Against the Tide of Years

Last updated
Against the Tide of Years
S. M. Stirling - Against the Tide of Years A Novel of the Change.jpeg
Author S. M. Stirling
Cover artistDomenick D'Andrea
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Series Nantucket series
Genre Alternate history, Science fiction novel
Publisher Roc Books
Publication date
May 1, 1999 (USA, Canada, and the UK)
Media typePrint (Paperback)
Pages454
ISBN 978-0-451-45743-1
Preceded by Island in the Sea of Time  
Followed by On the Oceans of Eternity  

Against the Tide of Years is the second out of the three alternate history novels of the Nantucket series by S. M. Stirling. [1] [2] The novel was released in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom on May 1, 1999.

Contents

Plot introduction

In the Island in the Sea of Time, the island of Nantucket in Massachusetts is transported by an unknown phenomenon (called "The Event" in the series) on March 17, 1998 at 9:15 P.M. EST back in time to the Bronze Age circa 1250s BC (corresponding to the late Heroic Age of the Trojan War). Against the Tide of Years is set from 8 to 10 years afterward.

Plot summary

As the series progresses, it becomes clear to Nantucket's government that sitting back and adopting isolationism will only profit those renegades who, under the leadership of ex-Coast Guard lieutenant William Walker, have fled the island to exploit the Bronze Age peoples of Europe and the Middle East. Walker—who is as capable as he is callous—exploits the "magic" of gunpowder, iron-forging, and the spinning jenny to build up an empire of his own, one that threatens to conquer the entire world unless the people of Nantucket build an army, a navy, and a web of foreign alliances to take the fight to Walker.

Against the Tide of Years takes place approximately 10 years after the events of the first book. The leadership of the Republic of Nantucket has invested a great deal of time and effort into building up a substantial military force, both a deep-water navy and a Marine Corps, but the bulk of Nantucket's population are more interested in commerce and exploration than in bringing the renegade Walker to justice. A sneak attack on Nantucket itself by the nation of Tartessos, led by an ally of Walker, unites the factions of the Republic behind an all-out effort to topple Walker's growing empire, centered in Achaea (Greece), in a two-pronged campaign, attacking Tartessos and opening a second front in the Middle East (through an alliance with Babylon, the Hittite Empire and Mitanni).

Closer to home, the Nantucket islanders embark on some North American colonization, particularly in Long Island, anticipating by thousands of years 17th century colonization of the same area.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alternate history</span> Genre of speculative fiction, where one or more historical events occur differently

Alternate history is a genre of speculative fiction of stories in which one or more historical events occur and are resolved differently than in real life. As conjecture based upon historical fact, alternate history stories propose What if? scenarios about crucial events in human history, and present outcomes very different from the historical record. Alternate history also is a subgenre of literary fiction, science fiction, and historical fiction; as literature, alternate history uses the tropes of the genre to answer the What if? speculations of the story.

<i>The Domination</i> Dystopian alternate history series by S. M. Stirling

The Domination of the Draka is a dystopian science fiction alternate history series by American author S. M. Stirling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">S. M. Stirling</span> Canadian-American science fiction and fantasy author (born 1953)

Stephen Michael Stirling is a Canadian-American science fiction and fantasy author who was born in France. Stirling is well known for his Draka series of alternate history novels and his later time travel/alternate history Nantucket series and Emberverse series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belisarius series</span> Alternate history and military history novel series

The Belisarius Series is a fictional saga in the alternate history and military history subgenres of science fiction, written by American authors David Drake and Eric Flint. Its protagonist is a real historical figure, the late Roman general Flavius Belisarius.

The Southern Victory series or Timeline-191 is a series of eleven alternate history novels by author Harry Turtledove, beginning with How Few Remain (1997) and published over a decade. The period addressed in the series begins during the Civil War and spans nine decades, up to the mid-1940s. In the series, the Confederate States defeats the United States of America in 1862, therefore making good its attempt at secession and becoming an independent nation. Subsequent books are built on imagining events based on this alternate timeline.

<i>The Peshawar Lancers</i> 2002 novel by S. M. Stirling

The Peshawar Lancers is an alternate history, steampunk, post-apocalyptic fiction adventure novel by S. M. Stirling, with its point of divergence occurring in 1878 when the Earth is struck by a devastating meteor shower. The novel's plot takes place in 2025, when the British Empire has become the powerful Angrezi Raj and is gradually recolonizing the world, alongside other nations and empires that were able to survive. The novel was published in 2002, and was a Sidewise Award nominee for best long-form alternate history.

<i>Colonization: Second Contact</i> 1999 alternate history novel by Harry Turtledove

Colonization: Second Contact is an alternate history novel by American writer Harry Turtledove. It is the first novel of the Colonization series and the fifth installment in the Worldwar series.

<i>1901</i> (novel) 1995 alternate history novel by Robert Conroy

1901 is an alternate history novel by Robert Conroy. It was the first novel by Conroy, a retired business and economic Michigan professor.

<i>Island in the Sea of Time</i> 1998 novel by S.M. Stirling

Island in the Sea of Time (ISOT) is the first of the three alternate history novels of the Nantucket series by S. M. Stirling. It was released in the United States and Canada on February 1, 1998 and in the United Kingdom a month later on March 1 the same year.

<i>Colonization: Down to Earth</i>

Colonization: Down to Earth is an alternate history and science fiction novel by Harry Turtledove. It is the second novel of the Colonization series, as well as the sixth installment in the extended Worldwar series. British editions are entitled Colonisation: Down to Earth and are the second of the Colonisation series.

<i>Colonization: Aftershocks</i>

Colonization: Aftershocks is an alternate history and science fiction novel by Harry Turtledove. It is the third and final novel of the Colonization series and the seventh installment in the extended Worldwar series.

<i>On the Oceans of Eternity</i> 2000 novel by S. M. Stirling

On the Oceans of Eternity is the third and final novel of the Nantucket alternate history series by S. M. Stirling. The novel was released in the United States and Canada on April 10, 2000, and was released in the United Kingdom on April 29 of the same year.

<i>The Emberverse series</i> Series of post-apocalyptic novels by S. M. Stirling

The Emberverse series—or Change World—is a series of post-apocalyptic alternate history novels written by S. M. Stirling.

<i>Drakon</i> (novel) 1996 science fiction novel by S. M. Stirling

Drakon is a science fiction novel by Canadian-American writer S. M. Stirling, the fourth novel in the alternate history series The Domination. The novel was released in the United States on January 1, 1996.

The Nantucket series is a set of alternate history novels written by S. M. Stirling.

<i>Under the Yoke</i> (Stirling novel) Novel by S. M. Stirling

Under the Yoke is a science fiction novel by American writer S. M. Stirling, the second of four books in his alternate history series The Domination. It was first published in the United States on September 1, 1989.

<i>The Stone Dogs</i> 1990 science fiction novel by S. M. Stirling

The Stone Dogs is a science fiction novel by Canadian-American writer S. M. Stirling, the third book in the alternate history series, The Domination. It was first published in paperback by Baen Books in August 1990. It was a preliminary nominee for the 1996 Prometheus Hall of Fame Award.

The Destroyermen series is a series of alternate history books, written by American writer and historian Taylor Anderson. The fifteen books in the series are Into the Storm, Crusade, Maelstrom (2009), Distant Thunders (2010), Rising Tides, Firestorm, Iron Gray Sea (2012), Storm Surge (2013), Deadly Shores (2014), Straits of Hell (2015), Blood in the Water (2016), Devil's Due (2017), River of Bones (2018), Pass of Fire (2019), and Winds of Wrath (2020).

<i>Drakas!</i>

Drakas! is a science fiction anthology, containing stories set in S. M. Stirling's alternate history series The Domination. The anthology was released in the United States on October 31, 2000.

This is the complete list of works by American science fiction author S. M. Stirling.

References