[.ca] Conquistador (ISBN 0451459334)

Typical Eurocentric Garbage:
Let me start by saying that I had high hopes for this book and its premise. After the first chapter those hopes were dashed. The book is based around a society of people mostly of European descent that at most levels have a confrontational and aggressive policy towards Native Americans on the other side. Just like it occured over here in real history. Napalming a rogue band of "indians"? The book bases its storyline around a eurocentric point of view that, due to superior firepower, the indians are on the loosing end again. Lame. This book could've been so much more. Its just a case of alternate history repeating history. Lame. To much Flash-Bang and repetitive themes and not enough substance. How about a storyline where indians and "settlers" get along? If your going to rewrite a "history" try being original. I got about half way through this dump of a book and couldn't take it anymore. Not worth the effort to get to the punchline.

S. M. Stirling's Best Novel To Date:
"Conquistador" is S. M. Stirling's finest work of fiction. It's a delicious romp through the alternate history and alternate dimension subgenres of science fiction. Stirling offers an engrossing, spellbinding look at what if Hellenic civilization survived to dominate most of the known world, and that America would not be discovered until 1946 due to travelers from an alternate dimension, namely, ours. To his credit he has two splendid protagonists in California Fish and Game warden Tom Christianson and Adrienne Rolfe, the mysterious heir of a fortune discovered by her grandfather in 1946. But Stirling's other main characters are credible, three-dimensional characters. Unlike some other reviewers I am not going to spoil the plot, but will say that this is one of the best works of its kind that I've come across. Fans of Stirling's earlier work, and those who are admirers of alternative history will find this a superbly crafted tale.

Good...boring...ok:
Well, That's how I viewed this book. Basically in 3 parts. The first part of the book is pretty darn good. The history of the discovery of the "Gate" into an alternative America. How it happened, and what was done when its potential was realized is pretty fascinating. Then, later...how a couple of pretty interesting game wardens who are fighting illegal trade in exotic animal species, happen onto the discovery. Very, suspensful and intriguing...just like advertised on the cover. Things are going good, I can't quit reading. They have just went through the "gate" and are now in this alternative world...and then, things...just...slow...down. I had read the first 276 pages in one or 2 days. I found myself on page 400 about a week and a half later (it's a 600 page book.) I know exactly when things started slowing down, because I looked back to try and figure out where I lost interest. Right around page 277, chapter 10. When they get into this new world, the next 200 pages involve..."Wow, look at that huge redwood"..."So, this is what things would look like with no cities"..."I could get used to this"..."beautiful hollyhocks, sycamores, live oaks"..."Would ya look at the size of that fish"..."I could really like it here"..."Man, the food is really good"..."Wouldya look at those marshes"..."I could get used to this"..."look at those wild grasses and flowers, they are pretty much extinct now"... 200 pages. Thats a whole book! I know, cuz I remember when I got interested in the book again...Chapter 19. Now, I understand Mr Stirling is trying to show what America woulda been like if there were no white men just mucking up everything. Ok...Make your point, and move on. 200 pages of "wow, wouldya just look at the size of that tree," gets a little old. Don't try and impress me with your horticulture knowledge...hell, I own a landscape business fer chrissakes! Get on with the story. The environmental sermon, or fantasizing...I can do without. Well, I coulda prolly done without 150 pages of it. Almost stopped reading the book altogether...but, I sucked it up and it finally got better...a little. The last section was ok. Not as good as the first 277 pages, but, much better than the middle 200 pages. Things started getting interesting with an internal power struggle going on with the "families" who now resided on this side of the "gate." Conflicts and alliances with several Indian tribes. A trek to an outpost training insurgents, a final battle for control of the gate, etc. Not the greatest action or drama I ever read. But, after the horticultural/zoological tour in the middle section...at least you didn't fall asleep, right away. Environmentalists might like this. Basically it's their dream come true. "If there just weren't so many humans around, what a much better world this would be." So, if you've ever thought that way...that the world would be much better off without those "other humans" around, you prolly would enjoy this. Personally, I think the world is better off, because of all the people in it. A sacreligious viewpoint with some of my environmentalist friends. I want to give this 2.5 stars, cuz it aint a horrible book. Just a little boring. I decided to round down cuz it really didn't keep me interested in the outcome. Anyway, I have read his "Island in the Sea of Time" series. Thought they were great. Much better than this.

Good if you irnore certain facts:
Doesn't it feel a bit odd that the people of this new world 1. Just happen to find a portal to the new world in the first place in a move that is never explianed 2. Manage to wipe out the vast majority of the Native American population and apparently not have a problem with it 3. Are trying to recreate a society(the south of the late 18th and early 19th cwntury that never really existed in the first place Overall-Ignoring my three basic problems this actually an ok book. I try to read this author all the way through, God knows I try but somehow his books always start strong, than fall off, than get strong agian. I really don't know what my problem is must be my short attention span. Part of my also wants to like this book, but than another part can't stand the charecters. With the possible exception of the 1970s graduate student he was cool and probably the only time I laughed in the entire book.

A gate to another world, in a book that goes nowhere:
More than his other books, this work suffers from some of Stirling's weaker tendencies. Extremely long sections of the book do not move the plot forward or keep the characters or readers much interested in continuing with the story. Although it bears some similarities to the Island series, this had a lot of interesting potential. Unfortunately, many of Stirling's characters tend to fall along the cliche that no matter how devisive or unrealistic it is, they will eventually say "let's do it!" Not in those words, but his characters make unrealistic emotional changes that interfere with the "suspension of disbelief" needed in a good yarn.