1812

The Rivers of War (Trail of Glory, Book 1)

By: Eric Flint

Narrated by: Franklin Pierson

MASTER OF ALTERNATE HISTORY ERIC FLINT TAKES ON JACKSONIAN AMERICA

In this alternate history of the American frontier and the Jacksonian era, a small change takes place in the Battle of the Horseshoe Bend during the War of 1812. What results is a cascade of new developments that becomes an avalanche. In our world, Ensign Sam Houston, just turned 21, led the charge on the creek barricade in that battle and almost died from a terrible wound that took him a year to recover from. In this world, his wound is minor, so he is able to continue fighting the British—and develop his close relationship with Andrew Jackson much sooner.

Along with a radical Scots-Irish immigrant in the U.S. army, Patrick Driscoll—one of “the Men of ’98”—Houston organizes a defense of the U.S. Capitol that prevents the British from destroying it and makes him a national hero. He and Driscoll then play a central role in the defense of New Orleans under Jackson's command. They change the course of that battle in ways that will, over time, transform the relationship between the United States, the Indian tribes of the south, and the slaves brought over from Africa.

©2022 Eric Flint (P)2022 Recorded Books

Too heavy on discussion of prejudices

I found this book interesting. I listened to Flint's book one in the Ring of Fire series and really enjoyed that. This book was a little different. The characters were great. I'm a bit of a history nut, so I kept trying to see where the "alternate" history was included. I did see at the end where it was headed, so OK. Personally, I prefer seeing the event that changed everything then watching to see the consequences.
The characters were great. The were interesting and very well developed, although I kept getting confused between the male Cheyenne characters as to which was which.
The issue raised by Flint regarding how the different races see one another and how different people treat different groups of people are important issues to consider. My biggest issue with this story is that Flint kept pounding away on those issues. While important, so was the story.

At the end, Flint was talking about being unable to create an alternate history where the Native Americans changed their history. I think that could be done and in a semi-believable way. Remember that we are willing to go with the premise as long as a "logical" (not necessarily possible) change in history were to occur. I would be difficult, simply because of the numbers involved, but it could still be an interesting story.

Thoroughly enjoyable!

A fully engaging telling of a well thought out story which feels authentic. Highly recommended.

The storytelling

A wonderful story by one of my favorite authors, I’m a big fan of his ring of fire series and this was just as good

Terrific !

This series is one of my favorites . I read this when it first came out . Now I get to listen to it and it’s a little better than I remembered . I admit being able to listen to this all in one day is incredible . It’s worth the cost and the time .

An excellent start to a new Series

Eric Flint has once again struck gold. Unlike his 1632 series, there is no time travel in this alt history. Just the severity of an Arrow wound and how it changed history.
I love how accurate the research is on each of the characters in the story was. Their odd character flaws and contradictions of beliefs are on full display along with their great achievements.

For me, it’s like coming home

This is Alternative History. One has to remember that. But many of the characters were real, and several (in actual history) were my actual Cherokee ancestors. “Rich Joe” Vann, mixed blood son of a Scottish trader and his Cherokee wife, is my Great,Great, Great, Great Grandfather. His stately brick mansion is a restored Georgia historic site. I am retired and live 5 miles from Fort Strother. ( it is on the banks of the Coosa, not the Tallapoosa river.) I have stood on the dirt remains of the log walls several times. I often drive past the Tallasseehatchee Town battle site, I shop in Talladega, and drive down the Jackson Trace, known as Mudd street locally, It follows the road Jackson built to move his forces from Ft. Strother to New Orleans. I also worked in New Orleans for 25 years and was a volunteer Living Historian at Chalmette Battlefield. Again Eric Flint did his research, and he did it superbly. He describes the terrain, the mood of the troops, and the emotions of both sides. The attack by Packenham was precipitated by the arrogance of his staff who dismissed the Americans as the “DirtyShirts” . They would assuredly run at the sight of the neat lines of Redcoats holding loaded muskets tipped with Cold Steel bayonets. (Flint brings this out masterfully) But the Americans had other plans. Packenham and his staff completely disregarded the heavy naval guns, obtained from several Navy ships laid up in New Orleans. These included a 32 pounder and several 24 pounders set into Jackson’s breastworks, all loaded with double charged grape and canister. Flint also brings out the participation Jean Lafitte who brought a number of experienced gun crews drawn from his fleet. They manned light guns charged with canister. This actually occurred and is usually mentioned only briefly, but these trained gunners fought bravely and anchored the right flank and repelled British efforts flank the American line. Flint used a combination of known facts, an excellent insight into tactics of the day, and couples them together with an excellently crafted very enjoyable read. RIP, Eric Flint. You will be sorely missed…

Eric Flint is an alternative history genius..

this time it's not about somebody getting picked up and moved somewhere. it's about one man and how his recovery from a wound faster than in the real history caused things to change. just one man. Sam Houston... from what I know of history and what I have read, all of the historical characters portrayed in this book could have acted in the way portrayed in this book... The solution to the Cherokee was a hell of a lot better than a trail of tears was... Smart enough politicians could have done it and by all accounts in history. if you could keep Sam Houston sober long enough he could have figured it out right away... This is the setup for the next book "The Arkansas War"...

Just OK

I liked this enough to finish it. I've read a lot of Revolutionary but not too much about later conflicts/wars. I wouldn't have recognized the alternative fiction part had I not read about it.