And to think that for over 10 years I've thought I was missing something essential by not having read this. Now that I have, I'm sorry that nobody warned me in advance. I have no idea why this book is called science fiction when it's basically badly-told alternate history with no plot. "Let's throw in well known historical characters and have them do something entirely different in our version of history!" "Yeah, that'll be hilarious!" Hate to break it to you, but in a word, no.