The Domination Hardcover – 31 May 1999

Excellent book! Very sci fi Alternate.

Every science fiction novel is allowed one impossible thing (at least seemingly impossible in light of present science). If an author invokes more than one impossibility, his story becomes fantasy, where the laws of nature in this universe no longer apply. The well-worn impossible choices include time travel, faster than light flight, immortality, and other enduring dreams.Stirling's impossible choice in these three brilliant novels is a different and subtle one. He posits a military aristocracy that endures over generations, over centuries, growing steadily in strength and -- Domination.In this it is utterly unlike all the real military aristocracies in history, which either collapsed into their own decadence after a few generations (the Romans, the Vikings, the Turks), or which were challenged by less warlike but more flexible peoples who defeated them (the Spartans, the Mongols, the Napoleonic Grand Army, the Zulu, the Samurai, the Southern Chivalry, the Prussians, the Fascists -- that list of romantic flame-outs is a long one). The closest thing to real Draka enduring in our world are the descendants of Tory exiles in Canada, and of Confederate émigrés in Brazil. The only remarkable thing about either group is that they survived at all. Historically they have amounted to nothing.If you allow Stirling his impossible premise, and he takes pains to make it plausible, then all else follows in good order, with heads held high, muscles rippling, slaves cringing, maidens lusting, secret policemen slaughtering, and all the other fun things that totalitarians have dreamed of, ever since Étienne Cabet invented Communism, in feeble hope of recapturing the lost greatness of Napoleon in an imaginary new dominion called Icaria (new in 1840, anyway, and Cabet's Voyage to Icaria was a bestseller by 1845, inspiration to the revolutions of 1848).The Domination of the Draka is a lot more fun than any of the countless boring socialist utopias that have plagiarized Cabet since 1840, at least fun for the Draka, if not for the dominated -- and certainly fun for the 21st century reader, at least for the politically incorrect reader who is able to enjoy a book without consulting a study guide that tells him what to think and feel.Stirling created a complex, detailed, almost plausible world. Then he wound it up and made it run, with lively characters, vivid architecture, realistic war industry, formidable armies, and intimately detailed battles. I suspect it took him more than six days to create his world. I read the whole thing in three days, it is that engaging.

S M Stirtling is one of my favorite writers

I will not get into the argument about whether the alternative history postulated in the text is "reasonable". Like all science fiction / fantasy it requires a suspention of disbelief to enjoy.There is a great deal to enjoy about this book. The characters are believable. The plot moves along at a good pace. The writing keeps the reader interested. The story is exciting. Overall it is a great science fiction story and worth reading.On the other hand this is one of the most disturbing books that I have read in a long while. Not for the negative aspects of the Draka--which are numerous. Not for the brutality that the Draka show to the conquered peoples who become their slaves. The most disturbing aspect was how "nice" and "enlightened" the key Draka characters were. These were intelligent, reasonable, principled people whose belief system allowed them to commit horrible acts.It is easier to believe that people who commit evil acts (like the murder of every human being on planet earth) are irredeemably evil. That they are not someone you might enjoy having a conversation with at a cocktail party.

The Domination ist in meinen Augen eine erstklassige Alternativwelt-Geschichte. Und dieser Sammelband beinhaltet alle drei dazugehörigen Romane. Leider gibt es die nur auf Englisch.Es handelt vom Aufsteig einer Anti-USA, nach dem Motto "wenn freiheitsliebende Menschen nach Amerika ausgewandert sind, so wandern die Aristokraten, Sklavenhalter und Diktatoren der Welt nach Draka (Name des fiktiven Landes) aus". Draka macht also im Prinzip eine umgedrehte Entwicklung durch wie Amerika und wird nur immer Tyrannischer, bis hin zu einem Sklavenhalterstaat ähnlich dem antiken Sparta, das durch Eroberung wächst und im 2. Weltkrieg sogar über das Dritte Reich herfällt - hier spielt der erste Band und Drakas Fallschirmjäger kämpfen gegen Hitlers Waffen-SS. Später beherrscht Drakas Soldatenkaste fast ganz Afrika, Europa und Asien und führt einen Kalten Krieg der Gegensätze gegen die Demokratie.Vieles in The Domination ist nicht wirklich Realistisch. Als Sklavenhalterstaat wie Sparta müsste Draka eigentlich irgendwann alle Ressourcen nur noch dafür aufwenden, die versklavten Völker zu unterdrücken, und die Expansion würde von selbst enden. Und wenn sie alle anderen Völker zu Sklaven machen, würde doch nur der Widerstand immer größer werden. Außerdem wäre eine derart Militarisierte Gesellschaft wohl kaum in der Lage Technologisch selbst unsere Realität zu übertreffen. Trotzdem eine gelungene Welt in die der Autor sehr viel Herzblut gesteckt hat.Allerdings fehlen in diesem Sammelband all die Landkarten und Lexika über Draka, die den Einzelbänden beigefügt sind. Dafür ziehe ich einen Stern ab.