>Similar in that it fits into the genre of Alternate History ( a favorite of mine )
>
>In that line, S.M. Stirling's books are particularly brilliant. I'm current reading the fourth in a series that began with Dies the Fire ( followed by A Meeting in Corvallis and The Protectors War ) The current one is The Sunrise Lands
>
>http://www.smstirling.com/
>http://www.amazon.com/Dies-Fire-Change-S-M-Stirling/dp/0451460413/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b
>
>Newt Gingrich ( who happens to be a fine historian ) has written some very good Civil War alternate history

Speaking of the civil war, did you know that the last shot fired was fired up in the arctic long after the war had officially ended?

>
>http://www.amazon.com/Grant-Comes-East-Newt-Gingrich/dp/B000FUTQ9Q/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1202743225&sr=1-1
>
>Also fun are Fox on the Rhine ( and others referenced here )
>
>http://www.amazon.com/Fox-Rhine-Douglas-Niles/dp/B00034EOMS/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1202743424&sr=1-1
>
>And Fatherland ( as are Robert Harris's other books )
>
>http://www.amazon.com/Fatherland-Novel-Mortalis-Robert-Harris/dp/0812977211/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1202743506&sr=1-1
>
>
>>>Ah..I'm going to have to throw in my 2 cents, so I can keep a link to this thread and look these books up later.
>>>
>>>"The Difference Engine" sounds a lot "The Man in the High Castle" Philip K. Dick's novel about a USA after the Nazis won WWII.
>>
>>The major difference being that Dick always did everything loooonnng before everybody else.
>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>>Man, we *were* seperated at birth <s> I was actually going to suggest that particular book.
>>>>>
>>>>>Two others that I think would appeal to a lot of folks here are "The Diamond Age" (also Stephenson) and "The Difference Engine" ( Gibson )
>>>>>
>>>>>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Difference_Engine
>>>>
>>>>The Difference Engine is one of the best pieces of SF I ever read. The only one comparable in this particular subgenre is Pratchett's "Going postal".
>>>>
>>>>>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Diamond_Age
>>>>
>>>>Good... next on my list. As soon as I find the time to read what I already bought ;).