Review #8: Gunpowder Empire

In time of test, family is best. 
– Burmese Proverb

So I lied. I ended up getting Gunpowder Empire by Harry Turtledove from the library. It’s the first book in the Crosstime Traffic series. I’d only read one of Turtledove’s books before (A World of Difference if you care at all). My ex-boyfriend really liked his stuff, which is why I know who he is in the first place.

When I read A World of Difference, I found myself in love with the plot, though the style of writing didn’t really work for me. It seemed like he told rather than showed. But, overall, I enjoyed the book, and would definitely read it again.

Crosstime Traffic is a series with an interesting premise: humanity has discovered a way to travel between “alternates”, where history passed differently. It’s a series aimed at teens, something that is occasionally evident in the themes and writing style.

Even so, there are some parts that are remarkable mature for what is meant to be a book for youth. The descriptions of violence, blood, and gore had me recoiling a bit, trying to blink away the images painted in my head.

I found that my complaints about this book were much the same as my complaints about A World of Difference: the writing style isn’t that great, or isn’t what I consider great at any rate. I once again loved the story he told though, and I’ll likely pick up more Crosstime Traffic books in the future, though I’ll stick to the library, as it wasn’t something I’d spend money on.

My next post will likely be a collective review of a few different Poirot books, as I went on an Agatha Christie kick a little while back and keep forgetting to do a review for that.