An interesting alternative history

M. Binet twists history very slightly by introducing the Vikings (and iron) to the indigenous cultures of the West well before Columbus arrives. This puts them on equal footing with the Europeans when the arrive and ends the exploration and colonization of North and South America very quickly. In another interesting twist, Atahualpa (the last Inca in our history) "discovers" Europe and with a small band of soldiers and supporters is faced with the idea and opportunity to create a kingdom - the Fifth Quarter of Tawantiinsuyu. From that point on, the book focuses on things largely from a European perspective as all the battles, etc. take place there but Binet offers some amusing perspectives on things like the Reformation, the Counter Reformation, the Inquisition, etc. The world would have been a very different place if a boatful of Vikings had journeyed south instead of heading back east to Greenland and Iceland. Binet creates a very interesting story largely from the perspective of Atahualpa and his followers. It's not perfect but it is an intriguing "what if" story. It drags in a few spots but is overall worth a listen.

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