"Fabulous alternate World War II"

As World War II explodes, the Confederate States of America attack its neighbor to the north the United States of America; General Patton leads his armored divisions towards the Great Lakes in an effort to split the USA in half before driving to the east. Japan launches an assault on the Hawaiian Islands. Finally Occupied Canada and Mormon Utah see an opportunity to toss out the USA and regain their respective independence.

However, the four prong attack that has caused a multi front war for the USA not only fails to break the morale of the Americans, but actually provides a common resolve to repel the invaders. Even the death of President Smith in a Confederacy bombing raid over the capital Philadelphia fails to deter the Americans as Vice Preside Charles Lafollette takes over. In the Confederacy, President Featherstone continues his campaign to dramatically eliminate the freed slaves by making the blacks build concentration camps for their containment and death. USA War Secretary Roosevelt sanctions devastating reprisals against the Mormons and Canadians with the goal to keep themt from the conflict. War is all over North America once again.

Book two in Harry Turtledove's alternate World War II trilogy, Settling Accounts, is an action-packed saga that grips readers from start to finish. As always is the case in a Turtledove novel, fans will try to find the comparative real event that the author brings into his universe. The story line is fast-paced even when the descriptions of past events that were described in book one, RETURN ENGAGEMENT, are provided. The sub-genre audience will appreciate this appealing entry that makes the Turtledove universe seems like the real one.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted August 7, 2005