In his acclaimed novels of alternate history, Harry Turtledove has
scrutinized the twisted soul of the twentieth century, from the forces
that set World War I in motion to the rise of fascism in the decades
that followed. Now, this masterly storyteller turns his eyes to the
aftermath of World War II and asks: In an era of nuclear posturing, what
if the Cold War had suddenly turned hot?
Bombs Away begins with President Harry Truman in desperate
consultation with General Douglas MacArthur, whose control of the ground
war in Korea has slipped disastrously away. MacArthur recognizes a stark
reality: The U.S. military has been cut to the bone after victory over
the Nazis--while China and the USSR have built up their forces. The only
way to stop the Communist surge into the Korean Peninsula and save
thousands of American lives is through a nuclear attack. MacArthur
advocates a strike on Chinese targets in Manchuria. In actual history,
Truman rejected his general's advice; here, he does not. The
miscalculation turns into a disaster when Truman fails to foresee
Russia's reaction.
Almost instantly, Stalin strikes U.S. allies in Europe and Great
Britain. As the shock waves settle, the two superpowers are caught in a
horrifying face-off. Will they attack each other directly with nuclear
weapons? What countries will be caught in between?
The fateful global drama plays out through the experiences of ordinary
people--from a British barmaid to a Ukrainian war veteran to a desperate
American soldier alone behind enemy lines in Korea. For them, as well as
Truman, Mao, and Stalin, the whole world has become a battleground.
Strategic strikes lead to massive movements of ground troops. Cities are
destroyed, economies ravaged. And on a planet under siege, the sounds
and sights of nuclear bombs become a grim harbinger of a new reality:
the struggle to survive man's greatest madness.
Praise for Bombs Away
"A fascinating and compelling story of real people caught in forces
beyond their control . . . [Harry Turtledove is] the unrivaled monarch
of alternate history."--Analog
"Turtledove is an undisputed centerpiece of the alternate-history genre,
and now, to his already grand display, he's adding the ambitious tale of
a WWIII that could have happened."--Booklist
"This is Turtledove at his best."--SFRevu
"Alternate-world warrior extraordinaire Turtledove delivers the opening
barrage of a new speculative conflict."--Kirkus Reviews
