Okay, so by the time you're reading this, you probably already know that *The Guns of the South* by Harry Turtledove is an alternate history novel set in the early years of a Confederate States of America that *won* the Civil War thanks to future weapons and knowledge. So, let's dive into some of the things you might like (or not) about it. Think of this as your guide to deciding if this alternate history book is for you: * This isn't some kind of apology for the South's 'peculiar institutio...

Back in the 90s, seeing copies of Harry Turtledove's *The Guns of the South* floating around my New Orleans high school wasn't unusual. The cover was eye-catching and darkly funny, showing Robert E. Lee striking his iconic pose, only this time he was holding an AK-47. I put off reading it until 2019, when I decided to see what Turtledove's take on the subject was back in 1992. The main character of *The Guns of the South* is Lee himself. In 1864, he accepts AK-47s from the time-traveling "Rivin...

The best alternate history novel?Hell, I don’t know, I haven’t read that many, but *The Guns of the South* was pretty damn good.SPOILER ALERT! In this book, the South wins the Civil War! OK, so not that much of a spoiler, I think that’s on the cover. But HOW that happens is how Harry Turtledove makes this interesting.A group of racist South Africans goes back in time and equips General Lee’s army with AK-47s. The added firepower was all the crafty old tactician needed to turn the tide on Grant a...

Despite my love for alternate history, I hadn't explored it much, and Harry Turtledove's work was completely new to me until I picked up **The Guns of the South**. (I know, shocking, considering he's practically synonymous with the genre!) But I'd heard for years that this novel was a must-read, and finally decided to dive in. I'm so glad I did; it's early, but this could easily be my favorite book of 2017. Like many books, the Goodreads description for **The Guns of the South** is straight fro...

I stumbled across "The Guns of the South" while prowling around this very site and was instantly captivated by the cover; I mean, it's a picture of famous Confederate General Robert E. Lee holding one of the most recognizable firearms of our time--the AK-47. To be honest, it's not even well-done; he's gripping it all weird and it just kind of looks like shit. Throw in a good review from one of my friends on the site and it was an easy three or four dollars to spend, even though I swear the young...

This is a remarkably well-researched book that intricately explores two distinct societies: the American South and South Africa. If you're looking for alternative history books, Harry Turtledove's *The Guns of the South* is a must-read.

The best novel about evil, racist time-travelers from the future who supply AK-47s to the Confederacy so they can win the Civil War that I've ever read. If you're looking for unique historical fiction, check out Harry Turtledove's *The Guns of the South*.

The Premise: Imagine white nationalist Afrikaners traveling back in time to arm Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia with fully automatic AK-47 rifles right before the Battle of the Wilderness in 1864. Mayhem ensues.That's the core of it. The Guns of the South is essentially that premise played out to one possible conclusion. While the idea is fantastical, it's cleverly subversive. By tackling the most popular "what if" scenario in alternate history (the South wins the Civil War), Harry Tur...

I originally reviewed *The Guns of the South* some years back. This is an update as of August 17, 2015. I read *The Guns of the South* years ago, and I must say, I really liked it. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the last in what felt like an endless series of books that I enjoyed. Actually, *The Guns of the South* doesn't really have anything to do with that aforementioned endless series on the Civil War. It simply treads the same subject matter. That's what I liked about it... I burned out...

This is a fantastic book. The cover features Robert E. Lee wielding an AK-47, so you immediately know it's not your typical historical novel. While a Confederate victory aided by time travel might seem far-fetched, that's not really the heart of "The Guns of the South" by Harry Turtledove. The story delves much deeper into the Confederate States as a nation and how they grapple with their internal issues, as well as confronting a racism fueled by pure hatred (from the time travelers), contrastin...