Bitter Seeds: The Milkweed Triptych, Book 1

One of my first alternative history (audible) books. Saw this in hardback, was waiting for the paperback - but to my surprise (even better) it's on Audible!

Basically, the British are losing the war - the US did not join in the war and the Germans have created the ??bermensch (Superman/women) - sociopathic orphans taken from WW I, and endowed with X-menesque power by mad scientists.

In response, a desperate Admiralty establish the Milkweed organisation - British warlocks that use magic to fight back.

I believe this is Tregillis' first novel - stunning piece of work and fortunately there's more to come as this is the first book of the Milkweed Triptych (trilogy).

The story is complex, and may require more than one listen, many story lines are woven into one all-encompassing plot line.

The concept: it's fascinating. Considering that Hitler was such a fan of the occult and science...this story fits very well into the 'what if' scenario for the SS and what Hitler could have / might have done if he'd had the chance.

The description of the Taragon Film; where all the battery charged students are displaying their abilities.

It made me think hard about what levels of technology we have today versus what was cutting edge in 1940-41...if this is 'what might have been' then what are we headed towards today?

If you're not a fan of the WWII genre or steampunk, or accustomed to hearing German spoken/written, then you may have a hard time understanding sections of this book. However, don't pass up a great tale just because you may not know the language. Tregillis has woven a fascinating tale.

The narrator made some of the characters sound a bit over the top in the stereotype department, but overall it's a great story.

After reading the back cover of this book, I felt it sounded mildly interesting. Then I started listening.....I immediately was engrossed. As a fan of H.P. Lovecraft, I found some elements of that genera in the preface. As a fan of the RPG Godlike, I loved the similarities between this and the game. I am really looking forward to the rest of the series. Can only give 4 stars, some of the writing is needing some better editing, some sentences don’t flow as well as they could, and the reader’s accent is overdone at times. But this book is a great begining for a series.

I don't think I would listen to Bitter Seeds for a long while. I was expecting a golden age/pulp hero type of setting with super powers and magic based on the summary. Instead it was a horror story, and a darn good one.

Yes, the end of the first novel is a cliff hanger; however, I need some more lighthearted fair before diving back into the next novel.

I don't have a particularly favorite scene, however, Ian Tregillis did a great job of bring the story right to the brink of being too gruesome or callous (in terms of the "reality" of war and the supernatural) without crossing over, but not going into actual details so my imagination took over many times through out the story.

What price for victory?

Kevin Pariseau did a good job of bringing the different characters to life, it was easy to tell which character was speaking.

Ian Tregillis has written a tale of adventure, action, cyborg mystery and the occult injecting them into the iconic history of WWII. The story trail blazers into a unique place in fiction & for this listener doesn't follow the expected. First rate can't wait for more. See The Coldest War.

First off, I feel inclined to note that I gave the novel 3 stars, but I really wanted to give it 3.5 stars. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to others, but I just didn’t love it.

I decided to listen to this after hearing rave reviews from Tom and Veronica on the Sword and Laser podcast. They really talked it up and it had a pretty interesting premise so it felt like a no-brainer. To give a little background, Bitter Seeds is an alternate history set in Europe during World War II. In this retelling however, the British employ warlocks and the Germans basically have soldiers with superpowers.

Overall, I did enjoy it, but it definitely left something to be desired. The story wasn’t bad nor were the characters, but they also weren’t amazing. I never felt that invested in the characters (on either side). They were realistic enough, but were just somewhat flat. It’s hard to describe, because they weren’t poorly written or unlikeable…they were just kind of bland.

My biggest gripe with the story was the ending. I don’t want to spoil anything, but let’s just say the climax fell short. I wanted big explosions and high excitement–it seemed like that’s where things were going–but that’s not how it played out and I was a little underwhelmed.

My only other comment is about the narrator, Kevin Pariseau. Mr. Pariseau has narrated a lot of novels and I expect that he’s pretty well respected, but he just didn’t feel like a great fit to me. Most of the novel takes place it the UK and it just stands to reason that a British narrator would have been selected. The accents of the characters would have been a bit more convincing and I think it would have increased my enjoyment.

That said, it was a pretty fun read. It’s not very long either so it’s no major investment.

'Bitter Seeds??? takes us to an alternative World War II in which the Allied forces are developing demon weapons and defenses, and the Axis Forces are developing paranormal weapons and defenses. While this type of arms race is not new in literature, Ian Tregillis??? version reads more like a thrilling history book than fiction. Tregillis really has done his homework, and this story has the gravity and intrigue found in the real-life arms race to create an atomic bomb. This is an amazing book that captures the excitement and dread of an era that still shapes our view of the world today. I highly recommend it.

I can't wait for the sequels! Great story, great characters, and well-performed. It held my attention from start to finish - couldn't put it down! Intellectual, fantastical, and rich.

I was a little skeptical to read this one, the description just didn't do much for me. But i obviously purchased it and i am glad i did. This is probably one of my favorite books Ive ever read. It was original, fast paced, narration was amazing, and it had me tensing at certain moments and smiling during others.

I am starting book 2 now, and cant wait for book 3.

Buy this audio book and listen to it. No one will be disappointed.