Alchemy and Artifacts (Tesseracts #22)

Arranged in roughly chronological order, this varied collection of 23 alternate-history yarns delves into creative what-ifs all the way from the 13th century BCE to 1975 CE, with a somewhat lopsided focus on WWII. Obviously fantastical elements aside, the stories’ historical aspects appear exquisitely researched, a quality undermined by the way that more than a few feel unfinished. For instance, Kate Heartfield’s “The Inland Beacon,” Tony Pi’s “Caligula’s Eagle,” and Mary-Jean Harris’s “The Guardian of Wisdom” all have the feel of being cut short. Fortunately, others are much more satisfying. Chris Patrick Carolan’s delightful “Things Better Left Buried” has dinosaurs causing trouble for the local constabulary in 1880 Halifax. Leslie Brown’s “Cleaning House in Ithaca” uses Greek mythological figures Odysseus and Athena to prove that there’s more to family than blood ties. Michael Skeet’s amusing “If There’s a Goal” is a classic case of wishes gone wrong against a backdrop of Canadian hockey. Though not a standout, this is a solid addition to the Tesseracts series of anthologies. (Sept.)