I rarely pick up Alternative History novels.
I like Alternative History and my expectations for Alternative History novels are sky high. The problem is that most Alternative History books fall short of those expectations; they could always have been so much better if only the author had done things differently. I think the only reason why I like Alternative History at all is because of a few impressive novels.
Without Warning is one such novel.
It’s the eve of the Gulf War, March 2003, hundreds of thousands of Coalition troops are in the Middle East and ready to step in to deal with Saddam. Tensions are high. America vanishes.
Actually, what happens to America – in an event that gets known as “The Wave” – is that all the people vanish. Smouldering remains of clothes cover the ground. Cars crash. Fires start. With “The Wave” remaining in place across 95% of America, Mexico, Cuba and Canada people are unable to enter the space.
The scene is set very quickly and very well as John Birmingham tours his chapters through his main cast. This is a cast composed of fictional characters as well as actual people like Tommy Franks, the commander of all the troops that had just about to launch an assault against Iraq.
We’ve a tumour haunted secret agent who wakes up in France, there are smugglers trying to find a safe port, we have a reporter who records the horrors of the military clash even though there is no one home to see his report and an everyday engineer who finds himself struggling to save Seattle. Seattle, thankfully for them, is just outside the Wave.
How would you write this Alternative History? Is America the Great Satan or is it policeman of the world?
In Without Warning Saddam sends his troops back into Kuwait, in a gambit designed to destroy the remains of the US military – and Iran joins him.
China starts to implode as fractions create civil war. Riots in Europe and the economic collapse hurry in increasingly extreme reactions from governments and increasingly extreme governments.
Israel does not fancy its chances without their American ally and attacks first. The Israeli nuclear strike hits the Arabian Crescent. India and Pakistan, also nuclear powers, are squaring up for one last, probably final, fight.
Yes, there are parts of the world that I wish Without Warning had been able to explore in more detail. I do wonder whether Europe would slide as far to the Right as quickly as it did (while worrying that Birmingham is probably right) and sometimes wished we could linger on any one character and situation before dropping into the next scene. Sure. There’s all that. However, Without Warning wins not only because it’s very well written but because it’s one of those rare Alternative History books that the author evolves the new history in almost exactly the way I wanted.
Of course, a lot of this satisfactory evolution is only evident in hindsight. As I read through Without Warning I wasn’t predicting the next thing to happen and willing Birmingham to get on with it. The next surprise, the next hiking of the disaster, the next twist of the worldwide knife would surprise me and then make perfect, horrible, sense.
Without Warning is new here in the UK but has been out in the States for a while and, I understand, did well. I think that’s another way to illustrate just how compelling Without Warning is at times. This is a book that explores what it would be like for the world if America was Gone, isn’t unfiltered pro-American rhetoric and it still sold well.
This one is a recommended read for fans of thrillers, alt-history and even sci-fi.
My copy of the book was provided for review. Without Warning, John Birmingham, Titan Books. £7.99.
