Customer Reviews

Out of the Darkness (World at War, Book 6)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book makes a complete-feeling conclusion to the World At War saga. No loose ends, and very little story left to tell, Turtledove succeeds in closing this very long and complex series in a way that satisfies the reader. In order to do that however, this book was by necessity one of the longest of the series, and nearly the entire thing read like a conclusion. Throughout, you get the sense that Turtledove was trying to wrap things up as neatly and as efficiently (which Swemmel would have appreciated) as possible. No new plot elements were developed, nothing too unexpected happened, and the end of the series was accomplished without any hitches. In fact, this entire book was very predictable, with just about everything happening almost exactly like you'd expect it would, which is only exacerbated by this being a mirror-history to our own. Actually, in an effort to close out this series in a reasonable amount of space, Turtledove killed off a couple of characters that we had been following since the beginning right at the start of this book, all in all an effective strategy.

If you've enjoyed the rest of this series, this book should please you also. The general tone is similar and events sort of plod along their predetermined paths towards the predictable conclusion. Turtledove's writing in this book contains two noticeable differences from the rest of the series, one positive, one negative. On the positive side, the descriptions and character dialogue seem less repetitive here, something that all of the other books suffered greatly from. He finally stops (almost) pounding it into your head that Algarvians wear kilts and Forthwegians like mushrooms. Negatively, Turtledove seems to have become completely obsessed with sex while writing this one, even more so than in the previous books, and the constant references to it and descriptions of it here become distracting. One thing that having so many POV characters caused however, was that Turtledove had to spend a very large part of the book wrapping things up and telling the 'happily-ever-after' for each character. In effect, there was a separate conclusion for each character, and it seemed like the book could have closed just fine after any of the last 20 or so sections.

I would hesitate to recommend this series to anyone, especially considering how long it turned out to be. The main feeling I got from this one was "I'm Finally Done!!!", after finishing it. Nothing too memorable or inspirational here, overall a 3.8-star series. ((Into the Darkness 4-stars, Darkness Descending 5-stars, Through the Darkness 4-stars, Rulers of the Darkness 3-stars, Jaws of Darkness 4-stars, Out of the Darkness 3-stars)).

Out of the Darkness, by Harry Turtledove

The finale of a six-book series, which spans almost as many years in this fantasy retelling of World War II. This last book is the equivalent of 1945's collapse of Germany as the US and the USSR find themselves switching from allies to rivals. Turtledove's recasting our history as a fantasy world is intriguing, but after six books some of the analogies start to wear thin.

Once again he follows more than a dozen different people through their misadventures due to war and social upheaval. Some will still be alive by the end of this book. Of those who don't make it, Turtledove is ready to move others in to represent that part of the story. Once again slight links to his other works flicker in and out: a character wondering what the world would be like if magic didn't work, or if there were no kings, or finding the phrase "I thank you" in two places (a common phrasing from yet another WWII series of his). Some characters will even find a happy ending, but not all.

While this book, like the other five, was difficult to put down (I read it whenever I could over a day and a half), the formula which was so fresh and exciting in the first book seemed worn by book six. Yes, the aggressor nation, which is supposed to be Germany but the natives all have red hair, Italian names, and flamboyant style, loses in the end. Yes, one of the allies entering the war late becomes victorious, despite the Finnish names, the subdued emotions, and distinct resemblance to East Asians. About 75% of the story is straight history, add in the substitutions of technology for magic and monarchy everywhere, and then a few of Turtledove's adjustments. No China or Southeast Asia, no India, no Near or Middle Eastern nations either. The US equivalent shares an island with the British equivalent, yet the respective natives are very different from each other. In fact it was these blatant physical similarities between national groups that was hardest to accept by this sixth volume. Wouldn't there be mixes among the groups, especially at borders? While the "Poles" did bear some similarity to the "Russians," it was the strikingly different looks of the "Brits" versus the "Americans," sharing an island a la Haiti/Dominican Republic that made me lose it.

And the technology for magic analogy also started to break down, despite the success of the "Manhattan project" (which was one of Turtledove's more ingenious ideas here). Because not once in these six books do any of these characters, who have lots and lots of marital relations, ever use or discuss or even wish for birth control. If sorcery works, wouldn't that be one of the first things people would ask for? Yet the problem of illegitimate and unacknowledged children is everywhere. And there is no religious authority, parallel to the Catholic Church, say, that is trying to stop birth control either, in fact there is no religion in these books at all other than the Japanese equivalents' constant concern for whether the stars will shine on their spirits after death.

I think Turtledove started off great with the series and the idea of technology equals magic. After all the "Americans" had the best sorcery, such as the rest crate; a box that suspends time so you can keep your food hot or cold until you need it. But with all his effort on the magical version of an A-bomb, Turtledove didn't plan for what people really want from practical sorcery. (Yeah, a tailor using a charm to do most of his hand-stitching is kind of cool, but why isn't that midwife using any of these arts?)

Still worth reading, still enjoyable, still has lots of thought behind the concept, and 300 times better than the poorly-executed Detina series (fantasy version of US civil war). But good enough that I dared to expect perfection and then was dissatisfied when I didn't get it.

"Out of the Darkness" is the sixth and final part of Harry Turtledove's reworking of the World War Two story set on a planet where people use magic instead of technology.

Dragon riders replace aircraft, Behemoths replace tanks, East and West have been transposed, Eurasia has been moved to the Southern hemisphere so that the Finns look like Zulus and the Saraha Desert becomes "the land of the Ice people." And all the names have been changed. But otherwise this is not alternative history at all.

By chance I read Anthony Beevor's "Stalingrad" shortly after reading the earlier voume ("Through the Darkness") in this series which included the events corresponding to that battle, and the same author's "Berlin" just before reading this one. Again and again I found myself recognising the real events on which Turtledove bases the disasters and atrocities in the "Darkness" books.

When reading the earlier books in this series I thought Turtledove's aim was to do was write an account of great evil and how some people were sucked into it, others fought against it, others just tried to live through it, changing some of the details so the reader could leave some of the emotional baggage behind. By the time I reached this book, my mind was instantly translating everything back to real-world equivalents - Algarve as Germany, Kaunians as Jews, Swemmel as Stalin, etc - but the book still has power to make the reader think. As one character explained in the previous book, nobody is the villain in his own story.

It is also a gripping story, not because the reader is in any doubt about what will happen overall, but because you want to know what will happen to the many viewpoint characters, most of whom are fictional creations caught up in real events.

In fact, Turtledove takes one noticeable liberty with history in this book, which I won't spoil by giving it away here, but anyone who wants to explore the point further after they've read this book might also be interested in Barbara Delaplace's short story "No Other Choice" which is included in the collection "Alternate Presidents."

The "Darkness" series is best read in the correct sequence -"Into the Darkness", "Darkness Descending", "Through the Darkness", "Rulers of the Darkness", "Jaws of Darkness" and finally "Out of the Darkness". The mood is as black as the titles indicate, but the series is a very exciting read.

The great Derlavaian world war is nearly over with major offensives along several fronts that will ultimately determine the victor. Magical weapons of mass destruction have caused havoc on land and at sea. The allies seem poised for a final triumph, but the aftermath may prove costly as they are divided between Unkerlant and its former ?friends? now that neither side needs the other.

Regardless of the fruits of victory, humans try to cope with the aftermath whether they are amongst the victors or the losers. Pride is no longer an option for anyone as even the winning side has to deal with the turmoil like nothing ever recorded in the history of the planet. The weapons such as dragons threaten to be used again but this time with ally vs. ally. In this post word war environs, survival is all most hope for as the war winds down, and victims sustain one meal at a time unable to mourn their beloved dead ones.

The final novel of Harry Turtledove?s alternative historical fantasy series is the best of a powerful six set collection. The story line starts with the countdown towards the end of Turtledove?s interpretation of World War II as fighting magical and mundane is furious on several fronts. The tale then switches to a more personalized account as readers see the impact of the devastating war on a series of characters before that perceptive perspective merges into a climatic world still on the brink as the victors argue over the spoils. OUT OF THE DARKNESS is a terrific alternate history that displays the author?s skills to make salient points inside an entertaining military fantasy as few, if any, authors can perform.

Harriet Klausner

It has been a long and at times difficult journey but OUT OF DARKNESS does a fine job of ending the DARKNESS series. An analog of WWII this final chapter brings to conclusion the story of a world embroiled in a war that mixes wizardry, heroics, horrors and human fallibility. Since the series so closely parallels WWII the ending is really no surprise but we finally get closure to the multitude of characters we have been following in the previous five books.

As an ending it?s pretty good. The bad guys get their just deserts, mostly, and the good guys get their just rewards, mostly. As with real life the end for most characters isn?t ?perfect,? but then when is it ever?

As before the large number of characters and the jumping from one viewpoint to another can set your head spinning if your not paying attention, but if you?ve managed to make it through the first volumes you should be used to it by now. It is interesting to watch as Mr. Turtledove weaves the lives of his characters together as they struggle through these troubled times and bring them to coherent finality.

A well done series conclusion, a rarity these days for which the author should be recognized. I RECOMMEND the Darkness series in general and OUT OF DARKNESS specifically.

Turteldove's 6 books series of war (almost 4000 pages of it) finally comes to an end. an enjoyable series that does require a pretty heavy investment from the reader. I think we got to know a lot of the characters along the way. Though I was disappointed with a the fairly pointless introduction of a couple of new POV characters for the final book. Because it does parallel our own world so closely it did make the last book rather predictable, personally I would ahve preferred it if the whole series had been built around a different but still detailed history. My only other quibble has been the increase in frankly embarrassing sex scenes.

Anyway the door is left open for a Cold War style series set in the same world.

Harry Turtledove's magical allegory of World War Two concludes with Out of the Darkness, and much like in the real world, when the war ends, peace doesn't necessarily begin.

Algarve has been crushed and occupied. King Mezentio is shot down at the request of one of his fighters. In the far west, Gyongvar has been obliterated by a magical weapon of mass destruction. Unkerlant has taken Forthweg and installed its own puppet king.

As the war winds down, characters are also trying to pick up the pieces of their lives. Some of them have happy endings, others do not. Garivald finds himself in a mercury mine with Oraste and Ceorl after leaving the war. Bembo loses his girlfriend. Pekka and Fearno get married. Ealstan comes home to his family.

Readers will wonder what happens next in the fantasy world. Will Kuusamo and Unkerlant face down in a Cold War of their own? Will Algarve return to power, or will the Kaunian people ever be free?

History buffs and fantasy fans alike will enjoy the saga. It remains to be seen if Turtledove will revive it for the next generation, like the Return Engagement or Colonization series.

Out of the Darkness (2004) is the sixth and concluding novel in the World At War series, following Jaws of Darkness. In the previous volume, the Forthwegian rebellion in Eoforwic failed and Bembo was glad to return to being a constable instead of a fighter. Ealstan was not happy with the loss, but relieved to return to Vainu and Saxburh. However, the Valmieran uprising was successful and Skarnu brought Merkela and Gedominu to his mansion in Priekule, where they confronted his pregnant sister.

Marshall Rathar went to Cottbus to be rewarded with command of the Algarve invasion. Minister Hajjaj, however, went to Cottbus to surrender to the Unkerlanters. Count Sabrino and his men were still outflying the Unkerlanters, but were not getting replacements. Colonel Spinello was facing Unkerlanters across the Twegen River and wondering at mushroom gathering Forthwegians. Sidroc had dug up a farmer's cache of food and his unit ate well for a time.

Talsu led a force of Kuusaman troops through the lines past Skrunda. Kun and Istvan got the runs and missed the mass suicide. Garivald found an infiltrator who looked like an old Forthwegian.

In this novel, Ealstan intends to kill Colonel Spinella, but Vanai first provides Spinello with a mushroom dish that he really enjoys ... until the pain starts. Marchioness Krasta keeps insisting that the baby is Valnu's, but Merkela is waiting to see the color of the baby's hair. The flyers in Count Sabrino unit keep knocking out the Unkerlanter bridges, but also keep losing men, so the Algarvian mages develop a magic that guides the dropped eggs onto the target from a great height. General Gurmun is killed by a sorcerously disguised infiltrator.

In this story, the war goes on, with the Algarvians still using their forces more effectively than their opponents. Nevertheless, it is obvious to almost everybody that Algarve is losing the war. Algarve is slowing down the advancing troops and even forcing them to withdraw on occasions, but their enemies always come back. The Algarvians are trying new magics, but cannot match the new Kuusano magics nor overcome the Unkerlanter numerical superiority.

The Algarvians concentrate their replacements and most supplies on the western front, for Unkerlant is the most feared enemy. While the Kuusamans and Lagoans are not having an easy time of it, the forces facing them are not receiving sufficient support. Whole units are beginning to surrender due to shortages of food and charged weapons.

This mixed up history allowed the author to present the viewpoints and feelings of all the participants in the conflict. While the Argarvians were not represented by a truly sympathetic character, some admirable aspects were presented. However, the Algarvian arrogance and sense of superiority -- compensating for an inferiority complex? -- was a universal attribute; was the author unable to find any truly admirable Algarvian characters?. Although many nobles and peasants were portrayed as undesirable persons, the exceptions were well represented in every nation except Algarve. Even in Nazi Germany, there were some good people!

This volume is the truest of the series in describing the attitudes and feelings of the actual participants of the real World War II. While the end of the conflict was a relief for rulers as well as peasants, the new conditions were, in many ways, much worst than the war itself. Moreover, there were plenty of people who were not satisfied with the results. As with the real world, the Derlavians will soon find themselves fighting a cold war.

Highly recommended for Turtledove fans and for anyone else who enjoys alternate history from the participant's viewpoint.

-Arthur W. Jordin

(Note that's I'm reviewing the entire series.)

We have a version of Germany that unifies with a version of Austria, only several other nations do not wait to be provoked further, they declare war right away. (Equivalents of Poland, France, Netherlands, and Denmark?)

The version of the UK sits out until in a reverse Dunkurg, the small islands are taken over.

The equivalent of Germany and the USSR divide Poland and wipe it off the map, and then the other powers on the land mass fall to Germany. In the mean time, This equivelent to Germany has been sending out literature painting blondes in a very bad light [who is this version had an empire 1000 years ago.] And they wait for those countries to fall before rounding up the local blondes in their empire and pass a law making red hair dye illegal for blondes to wear as well.

The equivalents of the USSR and Germany then decide to sneak attack each other on the very same day. Only the equivalent of Germans is much better trained. However the winter is Ukerlant's best ally, and so the life energy of blondes is expended to break a stalemate, but it doesn't take long for Ukerlant to use peasents life energy the same way. The eye witness accounts of historical Germans seeing the towers of the Kerlim match up this fictional account. The equivalent of the US joined the war and is obviously working on a version of the MP. They've been fighting this realities version of Japan for a while though.

Later in the series, the historical story of two sharp shooters going after each other (USSR & German) is retold, but with the twist of them both killing each other in this novel.

And the equailvent of Italy gets the equivlent of Germany side tracked just like histroically. (Only in Tundra instead of the Desert)

I'm not sure how to place this country where people wear nothing between their Sandels and Top Hats other than Jewerly, only that I probably wouldn't be able to get any work done at all in such a place.

Later on this version of allies start scoring victories, and an exiled character finds himself treated as a big rat by his ex wife.

A historic Japense inovation that didn't work for them is used quite successfully and was given the same name in this novel only as a combo equivalent to US & UK product. (Combination of a submarine and air craft carrier.) It works better in this book because it's holds more than four Dragons/planes.

In this novel, we see the equivlent of Germany on it's last legs and the equivlent as the equivlent to the USSR completes taking Ukraine back + taking Austria and Poland while the equivlents to the US/UK land in one of these nations and the German equivlent pulls out of the other but then finds US/UK landing troops there to go at them from there as well.

At the wars end we see what is obviously going to be their equivlent to our Cold war going so far as to match diviving Germany into two occuplied countries with figure head puppets, while the equivlent of Tokyo is hit with the equivalent of a nuclear bomb after failing to surrender seeing a demonstartion.

I think the immedate future looks much brighter for the citizens of this version of the US & UK than any place else in this novel.

Yes, Darkness still covers those countries the equivlent of the USSR rules (both directly and indirectly) and even one of the countries on the US/UK side is one large prision.

I chose 2 stars, out of guilt for having not read the earlier books in this series. I suppose those books would have made the large number of characters, races, countries and thier complex relationships easier to track, but I somehow don't think it would have mattered that much. The book seemed to be a very successful exercise in writting about WWII under the fantasy fiction genre, but it didn't grab me or entertain me at all. It didn't say anything new about WWII. If looking for a new take on the war, look elsewhere, there are hundreds of great works on WWII. There were so many countries and characters that it all got watered down, and I ended up not caring about any. Since it is a WWII fantasy-historical fiction novel it also has an understandably predictable ending. I will look for another Turteldove novel, but would not reccomend this one, especially if you have not read the other in the series.