thomcat's review against another edition
4.0
Bring the Jubilee is told in two parts, entirely from the perspective of Hodgins "Hodge" Backmaker, citizen an alternate timeline United States. As a reader and historian, Hodge ponders many facts about the timeline - the Confederate states won the war and thrived afterward, the former United States stagnated, and the German Union won the Emperor's War (1914-1916).
In the first section of the book, Hodge leaves home and has adventures. Much is revealed about his character and some of the political climate, but not much. He also meets proponents of two different philosophies, allowing the author to comment on free will. This section is not as interesting to read, and it has been said that much of this past parallels the authors life.
In the second section, Hodge rescues a young woman in distress and joins a self-sufficient collective of scholars and intellectuals. Here the story really builds, gathering in action, more politics, a love interest, and eventually the invention of a time machine. Who better than history Hodge to travel back and observe the Battle of Gettysburg, where the South won the war?
This books is expanded from a novella released a year earlier, and I suspect the second section is the majority of that story. I found the novel a bit lacking for the added pieces, though it was included in David Pringle's list of the 100 best science fiction novels, among other accolades. I plan to track down the novella (collected in [b:The Best Alternate History Stories of the 20th Century|293299|The Best Alternate History Stories of the 20th Century|Harry Turtledove|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388529979s/293299.jpg|1546279]) for reading soon.
In the first section of the book, Hodge leaves home and has adventures. Much is revealed about his character and some of the political climate, but not much. He also meets proponents of two different philosophies, allowing the author to comment on free will. This section is not as interesting to read, and it has been said that much of this past parallels the authors life.
In the second section, Hodge rescues a young woman in distress and joins a self-sufficient collective of scholars and intellectuals. Here the story really builds, gathering in action, more politics, a love interest, and eventually the invention of a time machine. Who better than history Hodge to travel back and observe the Battle of Gettysburg, where the South won the war?
This books is expanded from a novella released a year earlier, and I suspect the second section is the majority of that story. I found the novel a bit lacking for the added pieces, though it was included in David Pringle's list of the 100 best science fiction novels, among other accolades. I plan to track down the novella (collected in [b:The Best Alternate History Stories of the 20th Century|293299|The Best Alternate History Stories of the 20th Century|Harry Turtledove|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388529979s/293299.jpg|1546279]) for reading soon.
sirlancelot2021's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
eigendecomp's review against another edition
5.0
Before [b:The Man in the High Castle|216363|The Man in the High Castle|Philip K. Dick|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1448756803l/216363._SY75_.jpg|2398287] there was Bring the Jubilee and in my personal opinion it's probably the better book among the two, because the space taken up by psychodelic rambling in TMHC is used to build a really compelling backstory for the protagonist here.
wishanem's review
3.0
What would the 1950's have been like in a world where the US lost the Civil War?
Ward Moore's "Bring the Jubilee" tells the story of an introverted man's search for a meaningful life in a gaslit, steam-powered, 3rd-World United States.
This book is an expanded version of a short story published in 1952, and that detail is apparent. You can see the padding necessary to make it novel-length; the plot drags in places, and the story meanders toward its conclusion through slow side-plots. Some of the extraneous supporting cast are actually quite interesting, specifically the protagonist's romantic partners. They're dramatically different from one another in ambitions and behaviors. Honestly, each of them has more distinct personality than the protagonist, and his actions are almost exclusively reactions to them and their actions.
One last note; A moderate familiarity with the events and notable generals of the Civil War, its aftermath, and late 1800s US history would greatly enhance a reader's enjoyment of this book.
Ward Moore's "Bring the Jubilee" tells the story of an introverted man's search for a meaningful life in a gaslit, steam-powered, 3rd-World United States.
This book is an expanded version of a short story published in 1952, and that detail is apparent. You can see the padding necessary to make it novel-length; the plot drags in places, and the story meanders toward its conclusion through slow side-plots. Some of the extraneous supporting cast are actually quite interesting, specifically the protagonist's romantic partners. They're dramatically different from one another in ambitions and behaviors. Honestly, each of them has more distinct personality than the protagonist, and his actions are almost exclusively reactions to them and their actions.
One last note; A moderate familiarity with the events and notable generals of the Civil War, its aftermath, and late 1800s US history would greatly enhance a reader's enjoyment of this book.
stuedb's review
3.0
I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13888744
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13888744
jarichan's review
3.0
Ein Klassiker des Genres der Alternativen Geschichte. Moore stellt die Frage, wie Amerika aussehen würde, wenn der Süden den Bürgerkrieg gewonnen hätte. Dabei zeichnet er ein für uns ungewohntes Bild eines armen und verlotterten Nordens. Die Stellung der Schwarzen ist eine andere. Die Menschen führen ein anderes Leben.
Die Handlung selbst jedoch fliesst eher zäh und trocken dahin. Erst gegen Ende nimmt sie ein wenig an Fahrt auf. Jedoch hätte ich mich noch mehr für die Gesellschaft und die wirtschaftlichen Zusammenhänge interessiert. Moore konzentriert sich aber eher auf seinen Helden und seine intelektuelle Entwicklung.
Somit ein interessantes Buch, aber nicht ganz das, wonach ich gesucht hatte.
Die Handlung selbst jedoch fliesst eher zäh und trocken dahin. Erst gegen Ende nimmt sie ein wenig an Fahrt auf. Jedoch hätte ich mich noch mehr für die Gesellschaft und die wirtschaftlichen Zusammenhänge interessiert. Moore konzentriert sich aber eher auf seinen Helden und seine intelektuelle Entwicklung.
Somit ein interessantes Buch, aber nicht ganz das, wonach ich gesucht hatte.
inthelunaseas's review
2.0
I enjoyed the premise- an alternate history where the world was more or less completely altered with the American Civil War where the south won. This one point is what got me interested in reading the book. I like alternate histories, and I thought this one would be quite good. Unfortunately, I found the first two thirds of the story to be unbelievably drab and it took me a while to really get through it. When the last third did come about, it went by so quickly that I felt as though I'd been done over. I couldn't believe that it was just over, and that was that.
I think I partly couldn't get into Moore's writing. I wanted to, and there was nothing wrong with the writing, I just didn't find it agreeable. There was also the character of Barbara. Good grief, I found her to be one of the most annoying characters I have ever read. Every page she was on was like nails on a chalkboard. I guess she was meant to have some kind of damaged, broken past, but she drove me up the wall. In a way, most of the characters in the book were like that- gratingly irritating with just a touch of nausea.
But hey, if this book floats your boat, good for you.
I think I partly couldn't get into Moore's writing. I wanted to, and there was nothing wrong with the writing, I just didn't find it agreeable. There was also the character of Barbara. Good grief, I found her to be one of the most annoying characters I have ever read. Every page she was on was like nails on a chalkboard. I guess she was meant to have some kind of damaged, broken past, but she drove me up the wall. In a way, most of the characters in the book were like that- gratingly irritating with just a touch of nausea.
But hey, if this book floats your boat, good for you.
thegrandnarrative's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
brizreading's review
4.0
The first alt history book? Perhaps. Proto-steampunk? Fo' sho'.
Ward Moore relates a tale of an alternative reality 1950s USA, where, 90 years ago, the Union lost the Civil War and now a divided North America struggles to get by. The industrialized North has decayed into a decrepit, poverty-stricken smogfest (hence the steampunk), while the South/CSA is put-putting along with slavery and agricultural stuff. Protagonist is a bookish history student who wins a scholarship to study at a fancy Dead Poets Society-esque college in rural Pennsylvania. There, he hits it off with a lady physicist, who... has invented a time travel machine! Hilarity ensues. Well, not really.
Ward Moore relates a tale of an alternative reality 1950s USA, where, 90 years ago, the Union lost the Civil War and now a divided North America struggles to get by. The industrialized North has decayed into a decrepit, poverty-stricken smogfest (hence the steampunk), while the South/CSA is put-putting along with slavery and agricultural stuff. Protagonist is a bookish history student who wins a scholarship to study at a fancy Dead Poets Society-esque college in rural Pennsylvania. There, he hits it off with a lady physicist, who... has invented a time travel machine! Hilarity ensues. Well, not really.