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The Dance Of Time by Eric Flint and David Drake
28/11/2005 . Source: Rod MacDonald 
pub: Baen Books 416 page hardback ISBN: 1-4165-0931-3. Price: $26.00 (US). hardback release: February 2006). E-book release: Price: $15.00 to see monthly output. ISBN: 978-1-4165-0931-8. Buy from Amazon US - Buy from Amazon UK
nb: US titles may only be available from Amazon US, and UK titles from Amazon UK. checking out website: www.baen.com
Baen Books resemble Ace Books in many ways which considering Jim Baen worked for them for years isn't a mystery. I'm sure many of you out there will have Ace paperbacks somewhere in your Science Fiction library, perhaps yellowing if not mellowing with time. There were lots of good titles from Ace! Baen similarly produces paperbacks at the cheap end of the market, $6 each to be exact and has a very reasonable output. Over the last twenty years, the company has been responsible for fifty million paperbacks.
An average of six new titles are brought out every month. (In fact, in October SFCrowsnest I did a review of 'Resonance' by Chris Dolley from this publisher.) What's more, Baen also produce their books in electronic format, eBooks to you and me. You can subscribe to Baen for a mere $15 per month to receive all six titles in eBook form. They also take the unusual step of giving a CD-ROM with their hardback volumes.
Baen have a very interesting marketing strategy which, despite appearing to go against immediate logic, actually seems to be working. Their philosophy involves getting their material read by as many people as possible even if this is by giving books free of charge on the Net. Better hear from them than me - look at their website to get more information.
Choosing a book at random from their list to review, I selected 'The Dance Of Time' by Eric Flint and David Drake. This is the sixth in their Belisarius series which commenced in 1998. At the time of review, the hardback wasn't yet available but I was able to access the eBook.
Many of the books available at Baen are alternative histories. Just what is the attraction behind this type of novel, I began to wonder? History is not only full of 'what if' questions, it is full of 'what if' desires, fears and aspirations. How many of us wonder what would have happened if the Germans had won the Second World War or if the Soviet ships hadn't turned back from their voyage to Cuba? Those with political leanings may wish for the South to have beaten the North in the American Civil War or for Harold not to have got one in the eye at Hastings. The list is endless, from the minute details which affect things on a larger scale to the momentous events which change history and people forever.
One could even speculate on Adolf Hitler, as many do, to consider what would have happened to history should the art professor in Vienna had been more disposed to his paintings? Many of us complain bitterly when art prizes are awarded to seemingly talentless people producing appalling work, such as in a certain modern art prize held in London which had winners with empty rooms and unmade beds as subjects, but if only a fraction of these so called artists are prevented from going on to start a war with fifty million casualties then it has all been worth it.
There is another vantage point. Alternative history allows the writer to avoid the creation of completely new worlds. I wouldn't say it is easier - lots of research into the historical time periods is necessary - but at least the writer has the details there to find and the reader has the framework or backdrop already in his mind.
In the Belisarius series, we have the Byzantine general of the sixth century under the emperor Justinian fighting a fierce bunch from beyond the Indus river. Real history has it that Belisarius, a successful general who rose up from the ranks, re-gained some of the territory of the old Roman empire, including Rome itself, albeit if only for a short duration. Our authors have him in a war with the Malwa.
This is Baen's description which I'm sure you'll forgive me for quoting because not only does it tell you what it's about, it gives an idea of the book's tone and style. 'The Malwa Empire, using gunpowder weapons and ruthless terror, has conquered 6th century India and is forging the subcontinent's vast population into an invincible weapon of tyranny. The supermind that commands the Malwa intends first to rule the world and then to set its inexorable stamp over all eternity. No action is too bestial for the supermind to order.'
OK, so this is it! Powers from the future have reached back to the past to engineer events to suit themselves. The Malwa have taken over northern India, using the population resources to create an evil empire. They haven't done this themselves - rather, some malignant force, the power from the future, desires a Malwa Earth empire for their own purposes.
The Byzantine Empire is there to stop them. God help us all, they were a useless bunch more used to bribing invading hordes to go away rather than give them a good biffing. Not real Romans, you know, but it's the only hope to save the world from evil domination.
Another difference from what we expect is that they have gunpowder and cannons, plus other weapons you'd expect to see much later in time. To counteract the evil intelligences at work with the opposition, Belisarius has a sentient crystal to help him on his way. It doesn't, however, take over. The human makes the call in all circumstances and the battles are won through his powers of ingenuity and generalship.
The style is very readable and not taxing. Baen Books have a 'bums on seats' philosophy so their prices are low and the material is aimed at a wide as possible readership. In saying this, it's entertaining. I would suggest it's almost like a soap opera. Read this book at your peril - you might get addicted and want to read all the others in the series.
Rod MacDonald
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