Down to Earth (Colonization, Book 2) [Mass Market Paperback]

Harry Turtledove (Author)

Book Description

Series: Colonization | Publication Date: January 2, 2001

In 1942 Hitler led the world's most savage military machine. Stalin ruled Russia while America was just beginning to show its strength in World War II. Then, in Harry Turtledove's brilliantly imagined Worldwar saga, an alien assault changed everything. Nuclear destruction engulfed major cities, and the invaders claimed half the planet before an uneasy peace could be achieved.

A spectacular tale of tyranny and freedom, destruction and hope, Colonization takes us into the tumultuous 1960s, as the reptilian Race ponders its uneasy future. But now a new, even deadlier war threatens. Though the clamoring tribes of Earth play dangerous games of diplomacy, the ultimate power broker will be the Race itself. For the colonists have one option no human can ignore. With a vast, ancient empire already in place, the Race has the power to annihilate every living being on planet Earth . . .

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Colonization: Down to Earth marks part two of part two of Harry Turtledove's epic alternate history in which WWII gets interrupted--and violently abridged--by a hostile alien invasion. With some of the same characters introduced in the four-volume Worldwar series and Colonization: Second Contact, the story arc continues through the 1960s, as the Lizards (along with their second fleet, composed not of soldiers but of colonists) continue to grapple with their not-quite-subdued conquest, Tosev 3 (a.k.a. earth). And Turtledove's alt-'60s are not--to say the least--about peace, love, and understanding.

Now the reptilian ETs must face off against three world superpowers in an uneasy truce: the United States; Molotov's SSSR; and the psychotic, nuke-wielding Nazis under Himmler. Elsewhere, the U.K. flirts with fascism, Red China (commanded by none other than Chairman Mao) wages a bloody resistance against its scaly oppressors, and the Arab world does likewise under the guidance of Ayatollah Khomeini. As ever with Turtledove, plot takes precedence over characterizations, but his suspenseful twists and turns don't disappoint. And while Down to Earth proves a bit less martial than its predecessors, the action still satisfies--if nothing else, the bang-up finale is worth the wait. --Paul Hughes --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

The alien invasion that transformed the nature of the Second World War into a fight between humans and "Lizards" resulted in a state of uneasy d?tente. Twenty years later, Lizards lay claim to parts of the earth despite a growing state of resistance to their presence. Continuing the story begun in Colonization: Second Contact (LJ 1/99), Turtledove expands on his imaginary history of the 20th century. He demonstrates his talent for crafting drama on a global scale by concentrating on the individual stories that make up the big picture. A good choice for sf collections.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 624 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey (January 2, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345430239
• ISBN-13: 978-0345430236
• Product Dimensions: 4.3 x 1.4 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (69 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #454,385 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #24 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > ( T ) > Turtledove, Harry
  • #61 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > Alternate History

More About the Author

Harry Turtledove is the award-winning author of the alternate-history works The Man with the Iron Heart; The Guns of the South; How Few Remain (winner of the Sidewise Award for Best Novel); the Worldwar saga: In the Balance, Tilting the Balance, Upsetting the Balance, and Striking the Balance; the Colonization books: Second Contact, Down to Earth, and Aftershocks; the Great War epics: American Front, Walk in Hell, and Breakthroughs; the American Empire novels: Blood & Iron, The Center Cannot Hold, and Victorious Opposition; and the Settling Accounts series: Return Engagement, Drive to the East, The Grapple, and In at the Death. Turtledove is married to fellow novelist Laura Frankos. They have three daughters: Alison, Rachel, and Rebecca.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Turtledove does it again!, February 5, 2000

By 

S. M Stirling "Steve" (Santa Fe, NM United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Down to Earth (Colonization, Book 2) (Hardcover)

Well, it's another Turtledove book... which is to say a big cast of interesting, well-realized characters (some with scales and eye-turrets, here), well-developed background, and a dry sense of humor.

Check out the alien pets, for instance! And the grazing animals, whose motto is: "We make a desert and call it Home!"

A generation after the Lizards land in 1942, expecting to fight the Crusaders, we find out that there's more to American policy than meets the eye; that a sane tyrant like Molotov has some disadvantages compared to a mad one like Stalin; and that some humans can make imperialist invaders from the stars look like good guys.

Speaking of which, Turtledove keeps firmly in mind a fact that a writer should never forget -- everyone is the hero in their own story. His characters have _reasons_ for what they do, reasons that make sense from the character's own p.o.v. They're never cardboard cutouts, manipulated for plot purposes. They breathe, and many of them become like old friends.

Buy the book!

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars REDUNDANT, REDUNDANT, REDUNDANT, February 21, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Down to Earth (Colonization, Book 2) (Hardcover)

Ok folks, lets get real. I can appreciate the desire to weave a story and build characters. I have read all the Worldwar and Colonization books and I have come to the conclusion that Mr. Turtledove is either stretched too thin over writing projects or just trying-for sheer economic gain-to pump out as many books at $ as possible. The plot is less a plot and more of a rehash of the SAME THINGS from the first book in the Worldwar series! I don't know what the approach is for Mr. Turtledove. If you are a new reader of his, you really don't need to read the other books in the series to know whats going on. If you're not, like me, then you're getting a little sick of reading the SAME THINGS (anybody getting this?), and waiting until the last 30 pages for the one and only substantial plot mover. And then that plot line with huge implications gets wrapped up at the end of the book! Really now. I'm starting to think this could all have been done in 1 large volume each for the Worldwar and Colonization series each. Its like reading the newspaper. Same garbage, day in and day out. Skip it. Make Mr. Turtledove work for his $.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Another disappointment., May 18, 2001

By 

John W Mikkola (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Down to Earth (Colonization, Book 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

I thought I wrote a review of this book...where did go?

Anyway, I must join in with the people who just can't stand the constant repetition of really simple ideas. There seemed to be alittle bit less of that in this book, but there was alot of side commentary of really obvious or trival things by the characters which really didn't do anything for the book. This is called filler. There was way too much filler in this book. This book could be condensed to 1/3 of its page count and not lose anything.

I did enjoy the scene between Sam Yeager, Jonathon and Kasquit on the Lizard ship. That was the only entertaining bit of writing in the whole book. At least Turtledove moved the plot forward some in the last sections of the book.

I think some of the story lines could be dropped, especially Rance and Penny. I'm hoping the lizards will catch and execute them so I don't have to read any more about them.

And what's with these really sleezy sex scenes? There not even sleezy in an interesting way, but more like 'a guy in a raincoat looking through your window while you're undressing' sleezy. Very disturbing.

I've given up hope that Turtledove will write the 3rd book of Colonization any better and it sure looks like there will be another trilogy after this one. I don't know how or why, I am hooked on the idea of the series and I probably will get the 3rd book, but I will buy it used or borrow it.