1635: The Eastern Front (The Ring of Fire) [Hardcover]

Eric Flint (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Ring of Fire | Publication Date: October 5, 2010

            The Thirty Years War continues to ravage 17th century Europe, but a new force is gathering power and influence: the United States of Europe, a new nation led by 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.       While the old entrenched rulers and manipulators continue to plot against this new upstart nation, everyday life goes on in Grantville, even under the shadow of war, as this lost outpost of American freedom and justice must play David against a 17th century Goliath of oppressive feudalism.

 

Praise for the New York Times Best-Selling Series:

“. . . gripping and expertly detailed . . . a treat for lovers of action-SF or alternate history . . . battle scenes depicted with power . . . distinguishes Flint as an SF author of particular note, one who can entertain and edify in equal, and major, measure.” —Publishers Weekly (in a starred review)

 

“[This] alternate-history saga . . . is certainly a landmark in that subgenre. . . . A splendid example of character-centered alternate-history, this is a must read for its series' growing fandom.” —Booklist (Starred Review)

 

“. . . takes historic speculation to a new level in a tale that combines accurate historical research with bold leaps of the imagination. Fans of alternate history and military sf should enjoy this rousing tale of adventure and intrigue.” —Library Journal

 

“This alternate history series is already one of the best around and each new entry appears better than the previous one, a seemingly impossible feat . . . terrific. . . .” —The Midwest Book Review

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Eric Flint is the author/creator of the New York Times best-selling Ring of Fire series, the most popular alternate history series today. With David Drake he has written six popular novels in the Belisarius series, and with David Weber collaborated on 1633, and 1634: The Baltic War, two novels in the Ring of Fire series, and on Crown of Slaves, a best of the year pick by Publishers Weekly, and its sequel, Torch of Freedom. Flint received his masters degree in history from UCLA and was for many years a labor union activist. He lives in East Chicago, IL, with his wife and is working on more books in the best-selling Ring of Fire series.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Baen (October 5, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439133891
• ISBN-13: 978-1439133897
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #209,302 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Eric Flint is the co-author of three New York Times best sellers in his Ring of Fire alternate history series. His first novel for Baen, Mother of Demons, was picked by Science Fiction Chronicle as a best novel of the year. His 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 labor union activist with a Masters Degree in history, he currently resides in northwest Indiana with his wife Lucille.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Setting the stage, October 3, 2010

By 

G. Peter Wityk "Peter Wityk" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 1635: The Eastern Front (The Ring of Fire) (Hardcover)

This book was a bit of a disappointment. Flint has done much better work in this series.

First, it is clearly a stage setting book. The amount of action feels less than the other books in the series. People are moved hither and yon according to the whims of a director and a script that we don't see. The stage is being set for the next book ( or two ) in the series.

Second, the narrative drags in places. There is too much expository, too much politics in action and too much dictation by Flint to the reader.

Third, Gustav Adolph was becoming the bull in the china shop which seems to limit what Flint wanted to do or where he wanted to go. The reader may or may not agree with Flint's solution to that issue.

That being said, I read it in one night just to know where the player were going and how the stage would be set for the next book. Flint is not yet at the stage where his laundry lists are interesting reading. But, he is getting there. If you are willing to accept the three caveats I list and want to be ready for the next book, then this is a must have.

32 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent pallette cleanse, but I encourage a better edit, October 16, 2010

By 

Jason Wills-Starin "preserver3" (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 1635: The Eastern Front (The Ring of Fire) (Hardcover)

This book starts off with that same, perfect build up formula, those of you reading this review know is an Eric Flint joyride. For several painful books, this series has languished in Dreeson incident and political intrigues, but this is the 30 years war and it is again time to fight some battles. Flint does not disappoint here. He summarizes events for those who might be catching up, but you need 1632, 1633, the Ram's Rebellion, and maybe some of the Italian stuff to get the real feel for this, but the Dreeson incident gets 6 direct references, all couched in language that does not disappoint if you fell asleep during those novels.


*Minor Spoiler, mostly just an expansion on the blurb*

This is Eric Flint's book though, and he's got a ride for you. This is not a three stooges trek, this is a story in four main perspectives that follows the CoC, an Assassination plot, a war campaign featuring newly minted General Mike Stearns (and a new Colonel we all know) and something else that would be a spoiler. There are several other characters handled, but those 4 mains really move this story and advance us several months and several major plot points forward. I'd encourage anyone wanting to read this book to finish the earlier books through Canon law, at the very least, before challenging this, and Ring of Fire one and two, the Gazette 1 and maybe even Gazette's 2 and 3 first.


Why did I give it 4 stars?

Because like many books coming from Baen and even Tor where Weber is publishing, need a better copy editor. The first few sections are great, but while I am not a perfect grammarian, any copy that gets through this mangled hurts the readability of the book. We're buying hardback, please fix this before it gets to mass market or paperback. These aren't mere flubs, they're some passages that make you write the correction in the book in pen instead of pencil, so someone else doesn't have to stare at a page for a few minutes and try and figure out what that set of sentences meant. These are isolated incidents though, worsening in section 5 if I remember correctly and plaguing the book until the end with slightly less frequency. Other than that, this is a book for the keep pile, in dust jacket it joins the other books and I am again proud to continue reading the series.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars After this, everything changes..., October 5, 2010

By 

G. Mackenzie "gmackenz" (Oakland, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: 1635: The Eastern Front (The Ring of Fire) (Hardcover)

I agree with the other book reviewer that this is not one of Eric's better works, it almost seems a series of interesting sketches for a couple of books. I find there's a dearth of character interaction and discovery in comparison with most of the other novels and stories in this series, I miss that. That said, this book seems to have been designed to really shake things up in the 1635verse. It certainly achieved that goal. I have no idea what's going to happen next to whom. So the stage is certainly set for interesting events (just like the proverb: "May you live in interesting times." If you enjoyed the main books of this series written or directly co-written by Eric Flint you might have some issues with this book but will find it necessary for the direct sequel published next year in 2011. If you are more of a fan of the stories/books written with or by Andrew Dennis, Virginia deMarce, David Caruco, Gorg Huff & Paula Goodlett, you may find this book less enjoyable.