Weekly Update #103

Editor's Note

For those following us on Facebook and Twitter, you probably noticed some increased postings on my part. I have changed up my social media game to make both locations more enjoyable for fans. Here is my posting schedule (subject to change):

9 am: Today in #althist
11 am: New Post
2 pm: What if?
3 pm: From the archive
5: Good night

I also will occasionally post between those set times with any interesting stories or ideas I have. If you have any suggestions I would love to hear it. You can contact me at ahwupdate at gmail dot com.

It has been a while, but I finally have some new countries to add to my map. Welcome to our first readers from Chad and French Polynesia. I hope you guys enjoy your stay here and if you are reading this, tell us about alternate history from your countries.

And now the news...

Update: The Boleyn King by Laura Anderson

Last week saw the release of an intriguing new debut novel called The Boleyn King by Laura Anderson. Here is the description from Amazon:

Perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir, and Showtime’s The Tudors, The Boleyn King is the first book in an enthralling trilogy that dares to imagine: What if Anne Boleyn had actually given Henry VIII a son who grew up to be king?

Just seventeen years old, Henry IX, known as William, is a king bound by the restraints of the regency yet anxious to prove himself. With the French threatening battle and the Catholics sowing the seeds of rebellion at home, William trusts only three people: his older sister Elizabeth; his best friend and loyal counselor, Dominic; and Minuette, a young orphan raised as a royal ward by William’s mother, Anne Boleyn.

Against a tide of secrets, betrayal, and murder, William finds himself fighting for the very soul of his kingdom. Then, when he and Dominic both fall in love with Minuette, romantic obsession looms over a new generation of Tudors. One among them will pay the price for a king’s desire, as a shocking twist of fate changes England’s fortunes forever.

If you are interested in learning more about Anderson, check out her interviews over at Suvudu, where she talks about writing alternate history, and over at Dawning of a Brighter Day, where she discusses among other things her LDS faith.

Update: Milkweed Triptych by Ian Tregillis

The Milkweed Triptych by Ian Tregillis is completed, but should you read it? For those who don't know, the series is set in a universe where children manipulated by a German physician manifest paranormal powers. The Nazis make use of these meta-humans to conquer the world, forcing Britain to call on warlocks to stop them (plus there is time travel).

Yes, ASB, I know but the books have received a lot of praise. James Long at Orbit said when he first read the original submission and the rest of the trilogy that "[j]ust when you think you might have figured them out, they’ll change direction and completely shatter your expectations (my jaw dropped so many times when reading this trilogy that I attracted more than one strange look from my fellow commuters)."

Elfy at Travels Through Iest also said "Milkweed as a whole is superlative story telling and Necessary Evil is the perfect end for it." If you have read any of theses books I would love to hear from you and maybe even post a review.

More on The Confederation

A lot of people have been viewing my write up on The Confederation web series, but donations haven't been forth coming. As I write this they have only raised $50 and that is chump change compared to their $50,000 goal. Still the news is starting to spread. Friend of the blog Matt Quinn and Sherman from Other Times both wrote posts about the planned series. If you are interested in learning more about this alternate history web series, check out their website and Facebook page.

Awards Watch

Good news for some alternate history writers. The Joan Hessayon Award was presented to Liesel Schwartz for A Conspiracy of Alchemists. The finalists for the 2013 Campbell and Sturgeon Awards were also announced with Any Day Now by Terry Bisson being nominated for the Campbell award. Let us all congratulate them on their success and hope this inspires more alternate historians in the future.

Calender

May 27: Last day to see Victorian Extreme: American Fancywork and Steampunk, 1850-Now at The Bennington Museum in Bennington, VT.

June 3: Last day to fund the All Quiet on the Martian Front, Miniature Tanks vs Tripods Kickstarter, although they have already reached their goal.

June 15: Last day to see the Steampunk: Nature & Machine exhibit at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum in Norwalk, CT.

June 30: Last day (I am sensing a pattern here) to fund the Iron Sky The Coming Race Indiegogo campaign.

Links to the Multiverse

Articles

Counterfactual: Boston Marathon Bombings by Josephine Huetlin at Varsity.
Iraq Goes Into Saudi Arabia? With Allies? by Matt Quinn at The World According to Quinn.
Sci Friday: The History That Never Was by Tommy at BookPeople's Blog.
What are the rules of time travel in the J.J. Abrams Universe? by Charlie Jane Anders at io9.
The Yellow Prose of Texas? Secession Movement Blooms in Fiction by Miguel Bustillo at WSJ.

Book Reviews

The Iron Sea's by Meljean Brook at Falcata Times.
The Iron Wyrm Affair by Lilith Saintcrow at books!
Steampunk Magic by Gypsey Elaine Teague at Patheos.
Without a Summer by Mary Robinette Kowal at Tap Milwaukee.

Comics

Lord Of Mars – The Tarzan/John Carter Crossover, Only Dynamite Can’t Call It That by Rich Johnston at Bleeding Cool.

Films

Django Unchained: A Brief Word by Alex Kane at Amazing Stories.
DVD(s) of the Week: Seeking a Friend for the End of the World and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Matt Farr at Ramblings of the Easily Distracted.

Games

Infinite Crisis video introduces the beefy steampunk butcher Gaslight Joker by John Funk at Polygon.
Just Cause Dev Talks Steampunk, 'Holy F**king S**t' Moments in Future Games by Stephen Daly at Gameranx.
Wolfenstein: New Order Announcement - Bethesda at Falcata Times.

Podcasts

Michael Panush Gets PULPED! at PULPED! The New Pulp Podcast.

Television/Web series

Elementary: Season 1, Episode 22. Risk Management at Thinking about books.
Revolution 1.17: Even Better Nanites at Paul Levinson's Infinite Regress.
When Sliders went to paradise, it was pure hell for viewers by Rob Bricken at io9.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger on Amazing Stories and a volunteer editor for Alt Hist magazine. His fiction can be found at Echelon Press, Jake's Monthly and The Were-Traveler. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.