The Atlantropa Articles: A Novel (For Fans of Harry Turtledove and the Divergent Series)

Premise: In the 1930's there was an architect who imagined a new continent. A continent settled by Europeans where the land was rich and the energy was free. A continent that only a century before had been entirely underwater. This land was to be called, Atlantropa. That architect's name was Herman Sorgel and to achieve this dream he needed to drain the Mediterranean Sea. It was such an audacious feat that Sorgel knew it was impossible for one nation to construct alone. In a time of growing tension Sorgel wanted Europe to create what was essentially a modern utopia. Sorgel's plan was to build two of the largest dams ever imagined at both ends of the sea. The dams would be so large, they'd block any water from the Atlantic Ocean. Without the constant source of water the Mediterranean simply dries up. The coastlines of Europe and North Africa change dramatically. Italy no longer is a peninsula. Cities once on the coast see themselves miles away from the shore. Atlantropa would be hundreds of miles of farmland for a new Europe. Hydroelectricity from the massive dams supply the entire continent with endless renewable electricity. The fertile land provides it with food. At least, that was Sorgel's vision. In an alternate world, that vision was realized. Just like the architect wished, every nation came together for the greater good. Sorgel convinced his homeland of Germany, that the idea Lebensraum (living space) was not in the Eastern lands of Poland but in the untapped lands of Atlantropa. Because of this, there never is a second world war. Instead the decades following the thirties are dominated by the construction of the dams. Millions are employed. Everyone is happy. At least, until the project is finished. By the 1980's the dams were constructed. The sea was now slowly evaporating as Sorgel wished. There however was an issue. The land wasn't fertile like previously hoped. The reclaimed land after millions of years underwater was left nothing more than a dry and salty flat. It was absolutely unlivable. The project worked on for decades had done nothing but leave Europe with salt. The utopian vision dried up with it. Two hundred years later Europe is a far different place. The sea has long since dried up. In its place is a hot vast desert much like the Sahara of North Africa. Atlantropa isn't a lush land. It's instead a nightmare of a place. The sweltering conditions have left Southern Europe a barren wasteland. As the sea evaporated so too did the population. What was once Italy is now the furthest southern outpost for the Old Reich. Without World War II Nazi Germany never collapsed. Hitler's thousand year Reich has now lived for two centuries in a very different world. 'The Atlantropa Articles' will be a book split between two different stories, set in two eras, between two authors. Joseph's part of the novel will focus on numerous different characters set in the 1980's as they deal with the promised utopia around them unraveling. My story will take place two centuries afterwards in the deserts of Italy. It will focus on one single character. An Old Reich officer assigned to the city of Maria. A vast metropolis that is the last large city in Southern Europe. Each chapter will switch between characters as more is revealed about the status of this world. The discoveries Joe's characters make will be crucial to answering the questions left by my characters. Joe's part will be political and history focused. My part will be more personal. It will focus on the ramifications of those past actions in the eyes of a single character many generations later. That's the premise of 'The Atlantropa Articles'.

Table of Contents:
The Atlantropa Articles Chapter 1-Ansel The story begins with a man named Ansel, sitting in a bar with his beer spilled onto the floor. He reflects on how he thinks its a waste and barely gives any notice or care to the dead body next to it. He is drinking the night before setting off across the Flats. Chapter 2-Robin Robin is stuck in turbulence. Reflects on powerlessness. Establishes the crisis, he is sent to calm Poland. Chapter 3-Ansel Ansel go the docks. He’ll find the ship that he is in charge of. They are all new to the ship. The ship is relatively new, and this is her maiden voyage. New crew. Basically, it’s the character reflecting on the crew. As the set sail they hear gun fire on the horizon. Chapter 4-Carla Carla is in gunfight. Friend dies in battle from bombers overhead. Chapter 5- Ansel Ansel’s reflects on the desert world and how very few can often stand it. He feels superior for being able to thrive in such an environment. Builds up a dynamic with him and the crew. They come across a raider that somehow made it through the defenses, a ship is orbital bombed next to him. They pick him up and taunt him. They can’t understand what he is saying as he’s begging for mercy. Ansel gives the order to toss him overboard, give the Raider a sanding. Sanding is when a man is thrown overboard as he’s tied to the ship with a rope. The fall is small enough it doesn’t kill the victim but would break many bones. The victim then is dragged along as sand gets into the wounds. Often they either die of exposure, dehydration or simply bleed out from the grinding hot sand. Chapter 6- Harold Harold is running marathon in Olympics (Sahara). British colony in Africa. Edwardton. Want to impress the world. Partying. Chapter 7- Robin Lands in Warsaw. Meets with family. Starts at embassy . Chapter 8- Ansel Traveling. Maybe night. Maybe he’s drunk. And they’re just discussing stuff and setting up that the canyon exists. Chapter 9- Carla Carla is alone and reflecting. She fights within herself whether her comrades have already given up. If they are weak. This is her tipping point basically. Chapter 10- Robin He’s talking about crisis with Polish ambassador, Meat and potatoes of political. Chapter 11- Ansel Sand storm. They’re new to the equipement. Maybe somebody messed up. Canyons are an ever present danger in the parts of the Sands they are in. They come dangerously close to going over the edge and going overboard. They go pass the “bridge”. Somebody falls into canyon. They get past it, but the storm damaged their engine, and it stops. Chapter 12- Carla Underground. They’re walking to destination. Or starting their journey. Brief her thoughts on the situation. Development chapter. Chapter 13- Robin Boat gets sunk in Baltics full of Germans and they blame Poland. Robin is stuck in the middle of it. Soviets are going to defend Poland. Germany acts like they are defending against Soviet aggression. Chapter 14- Ansel They are stuck. Some mechanical happened. They are 4 miles from Eagle’s Nest 4. Eagle Nests are converted military bases scattered throughout the desert, they are the equivalent of stops for ships and vital for transportation in such an environment. Ansel decides to go because he doesnt want to be screwed and needs to make sure they get the thing. Chapter 15- Harold Harold reacts to the crisis occurring. He just says it’s all bluff. Chapter 16- Carla They arrive at Commune. Carla feels like stuff is gonna get better. Plan is to assault the dam. Chapter 17- Ansel They’re traveling and find wreckage out in the sands. And it looks like it’s been covered for a long time. They argue whether to go but ultimately do. And then they explore. They explore it and find skeletons. Ansel goes up to a tiny skeleton and finds a book. The crew is looting and they find old gold, and stuff. Ansel looks at the book and he laughs at its a children book. He’s flipping and sees Hitler. Chapter 18- Robin Television conference with Rudolf Hess. Gives him impossible task. Robin leaves feeling defeated. Chapter 19- Carla Make ships look like merchant boats. Night before battle chapter Chapter 20- Ansel Goes to Eagle Nest 4. Self reflection. His crisis begins as he is surronded by what he once thought was true. Is fighting within himself. Chapter 21- Robin Conversation with Polish and Soviet ambassador. Starting to feel hopeless. Chapter 22- Carla The attack begins. The attack fails. They’re pinned down on the dam and the turn of the battle is not going well for the communists. Chapter 23- Ansel He basically goes back out and interacts with crew. Character development with the crew. Deflated. He asks a crew member an opinion what he makes of it. Chapter 24- Robin Robin sees no hope in the situation and believes that war is happening. He wants to flee to Africa with his family. They pack up. Chapter 25- Carla Carla feels betrayed by the entire ideology and feels they are too weak and failed. She kills fellow comrades and is gunned down. Chapter 26- Ansell Mutiny chapter Chapter 27- Robin Robin reflects on a barge as he sails away from Europe. His ship is hit by an unexpected barrage, and it sinks. Taking the ambassador, his wife and child down to the ocean floor. Chapter 28- Harold Harold witnesses the start of the war. Chapter 29-32ish?- Ansell Ansel’s ship has traveled for 40 days. The bodies of the Raider and the mutinied rattle behind the ship as it drags them along. Their journey is coming to an end as they begin to approach Eagle Nest 27, located South of the former island of Sicily. They arrive at the base yet realize it is eerie. Suddenly they are simply trapped as gunfire reigns upon them. They have been ambushed as the Eagle Nest is operated by raiders. The Raiders tell them to surrender and Ansel calls for an orbital strike. In any other situation, it was protocol for a lost Eagle Nest to be orbitally bombarded. Why is this one not destroyed? However as one never comes he begins to listen to the Raider leader. Perhaps they were set up. Perhaps their delivery was simply to keep the war going. With that realization Ansel is shot in the head. Chapter 33- Hans Hans is new to the city of Maria and is ready to set sail on his new ship, he is supposed to sail South to Sicily to deliver weapons to Eagle Nest 27. He is willing to do anything for the Reich.

About the Author :
Cody Franklin, better known as Alternate History Hub is one of the top 'what if' YouTubers. Using knowledge of geography, population, and other historical facts Cody's channel details what could have happened if events changed. You'll learn about how the world would be different if the Axis won World War II, if America lost the Revolution, or even discover entire alternate countries. The author and sole creator of RealLifeLore is Joseph Pisenti. Pisenti lives in the Dallas, Texas area and was born in Santa Cruz, California. The mind behind the wildly popular RealLifeLore YouTube channel which launched in February 2016, Pisenti is a political, economical and overall history trivia junkie ready to share his passion.