Weekly Update #130

Editor's Note

Important message time!

I will be taking the month of December off. I have been breaking a lot of blogging promises lately and I need to be realistic about my schedule. I am no longer working as a contract attorney, which gave me a lot of flexibility in my schedule. My new job doesn't give me much leeway for blogging and even less time for my fiction writing, which is disappointing after the successful year I had so far. I need some time away. A time to recuperate and work on some other projects.

So what does this mean? Well this is the last Weekly Update for the month (and the year as well technically). I probably will continue to run the New Releases since they are not hard to write and maybe an occasional post if I feel up to it. I will be writing an end of the year post as I always do, but guest posts will have to wait. I will still be blogging over at Amazing Stories, so for those who have sent my review copies, I will try to get to them over there.

Thank you all for your continued support of Alternate History Weekly Update. This blog has been a blast to edit and I never want to abandon it completely. Hopefully the new year will bring a renewed sense of energy and enthusiasm.

And now the news...

Video Gallery

This week videos features a discussion about the truth and fiction about piracy in the new game, Assassin's Creed IV:

Following that, the men of Achievement Hunter do a let's play in Assassin's Creed IV multiplayer:

Finally, get a behind the scenes look at the recent Epic Rap Battles of History Episode:

Calendar

Dec 14: Last day to fund the Monster of the Sky Kickstarter.

Dec 19: Last day to fund the Cars, Cards & Carbines Kickstater.

Links to the Multiverse

Articles

SFWA Raises Qualification Standard Payment Rates for Short Fiction at SFWA.

Books

One week until The Gravity of the Affair launches! by Michael J. Martinez.
Roma Nova world building (2) by Alison Morton.

Counterfactual/Traditional History

Could Napoleon have escaped from St. Helena? by Shannon Selin.
The Darkest Timeline: An Alternate History of the 2014 Spurs by calebjsaenz at SB Nation.
Hanukkah is really about a Jewish civil war pitting Hellenists against Maccabees by James Ponet at Slate.
How the British see the states by Michael J. Trinklein at Lost States.
Steampunk Alternate History Research: Burma by Bryan Thao Worra at On The Other Side Of The Eye.
Trotskyite singularitarians for Monarchism! A political speculation. by Charlie Stross at Chralie's Diary.
The 'what if' question by Vivek Dehejia at Business Standard.

Games

Crusader Kings 2 mod brings zombies to the middle ages by Phil Savage at PC Gamer.

Interviews

Anne Lyle at Fantasy Faction.
Richard Ellis Preston, Jr at My Bookish Ways.

Reviews

The Afrika Reich at Markian Musings.
An Apparatus Infernum: Bronze Gods at Falcata Times.
Bioshock Infinite: Burial At Sea at Falcata Times.
Hitler Stopped by Franco at Alt Hist.
Monsters of Earth at Thinking about books.
The Two Georges at Bubblews.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. His new short story "Road Trip" can be found in Forbidden Future: A Time Travel Anthology. 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.