The ''Destroyermen'' series is a series of

alternate history Alternate history (also alternative history, althist, AH) is a genre of speculative fiction of stories in which one or more historical events occur and are resolved differently than in real life. As conjecture based upon historical fact, altern ...

books, written by American writer and historian

Taylor Anderson Taylor Anderson is an author, historical artillery and firearm expert, re-enactor, and former history professor. He is the author of the '' Destroyermen'' series, about , , and , and their fight against the Grik. Anderson has also written several ...

. The fifteen books in the series are '' Into the Storm'', ''

Crusade The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were i ...

'' (both 2008), ''

Maelstrom Maelstrom may refer to: * Maelstrom (whirlpool), a powerful whirlpool ** originally the Moskstraumen in English Amusement rides * Maelstrom (ride), a former log flume dark ride attraction in the Epcot theme park at Walt Disney World Resort ...

'' (2009), ''

Distant Thunders The ''Destroyermen'' series is a series of alternate history books, written by American writer and historian Taylor Anderson. The fifteen books in the series are '' Into the Storm'', ''Crusade'' (both 2008), ''Maelstrom'' (2009), '' Distant Thun ...

'' (2010), '' Rising Tides'', ''

Firestorm A firestorm is a conflagration which attains such intensity that it creates and sustains its own wind system. It is most commonly a natural phenomenon, created during some of the largest bushfires and wildfires. Although the term has been used ...

'' (both 2011), ''

Iron Gray Sea The ''Destroyermen'' series is a series of alternate history books, written by American writer and historian Taylor Anderson. The fifteen books in the series are '' Into the Storm'', ''Crusade'' (both 2008), ''Maelstrom'' (2009), ''Distant Thund ...

'' (2012), ''

Storm Surge A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the n ...

'' (2013), '' Deadly Shores'' (2014), '' Straits of Hell'' (2015), '' Blood in the Water'' (2016), '' Devil's Due'' (2017), '' River of Bones'' (2018), '' Pass of Fire'' (2019), and '' Winds of Wrath'' (2020). The books chronicle the adventures of the crews of the

destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed in ...

and the Japanese battlecruiser ''Amagi'', in the early stages of the

War in the Pacific The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War, was the theater of World War II that was fought in Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and Oceania. It was geographically the largest theater of the war, including the vast ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, being transported to an alternate

Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...

. This Earth is relatively the same geographically as the one they left, but evolution took a different turn eons ago. The series ends with the fifteenth book of the series, ''Winds of Wrath'', which was released in June 2020, while a

prequel A prequel is a literary, dramatic or cinematic work whose story precedes that of a previous work, by focusing on events that occur before the original narrative. A prequel is a work that forms part of a backstory to the preceding work. The term " ...

series, ''

Artillerymen Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, ...

'', began publication in September 2021 with '' Purgatory's Shore''.

Summary Of The Books

''Into the Storm''

In ''Into the Storm'', the story begins during the Second Battle of the Java Sea. The is a

of the

United States Asiatic Fleet The United States Asiatic Fleet was a fleet of the United States Navy during much of the first half of the 20th century. Before World War II, the fleet patrolled the Philippine Islands. Much of the fleet was destroyed by the Japanese by Februar ...

, commanded by

Lieutenant Commander Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding rank i ...

Matthew Reddy. The ''Walker'' was a part of the surviving ABDACOM fleet, consisting of the Royal Navy cruiser , HMS ''Encounter'', and the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

destroyers In navy, naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a Naval fleet, fleet, convoy or Carrier battle group, battle group and defend them against powerful short range attack ...

''Pope'' and ''Mahan'', all of which were fleeing from Japanese naval forces. However, the Japanese forces closed range, and opened up on the small Allied fleet. The ''Exeter'' took a major hit, and ordered the remaining four destroyers to leave the crippled cruiser. The destroyers were systematically sunk, starting with the ''Encounter'', followed by the ''Pope'' shortly thereafter just as happened in the real naval battle. The surviving destroyers, ''Walker'' and ''Mahan'', then encountered the Japanese battlecruiser ''Amagi''. Seeing no other option, Lieutenant Commander Reddy commanded the pair of destroyers to stage a torpedo attack, which sank an accompanying destroyer, and badly damaged the battlecruiser, before the ships were enveloped in a freak squall, and transported to an alternate world, where humans never evolved, apparently because the

Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event The Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) extinction event (also known as the Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction) was a sudden mass extinction of three-quarters of the plant and animal species on Earth, approximately 66 million years ago. With the ...

(specifically the

Chicxulub asteroid The Chicxulub crater () is an impact crater buried underneath the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. Its center is offshore near the community of Chicxulub, after which it is named. It was formed slightly over 66 million years ago when a large ast ...

impact Impact may refer to: * Impact (mechanics), a high force or shock (mechanics) over a short time period * Impact, Texas, a town in Taylor County, Texas, US Science and technology * Impact crater, a meteor crater caused by an impact event * Impac ...

) never occurred. There are two races. One, the Lemurians, who evolved from giant lemurs from

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

, are peaceful farmers and fishermen, and live on huge oceangoing houseboats called Homes. ''Walker''s captain,

Matthew Reddy, meets with the Lemurian leadership, and forms an alliance with them to fight the other race, the Grik, who are at war with the Lemurians. The Grik are possible descendants of the dinosaur genus ''

Velociraptor ''Velociraptor'' (; ) is a genus of small dromaeosaurid dinosaur that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous epoch, about 75 million to 71 million years ago. Two species are currently recognized, although others have been assigned in the pa ...

''.

''Crusade''

Second book in the series that was released in October 2008. In the second book, ''Crusade'', Reddy, and the crew of ''Walker'', are training the Lemurians how to fight. The ''Amagi'' is now under Grik control, and her captain is half-mad.

''Maelstrom''

Third book in the series that was released in February 2009. By ''Maelstrom'', Reddy, his crew, and their Lemurian allies, are fighting the Grik. By ''Distant Thunders'', the tide is turning. This book introduces the USS S-19 (SS-124), an S-class submarine from an alternative timeline in which the submarine was not scrapped, and initial contact with a society that was created by descendants of a ship from the British

East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...

that was transported to this universe two centuries earlier.

''Distant Thunders''

Fourth book in the series that was released in June 2010. This book introduces the appearance of the SS Santa Catalina, a pre-World War I

cargo ship A cargo ship or freighter is a merchant ship that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year, handling the bulk of international trade. Cargo ships are usu ...

that came from an alternative timeline in which the ship had never undergone the conversion into a

destroyer tender A destroyer tender or destroyer depot ship is a type of depot ship: an auxiliary ship designed to provide maintenance support to a flotilla of destroyers or other small warships. The use of this class has faded from its peak in the first half of ...

, with its cargo of

Curtiss P-40 Warhawk The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground-attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time an ...

''Rising Tides''

The fifth novel in the series was released in February 2011.

''Firestorm''

''Firestorm'' is book 6 of the series was released in October 2011. The sixth volume in the series follows the growing threat from the "Dominion", a Grik / Japanese superweapon, and the arrival of more ships through the "squall", including a Japanese

Kagerō-class destroyer The were a class of nineteen 1st Class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during the 1930s, and operated by them during the Pacific War, when all but one were lost. The class was also one of a series called within the Imperial Ja ...

called ''Hidoiame'' (which translate as ''Terrible Rain'').

''Iron Gray Sea''

Book 7, ''Iron Gray Sea'', was released in July 2012. Many new developments but also picks up some older story lines that had previously taken a sideline. Lieutenant Commander Matthew Reddy, Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces and the captain of USS ''Walker'', marries Nurse

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

Sandra Tucker. The Grand

Alliance An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

is taking the war to the

Grik Gerik ( Jawi: ڬريق; ; Tamil: கிரிக் ; alternate spelling: Grik) is a mukim and the district capital of Hulu Perak District, Perak, Malaysia. The town is also known as Rest Town owing to its strategic location next to East-West ...

and the Japanese. The Lemurians, ''Walker''s allies, have been fighting the Grik for a year and are now winning. ''Walker'', in the past year, has been rebuilt, and is now part of the ''Little'' class. This book introduces the a human-Lemarian culture called the Republic of Real People in what would be South Africa. Also introduced in this book is the German ocean liner '' SMS Amerika'' that was transported from a different timeline. It was later revealed in ''Deadly Seas'' that ''Amerika'' was converted to an armed merchant cruiser during the First World War when it was transported to the alternate universe just after battling the British armed merchant cruiser '' RMS Mauretania'' in the South Atlantic instead of being stuck in an American port in the world the USS ''Walker'' came from.

''Storm Surge''

Book 8 was released on July 2, 2013. The eighth book in the series picks up with the desperate situation in Grik India from Book 7, as well as covering some new developments on the Eastern Front in the battle against the Dominion.

''Deadly Shores''

Book 9 was published in May 2014. It deals with the Alliance invasion of the heart of the Grik Empire.

''Straits of Hell''

Book 10 was published in May 2015. It dealt with the Alliance's attempts to keep the Grik from reconquering the Lemurians' ancestral home of Madagascar, battles against the Dominion on land and at sea, introduction of the League of Tripoli and various other plot points.

''Blood in the Water''

Book 11 of the series was released in June 2016

''Devil's Due''

The twelfth book in the series was released in June 2017. The Alliance begins a more active fight against the League of Tripoli, a military coalition that was led by the

Parti Populaire Français The French Popular Party (french: Parti populaire français) was a French fascist and anti-semitic political party led by Jacques Doriot before and during World War II. It is generally regarded as the most collaborationist party of France. ...

from a different alternative timeline in which France, instead of Germany, became the dominant

fascist Fascism is a far-right, Authoritarianism, authoritarian, ultranationalism, ultra-nationalist political Political ideology, ideology and Political movement, movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and pol ...

power in Europe. Some of the vessels that were brought over included the French submarine ''Surcouf'', the French

Bretagne-class battleship The ''Bretagne''-class battleships were the first " super-dreadnoughts" built for the French Navy during the First World War. The class comprised three vessels: ''Bretagne'', the lead ship, ''Provence'', and ''Lorraine''. They were an improve ...

''Savoie'', the Italian

Leone-class destroyer The ''Leone'' class were a group of destroyers built for the Regia Marina, Italian Navy in the early 1920s. Five ships were planned and three completed. All three ships were based at Massawa, Eritrea during World War II and were sunk during the Eas ...

''Leopardo'', and the Spanish

Alsedo-class destroyer The ''Alsedo'' class was a Spanish Ship class, class of destroyer. Three ships were built, based on a British design, entering service between 1924 and 1925. They all served through and survived the Spanish Civil War, two on the Republican facti ...

''Antúnez'' along with a German

Junkers Ju 52 The Junkers Ju 52/3m (nicknamed ''Tante Ju'' ("Aunt Ju") and ''Iron Annie'') is a transport aircraft that was designed and manufactured by German aviation company Junkers. Development of the Ju 52 commenced during 1930, headed by German Aeros ...

trimotor transport aircraft and a squadron of Italian license-built

Messerschmitt 109 The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a German World War II fighter aircraft that was, along with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the backbone of the Luftwaffe's fighter force. The Bf 109 first saw operational service in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War an ...

fighter aircraft. The frequently mentioned mysterious German submarine was later revealed to be the Type XI U-boat U-112 in the next novel, ''River of Bones''.

''River of Bones''

Penguin Random House published ''River of Bones'', the thirteenth book in the series, in July 2018 to generally favorable reviews. The machinations of the League of Tripoli continue as do the wars against the Grik and the Doms. Matthew Reddy is forced to command a new ship, as the ''Walker'' is too badly damaged. More details are given about the group of people calling themselves the ''New United States'', the descendants of American soldiers who were originally being transported in 1847 on oceanic vessels across the Gulf of Mexico as part of the amphibious assault on Veracruz during the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...

. This event is detailed far more extensively in Taylor's subsequent series, "

", beginning with ''Purgatory's Shore''.

''Pass of Fire''

In June 2019, Penguin Random House released ''Pass of Fire'', the fourteenth book in the series. As the Allied army under Captain Reddy marches towards the Grik capital of Sofesshk in Africa, General Shinya and his Army of the Sisters prepare to battle the Dominion at El Paso del Fuego in South America.

''Winds of Wrath''

The fifteenth and final book in the series, ''Winds of Wrath'', was released by Penguin Random House in June 2020. After capturing the Grik capital in Africa in the last book, Allied armies march upon the increasingly desperate remnants of the Grik army commanded by First General Esshk. In the Caribbean, the Allies marshall their "modern" warships - including Captain Reddy's ''Walker'', the captured super-dreadnought ''Savoie'', and even newly built vessels from the Union, Empire and Republic—against a mighty armada of League battleships for a climactic duel of fire and flashes.

Citations

General and cited references

*
Review of ''Into the Storm''
��Alternate History.com, August 25, 2010
John Ottinger III. ''Book Review: Destroyermen – Into the Storm by Taylor Anderson''. August 25, 2010

Book Review – ''Maelstrom''

by Taylor Anderson *
The official site's page for ''Into the Storm''
*
The official site's page for ''Crusade''
*
The official site's page for ''Maelstrom''
*
The official site's page for ''Distant Thunders''
*
The official site's page for ''Rising Tides''
*
The official site's page for ''Firestorm''
*
The official site's page for ''Iron Gray Sea''

External links

Official site

The Destroyermen series
at Tantor, the publisher of the audio books * {{Destroyermen and Artillerymen Alternate history book series Book series introduced in 2008 Novels about parallel universes Novels set during World War II