Parallel Universes and Alternative History Are Alive and Well
by Cherie Reich
The anthology Parallels: Felix Was Here resides in the
speculative fiction genre’s subcategory alternate history. TV,
movies, and books have handled the subject of alternate history as
well as parallel universes. My story “Folds in Life and Death”
posits the question: If the Curse of Tippecanoe is true and
President Reagan had died in 1981, what does that mean for the
President elected in 2000?
Today I have listed a few of my favorite TV shows and books that are
alternate history or have parallel universes.
1. The Flash (TV show) – It’s official. Barry Allen a.k.a.
The Flash is my new favorite superhero. This CW TV show includes some
great parallel universes, such as Earth 2 and the Earth with
Supergirl on it.
2. DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (TV show) – Can these heroes
become legends by changing history to stop Vandal Savage from
destroying the future? This show, also on CW, pulls characters from
The Flash and Arrow. Leonard Snart a.k.a. Captain Cold
is one of my favs on this show, but all the characters are fantastic.
3. Timeline by Michael Crichton (the book) – Yes, there is a
movie too, but I haven’t seen it yet. I loved the book. Then again,
I am a huge Crichton fan. This book made me love quantum physics and
the theory of multiverses.
4. Oath of Empire series by Thomas Harlan (books) – Although
I haven’t read all the series yet, I thoroughly enjoyed Harlan’s
take on alternate history where the Roman Empire did not fall.
What’s your favorite example of parallel universes or alternate
history?
Enter the realm of parallel universes!
What if the government tried to create the
perfect utopia? Could a society linked to a supercomputer survive on
its own? Do our reflections control secret lives on the other side of
the mirror? Can one moment split a person’s world forever?
Exploring the fantastic, ten authors offer
incredible visions and captivating tales of diverse reality.
Featuring the talents of L.
G. Keltner, Crystal
Collier, Hart
Johnson, Cherie Reich, Sandra
Cox, Yolanda
Renee, Melanie
Schulz, Sylvia
Ney, Michael
Abayomi, and Tamara
Narayan.
Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors,
these ten tales will expand your imagination and twist the tropes of
science fiction. Step through the portal and enter another dimension!
Purchase the anthology
at Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, Nook,
and Smashwords.
Add to your Goodreads list.
Follow the blog.
Cherie Reich is a speculative fiction writer and library assistant
living in Virginia. You can find more information about her on her
website.
