Remove ads

What's the most Cringeworthy Alternate History you've ever read?

There's this book by Matt Ruff called The Mirage, which features a reverse War on Terror.

Basically, a group of Middle Eastern nations formed the Arab League and broke off from the Ottoman Empire. After declaring their independence and fighting off the Ottomans, they formed the United Arab States, initially made up of thirteen states. With the discovery of vast oil reserves and the Suez, their economy grew rapidly.

Then comes World War 2, where the UAS defeats the Axis, still made up of Germany Italy and Japan. Hitler's beheaded and Germany is divided into two states: One Jewish and one Christian.

Fast forward a few decades and Christian fundamentalists launch a terrorist attack on the UAS. They hijack four airliners and destroy the World Trade Center, this one in Baghdad, and their version of the Pentagon. In retaliation, the UAS invades the Rockies, this world's Afghanistan, before declaring a larger War on Terror. The "Axis of Evil", is made of Christian State of America, run by Lyndon B Johnson, the United Kingdom and...North Korea?

Eventually, the UAS invades the CSA and depose Johnson. However, they find themselves stuck fighting a massive insurgency. Most of North America, alongside Europe, are this world's Middle East.

Now, most of the bizarre stuff in this timeline can be forgiven. Its revealed there's a supernatural force behind the creation of this world and it all eventually gets swept away in massive sandstorm.
 
Last edited:
Uncle said:
There's this book by Matt Ruff called The Mirage, which features a reverse War on Terror.

Basically, a group of Middle Eastern nations formed the Arab League and broke off from the Ottoman Empire. After declaring their independence and fighting off the Ottomans, they formed the United Arab States, initially made up of thirteen states. With the discovery of vast oil reserves and the Suez, their economy grew rapidly.

Then comes World War 2, where the UAS defeats the Axis, still made up of Germany Italy and Japan. Hitler's beheaded and Germany is divided into two states: One Jewish and one Christian.

Fast forward a few decades and Christian fundamentalists launch a terrorist attack on the UAS. They hijack four airliners and destroy the World Trade Center, this one in Baghdad, and their version of the Pentagon. In retaliation, the UAS invades the Rockies, this world's Afghanistan, before declaring a larger War on Terror. The "Axis of Evil", is made of Christian State of America, run by Lyndon B Johnson, the United Kingdom and...North Korea?

Eventually, the UAS invades the CSA and depose Johnson. However, they find themselves stuck fighting a massive insurgency. Most of North America, alongside Europe, are this world's Middle East.

Now, most of the bizarre stuff in this timeline can be forgiven. Its revealed there's a supernatural force behind the creation of this world and it all eventually gets swept away in massive sandstorm.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
This sounds like it could be good if it had some interesting political or philosophical message, or just any sort of unique point in general.
 
Joyeux said:
This sounds like it could be good if it had some interesting political or philosophical message, or just any sort of unique point in general.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
The problem with the book was that it focused too much on the supernatural elements in it. A lot of exposition I mentioned comes from this timeline's version of Wikipedia. There are a lot of elements that could have been interesting if they have been explored more in-depth.

For example, its heavily implied that there's no gay rights movement, at least in the Middle East. Yet the greater implications of this aren't explored much.
 
Uncle said:
Fast forward a few decades and Christian fundamentalists launch a terrorist attack on the UAS. They hijack four airliners and destroy the World Trade Center, this one in Baghdad, and their version of the Pentagon. In retaliation, the UAS invades the Rockies, this world's Afghanistan, before declaring a larger War on Terror. The "Axis of Evil", is made of Christian State of America, run by Lyndon B Johnson, the United Kingdom and...North Korea?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Wait a second, is this a Best Korea scenario where Johnson was made "Eternal President" after his death, or is LBJ still alive and running things at 100?
 
Silent Runner said:
Wait a second, is this a Best Korea scenario where Johnson was made "Eternal President" after his death, or is LBJ still alive and running things at 100?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
From what I remember, LBJ was still alive but he's not longer in power. Though he did run his country until he was in his nineties.

Korea only gets a brief mention.
 
Oh, I remember someonestook the idea on the daily show where half of the us becomes part of Canada, Alberta becomes part of the United States, and the us becomes the United Christian states.

It didn't go far though. It kinda collapsed in on its own ridiculousness.
 
Mirage is actually pretty good from what I remember.
 
Here's another one to add to the discussion: a future history novel titled People's Republic by Kurt Schlichter. It's all about how the Blue States turn into hellholes (or at least Schlichter's idea of a hellhole) when they choose to secede from Real America. Witness the horrors of cities running solely on public transit and the terror of the PC police, all while our brave protagonist goes in to rescue a Real American's daughter from the Snowflake Hordes.

Low-hanging fruit, to be sure, albeit still worth mentioning.
 
pterynxli said:
Witness the horrors of cities running solely on public transit
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Which I wouldn't object to more of. Light rail would be a nice thing where I live, though the planned expansion to the buses don't seem too bad.

pterynxli said:
terror of the PC police
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Fines? Prison time? Outright executions?

pterynxli said:
Real American's daughter
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Who's probably blonde, leggy, and sports breasts about the size of her head…
 
pterynxli said:
our brave protagonist goes in to rescue a Real American's daughter
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Let me guess. They're both also redneck religious, while the blue states banned religion and persecute anyone who's not a radical atheist and who criticizes their government or isn't politically correct. Also is it a satire or real?

Edit: Though if its set in the future, is it really alternate history?
 
Last edited:
@Adamgerd No it's not satirical. Kurt Schlichter is an old-school suburban SoCal Republican who is just oozing with resentment for liberals and leftists, and lets his resentment be on full display in the book.
 
Adamgerd said:
I thought it was left-wing and supported the Democrat Party so why that descriptor in particular?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
It's also the region that gave us Ronald Reagan. It took the California Republicans a while to completely discredit themselves with most of the state, and the suburbs are often more right leaning than other parts of the state.
 
Silent Runner said:
The state of California isn't a hive-mind you know.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Well yeah but I get old-school, just was surprised of South Californian as a description, is the south more republican than the north?

mesonoxian said:
It's also the region that gave us Ronald Reagan. It took the California Republicans a while to completely discredit themselves with most of the state, and the suburbs are often more right leaning than other parts of the state.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Ah
 
You must login or register to reply here.
Remove ads
Back
Top