Trouble in the Wind - StoryBundle

A Webster Award winner and three-time Dragon Award finalist, Chris Kennedy is a Science Fiction/Fantasy author, speaker, and small-press publisher who has written over 30 books and published more than 200 others. Get his free book, "Shattered Crucible," at his website, https://chriskennedypublishing.com.

Called "fantastic" and "a great speaker," he has coached hundreds of beginning authors and budding novelists on how to self-publish their stories at a variety of conferences, conventions, and writing guild presentations. He is the author of the award-winning #1 bestseller, "Self-Publishing for Profit: How to Get Your Book Out of Your Head and Into the Stores."

Chris lives in Coinjock, North Carolina, with his wife, and is the holder of a doctorate in educational leadership and master's degrees in both business and public administration. Follow Chris on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ckpublishing/.

Trouble in the Wind by Chris Kennedy & James Young

Throughout the human experience, historians have wondered, "What if?" What if Sherman had fought for the South in the U.S. Civil War? What if Germany had fought to the end in World War I? What if World War III had actually happened?

Wonder no more, for these questions, along with many others, are answered within the pages of this book. Told by a variety of award-winning authors, like Sarah Hoyt and Kevin J. Anderson, the 2018 Dragon Award Winners for Alternate History, S.M. Stirling, the 2019 Dragon Award Winner for Alternate History, David Weber, a three-time Dragon Award Winner for Best Military Science Fiction, and Brad R. Torgersen, the winner of the 2019 Dragon Award for Best Science Fiction, "Trouble in the Wind," deals with ground combat that never happened in our world…but easily could have.

The third book in the exciting "Phases of Mars" anthology series, there is something for everyone inside! From fighting Hannibal at the Battle of Cannae, to the early death of Napoleon, to scouting the bush in Angola, "Trouble in the Wind" traces a history of ground warfare…that wasn't. From warfare in Taylor Anderson's "The Destroyermen" series…to S.M. Stirling's "Black Chamber," this book has it, so come aboard and find out "what if" all of these things had changed history…just a little. You'll be glad you did!

REVIEWS

"This collection has a great many of my favorite authors. I highly recommend all of them."
– Kindle Customer, Internet Reviewer
"Great read! A compilation of entertaining stories, each with their own intriguing twist on history."
– Jess Samson, Internet Reviewer
"All are superbly written and pull the reader into the situations as if one were there. This book is so very worth the read. I recommend it most heartily to all."
– Sundown, Internet Reviewer

BOOK PREVIEW

Excerpt

"Driver!" Napoleon roared as he stood abruptly behind Montagne and the aide. "Move!"

Startled to action, the driver raised his reins and prepared to snap them across the backs of the team when a single rifle fired from darkness.

BOOM!

Montagne felt the rush of air as a musket ball rocketed through the air past them. He flinched, eyes closed, expecting to feel the impact. A heartbeat passed, then he opened his eyes and turned to the wide-eyed aide. The lone Cossack stepped out from behind a large tree, his musket barrel curling smoke into the night air. It dawned on Montagne that the weapon wasn't pointed at either himself or the aide. Nor had the Emperor been struck.

As one, they looked at the driver on the seat behind the sleigh. The top of the man's head was missing.

Montagne raised his pistol and pointed it at the Cossack as he stepped once more into the narrow path. The Cossack angrily slammed his musket into the snow. He simply stared at the sleigh for a long moment. Montagne hesitated to pull the trigger.

He wishes to die.

"Your army plundered our homes. They drank themselves into a stupor while they burned my family alive in my barn. Imagine losing everything to a people with whom you had no quarrel. You wanted a war but leaders never feel the pain of the innocents who die at their hand. Now, you will understand the toll."

The hair on the back of Montagne's head stood erect as he translated. Napoleon's stern face sneered and his teeth bared. "Get that fucking peasant out of my way! Kill him now!" Napoleon screeched, pointing at the Cossack.

BOOM!

Montagne flinched as the sound seemed to come from extremely close behind them. Napoleon's face grew still and he tucked his right hand inside his jacket in a characteristic gesture. Montagne saw the Emperor look down at his hand. He removed it from the jacket and Montagne saw bright red blood. Napoleon reached for the sleigh's curved railing with suddenly trembling hands.

Beyond the sleigh, the fur-clad shadow fled into the darkness. Montagne turned the pistol on the target, centered, and fired in one smooth movement. The figure fell forward into the snow.

BOOM!

The aide fired his pistol seemingly next to Montagne's ear. He whipped around to see the aide had executed the Cossack, and was now lowering the pistol. There was movement between them. The aide snatched at the Emperor's shoulder but missed. Napoleon pitched forward against the railing of the sleigh and fell forward, tumbling face first into the snow.

"Montagne! Help me!" the aide called as he leapt from the sleigh into the snow.

Montagne knelt in the snow next to the aide. The other captain cradled the Emperor's head across his legs and peered down into his still face. Montagne stared into sightless eyes for a long moment and turned his face up to see Caulaincourt shuffling toward them.

In that moment, words failed him. His ability to translate quickly and correctly vanished. Emotions overwrote his abilities. Mouth agape, he closed it and mentally shook himself to report.

"Sir, the Emperor is dead."