Weapons of Choice: Axis of Time, Book 1

Like “The West Wing”, this novel takes place in the alternative universe that progressives retreat into when they don’t get their way. This installment is ripped off from a much-better 1970s movie (The Final Countdown).In this world, the US military is disproportionally staffed with minorities and women, to the point that any positive character exists at the intersection of an oppressed gender and race. The straight white male characters are almost exclusively the violently racist and misogynistic members of “the greatest generation,” who upon meeting their betters from the future, start a race riot and lynch a U.S. Navy Captain for being black and female.The entire gist of this book is that everyone and everything is the past was awful, and the Allies were only shades of gray from being as evil as the Axis. Oh, and war crimes are ok, if they victims are rapists and the war crimes are committed by women in retribution.The flagship is the “USS Hillary Clinton” ffs, and she is described as “America’s greatest wartime president” and a JFK-Style martyr. Her future military is unstoppable due to a combination of high tech, and most of the commanders being female. Diversity truly is our strength!Bonus, the writer has zero idea how the military works on a functional level, and has an embedded war reporters being issued guns and kit a la carts like they’re ordering from Starbucks, then going on to fight alongside (although better, since she is female) than the Marines she is with.The author wrote for Rolling Stone and did an article once on future weapons, so he’s clearly an expert.I wish I could give it zero stars.

When I first read this book, I was not able to put it down, and I must of re-read the chapters concerned the initial battle between the 1942 fleet and the 2021 five times. Quite honestly I'd like to see a competent director put it to film. -- This book isn't without its flaws, but I suppose I liked it as much as I did I wasn't expecting the realism and plausibility of how characters from both eras think, speak, behave and approach the situations. As well as how accurately the battles and the technology is depicted. It definitely doesn't read like a overly imaginative teenager wrote it.Myself being former military, I had lower expectations on the realism of the modern technology. When I saw "2021" on the plot summary; I was initially expecting to read about far-fetched future war technology that neither exists today, nor likely to exist in 2021 for that matter. The first few pages describe the 2021 ships with fictionalized class names like "Nemesis-Class Stealth Cruiser", and an aircraft named after Hillary Clinton... and so already I was fairly skeptical thinking "Alrighty, .I guess I'm really going to have to turn my brain off before this book even starts".Well, I am very happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised. -- What initially seemed like a book I was skeptical of keeping interest in and finishing; turned out to be an intelligently written book where the battles were epically described and entertaining, but also realistic and plausible. It answers the questions of "If the 1942 Midway Fleet got into a all out sea-battle with a present day Naval carrier battle group....how would that happen?"Despite the fictional class names of the 2021 Fleet; the descriptions of the cruisers and destroyers themselves were not unlike the Ticonderoga and Arleigh-Burke class ships we currently have. The capabilities of the so called "Nemesis" array is described very similar to the Aegis Combat System. Anyone unfamiliar with how it works might think its far-fetched. The main difference is an "auto-pilot" like capability where the navigation and fire control can be computer controlled in the event the ship's crew is incapacitated or killed by a biological weapon. -- Which is how things go terribly wrong from the outset. -- The only far-fetched part is the research vessel that accidentally sends the 2021 fleet back. With the fleet itself being very close to a present day carrier battle group than a "futuristic" fleet of ships that doesn't exist yet.Despite the rest of the book afterward....my favorite part that makes it what it is, was the initial battle. It alternates between the point of view of both the 2021 sailors and Marines of the various ships, as well as the WW2 sailors on the different ships in Spruance's Pacific Fleet, who think the former it the Japanese fleet due to the nearest ship being a Japanese Self-Defense Force cruiser. Their thoughts and reactions are very on point as some sailors remark how the ships appear mostly defenseless "with only one 5" gun" being visible, and for a short-time wonder why they aren't fighting back despite Spruance ordering his fleet to open fire. The descriptions of the triple turrets being fired with their flash-bulb effect immediately brings to mind the documentaries of the Battle of Midway. -- While the 2021 crews are either unconscious or very sick with from the effect of the time travel, and unable to perform their duties.When the computerized systems first take defensive action, its told from the point of view of Spruance and the 1942 crews. The book does a great job of painting an unforgettable picture, but to them... the previously unresponsive and 'defenseless looking' mystery ships suddenly send several pillars of white fire that light up the night sky, then blackness, then 20 seconds laters the carriers Yorktown and Hornet, cruisers Portland, New Orleans, Indianapolis, and most of the destroyers are obliterated almost simultaneously with all hands lost. Also seen are impossibly accurate tracer fire that quickly eliminates all of the F4-F Wildcats and Dauntless bombers sent up. -- To the characters, they are unable to process the massacre or the unnamed weapons are seeing; whereas, we the reader have a pretty good idea that the white pillars of fire are anti-ship cruise missiles and the impossibly accurate anti-air are the CIWS. Again, it'd be interesting if someone could make a film of it. -- The only thing is that isn't clear why Spruance's carrier, the Enterprise isn't targeted. The USS Astoria only survives because one of the 21st century cruisers halfway materializes into it.Despite the fact that Navy carrier battle group is sent back to World War 2, to include troop transport ships with a Marine Expeditionary Unit, Abrams tanks, Cobra gunships, Harrier jets; they won't be able to win the war as quickly as one might think. Despite being able to wipe out most of the 1942 fleet, due to it being within visual range of the ships; none of the satellites made the trip back severely diminishing the long-range capabilities; and that before the computerized defenses came online, the 1942 fleet did quite a bit of damage, namely a Dauntless bomber destroying most of the F22s and F35s on the flight deck and the carrier's catapults before the CIWS took over. And last but not least....not all of the 21st century ships ended up in the same place, which is where things really start to get interesting.The only part of the book I'm not sure what to make of, is the whole political one. While I do know that racism, homophobia and sexism were very common in the 1942, I'm not sure whether the author may be overly exaggerating it... or telling it like it really was. The N-word appears over 30 times, which...to each their own, but its why I have my doubts on this series becoming a movie anytime soon. -- That being said, the Commanding Officer of the 2021 Marine Expeditionary Unit is a 6'4 African-American Colonel and the way he handles it and puts a few in their place is rather satisfying: ( "You don't know me yet, so I'll let your disrespect pass...but I know ya know THESE dont ya boy! *pointing to his silver eagles* And you'll respect the uniform of the U.S. Marine Corps or I'll beat that respect into ya!" )There are a few over the top characters like Prince Harry being an British SAS leader or the female NY Times reporter that more of a elite solider than an embedded reporter; but these are fairly minor bits that don't really take away from what I liked about it. I've re-read Chapters 2-8 so many times and it never gets old.

I love this book. What I like best is the juxtaposition of the future with the past and the impact that future tech and social mores have on WWII society. I have read this book and its sequels more than five times.Birmingham has a good grasp of history and his "spin off" history is logical and well thought out. This is my area of history, WWII, emphasis on POWs. I have given this book to several people and they all liked it very much.The novel begins with a tech accident. And that accident actually leaves a couple of important questions hanging. When you read the book you will understand what I am talking about.In any event a disparate naval group from 2025 [or whatever year], including all "allied" nations ends up smack dab in the middle of the Battle of Midway. Much havoc ensues until someone figures out that neither group, the WWII navy or the future navy, are fighting who they think that they are fighting.The best, for me, parts of this story is how history changes. There are several bits that are so real that I could actually see them laid out before me. In addition, Birmingham brings in "real people" and the juxtaposition of mores and attitudes and then and now is not just interesting but fascinating.This book is fun. And it is logical. There are a few bits that I thought were too fluid, but given that Birmingham was moving the story along, I swallowed my protests and enjoyed the ride.Do the Allies win the war? How does History change? Does History actually change? Do they drop the Bomb? And something that made me laugh was the asides about "copyright law." Who owns books or movies that were made in the 2000's? What do you do about royalties? Little bits like that add to the realism and the fun.Oh, and another thing I thought was fun was people from the "now" meeting their "heroes" not to mention their grandparents and great grandparents while they were still young.

This is not so much a review of this one book so much as a review of the whole series.That’s because I bought this first one and enjoyed it so much I immediately got the next two books in the series.Now, in essence this is a goofy idea. It was explored in the thoroughly ridiculous 1980 movie The Final Countdown .But this takes that basic idea and goes a whole lot deeper. The examination of culture clashes between the 21st-Century military and their 1940s counterparts are at least as important as the kickass action sequences.And, let me tell you, the kickass action sequences are most definitely worth the price of admission.Birmingham is a great writer. His characters are flawed, but likeable, three-dimensional entities. Maybe a bit more durable than real-life people but that’s adventure stories for you.Couple of minor quibbles:The ‘future tech’ the writer imagined for 2021 in 2004 is, for the most part, still not yet realised but maybe in 2031 it will be.The 2nd book is definitely the weakest of the series. But it’s worth getting because it sets up the amazing third entry in the trilogy.But, that said, even the second book has some seriously fun moments.This is the best blending of sci-fi and WW2 action since Neal Stephenson’s Cryptonomicon. And I absolutely do not make that comparison lightly.This is a lot of fun. Check it out.

The premise is a war gamer's dream. What would happen if a huge amount of modern warfare tech appeared in a major battlefield(s) and how would history play out? The author attempts to predict this scenario from his 'noughties' viewpoint and succeeds in many areas, but overreaches in others and whilst it's an engaging ride, questions arise throughout that aren't really answered at book's end. The tech alone is predicted as far more advanced than it is at time of writing this review, that being said, it's well thought out from a linear perspective, given the weapons known and in development at this time and trying to predict how warfare would advance from the writer perspective would not be easy. One major quibble though, is the way the future 'travellers' are portrayed, as in a female reporter who appears to think nothing of 'gearing up' with a body armour and machine gun to 'commentate' live, on an operation in progress and subsequently killing an adversary without a qualm, appearing completely sanguine, but I can see where the author may think that's how people will, in future, react to the modern world and it's violence, particularly in light of terror threats and video game portrayal of battlefield conditions. Personally, while it was engaging enough, it only just held my attention long enough to complete it and I feel that I won't be visiting it's sequels. Well written certainly, just a bit too war oriented for my tastes and very little time travel content after the explanation for the 'glitch' that the story is founded on.

What a bonkers premise. Due to a scientific disaster, an ultra modern international navy fleet is transported back in time to the second world war, say what!! The obvious happens and the fleet intervenes on the allies side and fundamentally changes the military, scientific and social fabric of the 1940s. There is a raft (pun not intended) of characters and plot lines, that at times seem to get out of hand, but the author manages to keep the whole thing afloat (I couldn't help it....sorry) by careful use of cliffhangers, plot twists and ultra violence. The whole thing rumbles along in three massive volumes, which kinda surprised me to be honest, because when I finished volume three, I thought, "is that it...." as there could have easily been another three written which would have kept me happy.

Take two things into the past, say around 1940ish.Number one. A modern frigate, complete with its terrifying weapons.Number two. A female Captain of said vessel.Which one would cause the biggest change the world ever see.Weapons of choice. Takes that simple premise too create a staggering tale, of out of time warfare, and shows we're changing faster than we think.A future world where Trump didn't win, is that the real split in time?

I probably found the opening couple chapters a wee bit confusing. Perhaps I could have concentrated harder. After that the story really gets going and grips you through until the Epilogue (making a great build up to the 2nd book in this series). A few typos which I can never understand why professional editors miss.

...for a whole host of reasons. I'll be honest, I bought this having read about it on TV Tropes, and I think the line which sold me on it was 'time traveling, SAS Prince Harry'. Well you certainly get that!Beyond that however, this is a very well written book, and in terms of the ideas explored in across it's pages, fascinating. It does show it's age somewhat (like most books set 20 minutes into the future tbh), but even so it gives us a somewhat chilling vision of a world of 2021 as if the War on Terror had actually extended into an all up war that had rumbled on for decades (along with the consequences of such warfare on the world's militaries and the continuance of social trends of today), then goes ahead and juxtaposes that brutally with the martial and popular culture of the 1940s. Could have gone so wrong, so easily, yet it works brilliantly.Which leads me onto the other thing about this book (and it's sequels for that matter): it gives us a very close look at the social attitudes of the 1940s and the heroes of WW2. All too often, literature (and just about every form of media) tends to look back on that time as a golden age, where for the Allies, all was noble and grand, and where the figures were genuine all-round heroes of legend, whilst for the Axis, all was oppressive and evil, and all of their soldiers and scientists and leaders were utterly inhuman monsters. This book doesn't. It shows us it all, the heroism and the racism and the sexism, the heroes, the lunatics, the geniuses, and the... well, bastards. Even more refreshingly, it does that for both the Allied and Axis powers, and doesn't pull any punches for either of them.And yet along with all of that, it still manages to retain a sense of humour (such as that wonderful moment involving FDR, Eisenhower and a comment about how since he wasn't president yet, Eisenhower still had to work for a living), and despite the introspection, the action sequences are some of the best I've ever read.So, all told, this book it very much recommended.

Downloaded this as I have nearly finished the sequel. I found really riveting - a real page turner. Can't wait to read the next instalment!!

Absolutly terrific - I couldnot wait to purchase the 2nd book in the seris of 3. All the world leaders from WW11 are in this book as are the leaders thought to exist in the near future who we already are aware of (ie President Hilary Clinton! etc) The 1st 150 pages or so I found a bit difficult as I am not too familiar with the modern computer games that young people play these days (which are similar to future weapons etc.) but donot let this put you off, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am over 70! A really great read.

'What if' stories can be hit and miss, but I feel John Birmingham got a good mix of 'people' and 'tech' in this story, contrasting well the attitudes of the past and the future, and showing that knowledge and ideas are just as disruptive as new technology, and it takes a lot longer for the technology to get ensconsed and cause trouble!!Also love the nods to a number of techno-thriller/military authors :)

Mr Birmingham's trilogy is an absolutely fantastic read.The scenario shows incredible imagination, and the detail is both commendable and inspired, particularly in the depiction of future developments.Characters are excellently portrayed, are three dimensional in their everyday lives as well as in combat situations, and in particular the impact on 1940s society is both thought provoking and incisive.I couldn't put any of the three books down, even when my eyes were closing at 3am.Superb.

Stunning concept, well crafted. An excellent blend of fact and fiction with the politics and social mores of 1942 blended into a cracking yarn. Now this is how to write quality science fiction.

Interesting alternate history where what effect would be caused to the second World War if 21st century weapons were thrown into the mix. Both sides (axis and allies) benefit and suffer from the bounty from C21 as it arrives in mid C20. This story doesn't loose site of the fact that it is still the leaders and forces commanders of both times that ultimately matter. The social impact of the 'emergence' is also explored in depth, whilst there is still some good 'shoot em up' action.

A page turner but ultimately a pretty terrible book. A good idea spoilt by the author's either lack of any idea how modern militaries work, or more likely by the author's view that portraying the military taking a teenage view of morality makes for a better story.

Read the third in series first, now reading the first realise I've seen a film of this. Keeping me enthralled.....

Impossible