1632

Ring of Fire, Book 1

By: Eric Flint

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 19 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best-selling author Eric Flint has received glowing critical praise for his Ring of Fire alternate history series. In this first installment, a West Virginia town is transported from the year 2000 to 1631 Germany at the height of the Thirty Years’ War. Thrust into conflict, the town residents must also contend with moral issues, such as who should be considered a citizen.

©2000 Eric Flint (P)2012 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

“Gripping and excellently detailed.... A treat!” ( Publishers Weekly)

Great idea superficial follow through

Any additional comments?

I really thought the idea of the clash of personalities, technology, and perspective was a great premise for a terrific book. The problem I had was that the characters were only partially developed and explored. There were many missed opportunities to build the story line and really pull in some historic research. The final rationale for the "ring of fire" happening was sort of dropped in your lap at the end and really should have been built more slowly throughout the story. It was entertaining but lacked the back bone it needed to make it a really engaging book.

Starts great, then slowly unravels

I loved this book at the start, and was sure I'd found a new series that would keep me interested for months. I'm now about 3/4th though the book, and I'm not sure I want to finish. This is a book that really tries to stretch a single interesting idea to the breaking point.

Basically, once the little sci-fi conceit is related at the start of the story, the book becomes more of an alternate history story, and long swaths of the book are devoted to talking about pretty dry historical politics and obscure battles between historical armies that have little or nothing to do with the affairs of the uprooted West Virginians.

I want to stay interested, but I'm having a hard time.

Finally on Audible!!

1632 is the masterpiece of Eric Flint's career. Flint is best known as the collaborator. His works with David Weber and David Drake being his most popular. Flint describes himself as an idea man, who can stay focused long enough to get a book out but it takes awhile. This is the reason he prefers to use co-authors. It helps the story stay focused while getting it finished in a timely manner. Even though I don't always agree with the political and ethical ideas that Flint puts forward in his books, he does a very good job of making sure they do not become the focus. He writes Sci-Fi books about history and because of that politics do play a role, but he makes sure that many of his ideas and the ideas of his political opposites get their respective places without misrepresentation. The only political idea that he gives short shrift to is Isolationism or Fortress America. Of course most people on both sides of the aisle would agree, that is not a workable solution as WWI and WWII proved to us. The great thing about Flint's "altered history" Sci-Fi is that he tries to stay historically accurate about everything else. He does a fantastic job of sorting out the 30 years war in this work, and does it in such a way that makes it much easier for the common lay person to understand what was going on during that period without the need of historian on the shoulder pointing the way. Flint at times makes it so easy to understand how the 30 years war not only effected Europe of 400 years ago, but also how it played a part in WWI and WWII. This is not just a book of fiction, it is what I like to call "fictive non-fiction". It's core is fiction, but the meat of the book is so well researched and vetted that you can learn vast amounts of valuable information if you read carefully. This is the true measure of historical fiction and Flint's 1632 is a prime example of how to accomplish it. I am truly pleased to finally see 1632 on Audible's play list and can hardly wait for the remaining book of this series and many other Eric Flint books to find their way here.

George Guidall does a superb job in reading this book. He truly grasps the characters and the characteristics of the work. I can only hope that he is the reader for the remainder of the series, and continues to do those works as much justice as he did 1632. Overall this is one for any library, not just Sci-Fi fans.

Ready for Book 2 on Audible!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

George Guidall gives a wonderful performance and the story is quick paced and keeps you entertained. Anyone who likes time travel novels will dig this one. It has everything a novel needs to entertain; Politics, war, evil and romance with the right balance. Not heavy on the war details to the point of boredom and not too sappy in the love department. Very well balanced.

What was one of the most memorable moments of 1632?

The year 1632 meeting the year 2001.

What about George Guidall???s performance did you like?

Pefect performance, good match for the story!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes! Yes!

Any additional comments?

Bring in the series to audible, soon!

Great Book

I had a great time listeningto the story
well put together, great use of history.
I recommend this Book to everyone.

1662 is ok 1663 is not

This was a fun book, the writing was not great but because of the concept it was ok. But 1663 wasn't worth the purchase, he lost his way in that sequel and I would stop here at this book in the series. Should have a rating of 3.5.

What a ride

Leave your intellectual snobbery at home and just enjoy this rollicking tale. Fun, well told and well researched it sheds light on how our modern world came to be as well as posing other alternatives.

best alternate history story i've ever seen

All you have to do is read the first few chapters of this story and you'll be hooked. Not much else to say. it's utter magic.

As much fun as it is implausible

most time travel stories involve a lone traveler wielding skills from the past or technology from the future in a desperate bid to get home, grudgingly finding a place in a new time. .Mr. Flint has trashed that paradym with the future colonizing the past. it's a tongue in cheek story that never becomes pretentious or loses it's humor.

Totally absurd but and I love it

What made the experience of listening to 1632 the most enjoyable?

Alternative reality has always been fascinating and in 1632 it is made so real somehow. Beside the modern day town mysteriously transferred to 17th century Germany, the story seems to be historically correct regarding life and political situations. And what will excactly happen when modern day Americans starts to intervene in their surroundings. Well, it's fascinating to listen and get involved.

What other book might you compare 1632 to and why?

There are numerous other books on this subject. I have mostly read and listened to books on WW2 like Fatherland or The man in the high castle. Maybe it's because I am getting a bit bored of WW2 facts and fiction that 1632 comes as a fresh wind to me. I can only hope that the following series will be as good.

What does George Guidall bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He does a lot by lending his characters different accents, the Scottish talk with scottish accent, Italians with italian accent and so forth. He talks with a slightly milder voice for the women and so on. He reads plain and simple very well, just a bit to fast sometimes for a foreigner (not english speaking) but it's not much bother.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes - if I had the time, definitely

Any additional comments?

Be thankful for your coffee :-)