1634: The Baltic War (Ring of Fire) Review

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1634: The Baltic War (Ring of Fire) ReviewIf you liked 1632, you'll love this book. It directly continues the story, as told in 1632 and 1633, so you don't have to worry about all of the other little side stories (i.e. the Grantville Gazette, etc.).
While it starts off a little slowly, it really does an excellent job of tying up many of the loose ends of the story, and there are quite a few of them. It deals with the American captives in the Tower of London, along with the rescue attempt that was launched at the end of 1633. It deals with the Spanish seige of Amsterdam. It deals with the Blockade at Luebeck, and the power of the ironclads, as well as really making Simpson a much more likeable character. It also deals with my favorite two characters, Julie and Alex Mackie, as well as dealing with how the force structure of the army works. And finally, it deals with Denmark and the situation that Eddie Cantrell finds himself in.
All in all, it takes all of those storylines, as well as adding a few more, and weaves them together so that it's neither boring, nor is it overly confusing the way some fo Harry Turtledove's stories can get.
I highly recommend this book, and also 1632 & 1633 as well. 1632 is more of a feel-good book, but Eric (Flint), David (weber) and the late Jim Baen have turned this into a truly worthwhile and entertaining series that will simply keep you turning the pages until is it finished.
I truly hope that they continue the series, as I'd like to see this brave new world continue to evolve and grow. To read this book now, just go to baen.com and sign into the webscriptions.net to read the Advanced Reader Copy. It's well worth it.1634: The Baltic War (Ring of Fire) Overview

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Grantville Gazette V (Ring of Fire) Review

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Grantville Gazette V (Ring of Fire) ReviewThese Grantville Gazette volumes are a real paradox for a reviewer. Since several different authors are involved, it is really difficult to separate the "wheat from the chaff." In general and without belaboring the good, the bad, and the downright ugly on a blow-by-blow basis, I always enjoy these volumes, since they manage to keep the 163x fan in me satisfied 'till the next major work hits the printers.
As both a chess player and amateur astronomer, I enjoyed the tales thus related. I didn't care much for the "electric buddha" business, since it really didn't add much to the ongoing Grantville saga.
I particularly view author David Carrico as an emerging talent.
2 "thumbs up" and 4 stars.Grantville Gazette V (Ring of Fire) Overview

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1634: The Bavarian Crisis (Ring of Fire) Review

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1634: The Bavarian Crisis (Ring of Fire) ReviewBavarian Crisis is another novel about diplomacy in "1634", actually avoiding discussion of local military conflict. The main action of that year is covered in "The Baltic War," which could be read first (and, thankfully, has now been belatedly published). If newcomers start here (or with any of the "1634" books), they will miss too much of deeper import, and may find the story both incomprehensible and boring. This new volume takes us back to 1634, to one of the four crucial side-theaters for which longtime readers of this series have been waiting. The story develops in Thuringia, Bavaria, and Vienna, month by month, with chapter headings in Latin for no discernible reason. (You can play a little game, to find the phrase translated somewhere in the text.) Duke Maximilian of Bavaria is a study in religious madness as he loses control of his realm and makes others the scapegoats. He, and other potentates on the edges of the young United States of Europe, are under constant pressure and intrigue from its agents.
The book opens with three maps, showing places and contemporary political borders one won't find on a modern map. DeMare provides four genealogies so we can follow the intricate relations among characters and the ruling Hapsburg dynasty (the longest and therefore most complicated in all known history). There's much humor in these big books--not in dialogue so much as characters' thoughts, wordplay, anachronistic up-time jargon, manly jokes; nothing elaborate. Most everyone is very reasonable, that is, they make their reasons perfectly clear. In general, everybody acts so reasonably, with such little emotion, such wry humor, that the result is flat. One manifest flub--having a lead undercover character blurt out her identity when nobody had asked--is actually a setup for the final suspense. The pace has to be slowed by long digressions on historical and strategical matters (vital to alternative HISTORY, after all), while immediate tactics are concealed in the commanders' heads and cleverly sprung on the enemy (and the reader). That's about the only suspense, as the Adolf/Stearns USE juggernaut rolls on from success to success.
This West-Virginians-in-the-Thirty-Years-War saga is a thoroughly collaborative work in progress, with significant online input. Thus, the fact this book is "late" to the fray means little, because there is no single main line, many themes in parallel, and no single series "hero" (instead, many). That is what makes this alternative history series unique, yet frustrating to try to follow while it is being published. These later novels lack the shock and surprise of the first, truly novel. They also lack the sense of desperation that made "1632" and "1633" so powerful.1634: The Bavarian Crisis (Ring of Fire) Overview

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Grantville Gazette III (Ring of Fire) (v. 3) Review

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Grantville Gazette III (Ring of Fire) (v. 3) ReviewGrantville Gazette III (2006) is the third SF anthology based on this electronic magazine. This volume contains seven stories, one serial, and four fact articles. It also includes a Preface, an Images note and a statement about Submissions to the Magazine.
Fiction Stories:
Postage Due by Eric Flint reveals the process of developing postage stamps within downtime Europe.
Pastor Kastenmayer's Revenge by Virginia DeMarce relates the events leading up to the confirmation and marriage of seven Grantville men.
The Sound of Music by David Carrico explains the influence of rock and roll upon the formation of a downtime group to save uptime music.
Other People's Money by Gorg Huff depicts the accidental, but fortunate, establishment of an investment fund in Grantville.
If the Demons Will Sleep by Eva Musch tells of the horrific experiences of a Slovak woman.
Hobson's Choice by Francis Turner is about the education of a common barmaid.
Hell Fighters by Wood Hughes conveys the events that lead a Benedictine monk to a new vocation.
Serial:
Euterpe, episode 2, by Enrico N. Toro takes Maestro Giacomo Carissimi from Rome to Grantville.
Fact Articles:
Iron by Rick Boatright is about the production and use of iron in a modern society.
The Impact of Mechanization on German Farms by Karen Bergstralh is about the nature of German farms, the economics of mechanization, and the necessary infrastructure to support such technology.
Flint's Lock by Leonard Hollar, Bob Hollingsworth, Tom Van Natta, and John Zeek is about the selection of the SRG as the standard infantry weapon.
Alchemical Distillation by Andrew Clark is about the production of aspirin.
These tales suggest one of the major underlying themes within the Ring of Fire stories: the altered perceptions and opportunities of downtime women. While the military might of Grantville is necessary for the survival of its citizens and ideals, its major influence in downtime culture would seem to lie in its redefinition of the role of women within that society. This new concept of the female sex created shockwaves among both the men and women of seventeenth century Europe, particularly within the upper classes.
This collection continues the high quality writing of the previous volumes. Apparently the interactive nature of these stories has refined them into outstanding material. Enjoy!
Highly recommended for 1632 fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of historical fiction and cultural conflict.
-Arthur W. JordinGrantville Gazette III (Ring of Fire) (v. 3) Overview

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Ring of Fire II (v. 2) Review

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Ring of Fire II (v. 2) ReviewRing of Fire II (2008) is the second alternate history anthology in the Assiti Shards series. It contains a novella, fourteen short stories, two maps, and a preface by the editor.
"Horse Thieves" by Karen Bergstrahl tells about the conflicts between downtime mercenaries working for Grantville and some uptimers.
"Second Issue?" by Brad Sinor concerns the aftermath of "Here Comes Santa Claus" in RoF I, when the Grantville Times receives a story from a reporter who has stumbled onto the conspiracy.
"Diving Belle" by Gunnar Dahlin & Dave Freer is about a librarian who will do almost anything to get back some stolen books and the effects of her actions upon Stockholm.
"A Gift from the Duchess" by Virginia DeMarce relates the story of the loan of three plague specialists to the disease ridden city of Kronach.
"Lucky at Cards" by Andrew Dennis describes a high stake card game with the brother of the French king.
"A Trip to Amsterdam" by Gorg Huff & Paula Goodlett is a story about high finance and the siege of Amsterdam.
"This'll Be the Day" by Walt Boyles recounts the deeds of Father Friedrich Spee von Langenfeld on the day of his former death.
"Command Performance" by David Carrico illustrates the impact of uptime music on the elite of Magdeburg and Europe.
"Ellis Island" by Russ Rittgers recounts the tribulations of a peasant family immigrating to Grantville.
"Malungu Seed" by Jonathan Cresswell-Jones is about an African Jesuit layman who has an urgent mission in Grantville and elsewhere.
"Trials" by Jay Robison reveals the trials of an Italian artist and a Grantville housewife.
"The Chase" by Iver P. Cooper shows the perils of a teenage crush on a English aristocrat.
"Eddie and the King's Daughter" by K.D. Wentworth tells of the shaky beginning of Eddie's relationship with Anne Cathrine.
"Second Thoughts" by Virginia DeMarce discloses the events leading to marriage between the parents of Noelle Brigitte Murphy.
"The Austro-Hungarian Connection" by Eric Flint is the novella. It describes a very unusual romance between Noelle Brigitte Stull and a Hungarian officer.
Highly recommended for Ring of Fire fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of alternate history and cultural mixing.
-Arthur W. JordinRing of Fire II (v. 2) Overview

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Ring of Fire III Review

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Ring of Fire III ReviewThe quality of the set of short story collections in this series has varied from book to book. This book, in my opinion, sets the highest standard in quality, standard of writing and enjoyability of any of the collections set in the Ring of Fire universe. Mr. Flint has not only done an excellent job of editing but has provided one of the best ( and longest ) stories in the collection, "Four Days on the Danube". I also especially enjoyed "All God's Children in the Burning East" by Garrett W. Vance which is set in Indochina, Les Ailes du Papillion by Walter Hunt which is set in North America and "Salonica" set in the Ottoman empire by Kim McKay. Since the forward indicates that that these three areas will be playing a prominent role in future books, this is a good sign for the continued viability and reader interest in the whole series; both novels and collections.
Write on, Eric Flint! Write on!Ring of Fire III Overview

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Ring of Fire (Century Quartet, Book 1) Review

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Ring of Fire (Century Quartet, Book 1) ReviewRating System:
1 star = abysmal; some books deserve to be forgotten
2 star = poor; a total waste of time
3 star = good; worth the effort
4 star = very good; what writing should be
5 star = fantastic; must own it and share it with others
Blurb from back cover: "Every Hundred Years, humankind is put to the test. Every hundred years, four young people must take on an enormous challenge. Another century has passed, and the children have been chosen. The challenge begins in Rome, the city of fire."
1) I like the concept of a four part challenge covering four books with four kids who each plays a key role in completing the challenge
2) Right at page 8 my fears were realized when the writing of the character's actions, dialog and emotions was just HORRENDOUS. I don't know if this was due to the translation and/or the author is just a novice writer. Either way, it doesn't get much better throughout and only the cleverness of parts of the story keep the reader half-interested.
3) I like the cover and inserts. Eye-catching!
4) Did I mention the author seems to play the hand of God card too often?! There never is really any threat as things always miraculously work out perfect for our four protagonists...then again why wouldn't it? I mean after all they need to survive three more books. But still the suspension of belief was pushed passed reasonable limits in some cases.
5) If you don't want to care about the characters or appreciate the writing, then hold on to the mystery of the story. That has some meat to it, which is the main reason I didn't give this a one star.
I know. I know. I hate rating a book so low, but I read a LOT of YA books (just finished bk 2 of the Hunger games. Very good read!) But let's face it, there are more and more authors trying to break into this booming market of YA. That is especially good and bad for the audience as more good books and more poor books will be available and until you read it (or read the reviews) you won't know which is which.
Personal recommendation is move on unless the story concept and pretty inserts intrigues you.Ring of Fire (Century Quartet, Book 1) Overview

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1632 (Ring of Fire) Review

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1632 (Ring of Fire) ReviewBasically, this book is about a coal-mining town in West Virginia which is mysteriously transported to Germany at the time of the Thirty Years War. This theme has been developed before, going back to Mark Twain (or maybe further). To my knowledge, S.M. Stirling was the first major writer to move a whole community back to another time, with his Nantucket Series, and now Eric Flint seeks to get his version in. I am a fan of this genre, so I expected to enjoy this book, and I did. One way that it is different from most of these stories is that it focuses on the "little people"--The movers and shakers of this book are not professors or military officers or big-time politicians. The hero is a failed boxer who is a minor union official. On the other hand, the book is filled with affectionate praise for King Gustavus Adolphus. Gustavus Adolphus was a real historical figure, and if you don't know who he is, don't worry, you will know when you finish the book! I enjoyed the book, think most who are interested by this idea will enjoy it. Only criticism I have are that too much time is spent with the time travellers offstage, describing the Battle of Breitenfield, a real historical battle. Some may be disappointed that a minimum of time is spent describing clever technological improvisations--These seem to be a staple of this genre, but there isn't much of it here. If you enjoyed this book, I'd look up H. Beam Piper's LORD KALVAN OF OTHERWHEN, S.M. Stirling's ISLAND IN THE SEA OF TIME, and L. Sprague deCamp's LEST DARKNESS FALL.1632 (Ring of Fire) Overview

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1636: The Saxon Uprising (The Ring of Fire) Review

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1636: The Saxon Uprising (The Ring of Fire) ReviewI read this as an ebook and not as the hardcover.
For the last few books, the Assiti Shards series had been all over the place. It felt like too much was happening in too short a time - a few decades worth of war happened in 4 short years with internal social convulsions thrown in between. I was thinking about giving up on the series.
Then, the last book, The Eastern Front, threw in a seriously unexpected curveball.
From that plot twist, this book started up with a mess that turned into an unexpectedly fun novel. This one felt like a return to the first few books in the series. There are multiple story lines occurring at the same time with many of the usual suspects but without that many new characters added in. It resolved itself nicely while leaving open a handful of story lines to continue in the next books of the series.1636: The Saxon Uprising (The Ring of Fire) Overview

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