I wasn’t that interested in Harry Turtledove’s earlier alternate Civil War and World War II histories. This story was sharp and fun though. Set in the mid 70s, it resurfaces some good memories for me. Nixon is bogged down in the Watergate scandal - will he or Gerald Ford become the first world leader to welcome alien visitors to earth? This story, believe it or not, is based on the true story of the Hughes Glomar Explorer and the secret CIA project Azorian to recover a sunken Soviet nuclear-armed submarine, which unfolded during the Nixon presidency. Except in this telling, the CIA and the Soviets get more that they bargain for when they head to the sea bottom to raise the “object” of interest. It’s a light and humorous story. There’s a couple of good Watergate jokes Iurking within for those in the know, and an interesting cameo appearance from one of SF’s great writers of the time.