Review: Fun... Not perfect, but Fun...
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 22, 2013
Okay, this is an 'alternate history' that doesn't quite play by the rules, in that a proper alternate history allows for one variation from the record, and then explores the outcome. Eternal Empire assumes that the last two thousand years of history have been different, and then looks at one event. So it's not quite within the parameters of normal alternate history.that being said, it's a lot of fun to read, and I enjoyed it. Mr. Fabron will get another $3.99 from me whenever he writes again!Here's what I liked. The Romano-Byzantine Empire in the 20th century! Yep, that's fun by itself. And we get to see it in action. The author shows us at least hints of family life, the church, the legal system, local government, technology, and lots of military and diplomatic details. He does this  while telling a war story, and he takes us from the 'whys' of the war to the conclusion, including diplomacy, espionage, strategy and tactics. So it's an ambitious work! One might say that it's a little too ambitious, because the ending is cramped, and too much happens too quickly (by far) in order to tie up all of the threads that Mr. Fabron wove. But he does complete everything, and it's all in one volume, which is a redeeming point. The story gallops along,and if it is generally predictable, and the characters a bit two dimensional, I was so excited to find out 'What will happen?' that I read it in nearly one sitting!The writing is perfectly adequate, with only a few minor editing problems, and these aren't distracting.So, on balance, The Eternal Empire was well worth my time. I hope that Mr. Fabron will do something more, and maybe in the next book he'll show us a bit more about just how the Roman Empire of the 20th century is similar - but different. And why. Ought to be a book or two in those ideas I hope!