The Ottomans had the oil...

[Dr Mathias]

I avoided that because I was afraid it was all illustration and no story, but I take it that it is pretty good?

The illustrations are there to enhance the text- the style of them is distinctly contemporary but their format is a nod to early 20th century books. For example, they are black and white, often with a caption underneath- kind of like Charles Gibson's illustrations for Prisoner of Zenda. I think the first book is over 400 pages- maybe 50 have illustrations, not all of them are full page either.

I honestly don't know who will like it or not though- after all it it seems to be written for mid-teens and some of the ideas are kind of silly, especially some of the Darwinist bio-weapons but still worth a read if you're into VSF, Steampunk, or alternate WWI. I suspect one could borrow it from the library. For the record I also love the Abhorsen series and Hunger Games, also written for teens... hmm. I'll need to revisit my recent reading list. I'm currently reading Catcher in the Rye again, I guess that counts as adult  

[has.been]

Re: the did the oil hasten the demise of the Ottoman Empire. At school we covered the post Napoleonic period (stuff like the Congress of Vienna when the victors 'sorted out' Europe) I recall that one politician asked another (Metternich?) 'What shall we do about the sick man of Europe' (i.e.the Ottoman Empire) the answer was,'Are you asking me as the doctor or the heir?' So it had it's problems way back then.

[gloriousbattle]

Re: the did the oil hasten the demise of the Ottoman Empire. At school we covered the post Napoleonic period (stuff like the Congress of Vienna when the victors 'sorted out' Europe) I recall that one politician asked another (Metternich?) 'What shall we do about the sick man of Europe' (i.e.the Ottoman Empire) the answer was,'Are you asking me as the doctor or the heir?' So it had it's problems way back then.

No doubt.  Since at least 1683, the Ottoman Empire was falling apart.  It is probably a tribute to the Turkish Imperial government that it took as long to fall apart as it actually did.

However, what I am really asking is whether petroleum was a possible boon to the empire, and could have stopped the collapse.  Obviously, the other powers took advantage of the situation, but could the Ottomans, if they had proceeded carefully, have used it to their benefit?  Perhaps made alliances with France and Germany to help maintain their empire -in exchange for cheap oil- while they used their new-found prosperity to build it back up.