Worldwar in the balance is an alternate history novel by american writer harry turtledove it is the first novel of the worldwar tetralogy as well as the first installment in the extended worldwar series that includes the colonization trilogy and the novel homeward boundthe plot begins in late 1941 while the earth is torn apart by world war iian alien fleet arrive to conquer the planet . Start by marking in the balance worldwar 1 as want to read without a doubt the second world war is one of the most influential and significant events to occur in the past hundred years the scope of this war was magnified and bigger than ever in every way in the countries involved in the technology and tactics developed and . Harry turtledove is the award winning author of the alternate history works the man with the iron heart the guns of the south and how few remain winner of the sidewise award for best novel the hot war books bombs away fallout and armistice the war that came early novels hitlers war west and east the big switch coup detat two fronts and last orders the worldwar saga in the balance tilting the balance upsetting the balance and striking the balance the colonization books . World war ii seethes across the planet hostilities spread in ever widening circles of destruction nazi germany soviet russia britain france japan italy africa the fate of the world hung in the balance then the real enemy arrives out of the skies comes an invasion force the like of whic. War seethed across the planet machines soared through the air churned through the seas crawled across the surface pushing ever forward carrying death earth was engaged in titanic struggle germany russia france china japan the maps were changing day by day the hostilities spread in ever