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Quick answer: If you liked the Axis of Time series, read John Birmingham's Designated Targets and Final Impact, then Island in the Sea of Time, 1632, The Guns of the South and Fatherland. All are alternate-history stories where history changes through time travel or a different outcome.
John Birmingham's Axis of Time begins with Weapons of Choice (2004), in which a twenty-first-century naval task force is flung back to 1942 and starts to change the course of the Second World War. It is fast, bold and heavy on military detail. The books below offer similar what-if stories, military alternate history and time-slip adventures.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Designated Targets | John Birmingham | Adult | the next book |
| Final Impact | John Birmingham | Adult | the finale |
| Island in the Sea of Time | S. M. Stirling | Adult | island sent back |
| 1632 | Eric Flint | Adult | town sent to the past |
| The Guns of the South | Harry Turtledove | Adult | time-travelling rifles |
| Fatherland | Robert Harris | Adult | Nazi victory thriller |
| The Man in the High Castle | Philip K. Dick | Adult | Axis victory |
| Dominion | C. J. Sansom | Adult | Britain under appeasement |
| SS-GB | Len Deighton | Adult | occupied Britain |
| Lest Darkness Fall | L. Sprague de Camp | Adult | modern man in ancient Rome |
| A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court | Mark Twain | Adult | satirical time travel |
| Bring the Jubilee | Ward Moore | Adult | Confederate victory |
| The Plot Against America | Philip Roth | Adult | alternate America |
| 11/22/63 | Stephen King | Adult | changing history |
| Pavane | Keith Roberts | Adult | Catholic England |
1. Designated Targets by John Birmingham
The modern forces and the 1940s world begin to clash. Fast and complex.
Best for: the next book.
2. Final Impact by John Birmingham
The Axis of Time trilogy reaches its end. Big and explosive.
Best for: the finale.
3. Island in the Sea of Time by S. M. Stirling
Nantucket is thrown into the Bronze Age. Detailed and inventive.
Best for: island sent back.
4. 1632 by Eric Flint
A West Virginia town is thrown into 1632 Germany. Fast, hopeful and long-running.
Best for: town sent to the past.
5. The Guns of the South by Harry Turtledove
Time travellers give the Confederacy modern guns. A classic of alternate history.
Best for: time-travelling rifles.
6. Fatherland by Robert Harris
A detective investigates a murder in a Germany that won the war. Tense and clever.
Best for: Nazi victory thriller.
7. The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
Characters live under occupation in an America ruled by Germany and Japan. Quiet and strange.
Best for: Axis victory.
8. Dominion by C. J. Sansom
In 1952 Britain, a civil servant joins the resistance. Long and gripping.
Best for: Britain under appeasement.
9. SS-GB by Len Deighton
A Scotland Yard detective works under German occupation. Cool and atmospheric.
Best for: occupied Britain.
10. Lest Darkness Fall by L. Sprague de Camp
An archaeologist is sent to sixth-century Rome. Witty and classic.
Best for: modern man in ancient Rome.
11. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain
A modern engineer is thrown back to Camelot. Funny and sharp.
Best for: satirical time travel.
12. Bring the Jubilee by Ward Moore
A historian in a defeated America stumbles into time travel. A classic of alternate history.
Best for: Confederate victory.
13. The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
Charles Lindbergh becomes president and a Jewish family faces rising hatred. Chilling and personal.
Best for: alternate America.
14. 11/22/63 by Stephen King
A teacher goes back in time to stop the Kennedy assassination. Absorbing and tender.
Best for: changing history.
15. Pavane by Keith Roberts
A world where the Reformation failed produces a stagnant England. Lyrical and strange.
Best for: Catholic England.
How to Choose
To continue read Designated Targets and Final Impact. For time-slip military adventures pick Island in the Sea of Time or 1632. For classics of alternate history choose The Guns of the South, Bring the Jubilee or Fatherland. For literary what-ifs read The Plot Against America or The Man in the High Castle. For comic time travel try A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. The Axis of Time books are military in focus, so these picks suit readers who like strategy. Birmingham is an Australian author who also writes novels about modern conflicts and the near future, so fans of his style may enjoy his other series. Weapons of Choice is widely seen as the best place to start. Alternate-history fans often like to compare these books with the real history. If you want more military detail, Birmingham's own notes and military histories are useful. If you want more literary what-ifs, The Plot Against America and The Man in the High Castle are strong. Audiobooks are available for several of these titles.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Weapons of Choice about?
A modern fleet is sent back to 1942 and clashes with the Allied forces of the time.
Who wrote it?
John Birmingham.
When was it published?
2004.
How many books are in Axis of Time?
Three: Weapons of Choice, Designated Targets and Final Impact.
Is it heavy on military detail?
Yes, with ships, aircraft and tactics.
Is it realistic?
It is a thriller, not a prediction, but it draws on real military history.
Is it violent?
Yes, with battles and wartime scenes.
What should I read next?
Try Designated Targets or Island in the Sea of Time.
Is Axis of Time science fiction or history?
Both: it is an alternate-history thriller with time travel.
Is Weapons of Choice a standalone?
No, it begins a trilogy.