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

Steven W. White (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product 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." Together 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.



"Sully takes Randy on a journey across the multiverse, showing him bizarre Earths and the wonders they contain. Yet not everything is as it seems... a delight to read." - Alternate History Weekly Update

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 502 KB
• Publisher: Steven W. White (March 16, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004SHJHSW
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #28,082 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #79 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Alternate History

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 accredited Northwest Institute of Literary Arts, and his stories have been published in Quantum Muse, Anotherealm, and elsewhere.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

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

By 

kevin - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Outrageous Fortunes: a Novel of Alternate Histories (Kindle Edition)

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:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a treat!, April 10, 2011

By 

Doug Roberts (Santa Fe, NM United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Outrageous Fortunes: a Novel of Alternate Histories (Kindle Edition)

Finally, a $0.99 Kindle ebook in which the author not only writes exceedingly well, but one that tells one hell of a story! Congratulations, Stephen White. I won't be surprised when Outrageous Fortunes tops the best seller's list!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

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

By 

Suki - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Outrageous Fortunes: a Novel of Alternate Histories (Kindle Edition)

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.