20th Century American Spirit Meets Seductive and Dangerous Vienna of the 1600s!
The United States of Europe, the new nation formed by an alliance between the Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus and the West Virginians hurled back in time by a cosmic accident, is beset by enemies on all sides. But now, as a young new emperor comes to the throne in Austria, an opening has developed for making peace with at least one branch of the farflung and mighty Habsburg dynasty.
This is no job for diplomats or generals, however. The recently formed Austro- Hungarian empire is teetering on the brink of economic collapse. So, the USE sends auto mechanics and financiers to the rescue. But the mechanics are West Virginia hillbillies and the financiers are mostly teenage American girls, risen to wealth by taking advantage of the new opportunities created by the Ring of Fire.
Ready to greet them upon their arrival in Vienna is an emperor uncertain of his goals, common folk desperate for work, noblemen with intentions both fair and foul, priests plotting on all sides—and a prince unclear on the distinction between passion and lechery.
To put it mildly, a culture clash is in the making here. What better way to bridge the gap than to create a race track for the emperor’s new muscle car? And so the dance begins.
Listen to the author discuss the book here on the Baen Free Radio Hour.
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MehThe ideas and concepts are fine. I'm miffed parts of the ideas and concepts, possibly even the text, was duplicated from The Barbie Consortium. I don't enjoy these characters very much, and their development are not engrossing. Haven't re-read the books. Not worth keeping in my physical library.
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Product ReviewWage marriage not war, the Austrian way. Another great installment in the Ring of Fire series with more of a Grantville Gazette flavor.
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Product ReviewI liked it very much, but i'm a sucker for the Barbie consortium and all books with them. I also enjoy Gorg Huffs and Paula Goodletts style of writing. This is one of the 1632-verse books that have a good balance between uptimers and downtimers - unlike some that almost exclusively feature downtimers. I heartily recommend this book.
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Product Reviewrecommend you read a new prequel 'the barbie consortium' before you read this book, especially if you don't read the grantville gazette.
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Product ReviewI cannot give this book more than an average OK. It felt like a comedy. Maybe I am simply of the wrong age (51) and the wrong sex (male) to find the story believable. I never connected with the heroines, nor with the villains. I think it would have been a much more interesting angle if the story was told from the view of the newly crowned Ferdinand III. A young emperor trying to balance his country between the threat from the Turks, internal strife in the Catholic church, the nobles, and the propaganda coming out of the USE. We could have gotten the same discussion of the value of money without a story about a handful of young girls buying the kingdom.
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Product ReviewWorth the wait.
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