Book Description
Rome, 1635, and Grantville's diplomatic team, headed by Sharon Nichols, are making scant headway now it has become politically inexpedient for Pope Urban VIII to talk to them any more. Sharon doesn't mind, she has a wedding to plan. Frank Stone has moved to Rome and is attempting to bring about the revolution one pizza at a time. Cardinal Borja is gathering votes to bring the Church's reformers to a halt in their tracks, on the orders of the King of Spain. Meanwhile, trouble is brewing in the streets, shadowy agitators are stirring up trouble and Spain's armies are massed across the border in the Kingdom of Naples, Cardinal Barberini wants the pamphleteers to stop slandering him and it looks like it's going to be a long, hot summer. Except that Cardinal Borja has more ambitions than his masters in Madrid know about, and has the assistance of Spain's most notorious secret agent to bring about his sinister designs.
Customer Reviews:
1634: The Cannon Law.......2007-09-20
Once you accept the premise in the first volume of this fun series (1632), following the many characters and how they affect history as we know it is fascinating and believeable. No wonder there are three volumes for 1634. How long can the authors keep this up? For a while more, I hope.
Unworthy of a thrilling series.......2007-08-04
If you can avoid this book, do so. It is boring, unreasonable, and doesn't even end well. I like this series in general, but this book stays in Rome the whole time, and swaps all the interesting plot implications for some characterization and mediocre action. Even if you have the rest of this series, this one isn't worth your time--if you can't avoid it, mine's selling cheap in the used book section.
Cannon has damp powder this time.......2007-06-08
This one telegraphs its sluggish route thru various Olde Historical Names one can cheerfully Google, to produce the slowest read in the 1632 Miniverse. I'm a pleased owner/re-reader of all other books & Gazettes, up to this one. Euterpe or the Essen Steel series would make better reads. Here's hoping The First Team does better on The Next Great '32 Novel!!
Shows Promise........2007-05-19
I really enjoyed 1632, I thought 1633 was a bit marginal, and 1634 The Galileo Affair to be honest was garbage. So I promised myself I would get these out of the library instead of buying them until I was satisfied Flint was back on form. He is almost there, and I have great hopes of The Baltic War. The main problem with this book is its wordiness. It consists of little more than people discussing diplomacy until about page 300, although the is the odd brawl. The last hundred or so pages are reasonably exciting, but I almost gave up before then. Luckily the diplomacy is reasonably interesting, and the historical research is okay. Unfortunately you have to get past sentences like, "He had done no more than skirt around the possibilities with the Count- Duke Olivares back in Madrid, discussing in generalities what might be done to bring a clearly difficult papacy to heel and remove a potential problem in the way of the strategy that Madrid was evolving to play Spain back in her rightful place as the chief is power in Christendom." This is probably the worst example, but what on earth were the editors doing. One or two of the characters are also beginning to wear a little thin. But the book still has some of the advantages of the original. The people are ordinary but placed in an extraordinary position, they're not geniuses or billionaires, they're not saving the human race, but trying to make the best of the situation they're in. They make ordinary everyday mistakes facing difficult problems. If the Baltic War has fewer words and more action, I'll be back to buying them.
Keeping up the good work.......2007-05-18
This book is a continuation of the series that started with Ring of Fire and has continued on through several volumes. If you liked Ring of Fire you will love this book. It both continues the tradition and is definitely setting up a major change in the lives of the people from the twentieth century. Along with the companion book 1634: The Baltic War, it is showing a new side of the leader of the Grantville group. Look out afficianados, things are about to get really interesting in seventeenth century Germany.
Book Description
The Thirty Years War continues to ravage 17th century Europe, but a new force is gathering power and influence: the Confederated Principalities of Europe, an alliance between Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, and the West Virginians from the 20th century led by Mike Stearns who were hurled centuries into the past by a mysterious cosmic accident.
The CPE has the know-how of 20th century technology, but needs iron and steel to make the machines. The iron mines of the upper Palatinate were rendered inoperable by wartime damage, and American know-how is needed on the spot to pump them out and get the metal flowing again-a mission that will prove more complicated than anyone expects. In the maelstrom that is Europe, even a 20th century copy of the Encyclopedia Britannica can precipitate a crisis, when readers learn of the 1640 Portuguese revolt, a crisis that will involve Naples as well. Another factor: Albanian exiles in Naples, inspired by the Americans, are plotting to recover lost Albanian turf, which will precipitate yet another crisis in the Balkans.
This troubled century was full of revolutions and plans for more revolutions before the Americans arrived, and gave every would-be revolutionary an example of a revolution that succeeded. Europe is a pot coming to a boil, and Mike Stearns will have his hands full seeing that it doesn't boil over on to Grantville and the CPE.
Customer Reviews:
Slow start but strong finish.......2007-10-06
The first 1/3rd of the book is a little tough to read at times. Too scholastic. Once things started moving it felt more like a 1632 novel with action interspersed with detailed political/economic info. I would reccommend in future novels a preface with a dramatis personae listing. This would have kicked the pacing up early. I didn't see the list at the back until I had finished - for all the good it did me then.
I really liked the second half of the book, it just took me too long to get there.
Way too much information gets in the way of enjoyment.......2007-10-05
This is the continuing saga in the 1632 Universe that was started (not surprisingly) with a book entitled 1632.
Now it is 1634 and there is a Crisis in Bavaria (hence, the current title).
If you aren't familiar with this series, it has a number of unusual characteristics. Quite notably, there are now about four books that take place in 1634. And there is a book that takes place in 1635. To keep fans on their toes, that book came out BEFORE the last two books that take place in 1634.
Confused?
The reason is that Eric Flint has delegated the writing of these latest books to other authors. Or perhaps he is collaborating with them. It is a little hard to tell.
Anyhow, the latest book is entertaining but is seriously flawed in that it requires a scorecard to keep all of the characters and political situations in the right order.
Quick history lesson for you: in the 17th Century, Germany was a crazy quilt of kingdoms, principalities, duchies,etc.
This book is about the political intrigue that is taking place among this crazy quilt of political entities.
The sheer mass of characters that are introduced in this book is staggering. Aside from the royalty, there are the servants, the soldiers, the diplomats, etc.
It doesn't help that many of the places have similar names. Nurnburg is not the same as Neuburg. (But they aren't too far away.) Amburg is different from Hamburg and Bamburg.
And just when you think that you are getting on top of things, the authors throw in an aside explaining the role of guild membership in Basel, Switzerland. Mind you, that never actually gets used for anything, but there is this explanation.
Frankly, it seemed that the authors would find something interesting in their research and then would go out of their way to weave it in.
The main plot revolves around a group of people moving across the countryside getting chased by bad guys. And then they get to safety. And then they leave the safety and get chased by bad guys again. It gets quite tiresome.
On the positive side, I feel like I learned something by reading this book, because I have a better feel for the intricacies of the relationship of the Holy Roman Empire (aka Austria/Hungary) with its immediate neighbors.
The writing is crisp and clear. The prose is not overly busy and most of the main characters in the book were interesting.
I just wish that I hadn't had to have my head spin as much as it did when I tried to follow the plot.
YAWN !!!!!.......2007-10-03
What a let down. Jeepers, could this book be any more boring???
I doubt it.
Complicated fun.......2007-10-02
The Bavarian Crisis is a fun read, but, like the RAM Rebellion, a complicated one. The authors and publisher need to proofread more carefully. In the text words were omitted or the wrong words used. As a retired academic, that sort of thing bothers me.
A good read.......2007-09-28
This was a good addition to the 1632 universe. Other than name overload at times, it was a good fun read. Lots of new characters, and familiar characters returning. Plenty of plot twists, chases, and all around good fun. If you are a fan of the 1632 series, go out and get this book.
Average customer rating:
- Continuing Grantville's Struggle
- People are too harsh on this one.
- Writting What Should Be Forgotten
- Religions to the fore!
- 1634: The Galileo Affair
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1634: The Galileo Affair (The Ring of Fire)
Eric Flint , and
Andrew Dennis
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1634: The Ram Rebellion (Assiti Shards)
ASIN: 0743499190 |
Book Description
The Thirty Years War continues to ravage 17th century Europe, but a new force is gathering power and influence: the Confederated Principalities of Europe, an alliance between Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, and the West Virginians from the 20th century led by Mike Stearns who were hurled centuries into the past by a mysterious cosmic accident. The democratic ideals of the CPE have aroused the implacable hostility of Cardinal Richelieu, effective ruler of France, who has moved behind the scenes, making common cause with old enemies to stop this new threat to the privileged and powerful. But the CPE is also working in secret. A group of West Virginians have secretly traveled to Venice where their advanced medical knowledge may prevent the recurrence of the terrible plague which recently killed a third of the city-state's population. At the same time, the group hopes to establish commercial ties with Turkey's Ottoman Empire, then at the height of its power. And, most important, they hope to establish private diplomatic ties with the Vatican, exploiting Pope Urban VIII's misgivings about the actions of Richelieu and the Hapsburgs. But a Venetian artisan involved with the West Virginians may cause all their plans to come to naught. Having read 20th century history books of the period, he has become determined to rescue Galileo from his trial for heresy. The Americans are divided on whether to help him or stop him-and whether he succeeds or fails, the results may be catastrophic for the CPE.
Customer Reviews:
Continuing Grantville's Struggle.......2007-07-16
In this, the third installment to Flint's Assiti Shards series, Grantville's former president, and new prime minister of the United States of Europe (USE), Mike Stearns, sends a delegation to Venice, Italy, to set up firm trade and industrial ties with the city noted for its merchants. While establishing these ties, certain members of the USE delegation simulataneously begin to set up small economic empires of their own, fall in love with the locals, and develop hare-brained schemes to rescue (along with a clan of locals) a certain famous scientist from the shackles of the notorious Inquisition.
The Galileo Affair was certainly not a bad continuation of Flint's series. Indeed, the story continues to provide depth into the world Grantville now finds itself in since the Ring of Fire. However, the story takes much too long to really get going, and even when it does finally start to pick up, there are moments when things just don't feel "realistic". However, I do look forward to further installments in this series; despite the "slower-than-molasses" approach at times to the story, the characters and ideas presented are fundamentally interesting and I most thoroughly look forward to continuing the story of Grantville and its ever-broadening cadre of citizenry.
People are too harsh on this one........2007-07-02
This is one of numerous spin-offs from Eric Flint's brilliant 1632 and 1633. What that means is that this book (and the other spin-offs) deviate from the primary storyline of the previous books. While expanding the overall story of the impact Grantville has on the world of the 1630's, this book basically ignores the (more exciting) developments of the war with France and the exploits of the USE ambassadors in London, Scotland, and Amsterdam. That is the reason I think most people are disappointed by this book. After being left with so many open plot lines after 1633, readers are anxious to see what happens with those and don't have too much patience with this apparently unrelated (and seemingly unnecessary) new direction. Why spend time developing this new story when your readers are so excited about finding what happens in the primary plot lines?
That being said, The Galileo Affair was enjoyable and informative. The Stone family and Father Mazzare travel to Venice and Rome, establish important diplomatic ties with various groups, and get mixed up in some double-dealing agents that could spoil all of their gains as well as threaten their very lives. This book also chronicles the falling in love of two important Grantville characters, Sharon Nichols and Frank Stone. These two romances couldn't be more different and each is for the most part amusing to see develop. There is very little action in this book (especially compared to the previous books) but lots of diplomacy and intrigue. For some reason this book reads as if it was meant for a somewhat younger audience than the others. This may be the influence of Andrew Dennis, with his attempts at humor sometimes being rather immature seeming. Fighting off muggers and assassins by using your soccer and baseball skills may appeal to some readers, but IMHO it takes away from the otherwise realistic feel of the novels.
Taken as a purely side story, this book is actually rather good. The dynamics within the Catholic church and among the various people of Venice is very interesting. Richeleu and Mike Sterns are still involved here, Mazarini and Mazzare are both developing into very important players, and the overall impact of the Ring of Fire is further developed in this book. Additionally, the same charm that the first two novels have is also present here. The dramatic influence of current day knowledge on life in 17th century Europe is still attractive and fascinating.
Writting What Should Be Forgotten.......2007-05-26
A novel about a section of the alternate history that should be forgotten or covered briefly. The story goes off on a tangent from the main storyline that is boring, it should have been either ignored or covered in a few well written chapters in other books. Save your time and money for better books.
Religions to the fore!.......2006-10-19
This is the first-published "1634" novel in the "Ring of Fire" epic Alternate History being conducted by young Eric Flint. It follows on the brilliant initial "1632" and sequel "1633" novels. They must be read first or you won't care much for this novel. The "Ring of Fire" and "Grantville Gazette I and II" anthologies in the same series will also contribute your enjoyment of "1634." What is going on is an immense collaborative construction of a saga about the trial and tribulations understandably faced by a mining town from West Virginia that suddenly is whipped back intact to 1632 in southern Germany, into the middle of a war chewing up Europeans. While it was initiated by Flint, it has morphed into the work of many authors who are building all the background elements, like genealogies, for a consistent and constrained (no nuclear weapons in W. Va.!) "history" of how the up-time American cope with, and attempt to democratize, a Europe full of conflicts. This is an astounding endeavor, one unique in my reading experience. It looks like five or six "1634" novels will be produced, each taking up one geographical/topical thread of the overall saga, as Grantville attempts to expand its sphere of security.
"1643: The Galileo Affair" is a further embodiment of Flint's philosophy that history moves in many directions and places simultaneously, that it is made up of many threads of change, and the ones with now-famous people in them were not whole story. After the sprawling "1633" almost lost control of its multiplying story lines, this novel, and the other "1634" novels to come, will divy up the continent and will each be more tightly focused on a comprehensible set of problems, characters, and locales within the same year. Read them all and see the big picture after the fact. (What's going to happen in "1635" and later years as the saga of Grantville's citizens ramifies further? It boggles the mind.)
In this book we travel to Italy, with an American embassy from Grantville to Venice, led by humble religious leaders because only they can be spared from other desperate ventures. We do occasionally hear of other threads taking place elsewhere in the saga, but most of the pressing issues raised in "1633" are left in limbo. "Galileo" is particularly notable for the unusually prominent role played by religion in a fictional history, in an age characterized by fierce competition between Catholics and Protestant sects, and all the principalities and kingdoms flunting them, stirred up by marauding mercenaries. Since the detailed, or even general, nature of the affronts taken between the parties is completely obscure history to most of us, considerable digressions into creeds and legalisms are properly necessary. Nevertheless, they also abet the lack of "action," particularly the absence of battle action that readers would expect from Flint's earlier books, in this series and out. Oh, and the Galileo affair is not about the infamously terrible Inquisition of his beliefs we've all heard about. "Affairs" have other meanings.
It is even clearer that the target audience for this series is teenagers. A main sub-plot in this novel features a passel of addled teenage American brothers and their Venetian girlfriend and her family of revolutionarily inclined Stooges. Venice = Venus = Love, right? They cavort and stumble through an inane and picaresque conspiracy to free Galileo, who thought Earth wasn't the center of the Universe. What an indulgence of these brats. Meanwhile, the serious business of expanding the sphere of American influence so they can access essential trade items, like zinc, and withstand their French and Spanish enemies, is in the hands of a priest and a pastor from Grantville on embassy to Venice, the fading capital of Mediterranean trade (no, it is not "sinking" in this story; stinking, yes). The embassy engages in a great deal of religious discussion and maneuvering, eventually leading to a surprising opening to the Catholic church and the Pope in Rome. Teenagers will not particularly enjoy the disputation, but it will be much better than their sanitized textbooks and might seduce a few into understanding why separation of competing churches from the state actually is a vital principle of beneficial government.
I found the chapter-head quotations more confusing and irrelevant than helpful. The prose reads a bit more like military communiques than literature--but then I do like a better sense of place in novels. Don't confuse the reader with ambiguity: everbody is played mostly to type and is pretty obvious: subtle, gentle, foolish, steady, sneaky, dastardly, or so forth. It's fun to suddenly encounter historical people or the roots of modern words: Newton, ghetto, imbroglio, and so on. Clearly this novel is a side thread in the overarching saga of The Ring of Fire, but it develops one good character (Father Mazzare) and ends with considerable intimation and promise of an amazing development to come.
1634: The Galileo Affair .......2006-09-07
Painful! Boring! Can't take it! The first two books 1632 and 1633 are awesome books and highly recommended. But this one has no serious plot and cannot really have a serious plot because the main storyline is still being written in a different forthcoming book. This book contains a barely amuzing diplomatic mission by side characters that if shortened would make a wonderful addition in Grantsville Gazzette (the author's collection of short stories about things that are not crucial to the main storyline). The side characters are two catholic priests, one protestant minister, the town's pharmacist/pothead and his three sons and some other inconsequential characters. Nobody on that mission is one of the main characters in previous stories and for a good reason. They are boring. There are no military confrontations, interesting inventions, or anything of consequence. You can skip it and wait for the main storyline book. Mr. Flint, please don't take us for granted. Otherwise, you will find yourself with Robert Jordan in the discount section of the bookstore.
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The 2006 International Fire Code®,coordinated with the 2006 International Building Code®, references national standards to comprehensively address fire safety in new and existing buildings. It provides modern, up-to-date fire code, and addresses conditions hazardous to life and property from fire, explosion, handling or use of hazardous materials, and the use and occupancy of buildings and premises. Prescriptive- and performance- based approaches to fire prevention and fire protection systems are emphasized. Topics addressed include fire department access, fire hydrants, automatic sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, hazardous materials storage and use, and fire safety requirements for new and existing buildings and premises.
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This essential publication brings together the entire text of the NFPA 1 Uniform Fire Code and the NFPA 101 Life Safety Code, and it clearly shows all State of Florida changes, additions, deletions and exceptions as of January 1, 2005. It gives you fingertip access to current regulations pertaining to everything from smoke detection systems to industrial ventilation requirements. With it, you'll be sure of knowing what tests need to be performed on emergency lighting equipment ... what the egress requirements are for existing day-care occupancies ... and what regulations pertain to hazardous materials storage. You'll know, in short, everything you need to know, when you need to know it.
Average customer rating:
- Essential reading for fans of the Ring of Fire series.
- Brilliant idea
- Ring of Fire on fire
- Essential background for 1633
- A great addition to the franchise
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Ring of Fire (Assiti Shards)
Eric Flint
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ASIN: 1416509089 |
Book Description
The battle between democracy and tyranny is joined, and the American Revolution has begun over a century ahead of schedule. A cosmic accident has shifted a modern West Virginia town back through time and space to land it and its twentieth century technology in Germany in the middle of the Thirty Years War. History must take a new course as American freedom and democracy battle against the squabbling despots of seventeenth-century Europe. Continuing the story begun in the hit novels 1632 and 1633, the New York Times best-selling creator of Honor Harrington, David Weber, the best-selling fantasy star Mercedes Lackey, best-selling SF and fantasy author Jane Lindskold, space adventure author K. D. Wentworth, Dave Freer, co-author of the hit novels Rats, Bats & Vats and Pyramid Scheme (both Baen), and Eric Flint himself combine their considerable talents in a shared-universe volume that will be a "must-have" for every reader of 1632 and 1633.
Customer Reviews:
Essential reading for fans of the Ring of Fire series........2007-03-30
I'm tempted to give this anthology 5-stars (which no anthology I've ever read has received). The majority of the stories here are fantastic and add significantly to the overall story behind 1632/1633. Only two or three of the stories (out of ~13) failed to impress me much and bring down the overall appeal of the book, but they are pretty short and shouldn't hamper anyone from enjoying the whole. Eric Flint's reasoning for promoting this book is sound. These stories help flesh out the characters in and around Grantville, introducing headline characters from future books and giving the reader a better grasp of the overall situations in the 30 Year War. Most of the stories take place around the same time as 1633.
Besides being enjoyable and fun to read, these stories accomplish the important task of progressing the overall story behind the series. Especially the last (and longest) story, written by Flint himself, which tells of the initiation of hostilities with Emperor Ferdinand and the alliance with Wallenstein to free Bohemia from Spain. Other stories fill in what happened in scenes that you were not privileged to in 1633, such as In The Navy, by David Weber, where you witness the recruitment of Simpson and the founding of the Navy.
Fans of 1632 and the following books should definitely take the time to read this book. It'll enhance your overall understanding of the situation and bring the characters into fuller life.
Brilliant idea.......2006-10-18
A brilliant idea: both this book and the new series of which it is a part. All red-blooded Americans will like these stories, and probably many Germans, too.
This is a better reading book than Flint's "1632" or "1633." Those are the novels that introduced the idea, of a bunch of small-town West Virginians mysteriously transported back to 1632 in south German lands in the middle of the misery of the Thirty Years War, into a series. This volume is the first to consist of a number of short stories and a novela, each one focused on a single topic or set of characters that are much simpler to understand than the novels. The argumentation or plots are short and tight here. Each story is an entire capsule, rather than open-ended threads (as in the novels), within a saga that is gradually spreading to encompass (and rewrite the "history" of) all of Europe, and equally difficult to integrate. The "main line" of novels sprawls a good bit, each juggling numerous parallel threads--like real history-- which will all, hopefully, link up some day. In this collection we get entire stories of how some line of innovation got started after the Americans arrived down-time, such as naval ships, the dye industry, religious rapprochements, telegraphy, infiltration, and the propagation of the American way, seen as the only route to survival. The idea is a bit like Twain's The Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, but now for an entire town of 3500 facing and adapting to the brutal challenges of a strife-torn Europe.
The brilliant innovation of the series is its structure. Besides the novels, written by the creator Eric Flint and picked collaborators, Ring of Fire begins a line of anthologies that fill out the big picture developed in those huge novels. This anthology is not the usual passel of authors riffing on someone's created world, each in their own inimitable but clashing styles. It includes stories set in the world of "1632" submitted by unknown authors over email, taking advantage of an intense online community that has grown for the further development of this world. They produce a coherent collection of disparate stories, but linked by style and consistent background events, thanks to Flint's strong editorial hand and the cooperation of the writers. Significantly, some stories provide the backstory of major characters seen in the novels, while others show the contributions of minor characters to the fight for survival. Most remarkably, new characters are also introduced who will be allowed to become leading actors in the future main line novels. This series is a truly collaborative enterprise; the many authors of this anthology are not merely guest writers. Their stories spin in to, not spin out from, Flint's world of "1632." This structure is very generous, excitingly productive, and is unique in my reading experience.
While the novels contain major military actions, as one might expect from Flint's other books, this volume concentrates mostly on a great variety of civilian matters vital to the survival and then expansion of the community. The prose is so-so, quite literal, and just drives staight ahead. There also must be lots of pedantic history necessary to make sense of the specific problems and situations addressed here. Although this book should be read after "1632," the stories are not confined to a time line, and so can be read alongside any of the "1634: xx" novels. The Assiti Shards moniker has nothing to do with the series at present, but may eventually explain the mysterious initial time travel element.
Ring of Fire on fire.......2006-09-01
I actually enjoyed this more than the main stream books. The more focused vinettes showed how the events effected not just the main characters, the the subcharacters and showed that each person would have their own point of view.
While it is mostly positive, here and there the darker side of human nature comes through.
Essential background for 1633.......2006-08-06
"...about the correspondence, we seem to have exhausted the real fruitcakes, but Al Green got a doozy this morning. Did he tell you? ...well, word got around that he's the Reverend Doctor Al Green, and so he's gotten a letter from the Earl of Carlisle's secretary. Apparently the earl's in Paris, helping Ussher with his researches, and does the reverend doctor have anything that might help?"
"*That* Ussher?...Reassure me Al's not going to send him anything."
"Well, I offered him my copy of Hawking..."
- Rev. Jones and Father Mazarre, "Between the Armies"
These aren't free-standing stories; several are part of the essential plot development of the 1632 universe, and some cover key incidents forming the background of 1633 and 1634: THE GALILEO AFFAIR.
Allen, Deann and Turner, Mike: "American Past Time" How baseball began catching on in the reborn United States, starting with Billy, a high-school senior who considers himself the only hard-core fan and player in town (who'd probably have tried to pitch for the major leagues uptime). Split between pickup games with Grantville's immigrants and Billy's regular life, split between school, working for his dad, and freelancing on a farm.
Boyes, Walt: "A Witch to Live" A Jesuit, having written a controversial book opposing witchcraft trials, is assigned by his bishop to see justice done in the trial of the daughter of a once-respectable family, and when she flees to U.S. soil, he follows to bear witness to her retrial.
Cresswell, Jonathan and Washburn, Scott: "When the Chips Are Down" The Four Musketeers seeking a way around a central European prejudice against eating potatoes (seeing them as food for livestock rather than people).
DeMarce, Virginia: "Biting Time" Gretchen's formidable grandmother Veronica, and how her appointment for being fitted with false teeth led (through her handling of brats at the dentist's office) to her own bit of private enterprise.
Dennis, Andrew: "Between the Armies" How Jules Mazarin and lapsed Jesuit Father Heinzerling became involved with Grantville, and how Father Mazzare decided how to cope with the differences between the 21st century Church and that of 1632.
Donahue, Greg: Gerd, a former member of Tilly's army living in Grantville, has "Skeletons" in his past - ex-associates who have infiltrated the refugee camp looking for pickings.
Dorsett, Jody: A group of religious refugees sends an emissary to Grantville, who strikes up an alliance with someone with a different definition of "The Three Rs".
Flint, Eric: "The Wallenstein Gambit" occupies about a fifth of the book and introduces a major storyline as the badly wounded Wallenstein offers a deal in exchange for alliance and medical treatment: his help in preventing a massacre of Jews in Prague. Some exploration of the social complexities of a Jewish community in the Europe of that time.
Freer, Dave: "A Lineman for the Country" The mine's only switchboard operator and the town's telephone repairman can see that their old state-of-the-art equipment needs to be "downgraded" to something that can be maintained, but they lack the political skills to make it a priority with anyone else. Enter one of Mackay's couriers, prepared to appreciate anything that'll spare him days on horseback, and who has the people skills Ellie and Len lack.
Jones, Loren K.: "Power to the People" How the crew at Grantville's power station coped with the Ring of Fire, particularly the three staff members stranded without their families.
Lackey, Mercedes: "To Dye For" introduces leftover hippie and practical chemist Tom "I made LSD in the sixties" Stone and family with the story of how Stoner managed to persuade his prospective father-in-law of his suitability.
Pedersen, Anette M.: "Family Faith" suffers in the short form, as the family relationships of the protagonist - an excommunicate Jesuit in a largely Protestant noble family, seeking knowledge of young relatives lost among the refugees of the war - constitute most of the story, and are presented via exposition to an old family friend who should already know the facts.
Viehl, S.L.: "A Matter of Consultation" Introducing Charles Stuart's personal physician, William Harvey (key background to _1633_), local healers of various types (including "witches") and how they get on with uptime healers.
Weber, David: "In the Navy" (foundation of Grantville's naval shipyards and navy) Eddie Cantrell of "the Four Musketeers" - the young wargamer enthusiasts who have the best library of military history in Grantville - is the quartet's naval specialist in game design, but that doesn't trump the real experience of the most experienced ex-navy man in town: John Chandler Simpson. Decent character development of Simpson: competent administrator as an ex-CEO, experienced combat officer who knows how to explain things to another military man.
Wentworth, K.D.: "Here Comes Santa Claus" (December 1632) Doesn't seem to dovetail with "The Wallenstein Gambit", despite Flint's remarks to the contrary, but it's cute. Julie McKay is organizing Grantville's first annual post-Ring of Fire Christmas party, and can't get any uptimers to play Santa Claus (or much hard data on local Christmas customs). Spies (including Pappenheim, seeking the sniper who shot Wallenstein) sneak into town left and right and get very confused.
A great addition to the franchise.......2006-05-12
Fans of 1632 and 1633 will definitely enjoy Ring of Fire! Eric Flint follows the path of many previous writers, allowing various authors to "explore the alternate history" he created in his previous books. The result is a welcome expansion of characters and events that helps to flesh out the story of Grantville, the West Virginia town transplanted to 30 Years War Germany. The effects of American ideals of liberty on the repressive and absolutist rulers of early seventeenth century Europe are especially enjoyable to watch!
Book Description
A mysterious cosmic force-the “Ring of Fire”-has hurled the town of Grantville from 20th century West Virginia back to 17th century Europe, and into the heart of the Thirty Years War. With their seemingly magical technology, and their radical ideas of freedom and justice, the time-lost West Virginians have allied with Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, to form the Confederated Principalities of Europe, changing the course of history-in ways both small and large.
MORE TO COME.
Customer Reviews:
Ring of Fire - Last of the Rodeo Roots.......2007-01-27
I enjoyed reading Ring of Fire. Having been in and followed Rodeo for a great many years, Ring of Fire, is a look into the World of the Bull Rider, before it became a slick, Madison Avenue packaged production. At that time, the Rodeo roots were still alive and well and Hollywood had not yet taken over. The Book is well worth the money if you have your roots in Rodeo.
Quality Lacking.......2004-12-02
Essentially a picture book w/ limited text. Printing and design are dated and of average quality at best. A few great pics but lots of filler. Some day they will come out with a book that does justice to this fantastic sport...
Ring of Fire.......2003-04-02
This is a great book. It shows that bullriding is one of the most thrilling and exciting sports that there is. Even though bullriding has long been overlooked by the sports world, thePBR organization has made this sport one of the most popular and this book shows you why. The pictures are a fan's dream come true and the book is beautifully put together. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes excitement.
Great Book.......2001-06-07
This is one of my all time favorite books! It has so many pictures of bulls like Dillinger, Red Wolf, and Promise Land.
Beautiful.......2001-01-05
If you like Pro Bull Riding, this book is a must, a very beautiful, moving edition. If you aren't a fan, you should check it out anyway. The photography is truly fantastic and makes the sport look even more dramatic, intense, and personal than it already is.
Book Description
The Thirty Years War continues to ravage 17th century Europe, but a new force is gathering power and influence: the Confederated Principalities of Europe, an alliance between Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, and the West Virginians from the 20th century led by Mike Stearns who were hurled centuries into the past by a mysterious cosmic accident. Inspired by the example of American freedom and justice, a movement in Franconia among the peasants, who have revolted several times even before the arrival from the future of the town of Grantville, an independent revolutionary movement has arisen, flying the banner of the head of a ram. The West Virginians fully approve of liberating the peasants from the nobility, but they are also aware of how revolutionary movements can lead to bloodbaths. And avoiding that deadly possibility will require all of their future knowledge and all their plain old American horse-trading diplomacy. . . .
Customer Reviews:
don't buy this book.............2007-09-11
....unless you have nothing else to spend your money on. I am a great fan of the other books, especially 1633, but this one is a poorly, maybe even unethically, conceived project. Many of the "stories" contained in the book were written by non-professional writers, and it really shows. Apparently many of them are available on the web, which makes the decision to publish them in book form, without warning the purchaser, rather iffy, in my opinion. The theme that is supposed to hold everything together, "Brillo" and his use as a symbol for a new form of government, is just, well, lame. The songs are unbelievably tedious, and the idea is not ever presented coherently.
Pass on this one, save your money for 1634: The Baltic War.
Weakest of the Series.......2007-09-10
The Ram Rebellion is easily the very least of the otherwise great 1632 series. Flint, in the introduction, says that the book is not quite an anthology and not quite a co-written effort. That middle of the road approach hurts the book. For a series that is normally a political action series with a great deal of research behind it, this book feels like a massive collection of events and characters that might be important some day (say, in 1636 or so), but weren't interesting or important enough to warrant their own treatment.
(Spoilers)
Also, the idea of Brillo the Ram gets irritating and repetitive so fast that I found myself wishing that they'd just kill it already; if the damn sheep is tainting the gene pool, EAT THE SHEEP. Don't complain about it so much that you start a cultural icon! If the Brillo stories were actually interesting, it wouldn't have been so bad; but they were called funny by so many characters and were so uninteresting that it rubbed me the wrong way.
(End Spoilers)
Speaking of so many characters, there were a LOT of characters that were utterly unimportant. I'm sorry Mr. Flint, but you yourself acknowledged that writers typically write about Great Men. There is a good reason for this: the commoners are frequently boring. Important, yes. Interesting, no. After feeling cheated buying the hardcover edition, I decided not to look into the other anthologies of the series and stick to the main storyline.
many stones do form an arch, singly none.......2007-06-07
As many reviewers have noted, this book has a lot of characters, and none of them are the "main" characters of the 1632 world. It takes place off the beaten path. If you haven't been reading this series, then by all means go and read 1632 and 1633 first.
The book's lack of a single central plot and a small set of characters is very much the authors' point, though. This book is deliberately set against the "great man of history" approach. The idea isn't the usual plot in which a small number of characters seize control of events. Instead, events steamroll along in the interactions of many seemingly unrelated characters, each trying to figure out their own small part of the world.
In many ways this book comes closest to the spirit of the 1632 enterprise, which at its heart is about "ordinary" people shaping history with "ordinary" resources.
If you read it with that theme in mind, instead of by trying to see the one central plot that ties everything together, you'll probably enjoy the book.
If you don't enjoy somewhat chaotic stories with lots of completely unintended consequences, then by all means go far, far, far away from this series. There are plenty of excellent alternate histories in which a few incedible people drive events (S M Stirling probably writes the best of these, though John Birmingham is worth checking out). The 1632 series, on the other hand, is an experiment in chaotic history.
This philosophy does lead to a lot of books in the series that seem like "sidelines" compared to the main military histories that have big armies blowing each other to pieces at the command of kings and presidents and cardinals. But to the "ordinary" peasants of Franconia, all of that stuff is the sideline, and in many ways that's the point!
Useful Addition to the 'Ring of Fire' Series by Eric Flint, et al.......2007-04-07
The Book is a collection of stories in Four parts.
Part 1. Recipes for Revolution is set in 1631 and 1632. It's chiefly two stories about "Birdy" Newhouse, a farmer on the border of 'The Ring of Fire' who lost acreage in the transfer across time and wants to rent or buy extra land from the local German owners. This presents problems and opportunities which form the basis of the stories. There are also three short glimpses of Mike Stearns with Melissa Mailey.
Part 2. Enter the Ram introduces Flo Richards, a farmer's wife with four grown children who had bought a small flock of type C Delaine Merino sheep and some angora rabbits before the RoF in the hope that she'd see more of her youngest daughter once she'd finished her studies out of town. The RoF had left Jan, the daughter behind, and Flo was dealing with this loss by concentrating on her livestock. She, and JD, her husband have local Germans living with them as partners now that farming has become more labour intensive. Flo's laments about the poor quality wool of the locally obtained ram (who comes to be known as Brillo for that reason) stike a chord with some-one and before long a number of 'Brillo fables' appear in the local broadsheet.
Flo Richards has mixed feelings about Brillo. He has escaped from his pen and interfered with her merino breeding program, yet his fame due to the stories spread through Grantville out into the rest of Germany. The Women's League of Voters uses a Ram's Head as its emblem, schoolchildren sing songs about Brillo and Elizabeth "Bitty" Matowski, introduces Ballet to the down-timers with a Brillo ballet.
Part 3. The Trouble in Franconia begins in December 1632 with the King of Sweden, Gustavus Adolphus having assigned the administration of those parts of Franconia that were Catholic to the New United States (NUS). They don't have the manpower to occupy the province and there are actually pockets of resistance in at least two fortresses that the Swedish King simply bypassed in his conquest. These, and other things have to be dealt with by a mixture of up-timers and down-timers. All this sets the scene for the longest story in the book.
Part 4. The Ram Rebellion. In Franconia, a schoolteacher has been reading "Common Sense" by Tom Paine. He also finds the Brillo stories interesting. The farmers in Franconia (and Thuringia for that matter) have a history of dissent concerning serfdom and Mike Stearns has hopes of getting some fundamental changes made in the way that Franconia is run as a result of a farmer's rebellion of sorts. He neglects to include this in the briefing given to the civil servants sent down to administer Franconia although Johnny F. and Noelle Murphy, among others have an effect on the schoolteacher's "Ram rebellion".
I think that this book gives useful background about developments outside of the main geo-political story where the greater history of Europe is taking place. Franconia is a local area where things are happenning to local people. I've only given it three stars because although it is entertaining and fleshes out the story-line I think it is an optional addition to the main story of Grantville in the Thirty Years War.
Anyone who gets into the series to the extent of The Grantville Gazette and Baen's Bar in the internet will probably find this book a useful addition to their entertainment.
Notably better than average but not really outstanding.......2007-03-07
As the author says this is an oddball. It isn't an anthology of commonly themed stories in fact there are 4 very different sets of stories. It isn't the type of book where the main author writes a skeleton and guests fill in appropriate stories as is seen in Science Fiction and in The Academy: Tales of the Marketplace by Laura Antoniou (BTW read my review before considering purchase). Instead it is a crazy quilt of stories which illustrate the Americans interactions with the native Germans. The first third of the book has three main themes: German land law and how to deal with it (Birdie's struggles to buy more land for his farm), Brillo and how he (a Ram) becomes a symbol and celebrity and lastly in A Night at The Ballet how the American ballet teacher overcomes snobbish attitudes of the German upper crust and Nobles. The last two thirds of the book is set in Franconia which is classically set up for a disaster. The Americans (called the NUS for now) administer it; but only the Catholic parts (Gustavus Adolphus' Protestant allies are exempt). Unfortunately Catholics and at least some of the Protestants are intermixed and the NUS has no real forces to enforce authority. When the rebellion starts the cheif leader calls himself "Helmut speaking for the Ram" having recently read a copy of Doc Smiths Galactic Patrol. The attempts of the Americans to figure out his motives are amusing. Also is the fact that the rebels choose Brillo as their symbol. While this is a pretty good read it isn't as coherent as it could be with a lot of threads and different characters as well as writers leading so some inconsistencies.
Book Description
First Responder's Guide to Agricultural Chemical Accidents provides emergency safety and health information for 452 toxic and hazardous products. These products, frequently used by pest exterminators and farmers, include those insecticides, pesticides, rodenticides, herbicides, and fertilizers commonly transported on highways and by rail carriers. The book lists products alphabetically and includes the manufacturer and telephone number, chemical identification, physical properties, hazard ratings, neutralizing agents (when known), fire fighting agents, special warnings, evacuation distances, protective clothing, health hazard information, and emergency first aid for exposure. This important information allows any First Responder to establish a safe plan of action without having to reference the library of chemical books normally carried by a Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Team (HERT). First Responder's Guide to Agricultural Chemical Accidents is an essential reference that provides critical hazardous materials data for personnel at fire departments, law enforcement agencies, and emergency medical agencies. The book will also be useful for business or individuals that store, sell, or use agricultural chemicals.
Books:
- Act of Treason (Mitch Rapp Novels)
- Adoption Literature for Children and Young Adults: An Annotated Bibliography (Bibliographies and Indexes in Sociology)
- Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 5)
- Among the Enemy (Shadow Children)
- Apollyon: The Destroyer Is Unleashed (Left Behind No. 5)
- Big Box of Boynton: Barnyard Dance! Pajama Time! Oh My Oh My Oh Dinosaurs!
- Black Order: A Novel (Sigma Force Novels)
- Boundaries
- Broken Angels
- Childhood's End
Books Index
Books Home
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- People Of The River: Native Arts Of The Oregon Territory
- Open Systems: Rethinking Art c. 1970
- Horse Fixin': Forty Years of Working With Problem Horses
- Israel Environmental Technology Industry Export-import Directory
1634: The Baltic War
Grantville Gazette III
Grantville Gazette II
1824: The Arkansas War
