1636: The Kremlin Games: Ring of Fire

I loved the first book in this series. I also really, really liked the two sequels he wrote with David Weber. However, I have read one of the sequels that he co-wrote with Andrew Dennis and another he co-wrote with Virginia Demarce, and I found them mind-numbingly bad. So I hesitated a long time before plunking down my pennies for another sequel co-written with two people I'm unfamiliar with.

I'm happy to be able to report that I liked this entry into the series, and if Flint does anymore books with Huff and Goodlett, I will buy them without hesitation.

If you are new to this series, I don't recommend that you start with this book. I think you should start with the first book in the series, "1632." After that, it would have been nice to read the books in order of publication, but I can't recommend that due to the inferior writers he has teamed with in so many of them. So, I guess you'll just have to decide for yourself what order you will read them in.

This particular entry into the series deals with a young man from Grantville who is recruited by Russian spies to help them bring technology to Russia. I really knew nothing about Russian society before the Russian Revolution of 1917, so this book provided a real eye-opener into why they NEEDED a revolution. They really had a toxic society, and in the real world nothing much changed or improved for ordinary people for hundreds of years. In the Ring of Fire universe, that is changing.

George Guidall narrates and does his usual excellent job.

I recommend this book.

I thought I could get this series in order, but between Audible not having all volumes, and the randomness of the volumes, that's impossible.

The premise is wonderful, a West Virginia town transplanted to 1633 Germany, during the 30 years war. You can't follow it in order, because the 30 years war was so fragmented, you study the Pope, Germany, Sweden, etc. all separately, there isn't a lot of continuity.

The characters are well done. The history, I don't know, I haven't really studied it. The suppositions are very interesting, and well done.

George Guidall is my second favorite narrator, and he does a great job keeping accents and characters straight, and helping me move with the story.

This is one of the more interesting books in the series, despite some historical errors, it is something you must listen. Thanks to good Narration the time flies by.
The book encompases the span of five years since 1631 up to 1636 , and the book also gives a perspective on the world outside new US.

It starts pretty good, then goes into the development of multiple characters and how it impacts the "characters"...not just one main character, but three to four. Stories with in stories, which I like, but you can tell Eric did not write this book by himself. The different styles kind of jump out at you. However, then it all comes together for a super climax and setup for the next book"s". I will be getting the next one. Just wish audible would have provided books 3 through 9 too. Hopefully soon.

I have been waiting for audio versions of the book for some time now. The fact that I have it is wonderful.

It is similar to the other Ring of Fire Books and Grantville Gazette. There are something like 13 novels and 46 editions of the Gazette, of which 10 or so are in paper. The first 6 novels were recorded for the blind. There is a lot of territory to make up and us fans are chomping at the bit.

Not my favorite narrator, If it sounded more detailed I’d like him a lot more. The first five volumes done by Eric Sandvold at NLS are the benchmark for this series for those who have been reading these on audio who are blind or otherwise impaired. The sound quality is rough, mildly distorted and oddly mastered, no resonance, like it was squeezed out. If he is recording in a proper studio, something is wrong. Sometimes a mic, a wire and a recorder is all you need.

I would not recommend this. The narrator ruins the book. He has an odd pausing cadence that made this audio so annoying I almost quit. I love the books, but this was not good.

Other 1630s books are a little better.

Bronson Pinchot. Surprisingly, he is the best audio performer I have heard.

Grit my teeth:)