Alternate History Outside Europe/U.S.?

[Trent Roman]

I finally got around to reading Kim Stanley Robinson's The Years of Rice and Salt, which, despite taking a bit to get into, I wound up enjoying very much. It got me thinking about how much alt. history seems to revolve around western history, particularly the American Civil War and WWII, and I was wondering if the knowledgeable forum members know of more books like this one, where history diverges before or elsewhere then the rise of Europe? I've heard of (but not yet read) Steven Barnes' Lion's Blood duology and mean to check that out, but is there anything else in that vein out there? Or, perhaps more intriguing yet, alt. history written by non-western authors?

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

 

[clint g]

Id love to see an alt history movie or book about China continuing its naval exploration and possibly finding the Americas. I dont think anyone has ever tackled that though

 

[Canadave]

Id love to see an alt history movie or book about China continuing its naval exploration and possibly finding the Americas. I dont think anyone has ever tackled that though

Well, KSR has, in the book mentioned in the OP, but that was in the context of there not being any Europeans to discover it first.

In all honesty, I don't know of any other alt-histories that explore this theme, myself. It would be interesting to read more of them.

 

[P0sitr0nic]

I read a short story once, where the world was being contacted by the first contact with aliens. But in this world, Rome never fell. When the Romans sent messages braging about their bounty, concured nations and slaves owned, the aliens turned around and left.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

I finally got around to reading Kim Stanley Robinson's The Years of Rice and Salt, which, despite taking a bit to get into, I wound up enjoying very much.

L. Neil Smith's The Crystal Empire covers similar ground.

 

[Thespeckledkiwi]

Id love to see an alt history movie or book about China continuing its naval exploration and possibly finding the Americas. I dont think anyone has ever tackled that though

Uh, given the historical evidence, there is a slight, to very good chance they did find America first.

 

[Lindley]

I wonder if Star Trek: The Eugenics Wars is too obvious?

 

[clint g]

Id love to see an alt history movie or book about China continuing its naval exploration and possibly finding the Americas. I dont think anyone has ever tackled that though

Uh, given the historical evidence, there is a slight, to very good chance they did find America first.

If true, they certainly didn't stay which is the important part

 

[T'Girl]

...seems to revolve around western history, particularly the American Civil War and WWII, ...

I've read a few, very few, by middle eastern authors, mostly exploring small obscure changes, and the ramifications.

A good one is "What If" edited by Robert Cowley, more a collection of essays than stories, very good.

Also some japanese authors, translated, if the things had gone different for that island nation in the '30s and '40s, they're revenge fantasys more than sci-fi. most don't end nicely.

 

[Lieut. Arex]

Id love to see an alt history movie or book about China continuing its naval exploration and possibly finding the Americas. I dont think anyone has ever tackled that though

Chris Roberson has several works set in a future where China and the Aztecs are fighting for control of Mars that has this scenario as its point of divergence.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Oh! Celestial Matters, by Robert Garfinkle. It's an alternate history, mostly. Essentially, the Ptolemaic system turns out to be true, and Greece and China go to war in a universe where the the Earth is the center of the universe and the planets and stars turn on crystal spheres.

 

[clint g]

Id love to see an alt history movie or book about China continuing its naval exploration and possibly finding the Americas. I dont think anyone has ever tackled that though

Chris Roberson has several works set in a future where China and the Aztecs are fighting for control of Mars that has this scenario as its point of divergence.

That actually sounds pretty damn interesting and imaginative. I'll look into those books the next time I hit up Borders

 

[Thespeckledkiwi]

Id love to see an alt history movie or book about China continuing its naval exploration and possibly finding the Americas. I dont think anyone has ever tackled that though

Uh, given the historical evidence, there is a slight, to very good chance they did find America first.

If true, they certainly didn't stay which is the important part

Technically speaking they might have influenced some of the Native American nations here.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Damn, I saw the thread title and I immediately thought of The Years of Rice and Salt.

Excellent book. I need to read it again at some point.

 

[gastrof]

Id love to see an alt history movie or book about China continuing its naval exploration and possibly finding the Americas. I dont think anyone has ever tackled that though

Uh, given the historical evidence, there is a slight, to very good chance they did find America first.

If true, they certainly didn't stay which is the important part

Native Americans are classified as a "Mongoloid" race, which in more modern-speak would make them ASIAN.

I'd suspect that one way or another, there may have been a Chinese influence on the North American continent. (Take a look at the Asian-looking Native people in Alaska and Canada.)

I'm not so sure about the "they certainly didn't stay" part.

 

[clint g]

Uh, given the historical evidence, there is a slight, to very good chance they did find America first.

If true, they certainly didn't stay which is the important part

Native Americans are classified as a "Mongoloid" race, which in more modern-speak would make them ASIAN.

I'd suspect that one way or another, there may have been a Chinese influence on the North American continent. (Take a look at the Asian-looking Native people in Alaska and Canada.)

I'm not so sure about the "they certainly didn't stay" part.

So.....Asian = Chinese now? To clarify (since people arent getting it) when I say China I mean China as an identifiable society, culture, and group of people. China, as in the society that sent out ships to explore the world but then pulled them back and turned inwards rather than continued exploring the world.

 

[Greg Cox]

Check out the "Hammer and the Cross" trilogy by Harry Harrison, in which, basically, the Vikings conquer Europe and spread the Norse religion across the globe.

 

[Jono]

Without Warning by John Birmingham is an alt history novel (first of a series) set in 2003 just before the Iraqi invasion and has a mysterious accident that wipes out most of the continental US. It basically deals with how the characters and the world deals with the sudden disappearance of the only super power.

I haven't read it but I have read his Axis of Time trilogy, which is an alt history WWII series where the timeline diverges after a multinatioanl naval task force (mostly US with the flagship the USS Hilary Clinton) from the not too distant future is accidentally sent back and trapped in 1941.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Check out the "Hammer and the Cross" trilogy by Harry Harrison, in which, basically, the Vikings conquer Europe and spread the Norse religion across the globe.

Okay, I'm intrigued. And I didn't think I could be intrigued by a Harry Harrison alt-history anymore, not after the absolutely dire Stars & Stripes series. (Britain intervenes in the Civil War, but they stupidly attack the Confederacy, which prompts the USA and the CSA to form an alliance to conquer Canada and Ireland. Yes, it really is that stupid.)

 

[Greg Cox]

Granted, I'm biased because I edited the trilogy, but I thought THE HAMMER AND THE CROSS series was fascinating. (And it didn't really take much editing!)

Haven't read the STARS & STRIPES books