THE MAELSTROM THAT IS EUROPE,
COMPLICATED BY IRON,
LOVE AND 20TH CENTURY AMERICANS
The Thirty Years War continues to ravage 17th century Europe, but a new force is gathering power and influence: the United States of Europe, forged from 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.
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 finds himself walking the fine line between keeping the pot boiling while keeping it from boiling over and destroying the USE in the process.
The USE 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 ingenuity 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. First, because the expedition sent to revitalize the mining industry in the upper Palatinate walks into the middle of a ferocious battle between the USE and the Duke of Bavaria. Second, because in the maelstrom that is Europe, even a 20th century copy of the Encyclopedia Britannica can precipitate a crisis from the most unexpected quarters. The young and beautiful daughter of the Austrian emperor, sent to marry the Duke of Bavaria for reasons of state, comes to an unforeseen conclusion based on her study of up-time history. The decision she makes as a result transforms the Bavarian war into a crisis for all of Europe.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Eric Flint is a popular star of SF and fantasy. 1634: The Baltic War, a collaboration with David Weber, was the latest New York Times best seller in the Ring of Fire series. His first novel for Baen, Mother of Demons, was picked by Science Fiction Chronicle as a best novel of the year. His novel 1632, which launched the Ring of Fire series, won widespread critical praise, as from Publishers Weekly, which called him "an SF author of particular note, one who can entertain and edify in equal, and major, measure." A longtime machinist, and labor union activist with a master's degree in history, he currently resides in northwest Indiana with his wife Lucille.
Virginia DeMarce, after jobs as peculiar as counting raisins for the Calif. Dept. of Agriculture, received her Ph.D. in Early Modern European History from Stanford University. She has published a book on German military settlers in Canada after the American Revolution and has served as president of the National Genealogical Society. She taught at Northwest Missouri State University and at George Mason University. She has had stories in the Ring of Fire anthology and Grantville Gazette (#1), and more stories in the online Grantville Gazettes. She has three grown children and five grandchildren, and lives in Arlington, VA, with her husband.
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Product ReviewThis is a really fun read if you know any history and have read the other books and stories in the series
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Product ReviewThe best thing I can say about TBC is that it is better than TRR. I'm glad I waited for it to show up in my library.
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Product ReviewI think that it was pretty good. It got kinda bogged down in the middle and I had to look up a lot of stuff to keep the people straight. However, I liked the situation with Mary and Veronica; Maria Anna was also a very interesting character, but you could her marriage coming a mile away. Next time, I would like to see more characterization and less political analysis.
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Product ReviewAn enjoyable read. A five star would mean that I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. Read this one over a week or so, but kept on coming back to it.
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Product ReviewI really enjoyed it.In response to Monica,yes it was a bit scattered,but everything came together and it was funny.There were several side stories.but this is a massive storyline,expect to some of these people again. Keep up the good work!
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Product ReviewI agree completely with Anthony. I skimmed whole sections that had nothing to do with the main story line.
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Product ReviewFull of turgid descriptions that would only be of interest to a historian. The least enjoyable of the entire 1632 series and if the next is as bad I will be abandoning buying them.
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Product ReviewIt is bellow the 1632 standards.
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