Weapons of Choice by John Birmingham

Weapons of Choice by John Birmingham is the first in a series of three novels in the so-called “axis of time” series. The premise of the series could be summarized in the form of a question: “What do you get when a 2021 military experiment transports an American-led multinational naval armada `back through time to 1942, and relocates the armada to the middle of the U.S. naval task force heading towards Midway Island and the battle of Midway?” John Birmingham answers this question over the course of the three novels. In this first volume the story develops on a number of levels.

On the strategic level, the emergence in 1942 of a 2021 battle armada has the potential to vastly influence the conduct and result of World War II. The allies’ access to 2021 technology and 2021 history books enables the 1942 generation to learn from history by not making the mistakes that are yet to occur, so to speak, thereby changing the course of history. The same occurs with Germany, Japan, and (a temporarily neutral) Russia, who also obtain future technology and knowledge of the future. Birmingham’s book cleverly teases out the premise of the affect of knowledge of the future on current events. For example, the Battel of Midway does not occur. Germany and Russia make a peace (temporarily) to mutually explore the application of the new technology to their 1942 weapons programs. New military campaigns are pursued to achieve new military and political objectives that become apparent with the so called knowledge of history and new technologies.

Birmingham also develops the sub-plot of the political implications of the new technology and historical records. Hitler and Stalin, armed with knowledge of future treacheries, eliminate their rivals. In the United Sates, when faced with new technologies being used by a liberated and de-segregated population, the Government responds by establishing a special zone in the San Fernando Valley north of Los Angeles to use future laws, customs and technologies to enhance the 1942 war effort by bringing forward the development and adoption of new technologies.

The book also develops the sub-plot of the numerous cultural, social, and legal differences between the people from 2021 and 1942. For example, we experience the clashes between the 1942 politicians with a military from the future, and the clashes between military men and women from different eras, in particular, their viewing (in private) of each other as somewhat barbaric. In an era of segregation in the United States, a country fighting a war against a foe that believes in the wholesale extermination of so-called “inferior races,” the appearance of warrior from the future becomes disturbing to both sides when some of 2021 era commanding officers are African American, and women. This culture shock and culture clash is a recurring theme and source of tension throughout the story.

Weapons of Choice is the produce of John Birmingham’s very fertile imagination. He has written a fine novel that mixes historical fiction, science fiction/futurism and socially conscious storytelling. This fine novel should appeal to fans of military history and science fiction lovers, as well as any person that enjoys good and imaginative writing. It’s noticeable that Birmingham creates in the reader an appetite for more. After seeing these improbable events occur, you end up wondering how things are going to work out. We and up wanting to know how things are going to work out in this strange new past that reflects the future. It is fairly safe to say that if you end up reading Weapons of Choice, you’ll also want to read the other two volumes because it’s simply that good and that engaging.