THE RED GAMBIT SERIES

Hi all! I posted a review of Opening Moves on Amazon, and Mr Gee kindly suggested I join the good folks here on the forums. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and I've already started Breakthrough. The thing that impressed me most was how obviously it was a labour of love - I too have a long-held desire for a hisorical book series, and it's inspiring to know that others have trodden that path!

Anyway, I mentioned two alternate history books that I hold in great esteem, and I thought I'd share them here - perhaps you've read them, perhaps they are joys waiting to be discovered!

First up is "Lighter than a Feather", by David 'Von Ryan's Express' Westheimer. It's about what would probably have happened if the US had had to invade the home islands of Japan in 1945. It's got what I think is the best portrayal of the Imperial Japanese Army in fiction, an even-handed and nuanced look at an army that sadly all too often is reduced to caricature in the west. Westheimer has a detailed knowledge of the Japanese culture and it's shown to good effect. His characters are also good; each one believable and interesting in their own right, and they range from fighter pilots, UDT frogmen, tankers, civilians, home guard units, frontline infantry...a very varied cast! It's easily the best alternate history book in the Pacific theatre, knocking the likes of Conroy and Turtledove into a cocked hat.

The second book - simply titled "Red Army" - is more akin to Red Gambit, being about a Soviet invasion of the West, though in the late 80's rather than 1945. It's by a US Army officer, Ralph Peters, who extensively studied the Soviet army of the period, and knows what he's talking about. It's an interesting book to compare to Red Storm Rising, frequently seen as the pinnacle of the genre, but in my opinion, Red Army is a superior work. It's told entirely from the perspective of the Russians; in fact, the US is conspicious by its absence, the opposing forces being West Germans, Brits, Dutch and Belgian (hey, neat! NATO has other nations in it, too!) and again, characterisation is top-notch. The battle scenes are just as good and just as interesting; we get to see the top-down view of the Front commander, and what it's like for the uneducated conscript jumping out the back of his BMP. The ending, too, is strikingly original!

Right, I'm heading back to Red Gambit! Time to see what those pesky Russkies have up their sleeves...

i purchased red Army from Amazon. It cost me 1p, plus just over £2 post and packing. i shall let you know how I get on :-)

Try Chieftans by Bob forrest-webb about we Brits against ther warsaw pact, good book, read it whilst on the border in the Army, many many moons ago.

I used to read two books a week. i havent read a book for nearly three years now, unless it was a reference book for OM lol

Hello Colin! Did you find the time to read Red Army? If so, how was it? And how's the next book in Red Gambit coming along?

Hi there. The answer is that Red Army remains unread. Im simply too worried about picking an idea from someones book and getting into the area of plagarism. An original thought these days will be hard to come by, so need to at least me able to say honestly that I havent read or wasnt aware of something should the finger be pointed.

Impasse is presently sitting at 86266/302 pages and the bios at 47068/164 pages. the Australians are restless of course, but Im doing what i can :-)

No worries, I understand completely! I'm in the same boat; I've got a project I'm working on, and I avoid the few books that cover the same ground too.

Good to hear Impasse is progressing nicely! Any hints of a release date, or is that classified info ;-) ?

I now try not to give a possible date. I find it reduces quality and rushes me somewhat. It will be out before xmas, that's a given lol

I really enjoyed the first book, which i just finished and started breakthough. I'm a huge history nerd. A book suggestion I have would be Robert Tsouras "Brittania's Fist" and the second book "Rainbow of Blood". Both exceptional historical alternate histories on the Civil War and if the British had Intervened, causing WW1. Pretty cool.

thanks for that

The ending for Red Army was beyond frustrating. However I can see what Col. Peters was trying to say with it.

Being new to Alternate History WW11 novels, grateful thanks to Red Gambit Series, I looked for similar novels. Andy Farman is writing a series on WW111 set around the present, I have read his first 3 in the series, and find them as enjoyable as Mr Gee's.

thank you ;-)