Cons: incomplete story (i.e. must read rest of series), alien technology not alien enough
The Bottom Line: I recommend Worldwar: In the Balance as a gripping novel that will engross you the history of World War II, as well as what might have been.
msmarques's Full Review: Harry Turtledove - Worldwar: Finding the Balance
Have you ever wondered what would have happened if aliens had invaded during World War II? No? Well, Harry Turtledove will make you care and want to read the rest of his series.
A good number of people who write science fiction have a science background. Harry Turtledove has a PhD in history. His story shines as an alternate history. It is filled with historical details. Real historical people from the time populate his book. In case you aren't sure who's real and who's fictional, at the start is a character list, with real people in BLOCK letters, and others listed in regular mixed-case.
But even with the people who didn't really exist, Harry Turtledove uses historical details to give you a feeling of time and place. Even 'though Sam Yeager and Bobby Fiore didn't exist, their portrayal gives you a feeling for what it might have been to be a minor league baseball player at the time.
He brings his knowledge of history to create a history for the alien invaders, who call themselves the Race. Some sections of the book are from their point of view, giving you a depth not usually present in books where earth is facing bug-eyed (OK, "chameleon-eyed") monsters.
And the reactions of both individuals and nations seems realistic.
The fact that Harry Turtledove doesn't have a science background shows in the technology of the aliens. He does not spend much time describing their technology (which is OK, to me, but might disappoint others). Also, their technology is disturbingly similar to modern-day earth technology. I would expect something, well, more alien. Especially when the aliens are bi-pedal lizards. The only differences described are to accommodate their height and preferred climate.
This book is told from many points of view. While the various stories are interesting, it does make it hard to get into the story at first. The first chapter includes a small portion each for most characters to portray their pre-invasion lives. The second chapter includes a small portion each for most characters to portray their reaction to the invasion. Subsequently, the novel only follows the stories of a few groups of characters in each chapter. This gives you more time with each story, and allows you to get more involved.
I recommend that you stick with the novel despite the difficulty of getting through the first two chapters. They are necessary set-up, and afterward it is hard to put this novel down!
In some series, individual novels are basically stand-alone. This is what I expected when reading In the Balance. Of course, I knew the war must continue throughout all four books (it is the Worldwar series). But I was disappointed that the novel ended with most plots unresolved. Luckily, I already had the next book and could start it immediately.
Note that this book is not appropriate for children. There are depictions of sex, including situations where the woman is not willing. This is not gratuitous, and one of the themes of this novel involves people's reactions to love and to sexual relations.
Further Reading
If you're a fan of Harry Turtledove you may also want to check out Ruled Britannia (see my review at http://www.epinions.com/content_86620999300), which came out in January 2003, and looks at what might have happened if the Spanish Armada had won against Elizabethan England.
From Pearl Harbor to panzers rolling through Paris to the Siege of Leningrad and the Battle of Midway, war seethed across the planet as the flames of ...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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