I’m not a terribly big fan of alternate histories.

I am a terribly big fan of Ken Scholes, though. His short fiction is consistently and powerfully written. If Ken writes it, and I can find it, I will buy it. He’s also a pretty decent human being, even if he does have a goatee.

My problem with alternate histories is that so often, they depend on the juxtaposition of what we know (history) and what the author is telling us (the alternative). For example, the old standby, “What if the South had won the Civil War?” So often, the juxtaposition is the ONLY hook into the story. Characterization is flat, plot is weak, but hey–it’s EMPEROR Jefferson Davis to you, pal…

Summer in Paris, Light in the Sky suffers from that a bit. It follows Adolf Hitler, an aging, mediocre painter into Paris. Hitler, here, is a nice guy. That’s the juxtaposition. Hitler doesn’t have a hate on for anyone, least of all, Jews. There are some more alternatives thrown our way; the US encompasses Canada and Central and South America; the Bonapartes became a dynasty (hmm…I wonder how Ken would handle the Louisiana Purchase?); and Lincoln successfully stopped Civil War before it happened. But the real story is Adolf and his relationship with a young Jewish woman. Oh, and also Ernest Hemingway and Charlie Chaplin.

It would NOT have worked for me at all if Ken wasn’t one of the most capable new science fiction writers on the planet. Frankly, even then, you could have switched out Adolf with any random person– Josef Mengele, for example. There’s nothing Hitler about this Hitler (which I’m not complaining about). BUT– the fact is, it is a masterfully told tale, even if the plot is a bit overused. Specifically, Ken’s use of imagery and atmosphere are wonderful. This is a Paris you can BREATHE. When Adolf walks along the Champs d’Ellise (or whatever it is), you’re right there with him. It’s an immersive, breathtaking experience.

Summer in Paris, Light in the Sky is a fast read, too. Which is not to say it’s short; it’s just immersive. Oh– I said that already, didn’t I? Anyway– good story. It’s up at Clarkesworld right now. Go and read it.