Terraplane

Terraplane is a 1988 science fiction novel set in a corporate-dominated 2033 where climate change has forced New York City to rebuild behind massive seawalls. Two operatives from the powerful DryCo corporation - Luther, a retired Black general, and Jake, his white bodyguard - travel to Moscow on a mission to extract a quantum physicist. During their mission in Moscow, circumstances force Luther and Jake into an unexpected journey to 1939 - but not the 1939 of our timeline. They find themselves in an alternate version of history where the American Civil War never happened and key historical figures met different fates than in our reality. The protagonists must navigate this altered 1939 landscape where Theodore Roosevelt abolished slavery in 1907, FDR was assassinated in 1933, and the Great Depression follows a dramatically different course. Their presence in this timeline connects to the titular Terraplane automobile, which serves as both vehicle and time machine. The novel explores themes of corporate power, racial dynamics across different historical contexts, and how small changes in the past can create vastly different futures. Through its parallel timelines, it raises questions about the nature of progress and whether history can truly be changed.

Readers found the book complex and challenging to follow, with many noting the dense cyberpunk-meets-alternate-history storyline requires close attention. Positives: - Creative use of alternate 1930s dialect and slang - Noir atmosphere and world-building - Character interactions between Dryco operatives and 1939 locals - Exploration of race relations in an alternate America Negatives: - Confusing plot that some readers couldn't track - Heavy dialect makes dialogue hard to understand - Character motivations unclear - Pacing issues, especially in middle sections Ratings: Goodreads: 3.5/5 (89 ratings) Amazon: 3.3/5 (6 reviews) One reader on Goodreads noted: "The slang and dialect are brilliant but exhausting." Another commented: "Great concept but I got lost in the execution." Multiple readers mentioned abandoning the book partway through due to difficulty following the narrative threads.

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🔹 The "Terraplane" was a real car model produced by Hudson Motor Company from 1932 to 1938, known for its streamlined design and popularity among bootleggers during Prohibition. 🔹 Jack Womack's work influenced William Gibson, who praised Womack's debut novel "Ambient" as having "the most convincingly depicted future since William Burroughs' 'Nova Express.'" 🔹 The novel is part of the "Dryco series," a six-book sequence set in alternate versions of New York City, with each book exploring different timelines and societal outcomes. 🔹 Published in 1988, "Terraplane" came during a surge of cyberpunk literature that challenged traditional sci-fi conventions by combining noir elements with future dystopias. 🔹 The book's 1939 alternate timeline was meticulously researched, incorporating real historical figures and events that were altered to create a believable parallel America where the Civil War never occurred.