: Re: How acceptable is "alternate history" in writing (nowadays)? On another site, I wrote a critical review of a book that featured a "King Frederic II" of France who reigned between 1777-1819. I

@Welton431

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Under what circumstances is this kind of alternate history desirable, or at least acceptable?

I think in large part this depends on how well known the true history is. In this case, I think your concerns are misplaced, I think nearly all adults would not know who was the King of France of between 1777 and 1819, and would not know what the implications might be in the book's scenario with regard to Napoleon.

If the point of the novel was to capture the period involved in some way, then the audience that does not know their French history might very well enjoy it thoroughly.

To me, that is the point of fiction, entertainment, so if it succeeds for nearly everybody reading it, then it does not have to be literally true. That is the situation of "at least acceptable."

The circumstances in which it is less acceptable is when the history is well known to a large segment of the audience, and when that happens their suspension of disbelief may overwhelm them. Thus they would not be entertained, and that is unacceptable. If a large segment recognized immediately (without research) that a "King Frederic II" would dramatically change world history and make the current world effectively impossible, then they may not find the fiction plausible enough to keep reading.

For the most part, screwing up the facts (intentionally or not) of history is perfectly acceptable if the audience does not know it. I could add another Founding Father of the USA and tell his story, give him wonderful speeches given (IRL) by other Founding Fathers, the same with battles, and even most Americans would not know the difference. Or I could make up a story of an adventure by an existing founding father.

IMO the purpose of fiction is entertainment, it only fails when it does something that alienates a big chunk of the audience. If I were an editor (or reviewer), I would question whether the counter-factual elements are necessary for the story or not. If they are not necessary, then the truth should be told. But if the story is about King Frederic II, obviously that story cannot be told without being counter-factual, so then the calculus must turn to how many people would have their reading reverie broken by this counter-factual claim, and how entertaining the story is for those that can get over it.

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