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Book Reviews of In the Balance (Worldwar, Bk 1)

In the Balance (Worldwar, Bk 1)
In the Balance - Worldwar, Bk 1
Author: Harry Turtledove
PBS Market Price: $8.09 or $4.19+1 credit
ISBN-13: 9780345388520
ISBN-10: 0345388526
Publication Date: 12/28/1994
Pages: 576
Rating:
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
 88

3.9 stars, based on 88 ratings
Publisher: Del Rey
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

14 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

reviewed In the Balance (Worldwar, Bk 1) on + 344 more book reviews
A wonderful alternative history novel of what would happen if the "real" enemy came during WWII, their technology far beyond human reach. This volume happens to be signed by the author.
trekie70 avatar reviewed In the Balance (Worldwar, Bk 1) on + 291 more book reviews
First of four books presenting an alternate history of the second world war. It is a very detailed book but a good one. I can hardly wait to read the rest of the series.
reviewed In the Balance (Worldwar, Bk 1) on + 2 more book reviews
Part of an awesome (although somewhat long) series.
reviewed In the Balance (Worldwar, Bk 1) on + 50 more book reviews
I'm enjoying the series of 7 books. This is the first one.
Rin avatar reviewed In the Balance (Worldwar, Bk 1) on + 159 more book reviews
Suppose Roosevelt, Stalin, Churchill, Hitler, and Hirohito had united to conquer an even greater for? Interesting!
reviewed In the Balance (Worldwar, Bk 1) on + 209 more book reviews
Nobody does alternative history like Harry Turtledove. Who else could conceive of an alien race striking the Earth at the height of WW II as the nations of Earth try to forget their differences and cooperate in fighting the invaders? Book 1 of the Worldwar series.
reviewed In the Balance (Worldwar, Bk 1) on + 125 more book reviews
Great alternate history
reviewed In the Balance (Worldwar, Bk 1) on + 49 more book reviews
Cool alternate history book.
reviewed In the Balance (Worldwar, Bk 1) on + 14 more book reviews
This is the first novel in a very long and fascinating series and it starts out with a bang. Turledove has carved his own niche mixing both human vs Aliens and alternate history. Every thing makes sense, it's hard not to believe it is not real. The man has done his research but what else would expect from a History prof.
reviewed In the Balance (Worldwar, Bk 1) on + 15 more book reviews
Pitiful and boring.
reviewed In the Balance (Worldwar, Bk 1) on
First for the good. The author has a real feeling for the human characters and in particular the leaders in the book. He also has detailed knowledge of the machines and tactics of WW2. At is base is the question "What if the great empires of the world united against a common foe" and it brings up many interesting situations.
Now for the bad. The aliens are uninspired and uninteresting. Their technology seems analogous to 1970's US tech and I find it hard to believe that any culture mastering interstellar travel would slug it out on the ground with rifles and tanks.
There are sooooo many plot lines and only a few are interesting. I think the author knows this as he begins killing off some of his characters in the second book. I found myself skipping 15 pages at a time to get to a better story line.... and missing nothing in the process. Believe me, you read Turtledove for his plot not for the themes.
reviewed In the Balance (Worldwar, Bk 1) on + 35 more book reviews
Harry Turtledove is an historian with a marvelous twist of curiosity as to what would happen if something had gone differently. That has inherent lessons for us to learn about our future actions.
reviewed In the Balance (Worldwar, Bk 1) on
I think the writing is fairly poor and have no interest in going further in the series.
AoiKuri avatar reviewed In the Balance (Worldwar, Bk 1) on + 19 more book reviews
Okay read - I am intrigued but I like harder core cyberpunk to read
'S'o'kay