Just started reading this. Europe wiped out by the plague
in about 1405 - 700+ years of a world dominated by Islam, Buddism, Chinese.

*Chinese discover America about 1650 from the Pacific side - NA Indians remain somewhat independent.
*Indians start Industrial Revolution.

Has some interesting maps at the beginning of each section.

Anybody read this all through?

As a sidebar - anybody read Turtledove's alternative history series on Byzantium (his specialty as a historian)?
Been thinking about reading it in light of playing MTW.