Settling Accounts: The Grapple, by Harry Turtledove is the 3rd book in his alternate history series about WWII after the South won the civil war and has been the Confederate States of America ever since. I'm running out of things to say about this series that I haven't already mentioned in the reviews of the first two books in the series, so I'll keep this one brief. In general, this book was another great read from Turtledove, and he continues to push forward his alternate version of WWII to its logical conclusion based on the course of previous events. There's still the epic sweep of a war that's tearing apart two countries, with a "cast of thousands" which covers all aspects of the war and life during wartime for both sides of the conflicts.In this book, the tide starts to shift as the momentum of the CSA surprise attack peters out, and the USA is fully mobilized against the invasion. Despite the huge early successes and their impact on the USA, the CSA starts to feel the weight of its northern neighbor's superior industrial capabilities and larger population. It's very rewarding to see some of the characters that have been around for 9 novels now start to show success on a greater scale as they advance in their careers, such as Generals Morrel and Dowling, and Lt. Sam Carstens, the mustang officer in the US Navy. In addition, as would be expected in WWII, characters, both minor and major die and get replaced with new ones, including major point of view characters. As is fitting for a huge conflict that shows no mercy and deals death at random, there's rarely any warning, which does an excellent job of illustrating that even when your cause is just (as both sides of the conflict believe) war is never a good thing, and has a steep price to all sides. By the end of the book, things seem to have an end in sight, not only for the reader (knowing that there's only 1 book left in the series), but many of the characters start to look ahead and wonder how their lives will be afterwards, and will there be a place for them in the changed world after the war ends. It's these philosophical elements in the book that keeps it fresh, even though many of the events and themes have been repeated many times due to the length of the war, and the series itself.
In Harry Turtledove's Settling Accounts: The Grapple, the third book in the Settling Accounts series, Turtledove continues to show a darker, more sinister history with the ultimate what if, "What if the south won the Civil War?" Fast forward eighty years. It's 1943, and World War 2 has been going on for three years, which started after the Confederate sneak attack. Now in The Grapple, it's the USA's turn to be on the offensive. As American forces drive into the heart of the CSA, the Confederacy's darkest secrets are just beginning to be revealed. Turtledove's writing style is unique in many ways. One, he doesn't sugar coat the way war is. Don't expect to find too many heroic stories here. This is more true to reality, showing how war is an ugly and nasty business. Another way he tells his story is from the viewpoints of around a dozen different main characters. This is effective in telling multiple mini stories that will ultimately crisscross each other and add to the overall story of the USA and CSA. Some of my favorite moments from the book are when different main characters run into each other in Turtledove's world. While I have grown us to this writing, it can be confusing to get a hang of at first. Overall though, "The master of Alternate History" has made yet another masterpiece. Those who aren't interested in history, and never asked themselves the question "what if?" during class, probably won't enjoy this book. For the history buffs out there, this is a good read, but I would recommend reading the other books in the story first.
What do You think about The Grapple (2006)?
FINALLY! That's about the best I can say for this penultimate volume of Settling Accounts. Harry, Harry, Harry; what happened to Canada? Some of my favorite characters were from the two Canadian storylines but hardly a peep from them in this entire book!Worst part of this is that it has left me so uninspired to start Book 4. It's almost come down to a complete re-play of WW2 with just minor details changed for the sake of calling it "alternative history". I can't say that this volume could even
—Dave
Ah, the penultimate volume of the Timeline-191 series! I am such an addict! By this time, I have to admit that these alternate history books about the ongoing conflict of the United States and Confederate States have devolved into hackwork. You get the same ideas swirling around and around throughout the tale. Highly competent soldiers on the front lines can (and should) get away with mouthing off to their superiors. Confederate tobacco is much superior than the crap the USA produces. The superior numbers and manufacturing capability of the USA can win the war if it's drawn out... unless the CSA manages to split the atom first. So why do I keep reading? Well, I've come this far. 10 volumes as of this book. I want to see how it ends. Who lives, who dies, and will Jake Featherston get the nasty death that he truly deserves? Guess I'll just have to get the next one to find out. (And pray that Mr. Turtledove hasn't decided to embark on an alternate Cold War epic....)
—The other John
