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)

Very Well Done Bravo

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

I would recommend this book to everyone! Its a great book! I've seen it a couple of time in book stores but never read it thinking it might be boring but I was dead wrong Its really well done and entertaining. The action is excellent and the autor highlights nicely how many of the things we take for granted up to our very safty and indivuality were completely radical ideas in those dark times.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I like Jeff. He's a D&D player and tabletop gamer that has a ferm idea of tatics (at least as far as such games teach) and a is a nice guy but for all that not a pushover. And shows that the being a good guy dosn't make you and idiot or being a geek dosen't make you weak.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I love the action sceens and the parts where the author shows just how good a life we have compared to what the world used to be like.

Like an historical Novel with a twist

What really makes this book are the characters. They are well developed and you'll find yourself rooting for them as they go into action. Its really nice to see a community pull together and succeed. It is also interesting to see the influences of religions in that day: Kinda reminds me of the middle east.

An interesting premise

My only real faults are there are a few to many characters and many are introduced later in the story.

Making it a bit to hard to follow who is doing what and the reasoning behind the actions

Overall though if you like history and science fiction it's rather enjoyable.

4th time through and still loving it

I have listened through this book 4 times and enjoy it as much as the first time. The next 3 are just as enjoyable as well.

Good Story

Would you listen to 1632 again? Why?

Yes, I would listen to it again, but not too soon. I loved the idea of a town being sent back as far in time as this one was, however I did end up having a few issues with the execution of the story.

What about George Guidall’s performance did you like?

I did like George Guidall's performance. He seemed to be the perfect voice for this book and I couldn't think of anyone who would have done it better. It was quite easy to keep the pace going as I listened (with many other books I've had to stop and go back over several parts as I tend to get confused fairly easy).

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

No. I wanted to make this book last as long as possible. The best way of doing that is to listen a little at a time. However, my wanting to do this does not mean that I didn't enjoy the book. Quite the contrary. I wanted to spread it out and make it last as long as possible precisely because I was enjoying it so much.

Any additional comments?

Firstly I'd like to say that I am quite familiar with the time in which this book was set. The parts that ruined the book for me were the long parts where the war was described. For me, these seemed to drag on, I know that it is indeed necessary to be describing the war that took place during that time frame. However, the descriptions of the war felt too long and too dry for me.

Great Start To A Great Series

Great start I always like alt history, time travel, alt universe, this book hits the spot.

Rec'd by a friend: history & sci-fi, all in one!

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court? No, more like an entire West Virginia redneck town tossed into the midst of the 30-Years War... great narration and immersion. Reinvigorated my appreciation of northern European history with the whimsy of time-travel and the not-so-subtle diplomacy of American ideals. Just add gunpowder, lead, and some stereotypes! A good diversion as I commute to & from work. I wonder what happens in the new & improved 1633? (...the sequel, isn't that obvious?)

Good book but better in print.

A good,hopeful story of the best American virtues, 1632 tells the tale of a small West Virginia town transported to the Germany of 1632, right in the early days of the 30 year war. The main characters are well written, but for me it reads better than heard. George Guidall did an excellent job with the narration, but on my first listen it just doesn't work for me. Perhaps a second time through will change my mind.
I like the basic story of coal miners against the rag-tag bands of mercenaries roaming the countryside, modern firearms and tactics against matchlocks and polearms and the goal of modernizing the countryside around Grantville to maintain as much technology as possible.
Basically a fun read.

Wow! What a book!

I could not put this book down. Great concept for time travel. Loved the characters and especially the writing style. As always George Guidall brings some much life into any he narrates.

past affecting future

I like that there has been no thoughts about whether peole would be born / exist if the world changes in.any wsy.