Music . . .
It's been said that musicians live for the next new sound. Well, the musicians of Europe were presented with the biggest new sound ever when the Ring of Fire brought the future back to 1631. What will the court musicians think when they hear Bach, Stravinsky, and the Beatles? What will the street and tavern musicians think when faced with Johnny Cash, Metallica, and Nirvana? Things don't go smoothly for Marla Linder and her friends.

And Murder . . .
The Thirty Years War was an 'interesting' time to be alive, in the proverbial Chinese curse sense of the word. Then Grantville arrived from the future, bringing technology and philosophies that set European civilization on its ear. But that's not all that came back with Grantville. Imagine trying to establish modern police procedures in a time where neither the powers-that-be nor the people underneath them provide much support. Up-timer Byron Chieske and his down-timer partner Gotthilf Hoch walk some mean streets and lonely roads.

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Customer Reviews

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  1. Enjoyable sidebar stories to the main event.
    Quality
    100%
    Even though not part of the major story lines, I enjoyed this book for filling in other aspects of the RoF universe beyond political and military machinations. I didn't find the music theory at all off putting, it was rather fun. The only bone I have to pick with the musical stories is with Marla the accomplished singer and concert flautist (opera singer here - retired). Flute playing texhniques cause a very unpleasant machine-gun-like vibrato in the voice. The only singer I ever knew who also played flute (and did both very well indeed) finally had to give it up to advance her singing career. The association of singing with flute playing makes me wince.

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  2. Product Review
    Quality
    100%
    The music stories were great in the Gazette and it is nice having them tied together.

    And, the "murder" remains top notch. Again, it is nice having them in one place.

    This book is a great introduction to the series for folks into music (or murder) who haven't visited the 1632 universe before.

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  3. Product Review
    Quality
    80%
    Ties together some story lines nicely.

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  4. Product Review
    Quality
    60%
    Unless you are really into musicial theory, your eyes will glaze over as you read the first half of this book. I mean, I played trumpet and several other instrument through my sophmore year in college, and I never heard of any of that stuff they were taling about.

    If if had not been for the second half of the book, I would rate this book as a 1 star. The second half of the book raised it to a 3 star rating.

    MY question is when is the series going to get back on track and start dealing with the real story line?

    It seems to have lost the Rednecks of West Virginia, and their fight for truth justice and the American way.

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  5. Product Review
    Quality
    60%
    The book had potential but the author tried too hard to impress you with his musical knowledge. I get it, the guy was a music major, but it does not add to the story to print page after page of lyrics in Latin or german or go on and on about music theory. Some of the character stories had potential but were not developed to my satisfaction.

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  6. Product Review
    Quality
    100%
    The "Music" stories were well worth the price, even though I had already read the "Mayhem" stories. Buy it even if you've read the Mayhem part!!

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  7. Product Review
    Quality
    60%
    I loved the story, but am less than impressed by paying a second time for that portion of if which also appeared in the Gazette. There's enough that's new here to justify it, but it's not a nice thing to do to loyal fans.

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  8. Product Review
    Quality
    100%
    Excellent. Better than expected all the way through.

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