Ringoffire

My first Eric Flint book was 1632, and it turned out to be one of the most amazing Science Fiction stories I have read. Dealing with a town named Grantville, it tells the story of a small section of West Virginia into time and space by some cosmic accident. It lands in the year 1632, hence the title of the book.

Showing how modern Americans suddenly deal with the situations arising from this occurrence is what the story itself is all about. Ranging from war to the humane treatment of others, 1632 demonstrates how a small band of men and women with 21^st century educations, weapons, medicine and religious freedom bring American Democracy and learning to the war and disease ravaged people of the 17^th century, and found the United States of America in Central Europe 144 years before 1776.

The stories in Ring of Fire, edited and created by Eric Flint, are set in the time period developed and created by Eric Flint and deal with the events created 1632 by Flint and in it’s excellent sequel 1633, written by Eric Flint and David Weber.

The collection of shorter stories goes with the books 1632, by Eric Flint, and 1633, by Eric Flint and David Weber.For those interested in both history and technology, and what it takes to bring a society steeped in superstition and a non-technical life up to even a slice of 21^st century life, these stories are amazing. Reading like a litany for survival, this book can be read by anyone and enjoyed, from those just looking for a fun read and those looking for philosophical and intellectual ideals and ideas, these are also quite good.

All of the stories in this volume are quite well written and thought-out. And since these stories all play a crucial role in the main books by Flint and Weber, it is a bit of a departure from the usual anthology.

For those waiting with bated breath on the next volume in the series, 1634 The Galileo Affair, Ring of Fire fills a void left by the last book. Bring character and plot development, the stories deal with the situations arising from the calamity that brought them to where they are. From the first instance in "Power to the People" showing how the local power plant performs its job bringing electricity to the beleaguered people of Grantville and still have time to find love and friendship to "A Lineman for the Country", showing the dedication and determination that employees of the phone company have to see to it that fast, efficient communication is available for both the Military and the public, it demonstrates both American ingenuity and a willingness to overcome past bigotries and hates and come to work with people from vastly different backgrounds.

"Too Dye For" shows the strength of love and the wisdom of women who refuse to take ‘no’ for an answer. "Between the Armies" is an almost gut-wrenching story about a 20^th century Catholic priest facing the immorality of the Roman Catholic Church of the 17^th century and his own slowly decaying faith. It is both a story of history and renewed spirit. "Biting Time" is a sweet story about false teeth, child care and the fact that people from different backgrounds can and will fall in love.

"A Matter of Consultation" shows the ignorance and pride of one of the 17^th century’s most well known Doctors who finally learns that even he can learn something new. "American Past Time" is about learning to work together, looking past differences and the old saying ‘There is no ‘I’ in team’.

"Skeletons" is a tale about morality, redemption and even revenge while "A Witch to Live" shows how Grantville made an impact in the life of a Jesuit reformer. "Here Comes Santa Claus" is a sweet story about the second Christmas celebration in Grantville, featuring the first view of Santa Claus for the children of the 17^th century.

While in many ways the stories here are patriotic they are not really ‘Pro-American’. The heroes are American, Scot and German and the villains are also American, Scot and German while many other nationalities round out both sides. But, they are also whimsical, funny, sad, militaristic and romantic. The stories dealing with the creation of the Potato Chip are almost laugh out loud funny, while the ones dealing with witchcraft make you angry.

The one dealing with a terrorist planting a bomb in a school reflects the present attitude of “We have to keep going” while at the same time showing the reader that cowardly, oppressive regimes have been around for a lot longer than the last 100 years, and that the Taliban is nothing new, no matter what name it hides under.

It also keeps you on the edge of your seat since Flint and Weber both have a tendency to make you love characters that they eventually kill off. Some of the stories move various plot points along or explain how the events that take place in the different books are developed, and yet they all deal in one way or another how moving a slice of modern West Virginia to 17th century Europe has changed the lives of the residents of Grantville and the people who live in the area where it came to rest.

David Weber starts off the collection with “In the Navy" dealing with the attempts to bring Ironclad war-ships to the Navy of their allies, with Flint rounding off the book with his own story "The Wallenstein Gambit".

As a ‘shared universe anthology’ the book will flesh out the people and plot lines set up by the three books in the series.Many of the characters are based on real life people, Gottfried Heinrich Graf von Pappenheim a German military leader and imperial field marshal in the Thirty Years War. As a convert to Roman Catholicism, he became a counselor in the service of the Holy Roman emperor, but decided to leave this position for a military career. He entered the imperial service in 1623. On May 20, 1631 , he led the assault against the Protestant city of Magdeburg , which was sacked and virtually destroyed by his troops.

Along with Baron Johannes Tilly, the Swedish king, Gustavus Adolphus, and Albrecht von Wallenstein, and actual sites of battles and towns such as Magdeburg , Greater Bohemia, and the events of the Thirty Years War and the society that surrounded it, all of the 16—books are a nice slice of alternate history and the idea of “What If?”

It also teaches a valuable lesson to the reader. If you are ever thrown through time into the past, be careful what you tell others or take with you. After all, the people who have always been just characters in books might just want to read those same history books and find out what the future might hold for them.

As an aside, I don’t think this is the book to use as an introduction to the Grantville story. For that, you really have to read the original novel 1632. If you don’t, you will wonder what some of the stories have to do with each other as they keep referring to events in the other books. Also, the order of the stories can be confusing with mentions in later stories of characters that have died in earlier stories.

Thanks to Bane Books you can read the Preface and the first three stories on line at http://www.baen.com/chapters/W200401/074347175X.htm?blurb

Thanks to Toni for the chance to read this wonderful story, and thanks more to Eric Flint for creating such a wonderful universe.

Table of ContentsAnd Authors

Preface : Eric Flint
In the Navy : David Weber
To Dye For : Mercedes Lackey
A Lineman For the Country : Dave Freer
Between the Armies : Andrew Dennis
Biting Time : Virginia Easley DeMarce
Power to the People : Loren K. Jones
A Matter of Consultation : S.L. Viehl
Family Faith : Anette M. Pedersen
When the Chips are Down : Jonathan Cresswell and Scott Washburn
American Past Time : Deann Allen and Mike Turner
Skeletons : Greg Donahue
A Witch to Live : Walt Boyes
The Three R's : Jody Dorsett
Here Comes Santa Claus : K.D. Wentworth
The Wallenstein Gambit : Eric Flint