"Guns of the South"
by Harry Turdledove
When you see a book with Robert E. Lee on the cover holding an AK-47, you just have to buy it. Mysterious strangers appear and have the means for the South to win the war; a modern assault rifle. These strangers are the only source of the weapons and ammunition. The North gets one big surprise. Lee is suspicious of the strangers and has the Southern armaments people try to duplicate the weapon, and especially the ammunition so they don't have to be so dependent on the goodwill of the strangers. The ending is a great surprise as well as great fun.
The story is
recounted mostly through the eyes of Lee and a Sgt. in the Southern infantry. The book smacks of realism and reads like it really
happened. The battles are vividly portrayed and life of the common
soldier in the field is realistically described. A great read!
Don't miss it.
Reviewed by Ken Smith 10 August 1999
Available from:
A Del Ray Book
Published by Ballentine
