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Title: Conquistador: A Novel of Alternate History by S. M. Stirling ISBN: 0-451-45933-4 Publisher: Roc Pub. Date: 02 March, 2004 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.1 (29 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Interesting alternate history novel with a few twists
Comment: When John Rolfe VI (descendant of the Virginia colonist and Pocahantas) returns from World War II, he is wounded and dissatisfied with life. But when an accident creates a gateway to another California on a North America white men have never settled, he is quick to take advantage of the situation to lead his army buddies to settle the brave new world, and later, dissatisfied types from Russia to Rhodesia.
Set in 2009, the book switches back and forth from the present, as Rolfe's world of New Virginia faces discovery by a wildlife warden (who almost inevitably is shanghaied through the gateway) as well as incipient revolt by some New Virginians to the past, giving us episodes in New Virginian history. As we explore a world which seems a conservative's paradise--quiet towns with patriotic citizens doing National Service, kids in school uniforms, etc.--the best that we can conclude that Rolfe is probably better than those who seek to overthrow him. This despite disease-generated genocide caused (often unintentionally) by the New Virginians among the native people, and the threat of ecological disaster caused by their introduction of exotic plants. Stirling lays these before our eyes and lets us draw our own conclusions.
Contains several jokes for the Science Fiction fan--for example, the Afrikaners we meet late in the book share their names with Afrikaner characters from Turtledove's "The Guns of the South" and the sign outside Ralph's restaurant is a play on the sign outside Hugh Farnham's establishment at the end of Heinlein's "Farnham's Freehold".
The appendix is very useful, not only for laying out the basis of the alternate history, but also in telling us one fact about Rolfe's original world that the careful and knowledgeable reader might figure out--but might not. It is not necessary to the plot, but interesting to know--but I won't disclose it here, though there is a clue to it in this review. But you get the clue very early in the book, so I'm not giving away anything.
Recommended.
Rating: 5
Summary: A Gateway to Paradise
Comment: Conquistador is an intercontinual SF adventure novel. Unlike pure alternate history stories, this novel depicts a connection between two very different timelines. The interdimensional aspect of the plot is much like stories from the 1930s: a man is tinkering with a radio when, suddenly, a silvery curtain appears on his basement wall. Of course, the phenomenon is an interdimensional interface, so he gathers some army buddies and they scout the situation. Later, he and his friends establish homesteads in the new world.
The hero of this novel is John Rolfe VI of the Virginia Rolfes. A graduate of VMI, he has served as an infantry officer in the Pacific theater, invaliding out after the Okinawa invasion, and rents a home in Oakland, CA, while looking for a job. When the interworld gate opens in his basement, it connects to the same geographic coordinates in the other timeline, a San Francisco area populated only by Indian tribes untroubled by any European invaders.
After determining that the interface is not a time machine, he and his friends establish contact with the natives and promptly start plagues. Later, they make contact with an Asian civilization unknown in their own world and promptly carry smallpox from the Orient to Hawaii. In fact, their contacts with the natives results in a 90% dieoff of the North American population.
This novel follows an employee of the California Department of Fish and Game as he tries to track down a poaching ring that is selling the hides and other items from protected species, including a live California Condor. He and his partner are puzzled by the sheer quantity of the items, not to mention the condor being unrelated to any other known bird. Then he sees a live Dodo just before a building falls on him and burns to the ground.
During the investigation, he meets a very attractive, and rich, woman who is also investigating the case for her family. Unknown to him, she is a Gate Security Force agent trying to protect the secret of the intercontinual interface. After a couple of fizzled busts, he begins to suspect that she is closer connected to the case than she lets on. Nevertheless, he is very much attracted to her.
This novel is much like Piper's Paratime Police novels, but the point of view is a native rather than a paratimer. It describes a modest crosstime intrusion, much like most of Piper's stories. However, it definitely expands on the possible harms such contacts can inflict. The epidemics delineated in the story, however, are quite historical in effect if not cause; the Columbian era in North America saw the native populations almost totally destroyed by common European diseases, most specifically smallpox, but also childhood diseases such as measles and chickenpox. The results were much like the Black plague in Europe, but even more deadly.
Recommended for Stirling fans and anyone who enjoys Piper's Paratime stories.
Rating: 2
Summary: Good...boring...ok
Comment: Well,
That's how I viewed this book. Basically in 3 parts.
The first part of the book is pretty darn good. The history of the discovery of the "Gate" into an alternative America. How it happened, and what was done when its potential was realized is pretty fascinating. Then, later...how a couple of pretty interesting game wardens who are fighting illegal trade in exotic animal species, happen onto the discovery. Very, suspensful and intriguing...just like advertised on the cover.
Things are going good, I can't quit reading. They have just went through the "gate" and are now in this alternative world...and then, things...just...slow...down.
I had read the first 276 pages in one or 2 days. I found myself on page 400 about a week and a half later (it's a 600 page book.) I know exactly when things started slowing down, because I looked back to try and figure out where I lost interest. Right around page 277, chapter 10.
When they get into this new world, the next 200 pages involve..."Wow, look at that huge redwood"..."So, this is what things would look like with no cities"..."I could get used to this"..."beautiful hollyhocks, sycamores, live oaks"..."Would ya look at the size of that fish"..."I could really like it here"..."Man, the food is really good"..."Wouldya look at those marshes"..."I could get used to this"..."look at those wild grasses and flowers, they are pretty much extinct now"...
200 pages. Thats a whole book! I know, cuz I remember when I got interested in the book again...Chapter 19.
Now, I understand Mr Stirling is trying to show what America woulda been like if there were no white men just mucking up everything. Ok...Make your point, and move on. 200 pages of "wow, wouldya just look at the size of that tree," gets a little old. Don't try and impress me with your horticulture knowledge...hell, I own a landscape business fer chrissakes! Get on with the story. The environmental sermon, or fantasizing...I can do without. Well, I coulda prolly done without 150 pages of it.
Almost stopped reading the book altogether...but, I sucked it up and it finally got better...a little.
The last section was ok. Not as good as the first 277 pages, but, much better than the middle 200 pages. Things started getting interesting with an internal power struggle going on with the "families" who now resided on this side of the "gate."
Conflicts and alliances with several Indian tribes. A trek to an outpost training insurgents, a final battle for control of the gate, etc.
Not the greatest action or drama I ever read. But, after the horticultural/zoological tour in the middle section...at least you didn't fall asleep, right away.
Environmentalists might like this. Basically it's their dream come true. "If there just weren't so many humans around, what a much better world this would be." So, if you've ever thought that way...that the world would be much better off without those "other humans" around, you prolly would enjoy this.
Personally, I think the world is better off, because of all the people in it. A sacreligious viewpoint with some of my environmentalist friends.
I want to give this 2.5 stars, cuz it aint a horrible book. Just a little boring. I decided to round down cuz it really didn't keep me interested in the outcome.
Anyway, I have read his "Island in the Sea of Time" series. Thought they were great. Much better than this.
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