What I am reading

Science Fiction - "The Proteus Operation"

This book, by James P. Hogan, is a book describing an alternate history of the world along with a project - "The Proteus Operation" - that uses time travel to actually correct it. When the story opens in 1960s, United States is the only free country left. All others have been conquered by the Germans and the Japanese. Apparently in early 1940s Germany developed the atomic bomb and was able to defeat Russia and England, and handily win WW II.

In late 1960s time travel is discovered and President Kennedy orders a mission to go back to the 1940s and prevent the Germans from getting the bomb. A team a scientists and military men go back and then the book seems more like a WW II action thriller.

Some historical characters appear at various points: Churchill, Einstein, Roosevelt and other famous scientists.

One unusual feature of the time machines in this book is that they are able to communicate with the future from which they came. The author makes use of the "many-worlds" interpretation of quantum physics and adds the restrictions that the comm link to the future, once established cannot be broken - because on re-connections it may connect to a different world.

I found the book enjoyable, because I do like WW II action/thrillers, but I found that after a while the plot became too large. There were too many countries in the present, past and future involved.

Ultimately there is a happy ending for the team that went back to the 40s. They redirected that wold-line to our time. However, they had to stay there.

posted by richieb @ 6:17 PM