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Tuesday, July 10, 2012

New Releases 7/10/12

New Hardcover and E-books

The Impeachment of Abraham Lincoln by Stephen L. Carter

Description from Amazon.

Stephen L. Carter’s thrilling new novel takes as its starting point an alternate history: President Abraham Lincoln survives the assassination attempt at Ford’s Theatre on April 14, 1865. Two years later he is charged with overstepping his constitutional authority, both during and after the Civil War, and faces an impeachment trial . . .

Twenty-one-year-old Abigail Canner is a young black woman with a degree from Oberlin, a letter of employment from the law firm that has undertaken Lincoln’s defense, and the iron-strong conviction, learned from her late mother, that “whatever limitations society might place on ordinary negroes, they would never apply to her.” And so Abigail embarks on a life that defies the norms of every stratum of Washington society: working side by side with a white clerk, meeting the great and powerful of the nation, including the president himself.  But when Lincoln’s lead counsel is found brutally murdered on the eve of the trial, Abigail is plunged into a treacherous web of intrigue and conspiracy reaching the highest levels of the divided government.

Here is a vividly imagined work of historical fiction that captures the emotional tenor of post–Civil War America, a brilliantly realized courtroom drama that explores the always contentious question of the nature of presidential authority, and a galvanizing story of political suspense.

New E-books

The Annotated Chronicles of the Emperor Arthur by Scribe Nennius

Description from Amazon.

There have been many versions of the myth of King Arthur, but in the earliest Welsh stories, he was not a king at all, but an emperor. Following the collapse of the Roman Empire, Arthur rose to power in Britain and went on to rule most of Europe. With his army of knights, he was the equal of the Empress of the Eastern Roman Empire in Constantinople.

This ebook collects five stories from The Mabinogion, as translated by Lady Charlotte Guest, which tell the story of Emperor Arthur. The text also incorporates Owen Edwards' notes on Lady Guest's work, which bring her work closer to the original Welsh. Supporting these tales are annotations which expand the universe presented in the Welsh mythology, drawing from other contemporary Welsh sources such as Nennius, Welsh Triads and poems such as The Spoils of Annwfn.

Chronicles of the Emperor Arthur builds a narrative around some of the oldest stories of Arthur. In contrast to the king seen in the works of Malory and Tennyson, the emperor is a former warlord who is verbally attacked by his own nephew for his greed and pride. With full annotation and referencing of sources, this ebook presents a rarely-seen vision of Arthur and his world.

Buckskin & Brass Goggles by R. Lee Fletcher

Description from Amazon.

It is 1895, and the Venezuela Crisis has exploded into war between the United States and the British Empire. The longest undefended border becomes a battleground. Armoured steam trains, steam powered hovercraft, and airships clash in the rivalry of empires. Walter Butler, descendant of Loyalists, rises from young untried militia officer to the leader of the 95th Guides, with the battles that determine the fate of a continent hinging on his skill and daring.

Jake's Monthly- Alternate History Anthology by Jake Johnson

Description from Smashwords.

Welcome to Jake's Monthly. This month's trip around the best and strangest genres has taken us to Alternate History- a popular subgenre of SciFi where history turned out differently.

We have all sorts of flavors here, including light fantasy, steampunk, military, and Bizarro. These stories are intelligent, well-written, and overall good examples of the genre.

So, sit down, pull up a chair, and gaze into worlds where you never did.

We hope you enjoy your stay.

Jane the Confidant by Leigh Jenkins

Description from Amazon.

He killed his wives, broke from Catholicism and founded his own church. But history could have been quite different for Henry the VIII, as author Leigh Jenkins proves in this alternative history series, if only one key moment had changed in each of his marriages.

The third book of the series, Jane the Confidant, explores how life would have been different if Jane Seymour had survived her first pregnancy. With a son in the cradle and a queen by his side, Henry takes on one of the greatest challenges of his life - the Pilgrimage of Grace. As England descends into civil war, Henry does all he can to protect his family and his throne.

Jenkins delves inside one of history's greatest enigmas – the mind of King Henry the VIII of England. This intense, often poignant, look at King Henry shows that, with a twist of fate, England could have remembered a very different king.

The Vampire Storm by R.M. Plaiscia

Description from Amazon.

A mighty hurricane swirling towards the coast will set in motion a great battle as the last surviving witch clans struggle for supremacy. When a vampire with no memories of his past arrives upon that mighty river's crescent, he will sway the tide of their war, along with the eyes of three witches. He will be forced to choose his path towards the future, deciding which side he would stand upon, and in doing so, he will drag the fates of everyone else along with him.

It was upon a mighty river’s crescent that I’d finally found what I’d lost four years before. The year was 1722, the place, an unforgiving swamp-land that would come to be called New Orleans. Mankind has its own way of looking at history, but their books are filled with various holes and gaps that do nothing more than hide the truth. New Orleans, throughout the years, has always been seen as a city touched by the supernatural, and there was a reason for that. That land below sea-level was home to the last surviving colony of Witches. Once, before their downfall, their only goals were the protection of this Earth. Now, after walking such a fine line with extinction for so very long, they could do nothing more than fight to protect their own lives.

Split into two separate factions, their future would be forever changed by the arrival of a lone Vampire, one with the ability to sway the tide of their war. His name was Reggio, or so he called himself. It wasn’t his true name, but for someone with no memories of his past, it was as good as any other. His strength was parallel to that of a raging Hurricane, and would be seen as a threat to many among the witches. But three will take interest. They will see him as a chance for change, one that they desperately needed. But will Jane Saint Marie be able to save him from the selfish grasp of the two witch sisters? Will her guidance lead him down the correct path, or will his emotions lead him down another? The entire future may hinge on his decision.

But as far as the Warwalker, Marigny, was concerned, he alone would serve as the light to guide his kind into that future. He will seek out the three Elysian Stones and use them to define his brood’s link to power, but not before an opportunity to claim his own power presents itself. With his old friend, and trusted leader, Orleans, beginning to slip deeper into madness, will he be able to rise into his own position of leadership? As that mighty storm churns ashore, the two witch clans will clash upon a river's crescent. But the outcome will only reveal the true storm left behind in the wreckage, one of flesh and bone, The Vampire Storm known as Reggio.

To fans, authors and publishers...

Do you want to see your work given a shout out on our New Releases segment? Contact Mitro at ahwupdate at gmail dot com.  We are looking for works of alternate history, counterfactual history, steampunk, historical fantasy, time travel or anything that warps history beyond our understanding.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a volunteer editor for Alt Hist and a contributor to Just Below the Law. His fiction can be found at Echelon PressJake's Monthly and his own writing blog. When not writing he works as an attorney and enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana.

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