Harry Turtledove: ‘Opening Atlantis’ (2007)

Known to readers as the master of the alternate history genre, Harry Turtledove begins a new series with the opening installment of his Atlantis trilogy, “Opening Atlantis.” Released in 2007, “Opening Atlantis” begins the saga of the Radcliffes, a family of English fishermen who become the founders of the first settlement in Atlantis. This book is not so much a regular novel as a collection of three novellas as Turtledove breaks OA up into three parts, each one set in a different point in history covering a period of about three hundred years. In the reality Turtledove creates for this series, an earthquake caused the North American coastline from the tip of Florida up into Nova Scotia to separate from the rest of the continent millions of years ago. Now located in the center of the Atlantic midway between North America (called Terra Nova in this series) and Europe, this new continent is named after the legendary lost continent.

Book I opens as Edward Radcliffe, and English fisherman, and his two sons meet Francois Kersauzon, a Breton, and his crew. Kersauzon tells Radcliffe of an uncharted land where he and his sons can catch a bountiful supply of fish like they’ve never seen before. He offers to lead Radcliffe to this new country and even to let him claim credit for its discovery in exchange for a portion of his first catch of fish. Upon arrival, the Radcliffes fall in love with this new land and the prospect of being able to live free of the rule of any English lord who might seek to dictate to them or tax them into poverty.

Edward and his sons return to Hastings to bring their families along with many others looking to start a new life free of English rule. They become the founders of the New Hastings, the first Atlantean settlement. Shortly afterward, Francois Kersauzon brings Breton families to settle further down the coast, founding the city of Cosquer. Edward Radcliffe’s two sons are both eager to explore this new land. One takes off by sea, exploring to the north, around to Atlantis’ west coast. The other takes off on foot, founding a new settlement just west of New Hastings before heading off through the Green Ridge Mountains further west and eventually finding his way to the west coast. The Radcliffes and their fellow settlers find their freedom threatened, however, when a deposed earl arrives from England, hoping to establish himself as a lord over the English Atlanteans.

Book II picks up about two hundred years later. Avalon, an important port city on Atlantis’ west coast, has become a haven for pirates. One branch of the Radcliffe family has broken off from the rest of the family tree, dropping the letter e from the end of their surname. Among them is William Radcliff, the owner of a shipping business which has been threatened by the pirates. One of the most notorious pirates hiding out in Avalon is Red Rodney Radcliffe, a distant cousin of William’s. William and a group of other merchants take to the seas, joining with the English navy as they head to Avalon to root out the pirates. Radcliff is eager to kill his cousin and take back the seas for his business which ships to both Europe and the English settlements in Terranova.

Book III picks up in the mid-eighteenth century as England and France are waging war against each other in Europe and India. Atlantis is set to become the next front for the war. The English occupy the northern half of the continent, while the French settlements are to the immediate south and the southernmost portion is occupied by Spain. Victor Radcliff, a direct descendant of English Atlantis’ founder, becomes the field commander for the English Atlantean militia, acting in concert with troops sent from England. The French colonial troops are led by Roland Kersauzon, a descendant of Francois Kersauzon, the man who led Edward Radcliffe to Atlantis in 1452. Kersauzon and his men are joined by troops from France, and the war builds to a climatic battle at the French Atlantean city of Nouveau Redon, where Victor Radcliff is established as an Atlantean hero and set up to become the protagonist for the second book in the trilogy, “The United States of Atlantis.”

If you are a fan of alternate history fiction, or just enjoying think about some great “what ifs” in terms of how history could have turned out, Opening Atlantis will be a thoroughly enjoyable read for you. Harry Turtledove is widely known as the master of the alternate history genre, and this book certainly demonstrates why. I found Opening Atlantis completely fascinating, and look forward to reviewing “The United States of Atlantis.”


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