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Breakthroughs | Rating | |
| A | |||
| Harry Turtledove | |||
| Series | Related Books | ||
| The Great War | How Few Remain, American Front, Walk in Hell, Breakthroughs, Blood and Iron, The Center Cannot Hold, The Victorious Opposition | ||
The Great War has lasted into 1917, a bloody two-and-a-half years. Tanks, or barrels as they are called in this universe, have been introduced, but are awaiting a commander with the vision and brains to use them correctly. Flora Hamburger has been elected to Congress, where she steadfastly opposes the war and anything related to it. Jake Featherston's bitterness over his lack of promotion grows deeper. And Scipio the ex-butler is found by his old employer, Ann Colleton, who intends to use him to flush out the last remnants of the black socialist rebellion.
There's little to say here that I haven't already said in the last two books. I hate when that happens, but it's true. The same elements are all present as were in the previous novels, for good or ill - mostly good. Even the flaw of too many last names starting with M has diminished by killing one character and simple familiarity with the rest via long association. This is a worthy sequel, concluding the war in a believable manner consistent with the setting. And the story doesn't even end with the end of the war, even neglegcting the later books, for there are the treaty negotiations to be worked out. There's a great deal going on in these pages, both overall and with the various plotlines that give us the smaller picture. Any reader who has read the previous books will not be disappointed with this one.
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