Showing posts with label Charlemagne. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Charlemagne. Show all posts

Monday, October 19, 2015

Map Monday: Frankish Empire (1651) by Zrew33

The Franks have fascinated alternate historians for a long time. You always see a few alternate histories where Charlemagne's empire stays together after his death and thrives, and todays map is no exception:
This is "Frankish Empire (1651)" by Zrew33, a newcomer to Map Monday. Zrew33 doesn't go into to many details about the map's backstory, but we do know that "Charlemagne only has a single legitimate heir. This allows for a more solidified Frankish Empire that eventually splinters sometime after only to reforms back into the Empire under similar situations as OTL Holy Roman Empire." The result is an empire with an elective monarchy usually given to Charlemagne's heirs. Their current rival is the Eastern Romans, but they have gunpowder legions and the resources of the newly discovered western continents with which to deal with their enemies.

The map is very well done, but the description included with it needs some work. The content isn't bad per se, its just poorly presented, with a lot of grammatical errors and typesetting issues. Let this be a warning to everyone that adding text to a map is as much of an art form as drawing border or coloring a region. Still its a worthy map for Map Monday and a good example of a more successful Carolingian Empire.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger on Amazing Stories and a Sidewise Awards for Alternate History judgeWhen not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the day when travel between parallel universes becomes a reality. You can follow him on FacebookTwitter and YouTube. Learn how you can support his alternate history projects on Patreon.

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

New Releases 10/14/14

You can support The Update by clicking the banner to your right or the links below if you are purchasing through Amazon!

Hardcovers

The Accidental Highwayman: Being the Tale of Kit Bristol, His Horse Midnight, a Mysterious Princess, and Sundry Magical Persons Besides by Ben Tripp

The Accidental Highwayman is the first swashbuckling adventure for young adults by talented author and illustrator, Ben Tripp. This thrilling tale of dark magic and true love is the perfect story for fans of William Goldman’s The Princess Bride.

In eighteenth-century England, young Christopher “Kit” Bristol is the unwitting servant of notorious highwayman Whistling Jack. One dark night, Kit finds his master bleeding from a mortal wound, dons the man’s riding cloak to seek help, and changes the course of his life forever. Mistaken for Whistling Jack and on the run from redcoats, Kit is catapulted into a world of magic and wonders he thought the stuff of fairy tales.

Bound by magical law, Kit takes up his master’s quest to rescue a rebellious fairy princess from an arranged marriage to King George III of England. But his task is not an easy one, for Kit must contend with the feisty Princess Morgana, gobling attacks, and a magical map that portends his destiny: as a hanged man upon the gallows….

Fans of classic fairy-tale fantasies such as Stardust by Neil Gaiman and will find much to love in this irresistible YA debut by Ben Tripp, the son of one of America’s most beloved illustrators, Wallace Tripp (Amelia Bedelia). Following in his father’s footsteps, Ben has woven illustrations throughout the story.

“Delightful and charming. A swashbuckling adventure in the vein of Robert Louis Stevenson.” —#1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson

Glory O'Brien's History of the Future by AS King

In this masterpiece about freedom, feminism, and destiny, Printz Honor author A.S. King tells the epic story of a girl coping with devastating loss at long last--a girl who has no idea that the future needs her, and that the present needs her even more.

Graduating from high school is a time of limitless possibilities--but not for Glory, who has no plan for what's next. Her mother committed suicide when Glory was only four years old, and she's never stopped wondering if she will eventually go the same way...until a transformative night when she begins to experience an astonishing new power to see a person's infinite past and future. From ancient ancestors to many generations forward, Glory is bombarded with visions--and what she sees ahead of her is terrifying: A tyrannical new leader raises an army. Women's rights disappear. A violent second civil war breaks out. And young girls vanish daily, sold off or interned in camps. Glory makes it her mission to record everything she sees, hoping her notes will somehow make a difference. She may not see a future for herself, but she'll do anything to make sure this one doesn't come to pass.

Vango: Between Sky and Earth by Timothee de Fombelle

A breathless adventure from international award winner Timothée de Fombelle charts a desperate search for identity across the vast expanses of Europe.

In a world between wars, a young man on the cusp of taking priestly vows is suddenly made a fugitive. Fleeing the accusations of police who blame him for a murder, as well as more sinister forces with darker intentions, Vango attempts to trace the secrets of his shrouded past and prove his innocence before all is lost. As he crisscrosses the continent via train, boat, and even the Graf Zeppelin airship, his adventures take him from Parisian rooftops to Mediterranean islands to Scottish forests. A mysterious, unforgettable, and romantic protagonist, Vango tells a thrilling story sure to captivate lovers of daring escapades and subversive heroes.

Paperbacks

The Cutting Room: Dark Reflections of the Silver Screen edited by Ellen Datlow

The credits have rolled, but the lights are still off. Something is lurking on the other side of the screen. There are dark secrets, starving monsters, and haunted survivors who refuse to be left on the cutting room floor. But that’s okay, right? After all, everybody loves the movies....

Here are twenty-three terrifying tales, dark reflections of the silver screen from both sides of the camera. James Dean gets a second chance at life—and death. The Wicked Witch is out of Oz, and she's made some very unlucky friends. When God decides reality needs an editor, what—and who—gets cut? These award-winning, bestselling authors will take you to the darkest depths of the theater and beyond.

The Time Roads by Beth Bernobich

From Beth Bernobich, the critically acclaimed author of the River of Souls trilogy, comes The Time Roads, a fantastical 19th century alternate historical steampunk romp.

Éire is one of the most powerful empires in the world. The Anglian Dependencies are a dusty backwater filled with resentful colonial subjects, Europe is a disjointed mess, and many look to Éire for stability and peace. In a series of braided stories, Beth Bernobich has created a tale about the brilliant Éireann scientists who have already bent the laws of nature for Man's benefit. And who now are striving to conquer the nature of time.

Games

Crusader Kings II: Charlemagne by Paradox Interactive

The Father of Europe leads the youngest expansion to Paradox Development Studio’s best-selling grand strategy game, Crusader Kings II. Charlemagne, the newest expansion to Crusader Kings II, is available now worldwide for Windows, Mac, and Linux PCs. This major expansion adds new story events, another hundred years of gameplay and long requested game features to the widely popular grand strategy game of dynastic politics and family rivalry.

As usual, the expansion will be accompanied by a host of free changes to the core Crusader Kings II experience, available in a major update that can be downloaded today. This free content includes a major overhaul to the nomadic tribes of Europe – now they are even more distinct from their neighbors hiding behind castle walls.

"Charlemagne" will introduce Crusader Kings II players to the man who became the “Father of Europe,” uniting much of the continent for the first time since the since the fall of Rome and founding the Holy Roman Empire. Including the ability to start a dynasty as far back as 769 AD, the expansion will include a series of story events surrounding the rise of Charlemagne. The expansion also features game options to allow players to chart their own places in history – such as a new in-game “Chronicle” that highlights a dynasty’s conquests, marriages, and labors for the faith.

To fans, authors and publishers...

Is your story going to be published in time for the next New Releases? Contact us 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 and a blogger on Amazing Stories. Check out his short fiction. 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.

Monday, October 6, 2014

Weekly Update #163

Editor's Note

So I was blocked from the AltHistory Wiki!

Well, not really. My old user name still works (after I remembered the password), but my IP address is blocked. So when I am not logged in, I can't edit anything. A little digging by myself discovered it happened after I corrected some bad grammar while I was not logged in...on an article I worked on extensively when I was still a member of the wiki. Now I am sure the admin did not know it was me, but it does seem a little ridiculous to undo a harmless edit and ban the person. Of course the wiki has had these issues in the past. I'm not trying to cause a stink, just suggesting a light touch next time when dealing with anon edits.

Maybe I will write a more thorough article on my thoughts on the Wiki, but I don't know.

Some more bad news. I downloaded and installed Crusader Kings II this weekend and discovered it doesn't work on my computer. It runs, but I don't have the minimal graphics capabilities on my Toshiba laptop. I may be in the market for a new computer with a better video card, preferably something with NVIDIA GeForce 8800, an ATI Radeon® X1900 or better. Any suggestions?

Some good news now. I broke my monthly page view record again. The final count for the month of September was 22,711 views. Thanks everyone!

Some more good news, my research paper on the alternate history fandom is progressing well. I read a lot of articles and took a lot of notes that helped flesh out the paper more. I even had a eureka moment where I remembered Stirling once commenting on people dissecting his Draka books online. Wish me luck that I can keep the momentum going (we all know what happened to my podcast).

Even more good news: part 2 of my conversation with Daniel Bensen of The Kingdoms of Evil podcast is up. So please check it out.

And now the news...

Videos for Alternate Historians

What? No major news? Or was I just being lazy? O well lets look at some videos. We begin with "4 U.S. Presidents Whose Lives Put Action Movies to Shame" from Cracked's Badassing Your Way Through History:
Next we have the trailer for Epic Rap Battles of History's new season:
G-g-g-g-ghost Hitler!!!! Anywho, lets go back in time and learn how hard it was to be a jouster on Culture Shock:
Man, A Knight's Tale made it look so easy. Oops, the time machine just sent us into the future...well to our old future. Let's check out Syfy's new trailer for Ascension:
And since I have been talking so much Paradox these days, lets finish with the trailer of Crusader Kings II: Charlemagne:

Links to the Multiverse

Books


8 Alternate History Books by Jonathan Melville at Scottish Book Trust.
COVER REVEAL- The Diamond Conspiracy by Philippa Ballantine at The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences.
Cover & Synopsis: CHRONICA by Paul Levinson at SF Signal.
David Brin, Bruce Sterling & Daniel Suarez – Manual for Civilization Lists by Mikl Em at The Long Now Foundation.
Gail's Steampunk Book Recs from Convolution by Gail Carriger.
Is It Science Fiction? Harry Turtledove and the Ways that the South Won the Civil War at Thatjeffcarter Was Here.
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell Reread: Introduction by Kate Nepveu at Tor.com
Recommended Reading by Professionals…with David Barnett at SF Signal.
Review: California Bones by Greg Van Eekout at The Skiffy and Fanty Show.
Review: Hive Monkey by Gareth L Powell at Sibilant Fricative.
Review: Wars to End all Wars edited by GL Lathian at Midlist Writer.
Stop the (parallel) Worlds – I Want To Get Off! by Alastair Savage at Amazing Stories.
Time Travellers at Hodderscape.

Comics

Review: World War Kaiju by Josh Finney and Patrick McEvoy at Nerd Binge.

Counterfactuals, History and News

An Adams family dynasty in the US? by Dale Cozort.
Alternate History: What If Anne of Cleves Refused the Terms of the Annulment by AlexandriaIngham at Wizzley.
(Arab-Jewish Reconciliation) Counterfactual Counter-history (Feisel-Weizmann Agreement) by Zachary Braiterman at Jewish Philosophy Place.
Bill Gates Wants To Change How We Teach History In High Schools by Peter Jacobs at Business Insider.
Colorado school board vote doesn't appease critics by Colleen Slevin at Yahoo.
Fox News Poll: Voters reveal which state they want kicked out of the union by Dana Blanton at Fox News.
If you haven’t noticed, counterfactual histories are *so* hot right now by Mian at History Mine.
JIMMY CARTER: 'I Could Have Wiped Iran Off The Map' by Hunter Walker at Yahoo.
Newly-Declassified CIA Document Says Ben Franklin Was A Security Risk by Mark Strauss at io9.
The Real-Life Letter Of Apology Written By The Salem Witch Trial Jury by Charlie Jane Anders at io9.
Why It's A Mistake To Call ISIL "Medieval" by Mark Strauss at io9.

Film and Television

It’s About Time: Bad Robot Gets a Series Order from Hulu for Stephen King’s ‘11/22/63’ by Nicholas Graff at ScienceFiction.com.
The Man in the High Castle: Lights, camera, action in Chinatown by Assunta Ng at Asian Weekly.
'Outlander' Recap: Starz Series Makes Strong Start, Plays the Niche TV Game at The Christian Post.
Review: Space Station 76 at Amazing Stories.
VIDEO: Archival footage of The Great Martian War of 1913-1917 at SF Signal.
Why Do I Love Historical-Fiction Sex So Much? by Allison P Davis at The Cut.

Games

The alternate history of Goku in Smash Bross by JC Fletcher at Tiny Cartridge.

Interviews

Gail Carriger at Tea and Jeopardy.
Leslie S. Klinger at The HP Lovecraft Literary Podcast (More Lovecraft than alternate history, although they do talk about some topics I think you would like.)
E. Catherine Tobler at Eating Authors.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. Check out his short fiction. 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.

Friday, August 15, 2014

"Rush to the Front" for Hearts of Iron IV and New Expansions for Crusader Kings II and Europa Universalis IV

Paradox Interactive made two major announcements this week. The first is there “Rush to the Front” reward campaign for Hearts of Iron IV, the upcoming sequel to their World War II strategy game series. Players can visit the Hearts of Iron website and join one of three factions: the Axis, the Allies, or the Comintern. The more members each faction recruits, the more rewards will be unlocked for all players, and players who recruit 20 or more soldiers will have the chance gain access to the Hearts of Iron IV beta. Although I may be a tad concerned if the Axis gets the most members.

As part of this announcement, Paradox also released a new gameplay trailer for Hearts of Iron IV, displaying in-engine footage of the game’s new strategic planning system. Check it out below:
The second announcement was that new expansions are being released for Europa Universalis IV and Crusader Kings II. The expansions, entitled “Art of War” and “Charlemagne,” coming respectively to Europa Universalis IV and Crusader Kings II, will add new events, new mechanics, new in-game abilities, and plenty of new ways to alter history. Both expansions will be available for their respective games on Windows, Mac, and Linux PCs in the near future.

"Charlemagne" will introduce Crusader Kings II players to the man who united much of Western Europe for the first time since the fall of Rome and founded the Holy Roman Empire. Now starting in 769 AD, the expansion will include a series of story events that follows his rise to power, and will come with new game options to allow players to chart their own places in history; such as a new in-game “Chronicle” that highlights a dynasty’s conquests, marriages, and labors for the faith. Kingdoms are also more customizable in Charlemagne with the option to create your own with custom names and banners. You can see the trailer below:
In "Art of War", players of Europa Universalis IV will add new possibilities to explore what Clausewitz called the “continuation of politics by other means.” Changes to battle mechanics will allow players to launch sorties from sieges, sell obsolete ships and transfer occupied lands to allies. A revamped Reformation system will let you relive the Thirty Years’ War in a series of in-game events to see how they fare in Europe’s greatest conflict prior to the 20th century. Once the fighting has settled down, rulers will be able to try a new set of diplomatic options inspired by the Napoleonic Era, including the creation of client states to support, or resist, revolutions. Check out the trailer below:
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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. Check out his short fiction. 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.