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The Colonization Series

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Second Contact by Harry Turtledove
Second Contact by Harry Turtledove

Harry Turtledove pays tribute to pulp science fiction, combining a favorite plot--invasion by technologically superior aliens--with an alternate history of WWII and its aftermath. His Worldwar Series began the story when a fleet of lizard-like aliens arrived to conquer Earth in May 1942. It ended in 1945 with a negotiated peace between the Race, the nuclear powers (the Reich, the USSR, and the USA), and the much-weakened Britain and Japan. Colonization: Second Contact continues the saga, but you need not read the previous series to enjoy it. When the colonists arrive in 1962, they're unprepared for a half-conquered world. After several of their ships are destroyed by a nuclear missile of mysterious origin, they accuse the conquest forces of incompetence. Muslims in the conquered Middle East are staging an Intifada, the Chinese Communists continue guerrilla warfare against the invaders, and everyone's smuggling ginger, which is powerfully addictive among the Race and has unanticipated effects on the female colonists. Turtledove's cast of characters includes sharply drawn alien soldiers and civilians as well as a mix of convincing historical and fictional humans from all over the world. He covers all the sixties issues: generational conflict, the drug culture, racial inequality, the threat of atomic apocalypse, and the frustration of soldiers in an unwinnable war. If you enjoy alternate history and old B movies, this book's for you.
Down to Earth by Harry Turtledove
Down to Earth by Harry Turtledove

Turtledove opens another ripping yarn of World War II Earth invaded by colonizing aliens with a revealing conversation between two Lizards (aliens). The more recent arrival accuses the 40-year veteran of turning into a Big Ugly (human) by forgetting the Race (Lizard-dom) in all its glory and caring only "for the immediate." That is one theme of an exciting novel. The Race and humans are becoming more alike as a generation grows up never knowing a world without Lizards. The invaders try to bribe and tax humans out of their religious beliefs and introduce offworld beasts that rapidly become pets--and pests. Meanwhile, humans demonstrate their capacity for catching up with Lizard technology with appalling haste. When Nazis threaten nuclear attack, the Lizards announce their willingness to sacrifice their new colony if it prevents humans from spreading to the Race's planets. Only reluctant cooperation can prevent planetary devastation, and the tentative attraction between a Lizard-raised young woman and the 20-year-old son of Major Sam Yeager underscores that fascinating process.
Aftershocks by Harry Turtledove
Aftershocks by Harry Turtledove

Hugo winner Turtledove lives up to his billing as the grand master of alternative history in the concluding volume of his trilogy (after 2000's Colonization: Down to Earth), set in the same universe as his Worldwar series, about a close encounter between the reptilian "Race" (or Lizards) and their human hosts/enemies/subjects (pick any or all) on "Tosev 3" (aka Earth) in the 1960s. Here he develops the previous volumes' theme of an emerging common culture, as revealed in the vivid saga of the Yeager family and the Lizard-raised Japanese-American woman, Kassquit, who gets a belated introduction to human sexuality. The author shows he can be just as deft with relationships as with action. Having already discovered politics, change, intrigue, treason and cold weather, the invading Race is now learning about bribery and monogamy. The humans have cheerfully looted their conquerors' technology to the point where the United States is fitting small asteroids with large rocket engines to use as bombardment weapons. In Europe, the ongoing complexities of human society show up in the much-diminished German Reich, where Jewish leader Mordecai Anielwicz and Luftwaffe astronaut Johannes Drucker join forces to find their missing families and prevent Jewish desperadoes from wreaking havoc with a stolen A-bomb. This novel is altogether excellent of its type, even if the ending will leave readers wondering hopefully about possible sequels.