The Way It Wasn't: Great Science Fiction Stories of Alternate History [Paperback]

Martin Harry Greenberg (Author), Robert Silverberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 10, 1998

The Way It Wasn't takes an amusing, intellectually stimulating excursion into speculative history. Here are thirteen memorable stories by renowned science fiction writers, telling what things might be like if... Elvis Presley weren't the "King" but the President of the United States ("Ike at the Mike" by Howard Waldrop)... The Black Death had killed the entire population of Europe in the fourteenth century ("Lion Time in Timbuctoo" by Robert Silverberg)... John F. Kennedy had survived the 1963 shooting in Dallas ("The Winterberry" by Nicholas A. DiChario). Included, too, is fascinating short fiction by Mike Resnick, Susan Shwartz, Larry Niven, Pamela Sargent, Fritz Leiber, Greg Bear, Barry N. Malzberg, Harry Turtledove, Gregory Benford and Kim Stanley Robinson. After reading these stories - some of the most compelling examples of alternate history anywhere - your mind will keep spinning the question "What If...?"

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In a parallel timeline, perhaps this collection of alternate-history stories is consistently enthralling. In this one, however, it's a hit-or-miss affair. Some stories show great power and creativity, but just as often the reader is left wondering, "What was the point of that?" Larry Niven's "All the Myriad Ways" is the truly fine story of a private detective faced with a huge increase in senseless violence since alternate timelines were discovered. The conclusion leaves the reader breathless, more than a tad uneasy about the whole idea of alternate history. "Suppose They Gave a Peace" by Susan Shwartz spins a disturbing tale about what would have happened in Vietnam if George McGovern had defeated Richard Nixon in the 1972 presidential election. She argues convincingly that, by 1972, no one could have averted a tragic ending to the Vietnam War. The story is engrossing, sad, powerful and, more impressively, Shwartz avoids letting the story cave in to despair. And "The Lucky Strike" by Kim Stanley Robinson asks the provocative question of what would have happened if the crew responsible for dropping the first atomic weapon had deliberately missed the target. This story forces the reader to confront the conventional wisdom that the bombing of Hiroshima was necessary. It's unfortunate that all the stories in this anthology couldn't reach this high level. Overall, however, the stories that work make this a worthwhile purchase for any reader who likes to ask, "What if...?"
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Alternate-world yarns exert an endless fascination: for one, because other worlds are scientifically respectable (modern particle theory admits the possibility); for another, the godlike power offered by historical what-ifs (for instance, what-if the Nazis had won WW II? Or what-if Christ had never been born? Examples of both are to be found here). Anyhow, these 14 tales, 1968-92, include several famous entries. Fritz Leiber's waggish ``Catch That Zeppelin!'' features Hitler as an airship salesman. In Kim Stanley Robinson's ``The Lucky Strike,'' the atom-bombing of Japan doesn't go exactly as planned. And Eisenhower plays clarinet with Louis Armstrong while Senator E.A. Presley applauds, in Howard Waldrop's amusing ``Ike at the Mike.'' -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Paperback: 365 pages
• Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp. (July 10, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806517697
• ISBN-13: 978-0806517698
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #501,570 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Entertaining, June 2, 2002

By 

Amerigo Vespucci (Fairbanks, Alaska) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Way It Wasn't: Great Science Fiction Stories of Alternate History (Paperback)

A highly entertaining series of short stories. The stories in this book are very original and are not reprinted in many other collections of Alternate History, with the exception of two. If you love alternate history, I encourage you to read, if not buy this book.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bad title, great writing., December 4, 2006

By 

Michael The Roaddog (Henderson, Nevada) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Way It Wasn't: Great Science Fiction Stories of Alternate History (Paperback)

The title of this book is somewhat misleading - the stories within (with one exception) are not really (in my opinion) "science fiction". All are alternative history stories, although somewhat atypical of the genre. It seems that some authors have alternative timeline theories and write stories to support them. The authors in this book use alternate timelines as frameworks for good stories. Being a fan of both SciFi and alternative history, I gave this book a read and was quite impressed with the quality of the writing. I'm not familiar with all of the authors, but will be looking out for their other works. "The Winterberry" stood out. At first you don't see the connection with alternate history, but eventually you catch on, with sad realization. Worthwhile reading for all.

15 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Take a wild ride through history as it could have been., October 3, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: The Way It Wasn't: Great Science Fiction Stories of Alternate History (Paperback)

Everyone has wondered "What if..." at some point, whether the question involved his or her own life or some pivotal event in history. History as we know it is jolted and questioned at every turn in this emotional collection of engaging and imaginative fiction. Many "what if..." questions are addressed in this volume that allow authors and readers alike to rewrite history, correcting perceived wrongs or tragedies ("Suppose They Gave a Peace..."), creating heroes where none existed before ("The Lucky Strike"), and exploring horrors best left to imaginations and late night readings ("We Could Do Worse"). Any fan of science fiction will enjoy these well-selected, well-ordered stories.