Kirov Saga Series by John Schettler

The battlecruiser Kirov, is the most powerful surface combatant that ever put to sea. Built from the bones of all four prior Kirov Class battlecruisers, she is updated with Russia’s most lethal weapons, given back her old name, and commissioned in the year 2020. A year later, with tensions rising to the breaking point between Russia and the West, Kirov is completing her final missile trials in the Arctic Sea when a strange accident transports her to another time... moreThe battlecruiser Kirov, is the most powerful surface combatant that ever put to sea. Built from the bones of all four prior Kirov Class battlecruisers, she is updated with Russia’s most lethal weapons, given back her old name, and commissioned in the year 2020. A year later, with tensions rising to the breaking point between Russia and the West, Kirov is completing her final missile trials in the Arctic Sea when a strange accident transports her to another time. With power no ship in the world can match, much less comprehend, she must decide the fate of nations in the most titanic conflict the world has ever seen—WWII. The novel is an intensely focused naval saga, where the crew of the lost Russian battlecruiser must struggle to understand what has happened to them, and then make a choice that could be decisive in the outcome of the war—who’s side are they on? The course of all future history rides in the balance! At this crucial time, Kirov finds herself just days and miles away from a secret summit at sea between Churchill and Roosevelt. On August 9, 1941, the two great leaders meet to plan cooperation in the war and lay down the Atlantic Charter, which decides the framework of post war power in the world and becomes the basis for the new United Nations and NATO. With the hindsight of history as their guide, Kirov races south toward the secret meeting place at Argentia Bay in Newfoundland. Even as she cruises for the Denmark strait, both Roosevelt and Churchill prepare to embark for the sea journey as well. The Royal Navy soon discovers what they believe to be a fearsome new German raider in the Norwegian Sea, and they join with America’s Atlantic Fleet to bar the way and hunt down the most formidable surface action ship in the world. less

About Three Kings, Book 12 in the Kirov Series As Admiral Tovey struggles to stop heavy German units breaking out into the Atlantic, the first of three kings falls with the embattled garrison of Gibraltar. The last two, Malta and Suez, are now under threat of imminent attack. General O’Connor launches Operation Compass against the Italians only to be opposed by a dangerous new foe in the Western Desert, Erwin Rommel and his Afrika Korps... moreAbout Three Kings, Book 12 in the Kirov Series As Admiral Tovey struggles to stop heavy German units breaking out into the Atlantic, the first of three kings falls with the embattled garrison of Gibraltar. The last two, Malta and Suez, are now under threat of imminent attack. General O’Connor launches Operation Compass against the Italians only to be opposed by a dangerous new foe in the Western Desert, Erwin Rommel and his Afrika Korps. As British fortunes reach a desperate state, Volsky and Fedorov soon learn of two newcomers on the vast field of battle, and a triumvirate of powerful ships rises to the challenge, Three Kings of the sea to stand as mighty champions against a powerful combined Axis fleet. The war effort on every side is soon focused on the Middle East, and Admiral Volsky accompanies John Tovey to a fateful conference in Alexandria to meet with General Wavell. Like Three Kings of the West meeting on the field of battle, they plan the future course of the war and struggle to find some way to stop the relentless Axis juggernaut before its shadow darkens the world. Yet to do so they must also reckon with the Three Kings of the East, Sergei Kirov, Ivan Volkov and Vladimir Karpov. less

The saga continues… Days after the shocking discovery of Halifax Harbor, battlecruiser Kirov heads east into the Atlantic, a lost ship in a forsaken and devastated world. Twelve days later they have entered the Mediterranean Sea finding nothing but blackened destruction on every shore... moreThe saga continues… Days after the shocking discovery of Halifax Harbor, battlecruiser Kirov heads east into the Atlantic, a lost ship in a forsaken and devastated world. Twelve days later they have entered the Mediterranean Sea finding nothing but blackened destruction on every shore. Disheartened and stricken with remorse, the ship turns west for the long voyage back to the Straits of Gibraltar when a sudden and unexpected attack leads them to the astounding conclusion that they have once again moved in time, not forward but back, returning to the cauldron of fire of the Second World War. Only this time a full year has passed and they now find themselves sailing the dangerous waters of the year 1942. As the Royal Navy prepares for one of the largest naval operations of the war, Kirov becomes a renegade ship, trapped in the restricted waters of an inland sea with only three ways out. With enemies on every side, the one question her beleaguered captains and crew must now answer has been reduced to the simplest possible terms—survival! At this crucial turning point in the war, forces on every side slowly begin to unravel the mystery of this phantom raider they have now come to call Geronimo. Naval combat rages in this exciting and fast paced sequel to the breakthrough military fiction novel Kirov, by John Schettler less

Admiral Tovey’s visit to Bletchley Park soon reaches an astounding conclusion when the battlecruiser Kirov vanishes once again to a desolate future. Reaching the Pacific the ship’s officers and crew soon learn that Kirov has once again moved in time. Now First Officer Anton Fedorov is shocked to finally learn the true source of the great variation in time that has led to the devastated future they have come from and the demise of civilization itself... moreAdmiral Tovey’s visit to Bletchley Park soon reaches an astounding conclusion when the battlecruiser Kirov vanishes once again to a desolate future. Reaching the Pacific the ship’s officers and crew soon learn that Kirov has once again moved in time. Now First Officer Anton Fedorov is shocked to finally learn the true source of the great variation in time that has led to the devastated future they have come from and the demise of civilization itself. They are soon discovered by a Japanese fleet and the ship now faces its most dangerous and determined challenge ever when they are stalked by the Japanese 5th Carrier Division and eventually confronted by a powerful enemy task force led by the battleship Yamato, and an admiral determined to sink this phantom ship, or die trying. In this amazing conclusion to the popular Kirov trilogy, the most powerful ships ever conceived by two different eras clash in a titanic final battle that could decide the fate of nations and the world itself. less

Kirov returns home to a changed world in the year 2021, and as the Russian Naval Inspectorate probes the mystery of the ship’s disappearance, Anton Fedorov begins to unravel yet another dilemma—the secret of Rod 25. The world is again steering a dangerous course toward the great war that blackened the shores of a distant future glimpsed by the officers and crew... moreKirov returns home to a changed world in the year 2021, and as the Russian Naval Inspectorate probes the mystery of the ship’s disappearance, Anton Fedorov begins to unravel yet another dilemma—the secret of Rod 25. The world is again steering a dangerous course toward the great war that blackened the shores of a distant future glimpsed by the officers and crew. Fedorov has come to believe that time is waiting on the resolution of one crucial unresolved element from their journey to the past—the fate of Gennadi Orlov.Join Admiral Leonid Volsky, Captain Vladimir Karpov and Anton Fedorov as they sleuth the mystery of Orlov’s fate and launch a mission to the past to find him before the world explodes in the terror and fury of a great air and naval conflict in the Pacific. It is a war that will span the globe from the Gulf of Mexico to the Middle East and through the oil rich heart of Central Asia to the wide Pacific, but somehow one man’s life holds the key to its prevention. Yet other men are aware of Orlov’s identity as a crewman from the dread raider they came to call Geronimo, and they too set their minds on finding him first…in 1942! Men of war from the future and past now join in the hunt while the military forces of Russia, China and the West maneuver to the great chessboard of impending conflict. less

Kirov Saga: Nine Days Falling, Vol. IAs Fedorov launches his daring mission to the past to rescue Orlov, Volsky does not know where or how to find the team, or even if they have safely made the dangerous transition to the 1940s….But other men know, from the dark corners of Whitehall to the KGB. And other men also continue to stalk Orlov in that distant era, led by Captain John Haselden and the men of 30 Commando... moreKirov Saga: Nine Days Falling, Vol. IAs Fedorov launches his daring mission to the past to rescue Orlov, Volsky does not know where or how to find the team, or even if they have safely made the dangerous transition to the 1940s….But other men know, from the dark corners of Whitehall to the KGB. And other men also continue to stalk Orlov in that distant era, led by Captain John Haselden and the men of 30 Commando. The long journey west is fraught with danger for Fedorov’s team when they encounter something bewildering and truly astounding, an incident that leads them deeper into the mystery of Rod-25.Meanwhile, Kirov has put to sea and now forms the heart of a powerful battlegroup commanded by Captain Vladimir Karpov. He is soon confronted by the swift deployment of the American Carrier Strike Group Five out of Yokosuka Japan in a tense standoff at sea that explodes into violence until the Red Banner Fleet faces an unexpected challenge.The fuse of conflict is lit across the globe, for the dread war has finally begun when the Chinese make good on their threat to secure their long wayward son—Taiwan. From the pulsing bitstream of the Internet, the deep void of outer space, the oil soaked waters of the Persian Gulf and Black Sea, to the riveting naval combat in the Pacific, the world descends in nine grueling days, swept up in the maelstrom and chaos of war.This is the story of that deadly war to end all wars, and the desperate missions from the future and past to find the one man who can prevent it from ever happening, Gennadi Orlov. Can the mystery of Rod-25 and Orlov be solved before the ICBMs are finally launched? less

Kirov Saga: Fallen Angels ~ Nine Days Falling-Vol. IIThe war continues on both land and sea as China invades Taiwan and North Korea joins to launch a devastating attack. Yet Kirov and the heart of the Red Banner Pacific Fleet has vanished, blown into the past by the massive wrath of the Demon Volcano. There Captain Karpov finds himself at the dying edge of the last great war, yet his own inner demons now wage war with his conscience as he contemplates another decisive intervention... moreKirov Saga: Fallen Angels ~ Nine Days Falling-Vol. IIThe war continues on both land and sea as China invades Taiwan and North Korea joins to launch a devastating attack. Yet Kirov and the heart of the Red Banner Pacific Fleet has vanished, blown into the past by the massive wrath of the Demon Volcano. There Captain Karpov finds himself at the dying edge of the last great war, yet his own inner demons now wage war with his conscience as he contemplates another decisive intervention.After secretly assisting the Soviet invasion of the Kuriles and engaging a small US scouting force in the region, Karpov has drawn the attention of Admiral Halsey’s powerful 3rd Fleet. Now Halsey sends one of the toughest fighting Admirals of the war north to investigate, the hero of the Battle off Samar, Ziggy Sprague, and fast and furious sea battles are the order of the day.Meanwhile tensions rise in the Black Sea as the Russian mission to rescue Fedorov and Orlov has now been expanded to include a way to try and deliver new control rods to Kirov from the same batch and lot as the mysterious Rod-25. Will they work? Yet Admiral Volsky learns that the Russian Black Sea Fleet has engaged well escorted units of a British oil conveyor, Fairchild Inc., and the fires of war soon endanger his mission.All efforts are now focused on a narrow stretch of coastline on the Caspian Sea, where men of war from the future and past are locked in a desperate struggle to decide the outcome of history itself. Naval combat, both future and past, combine with action and intrigue as Volsky’s mission is launched and the mystery of Rod-25 and Fedorov’s strange experience on the Trans-Siberian Rail is finally revealed. Can they stop the nuclear holocaust of the Third World War in 2021 or will it begin off the coast of Japan in 1945? less

About Devil's Garden:The seventh book in the Kirov Series by John Schettler, Devil's Garden also completed the three book trilogy that was begun with 9 Days Falling. All of the many subplots have now unite here into a new single story line reprising all the original cast and crew of Kirov as they eventually arrive at the same point in history to decide the fate of all the years yet to come. But getting there has been the real fun and excitement in this wonderfully complex and engaging story... moreAbout Devil's Garden:The seventh book in the Kirov Series by John Schettler, Devil's Garden also completed the three book trilogy that was begun with 9 Days Falling. All of the many subplots have now unite here into a new single story line reprising all the original cast and crew of Kirov as they eventually arrive at the same point in history to decide the fate of all the years yet to come. But getting there has been the real fun and excitement in this wonderfully complex and engaging story.Anton Fedorov and Sergeant Troyak have finally found Orlov, but the German army is coming! Now they must lead a daring assault with Russian Naval Marines in a strugle to get their man before the Germans do. The action thickens as Russian hovercraft and modern AFVs storm ashore with the Marines to face down the advancing German Panzers. And even as the battle rages, Orlov faces Commissar Molla with his one chance to fulfill a simmering personal vendetta.In 1945, the battlecruiser Kirov has vanished in the midst of the final battle against the US Navy, and now the fate of the Russian Destroyer Orlan is revealed. While Admiral Volsky and Pavel Kamenski search the history for clues of what happened to the Red Banner Fleet, Captain Karpov and his intrepid ship appear in a new era with a chance to change the future history of Russia and the world with a bold new campaign at sea.Meanwhile, two of the more interesting subplots to develop since Kirov made port at Vladivostok in the bridge novel Men Of War have been given an interesting new spin in this book. Elena Fairchild finally reveals a deep secret to Captain Gordon MacRae, and together they lead the Argos Fire on a strange rendezvous with destiny at a place that has spoken the voice of fate and time throughout ages past. The strange journey of Sir Roger Ames, Duke of Elvington deepens the mystery at Lindisfarne Castle as the clock ticks slowly toward a last fateful hour when the world may be caught up in the final maelstrom of war. Then, just when Anton Fedorov finally learns the fate of Kirov, the ships number one Fallen Angel, Captain Karpov does something quite unexpected. Now Fedorov must launch one last desperate mission to preserve the timeline of history and prevent the great cataclysm in 2021 from occurring. less

Kirov Saga: Darkest Hour Altered States ~ Volume II The first rounds have fallen, heavy shells smashing against the armored conning tower of HMS Hood, stunning the ship and its stolid Admiral Holland. Yet Hood fights on, her guns raging in reprisal as the pride of two navies meet in the largest naval engagement since Jutland... moreKirov Saga: Darkest Hour Altered States ~ Volume II The first rounds have fallen, heavy shells smashing against the armored conning tower of HMS Hood, stunning the ship and its stolid Admiral Holland. Yet Hood fights on, her guns raging in reprisal as the pride of two navies meet in the largest naval engagement since Jutland. Even as Admiral Tovey reaches the action, the shadow of Hoffmann’s battlegroup looms over his shoulder and the odds stack ever higher against the embattled ships of Home Fleet. Off to the north the Stukas rush to re-arm aboard carrier Graf Zeppelin, while far to the south another ship hastens north to the scene, from a time and place incomprehensible to the men now locked in a desperate struggle raging on a blood red sea that may decide the fate of England in 1940. Can they engage without shattering the fragile mirror of history yet again? Learn the outcome and follow Kirov north as it heads to home waters, determined to meet the man that may have changed the course of all history, Sergei Kirov. Meanwhile the action moves to the Med where the young Christopher Wells is dispatched to Force H. The British must first prevent the powerful French fleet from falling into enemy hands. The fighting has only just begun as Altered States continues the retelling of the naval war in an exciting second volume. less

Altered States: Volume III ~ Hinge of Fate As Alan Turing pursues the baffling discovery of the strange cache of information code named Geronimo, Admiral Volsky sails to meet with the British on the Faeroes, bearing an offer of formal alliance between Soviet Russia and Great Britain. There Tovey learns the startling truth behind the mysterious ship that has haunted him all his life... moreAltered States: Volume III ~ Hinge of Fate As Alan Turing pursues the baffling discovery of the strange cache of information code named Geronimo, Admiral Volsky sails to meet with the British on the Faeroes, bearing an offer of formal alliance between Soviet Russia and Great Britain. There Tovey learns the startling truth behind the mysterious ship that has haunted him all his life. Sergeant Troyak’s mission aboard airship Narva faces danger and mystery on the Stony Tunguska, even while elements of two other airship fleets converge on the inn at Ilanskiy—the hinge of fate. Meanwhile, Hitler hopes to secure another vital ally so that he can breathe life into Admiral Raeder’s long advocated Mediterranean strategy. It will begin with Operation Felix the assault on Gibraltar. As Britain steels itself for possible invasion, the Royal Navy must now rally to the defense of the embattled garrison at Gibraltar, England’s Rock in the Med, another hinge of fate that could turn the entire course of the war should it fall. Opposing them are the three elite regiments of the German Army, and a resurgent Kriegsmarine led by a fearsome new gladiator, the Hindenburg. The alternate history of WWII in 1940 continues in this exciting third volume in the Altered States segment of the amazing Kirov Series! less

Kirov Saga: Grand Alliance The Alternate History WWII Continues... As Fedorov struggles to forge an alliance of understanding between Brigadier Kinlan and General O’Connor, Rommel prepares to launch an offensive to break the last line of resistance south of Sidi Barani. While the Afrika Korps is overstretched and dangerously low on fuel, it now threatens to break through and open the road to Alexandria--and Wavell has nothing left to throw at them until.. moreKirov Saga: Grand Alliance The Alternate History WWII Continues... As Fedorov struggles to forge an alliance of understanding between Brigadier Kinlan and General O’Connor, Rommel prepares to launch an offensive to break the last line of resistance south of Sidi Barani. While the Afrika Korps is overstretched and dangerously low on fuel, it now threatens to break through and open the road to Alexandria--and Wavell has nothing left to throw at them until... German oasis patrols soon encounter an unexpected mechanized force massing on Rommel’s flank, and the fate of Egypt will now be decided at an insignificant desert outpost called Bir el Khamsa when the great grandsons of the Desert Rats join their ancestors on the field of honor. Meanwhile, Volsky, Tovey and Fairchild forge a grand alliance at sea to oppose a powerful Axis fleet. The hubris of Italian General Iachino brings his force into contact with these powerful new foes as the Franco/German fleet rushes to the scene of battle. And Sergei Kirov receives a visit from Vladimir Karpov as the wily ex-Captain of Kirov seeks to further enmesh himself in the decisive campaigns about to open on the eastern front. But Karpov’s grand vision of alliances he hopes to form will soon lead him to a most unexpected place, where he will again hold the fate of nations in the palm of his hand. Battle rages on land and sea in this opening volume of the Grand Alliance trilogy, book 13 in the amazing Kirov Series. Series Note: This is the first book in the 4th trilogy of the of the Kirov Series. New readers should enter this segment by first reading the bridge novel "Three Kings." This alternate history began with Book 9 in the series "Altered States," and has cover the period June 1940 through February 1941, including action in the North Atlantic, Mers el Kebir, Dakar, Operation Felix (the German attack on Gibraltar), O'Connor's offensive, the arrival and first offensive of Rommel, the German attack on Malta, and a startling development that now comes to fruition in this book. less

Kirov Series: Hammer Of GodThe decisive battles of February 1941 on both land and sea present new challenges for the Germans and British. Fedorov meets with Wavell and Tovey when a plan to inform Churchill leads to a vital conference at Siwa. There the Allies plan the difficult campaign in Syria and Iraq, and Fedorov volunteers to lead a daring mission to secure key objectives near the ancient Roman city of Palmyra in the Syrian desert. Yet the Germans react with plans of their own... moreKirov Series: Hammer Of GodThe decisive battles of February 1941 on both land and sea present new challenges for the Germans and British. Fedorov meets with Wavell and Tovey when a plan to inform Churchill leads to a vital conference at Siwa. There the Allies plan the difficult campaign in Syria and Iraq, and Fedorov volunteers to lead a daring mission to secure key objectives near the ancient Roman city of Palmyra in the Syrian desert. Yet the Germans react with plans of their own.Paulus has convinced Hitler not to abandon his Mediterranean strategy, and strong new reserves are ready to move to North Africa. The Germans contemplate their next move in the Mediterranean, and hope to press a two pronged offensive while continuing to build up forces for the next big operation, Barbarossa. In a meeting with Eric von Manstein, Hitler is convinced that he must solve “the Turkish question” if he is to proceed with his grand vision of conquest—Directive 32. He soon upsets OKWs careful timetable by sending Kurt Student’s hunters from the sky to a most unexpected place.Meanwhile, Vladimir Karpov is also in a most unexpected place, and confirms that the mighty airship Tunguska has indeed moved in time. Now he plans to use this sudden unexpected turn of events to his great advantage, but a simple chess game has him curious about possible threats to his own family tree.The action and mystery abound in this action packed continuation of the amazing Kirov Series! less

Kirov Saga: Crescendo Of DoomTyrenkov’s trip up the back stairway at Ilanskiy has led him to a most unexpected place, and now Karpov has a moment that could change all history within his grasp, and a means of getting his revenge on Ivan Volkov. Will he seize the day? Yet Tyrenkov has also brought something back with him that is of great importance, and Karpov soon learns more of the days ahead than any man alive could ever wish to know... moreKirov Saga: Crescendo Of DoomTyrenkov’s trip up the back stairway at Ilanskiy has led him to a most unexpected place, and now Karpov has a moment that could change all history within his grasp, and a means of getting his revenge on Ivan Volkov. Will he seize the day? Yet Tyrenkov has also brought something back with him that is of great importance, and Karpov soon learns more of the days ahead than any man alive could ever wish to know. Even so, Ivan Volkov has plans of his own, to take a massive airship fleet to Ilanskiy and seize the day himself. Can he succeed, or will Karpov become the ruin of all he had plotted and built in his long sojourn to the past.Meanwhile, Anton Fedorov has a mind to become the next Lawrence of Arabia, and leads his mobile force to Raqqah to impede the German retreat, and in daring raids against the old Hejaz rail lines from Homs to Aleppo. As the battle for Syria continues, Erwin Rommel launches a sudden new offensive in North Africa, this time aimed at the vital port of Tobruk, and the Germans strive to crush the British defense in the Middle East in a mighty pincer attack. As these events play out, Hitler now plans to unleash his greatest attack of the war, Operation Barbarossa. The storm clouds of war darken the Russian border, and the thunder of the guns soon deafens the world, as the conflict rises in a dreadful Crescendo of Doom. less

Kirov Saga: DoppelgangerSeason 3 of the Kirov Series opens with Volume 17: Doppelganger, where the answer to the dilemma that now faces Mother Time will finally decide the fate of the ship and crew. Battle still rages in the Atlantic, and Elena Fairchild arrives on the scene to discover the crisis aboard Rodney has made her quest for the lost key impossible. Yet there she meets one other uninvited guest, an American officer who reveals that he is not the man he seems... moreKirov Saga: DoppelgangerSeason 3 of the Kirov Series opens with Volume 17: Doppelganger, where the answer to the dilemma that now faces Mother Time will finally decide the fate of the ship and crew. Battle still rages in the Atlantic, and Elena Fairchild arrives on the scene to discover the crisis aboard Rodney has made her quest for the lost key impossible. Yet there she meets one other uninvited guest, an American officer who reveals that he is not the man he seems. Together they consider what they may have lost, and how it might yet be savedMeanwhile, Vladimir Karpov has discovered that his own personal fate is also in jeopardy as his dwindling lease on time runs thin. Realizing the dilemma that had plagued Fedorov for so long, he rises in Tunguska, intent on seeking the heart of a gathering storm, in a desperate attempt to save his own twisted soul from the ravages of Paradox. As he peers through the shattered glass of history, deep into the mirror of time, he suddenly discovers his own self looking right back at him.The exciting alternate history of WWII careens towards 1942, as Germany now makes its great bid to destroy Kirov’s Soviet Russia and smash the last of the stubborn British resistance in the Middle East. Yet plans for new weapons of war will appear, strange doppelgangers spawned from the legacy of Kirov. Soon they will darken the battlefields of Europe, when the tempo of technology will leap ahead to produce a new generation of tanks, aircraft and the deadly art of missile warfare arrives years early.Don’t miss the premier of Season 3 of the amazing Kirov Series—Doppelganger less

Kirov Saga: NemesisThe second volume in the third season of this long running tale carries the story into the turbulent waters of the north. With Admiral Volsky fallen ill, Fedorov struggles to prevent Karpov from repeating the awful events that ended in nuclear fire, and the explosion that again sent the ship reeling through time... moreKirov Saga: NemesisThe second volume in the third season of this long running tale carries the story into the turbulent waters of the north. With Admiral Volsky fallen ill, Fedorov struggles to prevent Karpov from repeating the awful events that ended in nuclear fire, and the explosion that again sent the ship reeling through time. With his memory intact, knowledge of Rod-25 and everything Karpov would do, he sets his mind on gaining control of the ship, yet must face the dangerous wrath of Karpov if he is to succeed. Meanwhile, the Siberian, as the second Karpov is now called, has struck a dangerous bargain with Sergei Kirov, but one that could bring about another fatal collision in time. Learning that the ship has reappeared, he sets his mind on trying to find Kirov, and in so doing gain control over the most powerful weapons in the world. Unaware that his duplicate self even exists, he soon finds he has a shadowy accomplice. The war continues on the Russian front as the Germans slowly begin to introduce new prototype tank designs, born of the shock and fire delivered by Kinlan’s heavy brigade. The story takes us into this action on the Soviet front with the cutting edge of Guderian’s 2nd Panzergruppe, and the veteran divisions of the 24th Panzer Korps spearhead the final German assault aimed at winning the war in 1941, Operation Typhoon. In doing so they run right into Sergie Kirov’s last available reserves, and the 1st Siberian Shock Army launches a daring counterattack to try and stem the German tide. less

Kirov Saga: Winter Storm Harried by the Captain’s suspicion, Fedorov desperately tries to find allies on the ship, and gets a most unusual visit from Doctor Zolkin that gives him a faint glimmer of hope. Kirov is bound for the Pacific, with tensions slowly rising on the ship itself as the crew is briefed to gird themselves for war. On the Russian Front, Sergei Kirov struggles to hold the line at the gates to Moscow when the Big Cats arrive on the scene of Guderian’s bold thrust at Tula... moreKirov Saga: Winter Storm Harried by the Captain’s suspicion, Fedorov desperately tries to find allies on the ship, and gets a most unusual visit from Doctor Zolkin that gives him a faint glimmer of hope. Kirov is bound for the Pacific, with tensions slowly rising on the ship itself as the crew is briefed to gird themselves for war. On the Russian Front, Sergei Kirov struggles to hold the line at the gates to Moscow when the Big Cats arrive on the scene of Guderian’s bold thrust at Tula. The action soon brings two storied tank killers face to face in the desperate fighting, where the battlefield becomes the scene of a very personal duel. In the Western Desert, the British try to move Rommel off his Gazala Line in a modified version of Operation Crusader, but both sides learn some valuable lessons in the crucible of war. The action soon moves east, where bigger battles loom when the ship and crew find themselves on the eve of a most fateful day as Japan prepares to strike. Karpov has plans for the Japanese Navy, and he soon sets the ship on a collision course that threatens to ignite the fires of the Pacific War in a massive conflagration that threatens to change that history forever. Meanwhile, Admiral Volsky has secretly made contact with the Commander of a British submarine, and sails for a rendezvous with Admiral Tovey. He is bound to deliver his charge in the precious key entrusted to him by Anton Fedorov. less

About Kirov Saga: Second Front Vladimir Karpov has already opened a Second Front in the north against Japan with his bold invasion of Sakhalin Island. Now the battlecruiser Kirov has come upon a most unexpected challenger in the Pacific as the crew of Takami join Admiral Kurita in a daring attempt to sink the Siberian raider. The fast paced naval combat extends through the first six chapters here as two modern day warriors at sea duel in the waters of 1942... moreAbout Kirov Saga: Second Front Vladimir Karpov has already opened a Second Front in the north against Japan with his bold invasion of Sakhalin Island. Now the battlecruiser Kirov has come upon a most unexpected challenger in the Pacific as the crew of Takami join Admiral Kurita in a daring attempt to sink the Siberian raider. The fast paced naval combat extends through the first six chapters here as two modern day warriors at sea duel in the waters of 1942. Then the action moves to the frigid Norwegian Sea where Britain launches one of its biggest relief convoys ever bound for Murmansk., PQ-17. The combined British and American covering forces are soon challenged by a powerful German battlegroup centered on the battleship Tirpitz and the newly commissioned carrier Peter Strasser. Meanwhile, General Dwight D. Eisenhower puts the finishing touches on the first joint US/British offensive of the war, Operation Torch, only this time, with the Straits of Gibraltar closed, there can be no landings at Oran and Algiers. Instead the British come ashore at Lisbon when Portugal joins the Allied cause, and Patton leads the entire US Torch order of battle in a much bigger landing at Casablanca. The objective of both forces is the long lost bastion of Gibraltar, where a dangerous secret lurks in the unexplored depths of St. Michael’s Cave. The invasion is well underway when Fedorov is alarmed to discover what he believes is an insoluble paradox looming on the near horizon. As the history of 1942 is re-written, how could Sergei Kirov ever come to power if Fedorov fails to warn him of his fate at the hands of Staliln? A mission to Ilanskiy is launched to attempt to shore up the history... But Karpov has other ideas.... less

Kirov Saga: Tigers EastVladimir Karpov orders Fedorov to abort his mission to Ilanskiy, but Fedorov has other ideas. With the odds against him growing ever higher, the sudden appearance of a most unexpected visitor changes everything.While Patton leads the fledgling US Army against Kesselring in Algeria, a major engagement at sea north of Algiers decides the fate of the Western Med. The Allies must command those seas if they are to move units to Oran for the campaign against Algiers... moreKirov Saga: Tigers EastVladimir Karpov orders Fedorov to abort his mission to Ilanskiy, but Fedorov has other ideas. With the odds against him growing ever higher, the sudden appearance of a most unexpected visitor changes everything.While Patton leads the fledgling US Army against Kesselring in Algeria, a major engagement at sea north of Algiers decides the fate of the Western Med. The Allies must command those seas if they are to move units to Oran for the campaign against Algiers. Meanwhile, far to the east, Erwin Rommel awakens from his gloom at Mersa Brega and hatches a plan for a new offensive to stop O’Connor’s drive into Tripolitania. He must first persuade Hitler to relinquish his stand fast order in North Africa, and then choose ground where his vaunted Afrika Korps can make one last dance in a desperate battle of maneuver.Meanwhile, the Germans make a dramatic breakthrough at Voronezh, following the original intent of Operation Blue. Rundstedt orders Model and Hoth to drive east and then turn south to threaten the Russian line on the Don. As Sergei Kirov and his generals struggle to respond, Manstein’s attack towards the Volga secures the vital bridgehead at Kalach on the Don. Now the Russians launch a daring series of counterattacks from their Don bridgeheads in a desperate effort to unhinge the German offensive and prevent Steiner’s SS from storming the city. Manstein then calls on one of Germany’s finest division commanders with the elite 11th Panzer Division, Hermann Balck.Germany’s newest heavy tanks lead the attacks as the Tigers head east on two exciting fronts! less

About Thor's Anvil - Book 26 in the Kirov series An Alternate History of WWII The crew of Takami returns to the South Pacific to meet with Yamamoto, and now they must undertake a new operation. A daring raid into the Indian Ocean is planned, as the Japanese aim to capture the last British outposts on Ceylon. Lost in time, Anton Fedorov now confronts his moment of destiny in the lonesome village of Ilanskiy, and the decision he makes will decide the fate of the world he hopes to return to... moreAbout Thor's Anvil - Book 26 in the Kirov series An Alternate History of WWII The crew of Takami returns to the South Pacific to meet with Yamamoto, and now they must undertake a new operation. A daring raid into the Indian Ocean is planned, as the Japanese aim to capture the last British outposts on Ceylon. Lost in time, Anton Fedorov now confronts his moment of destiny in the lonesome village of Ilanskiy, and the decision he makes will decide the fate of the world he hopes to return to. Meanwhile, the Germans now drive to the city of Volgograd, cutting it off as their troops reach the Volga in the north. There, a vital bridge links Hitler’s legions to those of Ivan Volkov, and the Germans mass their toughest Pioneers to attempt to break through at Rynok. Steiner is determined to storm this last Soviet bastion in the south, but Chuikov and Shumilov plot the stalwart Soviet defense that made this place an anvil of doom for Germany’s fortunes in the war. As the elite German divisions strike one by one to hammer upon that anvil, General Zhukov unleashes his long awaited winter counteroffensive aimed at Kursk. less

The war continues in 1943, as Japan launches a bold new attack against the Fiji Islands that leads to a decisive battle off Yasawa. In Syria, Erwin Rommel unleashes a classic flanking attack towards Damascus with “Operation Eisenfall,” even as the Allies attack Kesselring in Tunisia with Eisenhower’s “Operation Hammer... moreThe war continues in 1943, as Japan launches a bold new attack against the Fiji Islands that leads to a decisive battle off Yasawa. In Syria, Erwin Rommel unleashes a classic flanking attack towards Damascus with “Operation Eisenfall,” even as the Allies attack Kesselring in Tunisia with Eisenhower’s “Operation Hammer.” Then, as the German 11th and 17th Armies slowly grind down the last of Soviet resistance in the Caucasus, tensions reach a breaking point when they meet Volkov’s forces dug in west of Maykop. The Führer has ordered his legions to take and occupy that place, and Ivan Volkov chooses to stand his ground. The war in the east now threatens to spiral out of control, with new fighting erupting on every frontier when General Zhukov opens his Spring offensive in a massive attack towards Kharkov that now threatens to reshape the entire front. Meanwhile, Elena Fairchild finally learns the fate of the men she sent into the hidden passage beneath St. Michael’s Cave, and makes a discovery that will give her the means to find and retrieve the key lost on the Battleship Rodney. As she plans her mission, Fedorov and Karpov arrange a meeting with Volsky and Gromyko to discuss their new plan to shatter this altered meridian by traveling to 1908. less

ABOUT NEXUS DEEP: Kirov Series, Volume 31 The Fairchild Group launches its mission to seek the key lost aboard Rodney, even as the Allies close the door on the war in North Africa with Operation Chariot. As the 5th Panzer Army dies in Tunisia, Hitler must now find a way to shore up Armeegruppe South while also finding divisions to guard the West. Both sides now plan operations for the late Spring and early Summer... moreABOUT NEXUS DEEP: Kirov Series, Volume 31 The Fairchild Group launches its mission to seek the key lost aboard Rodney, even as the Allies close the door on the war in North Africa with Operation Chariot. As the 5th Panzer Army dies in Tunisia, Hitler must now find a way to shore up Armeegruppe South while also finding divisions to guard the West. Both sides now plan operations for the late Spring and early Summer. The Allies must decide whether to strike at Sardinia or Sicily in an attempt to topple the regime of Mussolini and knock Italy out of the war, while the Germans must choose from several operations in the south, Habicht, Panther, and Zitadelle. The Soviets plan new offensives of their own that will prove, once and for all, that the tide of the war in the east is shifting. Meanwhile, the work of Lord Elgin is strangely mirrored by the action of his son, the 8th Earl of Elgin, and a seemingly small squabble on the China coast at Canton escalates into an event that has sinister implications for the quest Elena Fairchild has undertaken. Then, just as Fedorov and company begin to finalize their plans for the mission to 1908, Admiral Tovey makes a dramatic request. Kirov Saga: Nexus Deep By John Schettler Part I – Minerva’s Curse Part II – Operation Chariot Part III – Time is Money Part IV – Zitadelle Part V – Rumyantsev Part VI – Confrontation Part VII – One Small Step Part VIII– The Road to Taranovka Part IX – Twenty Divisions Part X – Collapse Part XI – Curious Marbles Part XII – Balance of Terror 36 Chapters, about 106,000 words less