What if a B-17 took off on a bombing mission in World War II, went through a thunderstorm, and landed in World War I? Most of the American crewmen haven’t been born yet in 1915. Their country doesn’t know them or their aircraft. Winston Churchill will gladly fill the void. Here’s a crazy look at how one airplane could have made a profound difference in the outcome of WWI.

I have just concluded my read of "Goodbye Dolly," an alternate history by E.J. Lake (published by Independent Book Publisher's Association--IBPA) and working from an ARC provided to me by IBPA. It is an interesting read, and I am somewhat at a loss to how to contextualize it in the broader context of the burgeoning field of alternate history. The premise is simple (if highly derivative). An American B-17 crew returning from an attack in Europe in 1944 comes under attack by an ME 262 (the first fully operational jet fighter). In the course of their desperate battle to survive, separated from the main bomber "stream." they are saved by a strange storm which transports them back to 1915. Unfortunately, the pursuing German fighter is also transported back on the same timeline. Needless to say, this miraculous storm serves as a Deus Ex Machina to explain the inexplicable. If you have ever seen the movie "The Final Countdown" about a modern Cold War era aircraft carrier being transported back to the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, you get the idea. I loved the movie, and the book is likable if simplistic and rather episodic. I don't want to give away the ending, and it is also something of a stretch, but it is a fun read even so. I would recommend this book to young adult readers with an interest in history and science fiction.. It belongs in secondary school libraries and in general collections which are targeted at young readers. As is often the case with this genre, there is much information about the real world and the two world wars introduced in an entertaining if somewhat simplistic manner.

Goodbye Dolly is a story of sacrifice, endurance, and determination. It illustrates the complexity of egos in two world wars that cost European lives in both theatres. Albeit, instead of going into a unique perspective on an alternate history of WWII, we have instead travelled to WW1. Captain Jack and his merry crew of the Dangerous Dolly become mired in the events of a tumultuous conflict. What transpires is technological upheaval, a reversal of history, and an excellent display of writing when depicting the naval battles between the Imperial German Navy and the Royal Navy.

The naval aspect of WW1 is often not covered in popular media as it should. EJ Lake did a ton of research, and it shows from depicting historical figures such as Prime Minister Asquith Churchill with his brand of whiskey as he so often likes to consume and the enigmatic Kaiser Wilhelm I. The wide variety of historical characters and their personalities spill onto their page as if Ken Follet had written this novel entirely by himself. That's how good the writing is! I loved characters like Churchill, Jack, his crew, and many others. The dialogue is both rich in historical detail, and none of the characters felt like one-dimensional characters, instead they felt like three-dimensional characters. The description makes you feel as if you are in this world. And Dolly the Bomber Airplane? She's a fantastic plane that carries the brave crew daring themselves to fight against the might of WW1 Germany.

Each character in itself is a testament to the brave men who sacrificed themselves in both world wars. To fight against fierce enemies while defending the right of freedom and democracy against expansionist and imperialist beliefs is not a simple thing to do. That said, the novel does not shy away from depicting the carnage of warfare and the devastating destruction that bombing cities can bring. At some points that I've noticed with alternate history novels, they focus more on the technical details of what has changed, rather than focusing on the story. At some points, the novel does often try to balance in between contrasting what changes vs what the story should be. I would like to see more alternate history novels focus more on the story rather than being hung up on explaining every single thing that changes. I love books like this, with people from different periods travelling into other areas of history. I once read a story in Quora about Napoleon and his army time travelling back to the Ancient Roman Era. What an story that would be! I want more stuff like this. Where different civilisations meet each other that would never have met. I urge more authors to do this. This is a fantastic novel which I thoroughly recommend you to read!