Product Description

World War II seethed across the planet. Hostilities spread in ever-widening circles of destruction. Then the real enemy arrived. Out of the skies came an inhuman invasion force, their weaponary overwhelming and with a simple goal: Fleetlord Atvar had arrived to claim Earth for the Empire.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #197321 in Books
• Published on: 1994-11-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 672 pages

Customer Reviews

Is it WWII?Is it an Alien Invasion! Is it patronising?
I'm sure everyone is aware that this is an alternative history novel about an alien invasion force turning up in the middle of the 2nd World War, and yes it is incredible patronising to everyone outside the US (especially us Brits!), and yes the Yanks do save us all (eventually, sort of) but you can forgive that because of the sheer entertainment factor! It's worth reading to experience the considered view of how a different physiology and culture would affect technological development alone. It also feels like reading a history book from a parrellel universe. The scale and breadth of it is stunning. Wonderful stuff. I read it in a few days then RAN to the book shop to get the rest of them. Now I've just fallen over myself to order the next three. I do know poeple who didn't like it, but if you don't, then perhaps sci-fi's not the genre for you...

It could have been an excellent short story
This story would have made an excellent short story. But Turteldove overstretches the plot over thousands of pages. Nothing new occurs after the first book, where everything is set. I know, I've read the four books. The same characters again and again, the same structure. The last two books are really a waste of time.

Just like the rest of the series - Excellent.
Boy, do things really start moving in this book. Following on from Tilting The Ballance, Upsetting The Ballance really picks up the pace as the world powers race towards all out nuclear war with the Lizards. As with the rest of the series (although this unfortunately does not apply to the Colonization series) the authors real grasp of the time period shines through and all sides are represented without bias. This is not only a facinating sci-fi tale, you will actually learn by reading this book.

In conclusion, Upsetting The Ballance is a roller coaster ride of thrills and spills that sets the stage nicely for the series end in Striking The Ballance. Oh, one last thing.....don't go thinking any of your favorite characters are invunerable..........