Harry Turtledove

Dr. Harry Norman Turtledove is an American author of multiple genres, including alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy, and science fiction. Critics credit his novels with bringing alternate history into the mainstream.

Turtledove has written many famous series, such as The Videssos Cycle (1987–2005), The Great War (1998–200), and Worldwar series (1994–2004). His style of alternate history has a strong military theme. He used several other pen names: Eric Iverson, H. N. Turteltaub, Dan Chernenko, and Mark Gordian.

Harry Turtledove was born in Los Angeles. Turtledove attended UCLA and received a Ph.D. in Byzantine history in 1977.

Turtledove published his first two fantasy novels, Wereblood and Werenight, under the alias "Eric G. Iverson." The novelist later explained that his editor did not think that people would believe the author's real name was "Turtledove."

Later for his historical novels, Turtledove used the pseudonym "H. N. Turteltaub." He also published three books as "Dan Chernenko" (the Scepter of Mercy series).

Turtledove has been called "The Master of Alternate History." Within this genre, he is known both for creating original scenarios: such as the survival of the Byzantine Empire; an alien invasion in the middle of World War II, and for the new treatment of topics previously considered by other authors, such as the victory of the South in the American Civil War; and of Nazi Germany in the Second World War.

Harry Turtledove won many literary awards, including the Homer Award for Short Story in 1990 for Designated Hitter, the John Esten Cooke Award for Southern Fiction in 1993 for The Guns of the South, and the Hugo Award for Novella in 1994 for Down in the Bottomlands.

Additionally, Turtledove has four Sidewise Awards for different novels and short stories.

His latest book is Or Even Eagle Flew (2021) about Amelia Earhart and World War II.

Harry Turtledove currently lives in Southern California.

Photo credit: Twitter @HNTurtledove