Book Review: The Foresight War
Of course all of this becomes more complicated as
the Germans get their own throwback and what would they do if they knew what
that the British know etc… The first chapter was rather well plotted with the
revelation of the German throwback in, for the author, a typically technical
way.
Again, all of this sticks to realistic. While reading this, I always felt that Williams had a good feel for the big personalities like Churchill and Hitler. Hitler shouldn't have invaded the Soviet Union, shouldn't have persecuted the Slavs in the Soviet Union's satellite states. But even with a guy from the future telling you Hitler it’s a bad idea, it just means that Hitler is going to invade Russia better.
Same with Churchill. Most of his biggest mistakes are rectified, but his Pro-Greek heart still gets him to send British troops to Greece in time to get kicked out by the Germans.
However, the biggest problem of this book is that while it is a rather realistic and at times technical appraisal of the "what ifs" involved, character takes a major backseat. I cannot emphasis how much character takes a backseat to everything. In the entire book, there isn't even a physical description of Don Erlang, the main character. Most of the other characters are walking dictionaries or encyclopedias of information that show up, divulge their information, and then put themselves on a shelf somewhere ready for their next paragraph. Much of the book is also fleshed out by anonymous characters. Where someone like Harry Turtledove would have given such characters back-story and personality, Williams gives them a job to do as an anonymous bomber pilot, tank commander, infantryman, marine, submariner, ship captain etc... who show up, do something and die or live, either way you never hear from them again. Mostly to show off the new equipment in action that Don Erlang gets the British to develop.
Another complaint of mine is the names of things. I found the tank names confusing because there were real world equivalents, even if they had nothing to do with the equipment described by Williams. I personally would have found completely different names would have been preferable, like all the tanks names beginning after D or something.
Another thing that kind of bothered me, was the Holocaust. I can't seem to recall if Williams actually addressed the Holocaust and I'm unsure if he ignored it, or some decision, that I missed, was made to delay it till after the war. I just don't think any amount of historical foresight would have dissuaded Hitler from his "Final Solution".
In total, a rather realistic, aside from the obvious, "what if" scenario of WWII, that clearly shows the author's bias towards the technical and politcal aspects of his story, as opposed to character. Probably an interesting read for the initiated but will definitely be a snore for the average history layman. Which equates to most of the population of the world.
7/10.
Again, all of this sticks to realistic. While reading this, I always felt that Williams had a good feel for the big personalities like Churchill and Hitler. Hitler shouldn't have invaded the Soviet Union, shouldn't have persecuted the Slavs in the Soviet Union's satellite states. But even with a guy from the future telling you Hitler it’s a bad idea, it just means that Hitler is going to invade Russia better.
Same with Churchill. Most of his biggest mistakes are rectified, but his Pro-Greek heart still gets him to send British troops to Greece in time to get kicked out by the Germans.
However, the biggest problem of this book is that while it is a rather realistic and at times technical appraisal of the "what ifs" involved, character takes a major backseat. I cannot emphasis how much character takes a backseat to everything. In the entire book, there isn't even a physical description of Don Erlang, the main character. Most of the other characters are walking dictionaries or encyclopedias of information that show up, divulge their information, and then put themselves on a shelf somewhere ready for their next paragraph. Much of the book is also fleshed out by anonymous characters. Where someone like Harry Turtledove would have given such characters back-story and personality, Williams gives them a job to do as an anonymous bomber pilot, tank commander, infantryman, marine, submariner, ship captain etc... who show up, do something and die or live, either way you never hear from them again. Mostly to show off the new equipment in action that Don Erlang gets the British to develop.
Another complaint of mine is the names of things. I found the tank names confusing because there were real world equivalents, even if they had nothing to do with the equipment described by Williams. I personally would have found completely different names would have been preferable, like all the tanks names beginning after D or something.
Another thing that kind of bothered me, was the Holocaust. I can't seem to recall if Williams actually addressed the Holocaust and I'm unsure if he ignored it, or some decision, that I missed, was made to delay it till after the war. I just don't think any amount of historical foresight would have dissuaded Hitler from his "Final Solution".
In total, a rather realistic, aside from the obvious, "what if" scenario of WWII, that clearly shows the author's bias towards the technical and politcal aspects of his story, as opposed to character. Probably an interesting read for the initiated but will definitely be a snore for the average history layman. Which equates to most of the population of the world.
7/10.