First published 1986
This collection opens doors to worlds where the Third Reich triumphed. C.M. Kornbluth presents two possible dooms in his contribution, while Hilary Bailey follows the fall of Frenchy Steiner in her alternate timeline. Greg Bear explores a road that leads nowhere in his Nazi-dominated landscape. Keith Roberts sets his story on Christmas Eve in a world transformed by German victory. David Brin creates an encounter between Thor and Captain America in his reimagined America. Brad Linaweaver crafts a tale beneath a moon of ice, and Sheila Finch examines the peace of the Reich. Algis Budrys tells of people who will never meet again, while Howard Goldsmith asks if you hear the children weeping. Tom Shippey intercepts enemy transmissions, and Gregory Benford closes with Valhalla. Each story wrestles with the darkness that might have been, showing how different choices could have reshaped everything.
Genres: fiction, short-stories, science-fiction, alternate-history
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: alternate-history, what-if
Period: 20th Century
299 pages · Hardcover · Garland Publishing
Content warnings: violence