Outrageous Fortunes: a Novel of Alternate Histories [Kindle Edition]

Steven W. White (Author)

Book Description

Shy amateur historian Randy Sullivan, age 23 and unhappy with his life, is approached by his double from a parallel Los Angeles, a bombastic physicist and inventor who calls himself "Sully." Using a form of sideways time travel, they step out of this reality and visit versions of Earth stranger than Randy has ever imagined... and those so eerily close as to be just out of reach.

But all is not well back home. Randy's out-of-control adolescent brother and sister are left in the care of his cool-headed and gorgeous neighbor Penelope - the love of Randy's life. They are stranded by encroaching California wildfires. The flames are drawing near and time is running out.

And Sully, genius and connoisseur of a thousand worlds, has a secret plan of his own - and it does not involve Randy Sullivan ever getting home alive.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A journey across the multiverse... fun adventure." - Alternate History Weekly Update

About the Author

"One of the new brilliant creators in fiction." - Author Doniella Boaz, re: New World

"[His] characters are complex and vivid." - Barry North, re: Turing's Revenge and Other Stories

"The author obviously has a great knowledge of both history and science." - Kevin E. Lake, author of From the Graves of Babes

"This is an author to follow." - M. Mallory, re: Turing's Revenge and Other Stories

"DO NOT PASS BY STEVEN W. WHITE." - Mel, re: Outrageous Fortunes

Product Details

• File Size: 480 KB
• Print Length: 372 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Steven W. White (March 16, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004SHJHSW
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #122,326 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Story! What an Adventure! April 3, 2011

By kevin

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

If you are adventerous this book is for you! It has it all! Alternate dimensions, alternate history, action, suspense, romance, fantasy, drama.... Steve White did a miraculous job of getting so much in this story without making it seem too busy to keep up with or understand. The author obviously has a great knowledge of both history and science. As a history buff myself, I was aware of many of the historic events mentioned in the book and know the author was accurate in his discriptions. The way some of the events alternatively worked out because the people involved made different dicisions made perfect sense. It really makes you question things the way they are, and wonder how differently things could and would have been had one person, at one point in history chosen door number one instead of door number two. The adventures that our main Character Randy takes in this novel, accompanied by his ill intentioned DNA twin from another world, "Sully" are absolutely amazing. Other dimensions lead to other worlds (not different times though) where it is still the dinosaur age, others where we are no longer dependant on fossil fuels for energy, as the world has gone solar and where we live in lavish condos in outerspace. It is like a look at what could be and what may be and what might have been, all in one. The whole while, hoping Randy can escape his evil doppelganger's clutches and return safely to raise his little siblings, the "sibs" and be with his crush Penelope. The moral of this story? The grass isn't always greener on the other side. Or in this case, in an alternate dimension. Coodos to the author. Can't wait to read more from him!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars decent read November 7, 2012

By mike

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This was an interesting book with a decent twist at the end. The writing was decent, although it felt like some of the questions that the main characters should have asked were just glossed over and some things were taken as "oh yeah, of course this is a living organism, not a ship of some kind", and "oh yeah, of course this wierd thing we found under the ocean can be used for time travel". I was looking for something in the 'alternate history' genre and this was definitely that. It's a fairly quick read so I would definitely recommend it.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Totally fun ride June 9, 2011

By Suki

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Well written and engaging, this novel serves up tech without lecturing, humor without being contrived or itself-conscious, and adventure without becoming tedious. The characters are fleshed out nicely, and the story has a great rhythm and easy flow.
This book should appeal to Heinlein fans. Recommended.

More About the Author

Steven W. White has been a rocket scientist, a professional stargazer, and a Christmas tree farmer. He's been writing short stories and novels for twenty years.

His short fiction has received honorable mention in Writer's Digest's Writing Competition, and he blogs about technique in fiction. He's pursuing an MFA in creative writing from the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts, and his stories have been published in Quantum Muse, Anotherealm, and elsewhere.