This is the first work by this autor I've read and it will likely be the last. Counterfactual history works have grown from "rare and difficult to find" to "can't take two steps without falling over one". All things considered, I don't see how this book could begin with such an outstandingly interesting premise to such a miserably uninteresting ending.I'm guessing there was a point to the authors story, but what it was escaped me entirely. Perhaps it was buried in one of his endless paragraph sized sentances or his "page of type" sized paragraphs. And, mind you, I was trying to enjoy this book!After fastening upon an entirely believeable historical possibility he smothered it with a cast of utterly unbelieveable minor actors who never once behaived realistically.A good story, an interesting idea was lost in four hundred pages of meandering sillyness.