Ghosts of Columbia (76 page)

Authors: L.E. Modesitt Jr.

Tags: #Science Fiction, #Science Fiction & Fantasy, #Alternate History, #United States, #Literature & Fiction

BOOK: Ghosts of Columbia

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The overextension of Mexican power led Mexico to seek a stronger alliance with the French, but the alliance and the shaky state of Mexican finances and increasing corruption led to the imposition of Maximilian and Carlotta upon Mexico by a France deeply concerned about the growing power of Austro-Hungary and seeking both compromises and resources in the New World. By 1890, Mexico had become New France, and the growing production of Tejas oil fueled both prosperity and social reforms that continued to strengthen New France. In turn, Maximilian—or his advisers—played off Austro-Hungary against the French. Fearful of Columbia and seeking to isolate old France, Austro-Hungary backed both Deseret and New France in the small-scale Caribbean Wars (1896 and 1901) as a result of which New France effectively took control of the majority of Central America.

Although the Great Irish Tuber Famine occurred, the lower Irish population and the adverse publicity from the
Falbourg
disaster—when Speaker Breckinridge quarantined the steamer in Long Island Sound, and more than five-hundred men, women, and children died—resulted in less Irish emigration to Columbia and more to Deseret and New France, especially to Tejas and Baja (Southern California).

All these factors combined to weaken the industrial and military development of Columbia. Because wars tended to be smaller and shorter in Johan’s world, a number of military innovations were developed later, or by different cultures. John Moses Browning was from Deseret and, consequently, with his genius and because of Deseret’s precarious geographic position, Deseret developed an arms industry out of proportion to its size and population. It also monopolized the majority of water from the Colorado River to support iron and coal development and use. Unlike monogamous Columbia, Deseret instituted customs that allowed a higher birthrate, because each plural wife retained her own quarters, for example, and girls were married younger. After the ineffectual and costly Saint Wars that effectively wiped out most of the Columbian units attacking Deseret, Columbia avoided direct military action against Deseret, often citing the higher birthrate in Deseret, a somewhat fanatical population, a solid arms industry, and New French backing as reasons for comparative inaction.

With the split in energy resources between Columbia, Deseret, and New France, all face pressures to use more energy-effective technologies, resulting in greater reliance upon trains, dirigibles, and even steamers. Turbojets are reserved primarily for military purpose, and liquid hydrocarbon fuels are expensive and heavily taxed.

And all this … just because ghosts are real.

L. E. MODESITT, JR.
Cedar City, Utah (Iron Mission, Deseret)
August 23, 2004

Forthcoming

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in these novels are either fictitious or are used fictitiously.

GHOSTS OF COLUMBIA

This is an omnibus edition comprising:
Of Tangible Ghosts,
copyright © 1994 by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
The Ghost of the Revelator,
copyright © 1998 by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

Omnibus edited by David G. Hartwell

A Tor Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010

www.tor-forge.com

Tor
^®is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.

Map by Mark Stein Studios

eISBN 9781429984034

First eBook Edition : February 2011

EAN 978-0765-31314-0

First Edition: June 2005