Gunpowder Empire
Encyclopedia
Gunpowder Empire is an alternate history novel by Harry Turtledove
. It is the first part of the Crosstime Traffic
series.
to go back and forth from parallel versions of Earth
to trade for resources to help sustain their version of Earth. One summer, the children work with their parents, going to Polisso - in our timeline a village in Romania
with ancient ruins nearby, in the alternate timeline a major city of a Roman Empire
that never collapsed.
In the intervening centuries, the Romans advanced to the extent of inventing gunpowder
- hence the title of the book - putting their armies on about 17th Century level. By 2100 they had not, however, gone through an industrial revolution
and much of their social institutions, in particular slavery
, remain as much as they were in earlier Roman times. North of the Roman Empire, a rival Lietuvan Empire has grown up, with occasional wars breaking out between the two. Romans consider the Lietuvans as "barbarians", though in fact the two have much the same level of technology and culture.
When the youngsters' mother becomes sick, their father takes her back to their home time for treatment, expecting to come back in a few days - but the cross-time travel equipment suffers a break in link, stranding Jeremy and Amanda in Polisso just as the Lietuvan Army crosses the border, placing Polisso under siege. At the same time, the Roman authorities begin to grow suspicious of their trade mission and the origin of such items as watches and Swiss army knives which they offer for sale and which no artisan in the Empire can match.
reviewing for Booklist
said "Seemingly a series opener intended to introduce the concept of parallel worlds and Turtledove’s take on it, the book succeeds as an homage to parallelworlds pioneer Piper
and a well-told, engaging tale. Peter Cannon reviewing for Publishers Weekly
said "Turtledove presents his teenaged heroes with a series of moral choices and dilemmas that will particularly resonate with younger fans. This is a rousing story that reminds us that "adventure" really is someone else in deep trouble a long way off." Don D'Ammassa in his review for the Journal Chronicle praised the novel saying "I really enjoyed this one, which had lively characters and events, and whose setting seemed much more interesting and better realized than that in the author s other recent novels."
Harry Turtledove
Harry Norman Turtledove is an American novelist, who has produced works in several genres including alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction.- Life :...
. It is the first part of the Crosstime Traffic
Crosstime Traffic
Crosstime Traffic is a series of books by Harry Turtledove. The central premise of the stories is an Earth that has discovered access to alternate universes where history went differently. "Crosstime Traffic" is the name of the company with a global monopoly on the technology.-Background:The...
series.
Plot summary
In the novel, Jeremy and Amanda Solter are two teenagers living in the late 21st century. Their parents work for Crosstime Traffic, a trading company using time travelTime travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
to go back and forth from parallel versions of Earth
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
to trade for resources to help sustain their version of Earth. One summer, the children work with their parents, going to Polisso - in our timeline a village in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
with ancient ruins nearby, in the alternate timeline a major city of a Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
that never collapsed.
In the intervening centuries, the Romans advanced to the extent of inventing gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
- hence the title of the book - putting their armies on about 17th Century level. By 2100 they had not, however, gone through an industrial revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
and much of their social institutions, in particular slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
, remain as much as they were in earlier Roman times. North of the Roman Empire, a rival Lietuvan Empire has grown up, with occasional wars breaking out between the two. Romans consider the Lietuvans as "barbarians", though in fact the two have much the same level of technology and culture.
When the youngsters' mother becomes sick, their father takes her back to their home time for treatment, expecting to come back in a few days - but the cross-time travel equipment suffers a break in link, stranding Jeremy and Amanda in Polisso just as the Lietuvan Army crosses the border, placing Polisso under siege. At the same time, the Roman authorities begin to grow suspicious of their trade mission and the origin of such items as watches and Swiss army knives which they offer for sale and which no artisan in the Empire can match.
Reception
Roland J. GreenRoland J. Green
Roland James Green is an American science fiction and fantasy writer and editor. He has written as Roland Green and Roland J. Green; and had 28 books in the Richard Blade series published as Jeffrey Lord .- Early life and personal matters :Green was born in Bradford, Pennsylvania, in 1944...
reviewing for Booklist
Booklist
Booklist is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. It is geared toward libraries and booksellers and is available in print or online...
said "Seemingly a series opener intended to introduce the concept of parallel worlds and Turtledove’s take on it, the book succeeds as an homage to parallelworlds pioneer Piper
H. Beam Piper
Henry Beam Piper was an American science fiction author. He wrote many short stories and several novels. He is best known for his extensive Terro-Human Future History series of stories and a shorter series of "Paratime" alternate history tales.He wrote under the name H. Beam Piper...
and a well-told, engaging tale. Peter Cannon reviewing for Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
said "Turtledove presents his teenaged heroes with a series of moral choices and dilemmas that will particularly resonate with younger fans. This is a rousing story that reminds us that "adventure" really is someone else in deep trouble a long way off." Don D'Ammassa in his review for the Journal Chronicle praised the novel saying "I really enjoyed this one, which had lively characters and events, and whose setting seemed much more interesting and better realized than that in the author s other recent novels."
External links
- Review by Steven H SilverSteven H SilverSteven H Silver is an American science fiction fan and bibliographer, publisher, and editor. He has been nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer ten times and Best Fanzine three times without winning....
- Gunpowder Empire at the Harry Turtledove Wiki
See also
- RomanitasRomanitas (novel)Romanitas is an alternate history novel by Sophia McDougall, published by Orion Books. It is the first of a planned trilogy of novels based on a world where the Roman Empire has survived to contemporary times and now dominates much of the world....
- Warlords of UtopiaWarlords of UtopiaWarlords of Utopia is an original novel by Lance Parkin set in the Faction Paradox universe. It has been described as 'possibly [Parkin's] finest accomplishment to date'....
- Roma EternaRoma EternaRoma Eterna is a 2003 novel by Robert Silverberg which presents an alternate history in which the Roman Empire survives to the present day.-Plot introduction:...
- Bread and Circuses (Star Trek)