The Heads of Cerberus by Francis Stevens

The Heads of Cerberus (The Illustrated Original Masters of Modern Dark Fantasy, #11) (Modern Library Torchbearers) (Alternate Universe Novels, #1)

by Francis Stevens

"The Heads of Cerberus" tells of "an alternate-world Philadelphia, reached by a handful of this-world people. This Philadelphia is one in which the political corruptors have become ruthless autocrats, ruling through phony "civic service" competitions which result in cynically brutal enslavement of the people. The name of William Penn has become, under the organizational label of "Penn Service," the very fountainhead of viciously depraved, doctorial government.

Reviewed by readingwithwrin on

3 of 5 stars

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This was an interesting classic. I did like it for the most part. But I also found myself getting confused at times with all the changes and different things that were happening depending on where they were.

I do like alternate universe books and this wasn't didn't disappoint. It's interesting to see back before we have more modern forms of alternate universe to what they thought might happen back in the 1900s. This one did go back into time though it seems which I did find interesting since most seem to jump forward and be more futuristic and this one instead went the more strict and older times.

I didn't know as well until I read this book that the author is a woman who was the first major female science fiction writer of America. I wish stuff like that was known more because it is important to see what came before and how woman writers have always been able to create magnificent worlds because they do seem to be overlooked a lot.

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  • Started reading
  • 20 February, 2020: Finished reading
  • 20 February, 2020: Reviewed