Alternate History dilemma

I was checking in with the news over at Istapundit when I noticed a link to the latest Harry Turtledove novel. His latest foray involves a land invasion by the Japanese after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Reviews are mixed and deal mostly with one of my greatest gripes against the alternative history that's out there: poor writing.

As Mrs. X can tell you, I speculate on alternative outcomes a great deal. I play wargames and constantly opine during reality shows about what tactical moves a person needs to make to further themselves. I've also got both What If? books, which are essays exploring the origins and outcomes of various alternate scenarios. However, I am greatly frustrated by most of the regular writing concerning alternate history, despite some interesting premises.

Now, some of the books wouldn't appear on my radar because the scenario is too out there. One book supposes that Germany, enraged by the US refusal to cede the Philippines and Cuba to them, mounts an invasion of Long Island in 1901. Mildly interesting premise but I can't see the British navy allowing a naval group and transport ships out of Germany on that scale. German colonies represent a threat to British interests in the Caribbean and Australia.

However, other books do have interesting ideas. A carrier group from 2021 accidentally sent back in time to 1942 and the cultural clash that results; a Roman empire that never fell but went on to conquer the world; and everyone's favorite, what if the South won the Civil War. All good premises. Most have been explored, but have fallen badly because of poor writing. I tried to read Harry Turtledove's How Few Remain and couldn't get more than a few chapters into it. The characters were poorly written, badly developed, repetitive, and strangely out of place for the time period.

I've seen others that may be good, but I have yet to have a chance to read them. Most other books seem to deal with if the Nazis had won WWII scenarios. Interesting but it becomes an old premise after a while. I'm actually interested in a book that I've seen and may give a chance to that explores 200 years of American history assuming the Americans lost the battle of Saratoga and, as a result, the American Revolution.

But, again, but for the writing style...