961, and future political dates 1973 and 1978), as Presidential campaign years, days leading up to Mussolini's death are out of order (ailing on July 19th--dead on the 13th?), and a George McGovern statehood gaffe that might surprise South Dakota voters! Despite this, I would definitely recommend it, if you can find it.

Editor's Note

So I think I have had a long enough break since my Britain trip that its time to get back to some serious writing. Starting this week I am going to begin the long process of cutting my Sideways in Time paper to a more appropriate length. Hopefully that doesn't mean I will have to cut back on my writing elsewhere. In fact the schedule for this week is pretty much locked in, so that is good. If I can keep up the pace of 6 articles a week (counting my work at Amazing Stories) I think I can keep delivering alternate history content to you guys and work on my other projects.

Also no Map Monday this week. Sorry, but nothing inspired me enough to write about it.

And now the news...

What do the critics think of Hi Hitler! by Gavriel Rosenfeld?

Gavriel Rosenfeld, proprietor of The Counterfactual History Review, has a new book out called Hi Hitler! which discusses the normalization of Nazism in modern culture. Here is the description from Amazon:

The Third Reich's legacy is in flux. For much of the post-war period, the Nazi era has been viewed moralistically as an exceptional period of history intrinsically different from all others. Since the turn of the millennium, however, this view has been challenged by a powerful wave of normalization. Gavriel D. Rosenfeld charts this important international trend by examining the shifting representation of the Nazi past in contemporary western intellectual and cultural life. Focusing on works of historical scholarship, popular novels, counterfactual histories, feature films, and Internet websites, he identifies notable changes in the depiction of the Second World War, the Holocaust, and the figure of Adolf Hitler himself. By exploring the origins of these works and assessing the controversies they have sparked in the United States and Europe, Hi Hitler! offers a fascinating and timely analysis of the shifting status of the Nazi past in western memory.

The book got a lot of attention last week when Richard Evans (Altered Pasts) critiqued the book on The Guardian. He summed up Hi Hitler! by saying "Rosenfeld’s book is engrossing and thought-provoking, but in the end it does not convince." Well not the best review, but I guess there is no such thing as bad publicity. Speaking of publicity, Gavriel discussed stories where Hitler survives his death over at The Conversation. Go check it out and let us know what you think.

What do the critics think of Mary Robinette Kowal's Of Noble Family?

The always delightful Mary Robinette Kowal has published the conclusion to her Glamourist Histories series. Its called Of Nobel Family and here is the description from Amazon:

Jane and Vincent have finally gotten some much-needed rest after their adventures in Italy when Vincent receives word that his estranged father has passed away on one of his properties in the West Indies. His brother, who manages the estate, is overwhelmed, and no one else in his family can go. Grudgingly, out of filial duty the couple decide to go.

The sea voyage is long and Jane spends enough time unable to perform glamour that towards the end of the trip she discovers that she is with child. They are overjoyed, but when they finally arrive at the estate to complete what they expect to be routine legal tasks, they realize that nearly everything they came expecting to find had been a lie. Also, the entire estate is in disarray, with horrifying conditions and tensions with the local slave population so high that they are close to revolt.

Jane and Vincent's sense of peril is screaming out for them to flee, but Vincent cannot stand to leave an estate connected with his family in such a condition. They have survived many grand and terrifying adventures in their time, but this one will test their skills and wits more than any they have ever encountered before, this time with a new life hanging in the balance. Mary Robinette Kowal's Of Noble Family is the final book of the acclaimed Glamourist Histories.

Paul Weimer at SF Signal called it a "[s]trong endgame for the series and an excellent use of events from previous novels. Vincent and Jane continue to grow and glow as characters." Well it looks like Paul enjoyed the book, but if you want to know Mary's favorite bit of Of Noble Family, check out her post on her site. She also will be on book tour starting tomorrow.

Videos for Alternate Historians

Remember when I posted that teaser trailer on Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, yeah turns out they released a longer version not much later:
Looks pretty good. Can't wait. Now lets figure out how to start our own country:
Fascinating and the rules to creating your own country should apply to future off-world colonies. Now lets dive back to the past and find out how to live forever:
You got to love the effort they put into creating these Vsauce videos. Anywho, Sean Korsgaard filmed the alternate history panel at Ravencon 2015, featuring another familiar face here at The Update, Chris Nuttall:
I haven't listened to the whole panel, so watch at your own risk.

Links to the Multiverse

Books & Short Fiction

2015 Readers Choice Awards at Steampunk Chronicles.
AURELIA - excerpt by Alison Morton.
Gideon Smith cover gallery by David Barnett at Postcards From The Hinterland.
Message Fiction: Politics in Sci-Fi and Fantasy Literature by The G at Tor.
Representing Marginalized Voices in Historical Fiction and Fantasy at Strange Horizons.
Review: Joe Steele by Harry Turtledove at That's What I'm Talking About.
Roma Novan family trees by Alison Morton.
The Strange Horizons Book Club: Hild by Nicola Griffith at Strange Horizons.
These incredible paintings of sci-fi suburbia are finally turning into a book at The Verge.
To Explore Strange Old Worlds, to Seek Out Old Civilizations at Strange Horizons.

Counterfactuals, History & News

7 Lesser-Known Victorian Inventors Who Were Just As Fascinating As Tesla at io9.
Abbott Orders Texas Guard to 'Monitor' Planned Military Exercises at NPR.
Deep, deep south: Brazilians proudly celebrate their Confederate ancestry at The Guardian.
Great Moments in Peaceful Protest History at The Nib.
The most racist places in America, according to Google at The Washington Post.

Film & Television

It's Still Alive! Modern Adaptations of Frankenstein by Sarah Clare at Hodderscape.
Outlander 1.12: Black Jack's Progeny at Paul Levinson's Infinite Regress.

Games

7 Games We Saw in Action That Never Came Out by Keza MacDonald at Kotaku.
Can a game show us what would happen under far-right rule? at Boing Boing.

Graphic Novels & Comics

The Complete History Of The Joker's Many, Many Incarnations by James Whitbrook at io9.

Interviews

Brooke Johnson at My Bookish Ways.
Michael J Martinez at SF Signal.
Gareth L. Powell at The Gutterbound Stargazer.

Podcasts

Dissecting Worlds Series 9 – Episode 6: Special Circumstances at Geel Syndicate.

You can support The Update by clicking the banner to your right or the links below if you are purchasing through Amazon!

Hardcovers

1882: Custer in Chains by Robert Conroy

NATIONALLY BEST-SELLING AUTHOR. A world where Custer survives Little Bighorn and becomes president goes seriously awry.

Following his unlikely but decisive (and immensely popular) 1876 victory over Sitting Bull and the Sioux at the Little Big Horn, George Armstrong Custer is propelled into the White House in 1880.

Two years later, he finds himself bored and seeks new worlds to conquer. He and his wife Libbie fixate on Spain’s decaying empire as his source for immortality. What President Custer doesn’t quite comprehend is that the U.S. military isn’t up to such a venture. When a group of Americans on a ship headed for Cuba is massacred, war becomes inevitable—and unless calmer, patriotic citizens and soldiers can find a way to avoid debacle, this war may be America's last stand!

Look Who's Back by Timur Vermes

"What would happen if Adolf Hitler woke up in modern-day Berlin? In a bestselling satirical novel, he'd end up a TV comedy star . . . [Look Who's Back] has unsurprisingly sparked debate in a country that has grappled for decades with Hitler's unconscionable legacy."
-Time

Timur Vermes' record-breaking bestseller Look Who's Back is a satirical novel that imagines what would happen if Hilter were reborn in present-day Germany. The book was a massive success in Germany, selling more than 1.5 million copies. It was subsequently published for the first time in English by Quercus in the UK to strong sales and even stronger media attention.

In the novel, Adolf Hitler wakes up in 2011 from a 66-year sleep in his subterranean Berlin bunker to find the Germany he knew entirely changed: Internet-driven media spreads ideas in minutes and fumes celebrity obsession; immigration has produced multicultural neighborhoods bringing together people of varying race, ethnicity, and religion; and the most powerful person in government is a woman. Hitler is immediately recognized . . . as an impersonator of uncommon skill. The public assumes the fulminating leader of the Nazi party is a performer who is always in character, and soon his inevitable viral appeal begets YouTube Stardom, begets television celebrity on a Turkish-born comedian's show. His bigoted rants are mistaken for a theatrical satire-exposing prejudice and misrepresentation-and his media success emboldens Hitler to start his own political party, and set the country he finds a shambles back to rights.

With daring and dark humor, Look Who's Back skewers the absurdity and depravity of the cult of personality in modern media culture.

A Long Time Until Now by Michael Z Williamson

Book 1 in a new series from the creator of the best-selling Freehold Universe series.  A military unit is thrust back into Paleolithic times with only their guns and portable hardware.

Ten soldiers on convoy in Afghanistan suddenly find themselves lost in time. Somehow, they arrived in Earth's Paleolithic Asia. With no idea how they arrived or how to get back, the shock of the event is severe. They discover groups of the similarly displaced: Imperial Romans, Neolithic Europeans, and a small cadre of East Indian peasants. Despite their technological advantage, the soldiers only have ten people, and know no way home. Then two more time travelers arrive from a future far beyond the present. These time travelers may have the means to get back, but they aren't giving it up. In fact, they may have a treacherous agenda of their own, one that may very well lead to the death of the displaced in a harsh and dangerous era.

Straits of Hell: Destroyermen by Taylor Anderson

New York Times bestselling author Taylor Anderson’s phenomenal alternate history Destroyermen series continues as a game-changing conspiracy throws the hope of honor, trust, and survival into chaos....

Matt Reddy’s old Asiatic Fleet destroyer USS Walker has been mysteriously transported to an alternate version of earth. Here WWII is no longer raging, and Reddy and his crew have been trying to find a new place for themselves in this strange new world.

Now, along with the felinoid Lemurians and Imperial allies, they fight to keep the reptilian Grik, a race growing in supremacy, from reconquering the Lemurians’ ancestral home on Madagascar. Reddy and his crew are exhausted, far from reinforcements, and wildly outnumbered, so the odds seem greater than ever before. As for the fate of the Americas, Don Hernan and the evil Dominion have gathered to annihilate the forces behind the walls of Fort Defiance as a shadowy power with an agenda all its own rises with chilling resolve.

As the war teeters on a knife-edge, a tipping point may have been reached at last—and cold steel and hot-blooded valor will remain the ultimate weapons.

Paperbacks

Aureliaby Alison Morton


Late 1960s Roma Nova, the last Roman colony that has survived into the 20th century Aurelia Mitela is alone - her partner gone, her child sickly and her mother dead - and forced to give up her beloved career as a Praetorian officer. But her country needs her unique skills. Somebody is smuggling silver - Roma Nova's lifeblood - on an industrial scale. Sent to Berlin to investigate, she encounters the mysterious and attractive Miklós who knows too much and Caius Tellus, a Roma Novan she has despised and feared since childhood. Barely escaping a trap set by a gang boss intent on terminating her, she discovers that her old enemy is at the heart of all her troubles and pursues him back home to Roma Nova...

The Death of Napoleon by Simon Leys

As he bore a vague resemblance to the Emperor, the  sailors on board the Hermann-Augustus Stoeffer had nicknamed him Napoleon. And so, for convenience, that is what we shall call him.

Besides, he was Napoleon. . . .

Napoleon has escaped from St. Helena, leaving a double behind him. Now disguised as the cabin hand Eugène Lenormand and enduring the mockery of the crew (Na­po­leon, they laughingly nickname the pudgy, hopelessly clumsy little man), he is on his way back to Europe, ready to make contact with the huge secret organization that will return him to power. But then the ship on which he sails is rerouted from Bordeaux to Antwerp. When Napoleon disembarks, he is on his own.

He revisits the battlefield of Waterloo, now a tourist destination. He makes his way to Paris. Mistakes, misunderstandings, and mishaps conduct our puzzled hero deeper and deeper into the mystery of Napoleon.

Deadly Shores: Destroyermen by Taylor Anderson

The Destroyermen series continues from the New York Times bestselling author of Straits of Hell.

The ambitious, long-planned raid on the Grik Empire has grown dangerously ill defined. Only Matthew Reddy, commander of the old destroyer USS Walker, seems focused on the original intent.

While many Lemurians see an opportunity to reconquer their stolen homeland, others—Lemurian and human—have their own agendas, which could compromise the Alliance. Complicating matters further is Reddy’s suspicion that his task force is being stalked by some unknown power bent on aiding the Grik for reasons of its own.

As the raid begins and chaos reigns, Reddy has no choice but to risk everything in a desperate act that results in a sprawling, nightmare battle on the beaches of “Grik City,” on the very decks of Walker, and in the labyrinthine passageways of the Celestial Palace itself. The final cost could be more than Matt Reddy—or the Alliance—can bear.

Unseemly Science: The Fall of the Gas-Lit Empire, Book 2 by Rod Duncan

In the divided land of England, Elizabeth Barnabus has been living a double life - as both herself and as her brother, the private detective. Witnessing the hanging of Alice Carter, the false duchess, Elizabeth resolves to throw the Bullet Catcher's Handbook into the fire, and forget her past. If only it were that easy!

There is a new charitable organisation in town, run by some highly respectable women. But something doesn't feel right to Elizabeth. Perhaps it is time for her fictional brother to come out of retirement for one last case...? Her unstoppable curiosity leads her to a dark world of body-snatching, unseemly experimentation, politics and scandal. Never was it harder for a woman in a man's world...

The Venusian Gambit: Book Three of the Daedalus Series by Michael J Martinez

[Editor's Note: Check out my review over at Amazing Stories.]

The last chapter of the dimension-spanning Daedalus series brings the 19th and 22nd centuries together for an explosive finale in the jungles of Venus!

In the year 2135, dangerous alien life forms freed in the destruction of Saturn's moon Enceladus are making their way towards Earth. A task force spearheaded by Lt. Cmdr. Shaila Jain is scrambling to beat them there while simultaneously trying to save crewmember Stephane Durand, who was infected during the mission to Saturn and is now controlled by a form of life intent on reopening a transdimensional rift and destroying the human race. But Jain doesn’t realize that the possessed Stephane has bigger plans, beaming critical data to other conspirators suspiciously heading not for Earth, but for Venus…

In 1809—a Napoleonic era far different from our own—the French have occupied England with their Corps Eternélle, undead soldiers risen through the darkest Alchemy. Only the actions of Lord Admiral Thomas Weatherby and the Royal Navy have kept the French contained to Earth. But the machinations of old enemies point to a bold and daring gambit: an ancient weapon, presumed lost in the jungles of Venus.

Now, Weatherby must choose whether to stay and fight to retake his homeland or pursue the French to the green planet. And Shaila must decide if it’s possible to save the man she loves, or if he must be sacrificed for the good of two dimensions. In the dark, alien jungles of Venus, humanity's fate in both dimensions hangs in the balance—forcing past and present to once again join forces against an ancient terror.

E-books

The Brass Giant: A Chroniker City Story by Brooke Johnson

Sometimes, even the most unlikely person can change the world

Seventeen-year-old Petra Wade, self-taught clockwork engineer, wants nothing more than to become a certified member of the Guild, an impossible dream for a lowly shop girl. Still, she refuses to give up, tinkering with any machine she can get her hands on, in between working and babysitting her foster siblings.

When Emmerich Goss--handsome, privileged, and newly recruited into the Guild--needs help designing a new clockwork system for a top-secret automaton, it seems Petra has finally found the opportunity she's been waiting for. But if her involvement on the project is discovered, Emmerich will be marked for treason, and a far more dire fate would await Petra.

Working together in secret, they build the clockwork giant, but as the deadline for its completion nears, Petra discovers a sinister conspiracy from within the Guild council ... and their automaton is just the beginning.

To readers, authors and publishers...

Guest post by Brooke Johnson.

When I sat down to write a steampunk novel, I knew that I wanted the setting to be unique, to differentiate itself from the settings of other steampunk novels and fill the absence that I felt was missing in steampunk fiction—an industrial techno-hub of science and engineering. Most of the other steampunk novels I had read up to this point blended steampunk elements with fantasy, or were of the adventure and exploration variety, where the characters traveled the world on an airship.

There was a painful lack of science in these novels, many of the authors seemingly ignoring all the invention and innovation of the Victorians that propelled the human race into the modern world. Where were the engineers? The mechanics? The scientists? I yearned for a story that brought the mechanical to life, that dug into the greasy guts and gears of extraordinary machines, and focused on engineers instead of posh society, but for all my searching, I could not find it. That’s when I knew that I had to be the one to write it.

Dissatisfied with the lack of gadgetry and science in the genre, I decided to create a steampunk setting that was neither paranormal fantasy or steampunk travelogue. No werewolves or vampires or fairies. No fantastic science. And no world-travelling airships. I wanted to create a steampunk setting based in reality, with real science and plausible machines that very well could have existed in a technologically advanced world, a city where society venerated engineers above all else, creativity and innovation were valued more than lineage or wealth, and mechanical inventions permeated every aspect of daily life.

And so Chroniker City was born.

Chroniker City sits twenty miles off the southern coast of Wales, built onto a small island of rock eight miles west of Grassholm. In our world, a remote lighthouse stands there, built in the late 1850s by the Trinity House after they bought out the previous leaseholders in the 1830s. However, in my alternate timeline, that was not the case. Instead, a wealthy German engineer by the name of Gumarich Chroniker purchased rights to build on that land and employed  engineers from all over Europe to help him construct his most ambitious engineering project—a mechanical, self-sustaining city that would become the foundation for the technological center of modern Victorian science.

It was from this point onward in my alternate history that the world diverged from our timeline. The construction of Chroniker City—and the addition of its prestigious polytechnical University—ushered in a swift advancement of scientific progress. The machines are made primarily of clockwork and steam, yes, but also include electricity and wireless technology, combustion enginery, and even electromagnetic designs.

The city proper sits atop a sprawling mechanical subcity, which houses the turbines, steam boilers, water reserves, and mechanical drives that deliver power to the city above. Above ground, the city itself hosts a number of innovative technologies unique to the setting—a trolley-lift for transporting passengers from the second-quadrant streets to the upper reaches of its illustrious shops and restaurants, automatic ventilation systems to remove smog from the air, a theater renowned for its mechanically operated stage and orchestra of musical automatons—as well as more ordinary inventions such as cranes, elevator lifts, wired power tools, and electric lights. Of course, the depths of the subcity hold their own secrets as well…

By creating my own city instead of taking over an existing one, I granted myself the freedom to establish my own rules, to explore avenues of the story and the setting that would have been next to impossible in a steampunk London or Paris. I was able to build a city that served the story, instead of the other way around. Had I chosen to set the story in a real-world location, I would have needed to restrict myself to a certain layout or history—or else transform the city into something unrecognizable to achieve the same fictional effect. Instead, I saved myself a lot of research and unnecessary complication while still managing to maintain a lot of the Victorian sociopolitical atmosphere of the world at that time.

With Chroniker City, I wanted to create the quintessential steampunk setting, an alternate history with the pinnacle of Victorian science at its core, and it’s my hope that as readers delve into the pages of The Brass Giant, they experience same fascination with the science and machinery of the city that I had while building it.


Brooke Johnson is the author of The Brass Giant, the first novel in the Chroniker City steampunk series for young adults. She is a stay-at-home mom and tea-loving writer, and as the jack-of-all-trades bard of the family, she journeys through life with her husband, daughter, and dog. She currently resides in Northwest Arkansas but hopes to one day live somewhere more mountainous. Follow her on Twitter @brookenomicon.

Guest post by Rebecca Stirling.

The Grand Union in 400 AD.

Egypt; now a small, nile-dependent nation on the coast of North Africa. One of the first places where mankind stretched its legs, Egypt is now a shadow of what it once was. It used to be the only world power, ruling over the nile and all of known Africa (at the time). Around 3500 BCE, Egypt was one of the first empires to form. It ruled as a major power until the 1st millennium BC, when it began to decline and was taken over by Macedonia.

In order to understand just how long Ancient Egypt would have to survive to get to the present day, we would need to first visualize how much it’s been through in the past five thousand years. From 30 BCE to 641 AD, Rome ruled over Egypt. The Sassanids would then rule over it for a decade afterwards, before it was passed to the Arabs. The Fatimids held it through the 11th century, and the Ayyubids had it after that. The Mamluks held it for 300 years, before the Ottoman Empire took it from them in the 1500s. The 1800s and 1900s were hard on Egypt, as it went through a French Occupation, British rule, and many years of strife before it finally gained independence once more in 1914.

The main thing we have to consider is if there even is a way for Ancient Egypt to survive that long. In order to keep the Romans away from their conquests, Egypt would have to have been much more powerful. However, finding a point of divergence might be a much harder task. To get Egypt powerful enough to keep out foreign invaders, we need a PoD far back enough that keeps Rome from existing entirely. In my TL on this subject (aptly entitled Grand Union), we use a divergence point from 3100 BCE, during the rule of Pharaoh Hor-Aha. If we attempt to make him much more successful, there are many things that could branch off from there. Before we go on, we must remember that we are at the beginning of civilization, and that everything after this point changes severely. Many things will be different by the time we get to the present day.

Firstly, the immediate effects will change the fate of many of the greatest empires on earth. If Macedonia manages to still form two thousand years later, it might attempt to go west (into Italy) instead of east. If it still attempts to capture Egypt and Persia, it might be completely absorbed by the much more powerful Egypt. Egypt could have expanded well into the Levant and Anatolia by this time, but they might instead have chosen to expand militarily, only focusing on internal matters. They might have outposts on the African coast, perhaps for primitive hunting or trading with Asia. Phoenicia might have never existed, and Carthage might still have existed well into the first millennium. Trade up and down the nile might cause many more African city states to form, maybe deep into the Great African Lakes and as south as OTL Tanzania. By 0 AD, definitely no people from OTL would exist, as most of the world has been affected from our point of divergence (except for the Americas, of course). Most nations from around that time period (in OTL) might not exist either.

Secondly, a more powerful Ancient Egypt would change the fate of religion entirely. Jews would probably still exist using this PoD, but their fate and lore might be much different. The Egyptians would probably take control of the Jewish Holy Land at some point, possibly kicking the Jews out and northward. They might settle in Anatolia or Arabia instead, or might scatter to places in Africa. Either way, Christianity would never form and gain a foothold in Europe. If a dark age ever happened, possibly after the collapse of a large Macedonia or Celtic Empire, there would be no Papal States or Holy Roman Empire. Germany might be more united, or might not be able to form nations until centuries later. Polytheistic religions would probably be the norm up to today, with Hinduism possibly gaining a foothold in all of Asia, and Greek and Norse religions gaining followers in Europe. The Egyptian religion would probably morph and change over time, possibly dividing into sects similar to Christianity. Judaism might be one of the most powerful religions, gaining followers only because of it’s leniency to people and their morals.

Thirdly, most (if not all) languages and cultures around the world would change entirely. For example, if Macedonia decided to go west as described in the third paragraph, anything coming from Latin origin might be crushed completely. Germanic runes, which carried Italian roots as far back as the 8th century BCE, would probably be safe due to them existing so long before Rome itself. The English language, however, full of Latin characters and root words, would not be. It would probably get influence from a more powerful Egypt or Macedonia, or might be completely based off of Germanic and Norse characters. In the Grand Union timeline that I mentioned above, we use a much more Greek-influenced version of Old English (Avƿeale Ægiπtiςc is how you say the Egyptian Empire in “Anglish”, notice the old Greek characters). Anatolia would probably be more Greek-influenced as well, due to a major lack of Islam, Arabs and Turks in general. India would probably be more fractured in its culture, possibly only being connected through the Hindu religion. The Americas might be much less civilized and ordered, due to many more African nations joining in on the exploration. Migrations would be quite weird; the Serbs might be forced northwards, while the Romans and Italians might be pushed south into Sicily and possibly Libya. The cultures of Europe would probably change the most, while Africa would be ruling over the south.

Again, most things that I’ve said above aren’t for certain. Just like how we can’t predict how the world would be if Rome survives, we can’t even come close to predicting something like this. These are only speculations, and it could tell us more about the political makeup of Egypt itself. Hope you enjoyed it!

Paradox announced a new expansion pack today that is named after Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense, which inspired the people of the Thirteen Colonies to declare independence from Britain. Paradox’s "Common Sense", which will be available on June 9th, will give Europa Universalis IV players new tools to manage the growth of their domains.

According to the press release, the most significant modification in "Common Sense" is the new provincial development system. Building space in a province is now limited by its terrain and Development Value. The more developed a province is, the greater wealth and power you can squeeze out of it. By spending monarch points, you can now customize your trading hubs or make great recruiting centers. Fewer, more powerful buildings means that every decision about construction has greater importance.

Check out the teaser trailer for more information:
Other major features include:

• Parliaments: The English crown and other constitutional systems of government can now use their flexible system to pass laws through parliaments
• National Churches: Protestant kingdoms can customize their new faith and make it a true partner to the throne.
• New Religious Systems: Buddhism and Protestantism both get fresh coats of faith-based paint
• New Options For Subject States: Once just tiny money faucets, recent expansions have made vassals and colonial nations more useful. Common Sense gives you new tools to exploit them or keep them in line
• Government Ranks: As you invest in the development of your nation, you can climb from a small duchy to a major empire, unlocking new benefits.
• New Government mechanics: Theocracies will have new actions and mechanics to highlight their unique character, and the Holy Roman Empire can create Free Cities

"Common Sense" will also be accompanied by a host of free updates and improvements - including some significant changes to the map of Europe.

As always, if you pick up a copy of "Common Sense", let us know at The Update what you thought about it.

Editor's Note

Ugh...Twitter. Can someone who better understands that platform explain to me how I went from over 700 followers to losing more than a dozen in a matter of a few days? Seriously, it boggles my mind. Is it something I am doing (or not doing) or is it something completely out of my control. Any insight would be appreciated.

And now the news...

What do the critics think of Michael J. Martinez's The Venusian Gambit?

Friend of The Update, Michael J. Martinez, recently celebrated the publication of his new book, The Venusian Gambit. The third and (so far) final book in the Daedalus series, check out the plot summary from Amazon below:

In the year 2135, dangerous alien life forms freed in the destruction of Saturn's moon Enceladus are making their way towards Earth. A task force spearheaded by Lt. Cmdr. Shaila Jain is scrambling to beat them there while simultaneously trying to save crewmember Stephane Durand, who was infected during the mission to Saturn and is now controlled by a form of life intent on reopening a transdimensional rift and destroying the human race. But Jain doesn’t realize that the possessed Stephane has bigger plans, beaming critical data to other conspirators suspiciously heading not for Earth, but for Venus…

In 1809—a Napoleonic era far different from our own—the French have occupied England with their Corps Eternélle, undead soldiers risen through the darkest Alchemy. Only the actions of Lord Admiral Thomas Weatherby and the Royal Navy have kept the French contained to Earth. But the machinations of old enemies point to a bold and daring gambit: an ancient weapon, presumed lost in the jungles of Venus.

Now, Weatherby must choose whether to stay and fight to retake his homeland or pursue the French to the green planet. And Shaila must decide if it’s possible to save the man she loves, or if he must be sacrificed for the good of two dimensions. In the dark, alien jungles of Venus, humanity's fate in both dimensions hangs in the balance—forcing past and present to once again join forces against an ancient terror.

While you can check out my thoughts on The Venusian Gambit over at Amazing Stories (spoiler: I do recommend you read it), what do the other critics think about Michael's book? Trinitytwo from The Qwillery called it a pleasure to read, remarked on its diverse cast of characters and finished by saying it was a satisfying conclusion to the series. Paul Weimer from SF Signal gave the book 4 1/2 stars out of 5 and said it had " [e]xciting action and strong diverse characters; good use of asynchronous time streams in character development.

So all good reviews for The Venusian Gambit and in case you want to know what the author thinks of our favorite genre, check out his list of five alternate history books you should check out over at Tor.

Alison Morton Celebrates the publication of Aurelia

Another friend of The Update who released a new book was Alison Morton. She published the fourth book in her Roma Nova series, Aurelia. Here is the description from Amazon:

Late 1960s Roma Nova, the last Roman colony that has survived into the 20th century. Aurelia Mitela is alone – her partner gone, her child sickly and her mother dead – and forced to give up her beloved career as a Praetorian officer. 

But her country needs her unique skills. Somebody is smuggling silver – Roma Nova’s lifeblood – on an industrial scale. Sent to Berlin to investigate, she encounters the mysterious and attractive Miklós, a known smuggler who knows too much and Caius Tellus, a Roma Novan she has despised and feared since childhood. 

Barely escaping a trap set by a gang boss intent on terminating her, she discovers that her old enemy is at the heart of all her troubles and pursues him back home to Roma Nova... 

As any good author in the 21st century has done, Alison has been busy promoting her novel across the Internet. You can read an excerpt from Aurelia over at Unusual Historicals and even read a scene that didn't make the final cut over at Alison's site. You can also read a guest post Alison wrote over at Sandy's Chatterblog.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell Premiere Date Announced
We leave the world of books to share the news that BBC's adaptation of Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell will premier on BBC One in the UK on May 17 and will premiere on BBC America on June 13 according to Deadline. Here is the plot summary from the same site:

In 1806, the reclusive and skillful Mr Norrell (Marsan) is thought to be the last remaining practical magician. His displays thrill the nation — in London, he raises the beautiful Lady Pole (Englert) from the dead and summons an army of ghostly ships to terrify the French. But he is sooon challenged by the emergence of another magician: the brilliant novice Jonathan Strange (Carvel). While trying to secure his beloved Arabella’s (Riley) hand in marriage, he meets a vagabond, the magician of Threadneedle Street, who tells him he is destined to be a great magician. Young, handsome and daring, Strange is the very antithesis of Norrell. A dangerous battle ensues between the two great men.

...and thats all I got to say other than I can't wait!

Videos for Alternate Historians

We begin last week in videos with another episode from the Alternate History Hub that features two PODs on Iranian history. Check them out below:
And we end with Ray Narvaez Jr, my favorite Twitch streamer, playing a round of Wolfenstein: The Old Blood:

Links to the Multiverse

Books & Short Fiction

Announcing the 2015 Locus Award Finalists! at Tor.
Guest Post: John A. Connell, author of Ruins of War at My Bookish Ways.
More Dinosaur Lords Art from Richard Anderson at Tor.
Review: 11/22/63 by Stephen King at Journal-Advocate.
Review: Bombs Away by Harry Turtledove at Article 94.
Review: The Chronicles of Light and Shadow by Liesel Schwarz at Geek Dad
Review: Clash of Eagles by Alan Smale at Fanboy Comics.
Review: Hitler’s Time Machine by Robert F. Dorr at Notes from the Bunker.
Review: Old Venus edited by George RR Martin and Gardner Dozois at Falcata Times.
These Imaginative Parallel Universes Will Forever Change How You Think About Africa at Good.

Counterfactuals, History & News

The Austrian castle where Nazis lost to German-US force at BBC.
How Texas could have been French-speaking at The Independent.
Letter From Lovecraft to Houdini About Edgar Allen Poe's Desk at The Lovecraft eZine.
'Texas Ranger' Chuck Norris warns of government plot to take over state at The Guardian.

Film & Television

Alternate History: What If George Miller’s JUSTICE LEAGUE Wasn’t Cancelled? at Collider.
Avengers: Age Of Ultron: alternate endings that never were at Den of Geek.
Five Things About Penny Dreadful Are Better Than Ever (And One’s Not) at io9.
Outlander 1.13 Mother's Day at Paul Levinson's Infinite Regress.

Games

Review: Wolfenstien: The Old Blood at IGN.

Graphic Novels & Comics

Review: The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage by Sydney Padua at Journal Sentinel.

Interviews

Rod Duncan at SFFWorld.
Brooke Johnson at The Mary Sue.

Podcasts

Podcast Spotlight: Beneath Ceaseless Skies Podcast at SF Signal.
Ratchet RetroCast Episode 50 – RETROCASTERS NEVER SAY DIE! at The ESO Network.

Last week introduced me to one of the most bizarre, yet still ingenious, scenarios ever crafted by Bruce Munro. The year is 1950 and this is the world that Dutch made:
This scenario is actually based off the video game Red Dead Redemption and presents an alternate history of that game's story that seems to center on the game's protagonist, John Marston, making some very different decisions. In this timeline the main bad guy from the game, Dutch van der Linde, led a "anarchist/anti-urban western revolt" that broke the United States and saw much of the west and south become part of the "American Popular Union". This Smith-esque North American Confederacy, however, soon turns into a military dictatorship that uses its ideology to enrich its leaders and punish those who oppose it. Meanwhile the rest of the world becomes divided into various blocs each defined by a different ideology.

Its maps and scenarios like these that really highlight the creativity found among alternate historians. If I had one major complaint, however, its the excessive annotations. I realize that is part of Bruce's style, but even I though it was rather much. Nevertheless, still a really good map that shows no fictional world can't be diverged into something even more fantastical then it already was.

Don't forget to check out the map of male circumcisions and the GDP of the Roman Empire from Brilliant Maps. Plus you can check out the most popular cartoon character from each country. If you want to submit a map for the next Map Monday, email me at ahwupdate at gmail dot com with your map attached and a brief description in the body of the email.

You can support The Update by clicking the banner to your right or the links below if you are purchasing through Amazon!

Hardcovers

The Watchman of Eternity by Paul Witcover

In the seventh year of its war against France, England faces threats from abroad and at home, from above - and below. Buoyed by a series of military victories on land and at sea, French forces are gathering for their final push across the Channel. In Scotland, Jacobites loyal to Bonnie Prince Charlie plot to restore the Stuart dynasty to the throne. Beneath the bustling streets of London, a subterranean race prepares to rise. And in the realm known as the Otherwhere - home to dragons, demons and gods - civil war has erupted, causing a great and powerful weapon to be cast into the world. That weapon is a clock - a watch, to be precise, of a size to fit comfortably in a man's hand ...a watch with a taste for blood - a mechanism that contains the doom of all that lives. Daniel Quare, of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, was sent by his masters to find that deadly time- piece. But he was not alone in his pursuit: both the mysterious thief Grimalkin and the ruthless French spy and assassin Thomas Aylesford were on its trail. But with the help of Lord Wichcote - an aristocrat of many talents and more disguises - Quare succeeded in seizing the watch. But not for long: Aylesford took it from him - and with it, Quare's hand. And now the French spy is on his way back to his masters, Lord Wichcote lies gravely wounded and Daniel Quare has vanished ...which would seem to mean that all hope for the world is lost...

Paperbacks

The Blood Red City by Justin Richards

The Vril are here. The war for humanity has begun. The Germans have lost control of their most deadly discovery. The alien Vril have awakened and are scouring the Earth for ancient relics. From the Hollywood lights of LA to the bloody devastation of Stalingrad, Major Guy Pentecross and the team at Station Z must uncover the mystery and stop the Vril and Nazis alike. Failure will mean the end of life as we know it.

The Guild of Saint Cooper by Shya Scanlon

An obscure author, drawn in by the mysterious Guild of St. Cooper, must rewrite the history of a dying city. But the changes become greater than those he set out to make, and the story quickly unspools backward into an alternate history—a world populated by giant rhododendrons, space aliens, and TV's own Special Agent Dale Cooper.

An editor at The Nervous Breakdown and co-founder of Monkey Bicycle, Shya Scanlon won the John Hawkes Prize in Fiction at Brown University, where he received his MFA. He lives in New York.

Sky Pirates: Chronicles of Light and Shadowby Liesel Schwarz

Whatever it takes...Eleanor Chance has made it her mission to find her husband who has been cursed to roam the netherworld. But her plans are scuppered when a band of sky pirates attack, led by a man hell-bent on revenge. And rumour has it the Council of Warlocks has fallen under the sway of the nefarious Shadow Master - who wants her dead at any cost. Being chased from all sides, Elle will have to channel all of her powers as the Oracle to try to save the man she loves...

To readers, authors and publishers...

Things are going to get a little weird in this installment of The Audio File.  Today we'll be talking about The Drabblecast. The Drabblecast brings strange stories, by strange authors, to strange listeners such as you and me. What that means is that The Drabblecast runs stories from a wide variety of genres and tones; their mission statement is that they never want there to be such a thing as a standard Drabblecast story. Of course, for our purposes we'll be focusing on alternate history and related stories.

The Drabblecast launched in 2007 by Norm Sherman, Kendall Marchman and Luke Coddington. Since those early days the crew has grown to include Nicky Drayden, Bo Kaier, Nathaniel Lee and Tom Baker. You might remember Norm and Nathaniel from the post about Escape Pod, as well as Nathaniel's stories from PodCastle and Pseudopod. Though not a member of the Escape Artists podcasts, the connections between the crews certainly give The Drabblecast that feel. I often think of it as a weird cousin to the Escape Artists podcasts.

The Drabblecast has all sorts of celebrations. There's the annual Nigerian Scam Spam contest, HP Lovecraft Month, Women and Aliens Month that celebrates women writers of science fiction, and much more. Besides the main story each episode features a 100 word Drabble and a 100 character Twabble. Earlier episodes didn't include the original text of the stories, but later episodes usually do.

I know I often make a point of encouraging donations to the featured podcasts, and that's always good, but there are perks when you donate to The Drabblecast. For a ten dollars a month subscription you get access to exclusive members only stories and for a one time donation of fifty dollars or more, Norm will write and produce a song for you about whatever you want. In fact, Norm has recently released a collection of these songs on iTunes in addition to an album of his original songs. If you like your music in physical form you can purchase it from the Drabblecast website.

The way that music is integrated into the stories, and the awesome episode cover art, are some of those touches that really makes The Drabblecast standout from the crowd. Anyway, enough with the intro, let's move onto the stories...

Now Let Us Praise Awesome Dinosaurs by Leonard Richardson
A Full Cast Production
Originally Published in Strange Horizons

This story takes place in a world where the dinosaurs evolved sentience and evacuated to Mars before the K-T asteroid struck Earth. Millions of years later the dinosaurs sent expeditions to Earth and discovered that humans had become the new dominate species. By the present many dinosaurs, such as our protagonists, come to Earth to participate in extreme sports competitions.

Now, from a scientific point of view, there's about a million different things that are implausible about this story. However, none of that takes away from how fun this story is. Dinosaurs and space exploration are two of my favorite topics, so naturally this story had me even before it started. Full cast productions usually have an advantage over single narrator productions and this story was no exception. All of the narrators did an excellent job.

It's got talking dinosaur dirt bikers from Mars. Need I say more?

joanierules.bloggermax.com by Nick Mamatas
Narrated by Naomi Mercer
Originally Published in Rabid Transit #2

Our story is told as a series of blog posts by a young woman named Joanie. She's been living a pretty normal live, but then she got a vision from God. You see, in this world England won the Hundred Years War, and God wants Joanie to liberate France in the name of the Mother Church.

In case you haven't figured it out by now, this is basically a modern day retelling of the life of Joan of Arc. Overall I found this story to be very enjoyable. We don't see much of this world beyond what's mentioned in Joanie's blog posts, but judging by that it doesn't seem to be too different from our own world. It would have been nice to see how history could have diverged, but since the author was retelling the story of Joan of Arc in the modern day, I can understand the desire to keep things familiar.

I though that telling the story as a series of blog post was a nice twist on the short story format. I also thought that Naomi did a great job conveying the snarky and conflicted tone of the story. There's a constant debate throughout the story of whether Joanie is crazy or really on a mission from God. However, given the number of seeming impossible happenings, and perfectly timed coincidences, I'm inclined to go with the latter.

A modern day take on Joan of Arc that I happily recommend.

Night of the Cooters by Howard Waldrop 
Narrated by Norm Sherman 
Originally Published in Omni Magazine

I know what some of you are thinking, and no, this isn't a dirty story. Of course, it isn't a particularly good story either. Our story takes place in a small town in 19th century Texas. News reports have mentioned strange crafts from Mars landing in England, but now those same craft have come to Texas. However, the Martians are going to have to get through Sheriff Lindley and his men first.

On the surface this should have been a fun story, but as someone who has actually read War of the Worlds, this story was incredibly irritating on a number of levels. The biggest flaw was the Sheriff Lindley and his men were able to beat back the Martians through enthusiasm and gung-ho manliness, and that's before the Martians got exposed to Earth germ. That completely flies in the face of the War of the Worlds, where the whole point is that the Martians are superior to Earth's technology and can't be brought down by such means.

Moreover, I found Lindley to be such an insufferable meathead that his characterization almost came across as a parody at points. Like how, after the Martians are defeated, he orders their war machines destroyed mostly to spite the local college professors; because apparently real men don't need higher education. Mr. Waldrop has succeeded in turning one of the greatest critiques of 19th century colonialism into a brainless pulp adventure. That's not to say all pulp is bad, escapism has its place, but War of the Worlds is most certainly not that place.

Two thumbs down. Don't waste your time with this one.

The Last Great Clown Hunt by Chris Furst
Narrated by Norm Sherman
Originally Published in Weird Tales #352

In this story we have a world in which tribes of clowns fill the role of the Native Americans. We follow our narrator from his first meeting with the clowns all the way to the Battle of the Little Bigtop. Okay, this one's kind of weird, but hey, it's The Drabblecast.

To be perfectly honest I'm not entirely sure how this story made me feel. I mean, it's got silly sound effects and clowns and all, but it also deals with the clowns fighting for survival and has Norm's serious sounding narration. My main issue is that I wasn't sure if I was suppose to take it as satire, take it seriously or something in between. Though, I suppose the third options was what the author intended.

Having said that, I think, iffy tone aside, it was still a reasonably good and fun story. I laughed, I contemplated and I had fun. Like I said, Norm's narration and the Dances with Wolves-esque soundtrack really added to the experience. Maybe I was a little hard on the tone.

A little weird, but a lot of fun. I say give it a shot.

Love in the Pneumatic Tube Era by Jessica Grant
Narrated by Kate Baker
Originally Published in Darwin's Bastards: Astounding Tales From Tomorrow 

It's often said that Canada doesn't get nearly enough alternate history love. Fortunately, this story has you covered. It's set in Canada in a world were pneumatic tubes are the primary means of shipping and transportation. It follows two lovers as their romance grows even as the tubes make personal interaction less and less required. Then transportation becomes highly regulated, and the age of pneumatic tubes comes to an end. The two loves must brave the odds to reunite.

When I listened to this story I was very much reminded of E.M. Forster's classic short story "The Machine Stops". For those of you wondering, that's the same E.M. Forster who wrote A Passage to India and A Room with a View. In both stories it's easy to see the advances in technology as the logical conclusion to our culture that simultaneously connects and isolates us with its advancements.

Now, let's talk about narration. Kate Baker is the host and narrator of the Clarkesworld Magazine podcast, which has some great stories we will cover in a future edition of The Audio File. Kate's narration is always a little hit and miss for me, but here it works perfectly. Overall it was a really cute romance story of love finding a way.

A sweet little story with a slight Canadian touch. I say give it a try.

Testimony Before an Emergency Cession of The Naval Cephalopod Command by Seth Dickinson 
Narrated by Norm Sherman
A Drabblecast Original

This story takes place in a world where, during the 1980s, the United States Navy developed a specially trained team of giant squids to combat Soviet submarines. By the present day, however, there's trouble. Nemo, the top squid of the program, is undergoing an existential crisis as he begins to realize that he isn't the only thinking creature in his world.

The story is told as something of a one-sided conversation between one of the members of the squid program and a senator. I always enjoy story in that sort of format as a means of changing up the short story form ever now and again. I also liked how the story made it clear just how alien a squid's mind is compared to a human's. Prior to his existential crisis, Nemo views the world as a series of levers to be manipulated in order to achieve various goals.

As usual, Norm did an excellent job narrating. He always seems at his best when he has these one sided conversation sort of stories. Also, random fun squid fact: squids have doughnut shaped brains because their digestive track passes right through their brains. And now you know.

A meditation on squids and our perception of reality. Very much recommended.

[Editor's Note: Probably one of the best stories on The Drabblecast. I also recommend it.]

The Ugly Chickens by Howard Waldrop 
Narrated by Norm Sherman
Originally Published in Universe 10

Yes, I am about to review another Howard Waldrop story, but this time it's a story I actually enjoyed. The story follows an ornithologist named Paul from University of Texas. I chance encounter with an old woman while riding a bus has sent him on his latest field study. He's out to see if the dodos might in fact have escaped extinction and he'll need all the leads he can find.

Every writer has at least one bad story and the whole of their work shouldn't be judged by that single story. I'm happy to say that this story fully restored my confidence in Mr. Waldrop. I liked how the story feel like the adventures of a real ornithologist doing research. This story also spoke to that hope that I think many of us have that maybe there's still some mysteries left to be explored; and that perhaps those creatures we think are extinct are still out there waiting to be rediscovered.

Now, let's talk about narration. I think you can guess that I thought Norm did a great job. If I did have a complaint it would be that one of the older characters referring to the Civil War as the War of Northern Aggression was a tad cringe worthy; still, I have known plenty of older Southerners who talk like that, so I'm willing to let that slide. Like I've said, it's a great story with a bittersweet ending.

For a great Howard Waldrop story, look no further.

Babel Probe by David D. Levine
Narrated by Norm Sherman
Originally Published in Darker Matter #1

When humans first explore space we used mechanical probes. Perhaps when we begin to explore time we will also use probes. In this story that exactly what happens. A probe equipped with artificial intelligence is sent back 6000 years into the past to see if there's any truth to the legend of the Tower of Babel. The probe discovers the people being oppressed by a being calling itself Ashurbanipal. The probe must decide if it will casually observe or if it will intervene.

First of all, hats off to David for portraying an artificial intelligence that was at once both familiar and alien in its way of thinking. I also thought the vocal distortion effects for Ashurbanipal's dialog was an excellently chilling touch. The concept of sending a probe, and telling the story from the probe's point of view, was to me a welcome twist on the format of the time travel story. As this is a story about seeking truth to the legend of the Tower of Babel, among other twists you might have strong feeling if you are of strong religious conviction. Just figured I'd give a fair warning.

Now, remember how in the intro I mentioned that if you donate fifty dollars or more Norm will write and produce a song for you? Well, after this story you get to hear one of those. Specifically, one titled "The Babylon Battle of the Bands", which was commissioned by a Biblical and Near Eastern archaeology society and I've got to say it is an excellent song.

A story about the search for the truth, and one I happily recommend.

The Reenactment by Ben Winters
Narrated by Dan Chambers
A Drabblecast Original

This story follows high school history teacher Robert Stanley; a man who thinks himself surrounded by idiots. Once a year he, along with a math teacher, reenact the dual between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. This year, however, the math teacher is getting married and can't make it. No matter, a replacement has been found. As the day grows closer Robert begins to wonder if he is a mere history teacher or something greater.

Okay, maybe this isn't alternate history per say, but it's still plenty of fun. I loved how sarcastic and unabashedly self-centered Robert was. If Severus Snape taught history I image he'd be much like this. It goes without saying that Dan's narration did a great job delivering that pompous snark. Though as someone whose high school experience was less than happy I can certainly see where Robert is coming from in his observations of his students.

I can't really give too much of the ending away without spoiling, but I will say that it is humorously ironic. I'm sure it'll get a chuckle out of you.

A humorous look at a history's teachers life. I say give it a try.

The Golden Age of Fire Escapes (Part 1 and Part 2) by John Aegard
Narrated by Norm Sherman and Monika Vasey
Originally Published in Rabid Transit: Petting Zoo

This story, told in the style of an old time radio show and set in a dieselpunk 1930s/1940s, follows a mysterious masked fire marshal as he fights to keep his city safe from fires. To this end he's created an elaborate system of fire escapes spanning across the city like a great metal spider web. But, will his greatest invention prove to be his ultimate downfall?

This story felt like a giant dieselpunk love letter to the pulp heroes/proto-superheroes of the 30s and 40s. The narration being modeled off of radio shows from those eras certainly helped in that regard. We see the fire marshal at the height of his glory and then fade into obscurity even after all he's done for his city. Perhaps it can be seen as a allegory for the many heroes ones beloved in their day, but in the present are incredibly obscure. Still, the ending was very heartwarming in its own way.

I should mention that this is actually a double feature. Before "The Golden Age of Fire Escapes" you get to listen to "In Search of the Mongolian Death Worm", which follows an Unsolved Mysteries-esque team as they...well, search for the Mongolian Death Worm. It's told in multiple parts, but you don't have to have listened to any of the previous installments to get what's going on. It's absolutely hilarious and you get to hear Norm sing a song about Mongolian Death Worms.

Two stories for the price of one. Get them while they're hot.

Hero: The Movie (Part 1 and Part 2) by Bruce McAllister
Narrated by Norm Sherman
Originally Published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction

What happens to the heroes of 1950s B-Movies when the camera stop rolling? That's what this story aims to find out. Our hero Rick has saved his hometown of McCulloughville, Nevada from a swarm of giant mutant locusts. Rick should be on top of the world, but he feels empty and hollow. Before long his star fades out, his girlfriend leaves him, the media turns against him and things are looking down. Then he gets a call from Florida to help deal with a crab infestation. Could this be the chance he's been looking for to redeem himself and bring purpose back into his life?

The first half of this story is an absolutely brutal deconstruction of B-Movies and their heroes. The second half, however, is a thorough reconstruction of the concepts. The story itself is presented in the form of a script of a movie, and besides the descriptions and dialog includes suggestions from the director. Another aspect worth mentioning is that, although the story is mostly set in the present day, McCulloughville seems to be forever stuck in the 50s. In fact, when Rick travels to it the description reads as if he's traveling back in time.

There's something going on, but the story never makes it clear what. The story can easy be seen as a coming of age tale for Rick and the ending is very touching. You probably think I'm going to say I liked the narration...and you'd be right.

A story about finding purpose after you've slayed your monster. I happily recommend it.

The Cold Equations by Tom Godwin
A Full Cast Production
Originally Published in Astounding Science Fiction

This story technically isn't alternate history and many of you have probably heard of it. However, there's a story in Lightspeed Magazine, which we'll be covering next time, that is alternate history and based on this story. Therefore, I figured it be worth going over to prep for that story.

In the future, where humanity has begun to spread to the stars, a lightweight speeder ship is on a mission to deliver medical supplies. The pilot of the ship, however, discovers a seventeen year old girl has stowed away. Standard procedure is that all stowaways are to be tossed out the airlock. Can the pilot find the a way to balance the cold equations and save the girl?

Like I said this story, and it's ending, are extremely well known, as in Rosebud was Charles Foster Cane's beloved childhood sled well known. Therefore, it isn't exactly a spoiler to say the pilot can't find a morally sound way and the girl willingly throws herself out the airlock. Originally, the author wanted to save the girl through some technobabble, but editor John W. Campbell smartly pointed out the story would have more impact if the hero failed the save the pretty girl.

Now, to take such a well known story and make it feel fresh requires a special team of narrators. Fortunately, The Drabblecast knows how to pick their narrators. Of course, I guess it's also a credit to Mr. Godwin's writing talent that the story still packed it's punch after all of these years.

It's a classic for a reason. Go check it out.

Conclusion

Well, that does it for our tour of The Drabblecast. I hope you enjoyed. Remember, for ten dollars a month subscription you, yes you, get access to exclusive members only content, and fifty dollars or more gets you a song about whatever you please. And hey, this is just the alternate history stuff. There's plenty of more great free stories just waiting to be discovered.

On a more personal note, not long ago The Drabblecast could have published a story of mine, but they politely declined. I hope this shows I have no hard feeling about all that. I'll see you next time weirdos, and when I do we'll be heading to Lightspeed.

I didn't want to end the week without posting about something related to alternate history, so lets watch some videos. First up, here are five facts on the steampunk game, The Order: 1886:
Next up, it may not be alternate history, but Game of Thrones (and the books they are based on, A Song of Ice and Fire) sure are inspired a lot from real history. Lets take a look at the wars that inspired them:
And finally, Thug Notes reviews Alan Moore's Watchmen:
Got any videos or YouTube channels that you want to recommend? Let us know in the comments or at ahwupdate at gmail dot com.

Editor's Notes

The Internet is a buzz about BBC's adaptation of Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, which premiered in Britain this weekend. I have talked about this show a lot over the last few weeks, so like Amazon's The Man in the High Castle, I decided just to list some of the articles I noticed below in the Links to the Multiverse section instead of writing another summary. Plus, I didn't want anything spoiled, but if you aren't worried about that, go check them out.

And now the news...

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate Trailer
Well the trailer for the next installment in the somewhat historical Assassin's Creed series (I mean let's be honest, they do get a lot wrong) was released last week. Let's take a look:
Is anyone really surprised they went to Victorian London? Yep, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate is certainly trying to cash in on the popularity of steampunk. I guess it is only a matter of time before we see a full game set in World War II, but why not the American Civil War before Victorian London? Seriously, how cool would it be playing as an escaped slave as he knocks out Confederate Templars behind enemy lines?

Anywho, if you want to learn more about Assassin's Creed Syndicate, checkout the gameplay walkthrough or check out this video from the Nerdist that (allegedly) will tell you everything you need to know.

Alison Morton continues her book tour for Aurelia

Friend of The Update, Alison Morton, has broken the Internet again with her tour for her new book Aurelia, the fourth installment in the Roma Nova series. I already shared the plot summary on last week's Weekly Update and on New Releases, so go click on one of those links if you want to see what the story is about. That being said, you can still see what Alison has been up to by checking out her guest post (and giveaway) on Brook Cottage Books, her interview on Christina Courtenay's site and her interview (and giveaway) at Unusual Historicals. Plus learn how her talks with Liesel Schwarz (Sky Pirates) at Foyles Bristol and Rossiter Books went from the author herself.

Links to the Multiverse

BBC's Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell

Another Magical Promo for Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell at Dread Central.
Drama filmed in York Minster to be shown on BBC on Sunday at The Press.
Georgian magic of old England on the BBC at Herald Scotland.
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell: the best UK fantasy in years at Den of Geek.
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, partly shot at Oakwell Hall at The Huddersfield Daily Examiner.
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell: restoring the magic to England at The Telegraph.
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell Will Get American Debut This Summer at Pop Matters.
Should I watch Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell on BBC One on Sunday? at Gloucestershire Echo.
What to Watch on TV: Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell at London Evening Standard.

This week I decided to cover a map of not only someone who I have mentioned multiple times on this blog, but also someone who I plan to interview in the near future. I am talking about Rvbomally and on this week's Map Monday, we are looking at his map of the Rhenish Republic:
This map is set in a timeline where the United States stays neutral in World War I, leading to a different peace that sees France carving the Rhineland out of Germany to serve as a buffer state. This proves disastrous in the long run as it eventually becomes a motivation of the National Socialist government in Germany to restart the war in order to get the Rhenish Republic back. Its an intriguing scenario (and one I hope Rvbomally will expand on in the future) that also has a high-quality map to go with it.

Don't forget to check out the map of colonial Africa pre-WWI at io9. If you want to submit a map for the next Map Monday, email me at ahwupdate at gmail dot com with your map attached and a brief description in the body of the email.