The 55 Greatest Works of Alternative History
Alternate, or alternative, history was once considered a subcategory of science fiction. But writers since then have brought it at least partly out from under SF's shadow. The genre's distinguishing "what if" feature—speculating on the course of affairs if something in the past happened differently—has appeared in works that may also be classed as literary fiction, mysteries, thrillers, romances, historical fiction and even westerns.
Note, for the purposes of this list, alternative histories are considered distinct from the strictly science fiction or fantasy narratives in which someone travels back in time and themselves change history.
The works cited on this Greatest Alternative History list have been selected based on the same research and surveys that helped create The Greatest Literature of All Time list and all our other "greatest" lists.
Priority is given here to major works of alternative history—mainly novels, novellas and series—although shorter works of significance may also be considered.
Latest update: October 30, 2024
1490
Tyrant the White
Joanot Martorell, Martí Joan de Galba, Spain
1888
Looking Backward: 2000–1887
Edward Bellamy, United States
1939
Lest Darkness Fall
L. Sprague De Camp, United States
1949
Seven Days in New Crete
Robert Graves, England
1953
Bring the Jubilee
Ward Moore, United States
1962
The Man in the High Castle
Novel
Around the time of this novel, Philip K. Dick was being heralded as the next scifi writer to break into mainstream popularity after Kurt Vonnegut. The Man in the High Castle won the prestigious Hugo Award for science fiction.... Critique • Quotes • At the movies • Buy
1968
Pavane
Keith Roberts, England
1975
Ecotopia
Ernest Callenbach, United States
The Female Man
Joanna Russ, United States
1976
The Alteration, The
Kingsley Amis, England
The Malacia Tapestry
Brian W. Aldiss, England
Gloriana
Michael Moorcock, England
1983
The Anubis Gates
Tim Powers, United States
The Dragon Waiting
John M. Ford,
1987
Watchmen
Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, England
1989
The History of the Siege of Lisbon
José Saramago, Portugal
Tours of the Black Clock
Steve Erikson, United States
1990
The Difference Engine
William Gibson and Bruce Sterling, Canada, United States
1992
Anno Dracula
Kim Newman, England
Fatherland
Robert Harris, England
Jerusalem Commands
Michael Moorcock, England
1995
The Time Ships
Stephen Baxter, England
1996
Making History
Stephen Fry, England
1999
The Intuitionist
Colson Whitehead, United States
2001
The Eyre Affair
Jasper Fforde, England
2001
Noughts and Crosses
Malorie Blackman, England
The Part of The Other
Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt, France
Declare
Tim Powers, United States
2002
The Separation
Christopher Priest, England
The Years of Rice and Salt
Kim Stanley Robinson, United States
2003
Felaheen
Jon Courtenay Grimwood, England
2003–2004
The Baroque Cycle
Neal Stephenson, United States
2004
Iron Council
China Miéville, England
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Susanna Clarke, England
The Plot Against America
Philip Roth, United States
2006
Farthing
Jo Walton, Canada
2006
Against the Day
Thomas Pynchon, United States
2007
The Yiddish Policemen's Union
by Michael Chabon, United States
Novel
What is this? You could waste a lot of time trying to figure out what kind of novel The Yiddish Policemen's Union is. Some people have clearly decided. The science fiction community has claimed Michael Chabon's 2007.... Critique • Quotes • Buy
2009
Boneshaker
Cherie Priest, United States
2010
Blackout/All Clear
Connie Willis, United States
2011
City of Bohane
Kevin Barry, Ireland
11/22/63
Stephen King, United States
2014
City of Stairs
Robert Jackson Bennett, United States
2016
Europe in Winter
Dave Hutchinson, England
Arabella of Mars
David D. Levine, United States
Lovecraft Country
Matt Ruff, United States
2016
The Underground Railroad
Colson Whitehead, United States
2017
American War
Omar El Akkad, Canada
Tyll
Daniel Kehlmann, Germany
2018
The Calculating Stars
Mary Robinette Kowal, United States
Dactyl Hill Squad
Daniel José Older, United States
2019
Queen of the Conquered
Kacen Callender, United States
2021
A Master of Djinn
P. Dèlí Clark, United States
2022
Babel, or the Necessity of Violence
R.F. Kuang, United States
