| Designated Targets is the second volume in John | | | | revised their war plans taking into account the new |
| Birmingham's Axis of Time trilogy (the first volume | | | | technologies and what would have been the original |
| being Weapons of Choice). The story is picked up | | | | course of history. |
| four months after the end of the previous novel, | | | | In the United States, a special zone has been |
| where, to recap, a 21st century multi-national | | | | established where 21st century laws applies. The |
| (principally American, British and Australian, but also | | | | purpose of this zone is principally to manufacture |
| including French, Indonesians and other nationalities) | | | | advanced weapons systems, but it also acts as a |
| naval task force has somehow been accidentally | | | | magnet to those are uncomfortable with the social |
| transported back to 1942, and caused radical changes | | | | attitudes of the 1940s (which are as in the previous |
| to the course of World War II. | | | | novel portrayed in an unflattering, but arguably |
| Not only the Western Allies, but also the Germans, | | | | realistic, way). |
| Japanese and Soviets have obtained knowledge of | | | | As with the first book, this is intelligently written, and |
| the original history, as well as advanced weapons | | | | about more than just a revised World War II. There |
| systems and are now putting this information to use. | | | | is also social commentary, both about the 1940s and |
| The Germans and Soviets have signed a ceasefire | | | | the present day, and even humor aimed at alternate |
| and established a joint research program, traitors in | | | | history buffs. |
| each country have been purged, and all nations have | | | | |