An Epic of Alternative History

I don’t recall when I first ran across the concept of “Alternative History,” but it wasn’t than many years ago. This unique offshoot of historical fiction takes the “What If?” game to a whole new level, supposing that some major battle or event turned out in a way opposite to reality.

I wasn’t sure if I’d ever want to try one on for size, and if I did, whether I’d want to tackle an historical period I knew well or not. I came across this tattered paperback in a Goodwill in Indiana, and figured it’d be worth trying as my first. I’d recently read several books about Teddy Roosevelt, after all, so had at least a solid handle on that turn-of-the-century time period. I didn’t know much about “Cowboys and Indians,” so I knew that’d be a stretch for me, but still I was game.

My only problem with this book is that I lost interest about 100 pages into it, and it took me a full year make the time to finish it. I didn’t hate it, but I also didn’t find it such a gripping epic that I simply couldn’t put it down.

The concept of the book is sound. What if all the Native American tribes, instead if running off into their own little corners while the American military moved West, rather banded together and formed a single nation that could stand up to the opposing forces, defeat them in battle, and send them cowering back to the East in fear? It’s a valid question, and Jake Page spends nearly 350 pages exploring one possible answer to that question.

As my first taste of Alternative History, I felt that Apacheria was gentle enough. Page shows how the sovereign nation could form within 5,000 square miles of the American Southwest through Geronimo’s peace efforts in Washington. He explores how these nations could enjoy compatibility as neighbors and yet never quite live as lifelong friends. He shows how Apacheria’s citizens attempt to handle growth as a political entity while also striving to maintain their various cultures and heritages. It’s an interesting investigation and thought-provoking, one I would be hard pressed to brainstorm myself!

I likely lost my early interest in this book because I knew it wouldn’t teach me a whole lot about reality, which weakened my motivation (similar to why I’m not often drawn into Sci-fi novels). That’s just me, of course, so if you’re into American history and curious to investigate the great “What If?” this book explores, you might find it an enjoyable read. It’s got some PG-13 scenes in it, for those who care, but is otherwise a well-written piece of Western fiction.

©2021 E.T.