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    1632
    1632
    1632
    Audiobook19 hours

    1632

    Written by Eric Flint

    Narrated by George Guidall

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    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. "Gripping and excellently detailed . A treat!"-Publishers Weekly
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateMar 9, 2012
    ISBN9781464029615
    1632

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    Reviews for 1632

    4/5

    585 ratings37 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Naive, overly optimistic, very simplistic characters but fun in a teenage fantasy kinda way.
    • 4/5
      1632 is part of the “Alternative History” genre of Fantasy/Science Fiction.A flash of light kicks off the plot in this novel. In what is initially interpreted by everyone as a nuclear blast, light blinds the residents of Grantsville, West Virginia. When they realize they have not all been reduced to ash, they step outside and determine that something very wrong has happened, their town is no longer on the east coast of North America. Grantsville is now in the year 1632, residing in the Black Forest (what will later become Germany). They are smack dab in the middle of the 30 years war.As readers, we all have the same paradox questions. The characters also recognized these potential issues, and they are addressed very quickly (first or second chapter). They came to the conclusion early on that there are only two real theories to work with.- Time travel Paradox =”The world ends”- Time Travel Paradox = “Multiple time streams make paradox irrelevant”As they are all still breathing, they logically conclude that they are in a tangential stream. They have limited supplies, and no guarantee that they will ever return to normal, they could be screwed if they do not act fast. They have an unknown belief/system for the region/era. They do not know the local languages. If they are going to survive, they need to get moving asap.If they are not going to destroy the future and they will only affect their new time stream, there is no reason they should not fight for survival and the American way of life… Early in the book, it is decided with a vote that the best way to survive is to recreate something that has worked in the the past (the future). They will start the American Revolution early, in Europe instead of the Americas.Flint does not spoon feed you with information. There is some theory and some wavy inundation of “how are we going to survive” conversation, but overall, Flint recognizes that the reader doesn’t need everything spelled out for them. The exception is when it comes to history. Most people are not fluent in the methodologies or details of key battles in the 30 years war. Neither are they familiar with the political flow and relationships of those in power. These are laid out fairly well for the layman.Most of the key characters are part of the West Virginian coal miners union, so theory and plans are things are broken down as they would be explained for the common man. Essentially, you do not get too little info, leaving you upset, but neither are you treated like a 5 year old.--xpost RawBlurb.com
    • 3/5
      Clashing cultures often make good stories, and Eric Flint's "1632" may describe the ultimate culture clash. A small area surrounding Grantsville, W.Va., (a fictional town modeled after Mannington along U.S. 250) gets suddenly transported back to 17th century Germany. How this happens, Flint doesn't even attempt to explain. His West Virginians simply describe it as the Ring of Fire and go on with their lives, albeit in what is now a strange and decidedly unfriendly environment.What the people of Grantsville have going for them is late-20th century technology and good old American know-how, plus a strong commitment to American values. They, in fact, are determined to establish a new country called the United States right there in the middle of Germany, never mind that they have but one state, and that a very small one. What they have going against them, besides their small numbers, are several warring armies, plus a little thing known as the Spanish Inquisition.The battles, described by Flint in great detail, are mostly one-sided, thanks to American weaponry, plus a bouncy 18-year-old former cheerleader who turns into a deadly sniper who rarely misses her target.Like in a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, most of the main characters pair off and get married by the end of the novel. Unlike in Gilbert and Sullivan, most of the women are pregnant by their wedding day.Part fantasy, part science fiction, part historical novel, "1632" is an exciting and very readable book, even if not fully satisfying. Numerous sequels by Flint and other authors have kept the saga going since "1632" was published in 2000.
    • 3/5
      Forgot how much I enjoyed these novels
    • 5/5
      Very entertaining. If one accepts theoriginal (fantasy) premise, very plausible. Contains a lot of real (as opposed to alternative) history.
    • 4/5
      Imagine contemporary West Virginians being plopped down in 17th century Bavaria. It's an intriguing idea to play with, and this is the first of a long series, written by many authors who continue the story.
    • 1/5
      Chapter one - main character describes how energetic his sister is in bed. Chapter two - a bunch of rape. I don't think this book is for me.
    • 4/5
      Even on a third reading reading, I really liked this book. It's just plain fun to read. That's not to say there are not scenes that are violent or disturbing. It is set in the midst of the Thirty Years War, after all. That means there is plenty of excitement, even occasionally a bit more than I like. Still, this is one of my favorites, and it stands up to re-reading.Next, I am moving on to the first Ring of Fire anthology, which is another re-read. My goal is to catch up on the series.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed how this story went; loved how flint used real characters and timelines from the past; made it believable; nice development of characters as well.
    • 4/5
      A good historical novel. I am excited to read more from this author.
    • 3/5
      Great concept but the over-simplified characters let it down.
    • 1/5
      I didn't mind the book at first, and its depiction of Appalachia is sound, but the more I read of it the more exasperated I became.To take a vice characteristic of both sides in a conflict, and depict one side as completely innocent of that vice, and the other side as evil on account of that vice, is intellectually dishonest, and is exactly what this author does. After Westphalia, the Swedes had a reputation for being nasty to the civilian population even by the standards of the era, but there is not a word of that in this book. (We also see plenty of the evil of the Austrians' Croat light cavalry, but the Hackapells are depicted as if they were angels of the battlefield, when in reality they were as bad as the Croats or worse.)Nor is there a single word of the fact that Gustavus Adolphus was fighting for Sweden, not for Protestantism; or that Richelieu was fighting for France and to hurt the Habsburgs -- not for Catholicism. (He is utterly out-of-character in this novel.) The author even has the audacity to say that had Gustavus Adolphus won, Adolf Hitler would never have come to power -- but it was Adolphus, the French, and the Protestants in general who were responsible for the Westphalian system of sovereign states, in which, to use the term of a French jurist of the era, "the king can do no wrong." Which of these sounds more Hitler-friendly: a system in which the king is responsible to no man (and his subjects are taught to do his will unconditionally), or a system in which he has superiors (the Holy Roman Emperor and the Pope) who can and will depose him if he gets out of control, and in which his subordinate know that if the king orders them to do something evil, they are to resist him to the death?The Second World War is excessively on this author's mind; so perhaps it shouldn't be surprising that his style of propaganda is familiar from it. Summarize it this way: Gustavus Adolphus gets the Josef Stalin treatment in this book, depicted as a hero because he's working on the main character's side -- after all, whoever's on the main character's side is a good guy, and good guys are not capable of doing anything wrong, by definition.This is without even bothering to point out that the Black Legend is a flat-out lie, invented by a woman who tortured more people for death for religious reasons in her reign alone than the Spanish Inquisition did over the course of its 350-year existence.If you want a plausible novel set in the Thirty Years' War, which doesn't arbitrarily designate villains and warp the historical record until they fit, read The Adventures of Simplicius Simplicissimus, a novel by an actual veteran of the war (and which, unlike most works of its era, is still eminently readable). Avoid this piece of dreck: it starts out plausible, entertaining, even gripping, then proceeds to go insane.(Reposted from Amazon.com)
    • 3/5
      I originally read this on the Free Library while working in tech support. It was just about perfect for that purpose. The writing is utilitarian at best, but the attention to historical detail is convincing and the glee with which Flint puts his solid blue-collar union miners to work saving the world is delightful.
    • 5/5
      I have read and re-read this book. It is my first alternative history book that mixes two times. There seems to be no connection between the times that were inter-mixed, but the fact that the people can get together, even though they have little apparently in common is inspiring. Both times need to adjust in order to deal with the changes that are happening. This also fits into the preparedness / apocalypse genre, as for the 21st century folks this IS the end of the world (as we know it).
    • 5/5
      I really like this book and the series it started.
    • 2/5
      This book irked me - it just seemed contrived and the juxtaposition of West Virginia and Europe just didn't mesh for me. I like fantasy. I like historical fiction. I did not like this book.
    • 4/5
      A very deep and engrossing book about a modern West Virginia coal town which is transported back to 1632.
    • 3/5
      An alternate history. From the back:"1632. And in northern Germany things couldn't get much worse. Famine. Disease. Religious war laying waste the cities. Only the aristocrats remained relatively unscathed; for the peasants, death was a mercy.2000. Things are going OK in Grantville, West Virginia and everybody attending the wedding of Mike Stearn's sister (including the entire local chapter of the United Mine Workers of America which Mike leads) is having a good time.THEN EVERYTHING CHANGED...When the dust settles, Mike leads a group of armed miners to find out what happened and finds the road into the town is cut, as with a sword. On the other side, a scene out of Hell: a man nailed to a farmhouse door, his wife and daughter attacked by men in steel vests. Faced with this, Mike and his friends don't have to ask who to shoot. At that moment Freedom and Justice, American style, are introduced to the middle of the Thirty Year's War."My review:A gripping action tale, kept me intrigued. The history is well-researched and an integral part of the story. My main beef is with the characters. As is typical of this kind of book, the good guys are very very good and the bad guys are very very bad. There seems to be little depth. But it doesn't affect the plot driven story much. You just go with the flow and enjoy the flag waving.
    • 4/5
      1632 is part of the “Alternative History” genre of Fantasy/Science Fiction.A flash of light kicks off the plot in this novel. In what is initially interpreted by everyone as a nuclear blast, light blinds the residents of Grantsville, West Virginia. When they realize they have not all been reduced to ash, they step outside and determine that something very wrong has happened, their town is no longer on the east coast of North America. Grantsville is now in the year 1632, residing in the Black Forest (what will later become Germany). They are smack dab in the middle of the 30 years war.As readers, we all have the same paradox questions. The characters also recognized these potential issues, and they are addressed very quickly (first or second chapter). They came to the conclusion early on that there are only two real theories to work with.- Time travel Paradox =”The world ends”- Time Travel Paradox = “Multiple time streams make paradox irrelevant”As they are all still breathing, they logically conclude that they are in a tangential stream. They have limited supplies, and no guarantee that they will ever return to normal, they could be screwed if they do not act fast. They have an unknown belief/system for the region/era. They do not know the local languages. If they are going to survive, they need to get moving asap.If they are not going to destroy the future and they will only affect their new time stream, there is no reason they should not fight for survival and the American way of life… Early in the book, it is decided with a vote that the best way to survive is to recreate something that has worked in the the past (the future). They will start the American Revolution early, in Europe instead of the Americas.Flint does not spoon feed you with information. There is some theory and some wavy inundation of “how are we going to survive” conversation, but overall, Flint recognizes that the reader doesn’t need everything spelled out for them. The exception is when it comes to history. Most people are not fluent in the methodologies or details of key battles in the 30 years war. Neither are they familiar with the political flow and relationships of those in power. These are laid out fairly well for the layman.Most of the key characters are part of the West Virginian coal miners union, so theory and plans are things are broken down as they would be explained for the common man. Essentially, you do not get too little info, leaving you upset, but neither are you treated like a 5 year old.--xpost RawBlurb.com
    • 3/5
      This was an enjoyable book, well written and full of action. An enjoyable read for those who like alternate history combined with military action.
    • 2/5
      Yet another book that has all the elements (alternative history, time travel, a fantasy bent) I usually like but that doesn't quite pull them together. Parts were interesting but honestly, I skimmed so much of it because I was bored. Next!
    • 5/5
      This is an extremely well-executed answer to "What if something sent a whole town back to the 1600s?" It begins a gripping, realistic and intriguing series. Does it bug you when authors get their details wrong? Eric Flint gets them right. Enjoy the challenges and ingenious solutions, and come face to face with history in a modern context. (Baen offers this book and its successor "1633" in their Free Library: you don't get a teaser, you get the whole text.)
    • 5/5
      A small mining town in West Virgina, Grantville, is picked up and thrown back to the time of the 100 Years War in Europe. What I find most enjoyable about this book is the focus on the individual characters. Although it does discuss the political landscape of Europe, it mostly follows individual people and how they deal with the problems they now face.There is Rebecca and her father who, at the beginning of the novel, are being chased by soldiers planning to kill them and worse because they are jewish. Their reaction at being saved and taken into Grantville, where there are jewish people living, is very touching.There is Mike Stearns, a man who left Grantville when he was younger, but who has now returned and is the head of the miner's union. He reluctantly takes charge of the situation because the miners are the only large group of organized people.There are these characters and more, and it is fascinating to see what decisions they make, and also to see the people and places that we know from history mentioned along the way.
    • 5/5
      What if a sphere, 6 miles in diameter, that included a small town in the hills of 21st century West Virginia was somehow transported to 17th Century Germany? How would modern American attitudes, technology, and values--especially the parts about all men are created equal, freedom of religion, and separation of Church and State--go over a 17th century Europe engulfed in the wars of the Reformation, the Holy Inquisition, and the Spanish Inquisition?1632 is Eric Flint's answer to this question. And it's very hard to put down. Rich detail of both the 21st century and the 17th century are woven together to make a wonderful, optimistic story. The pace is fast and if the main characters are a little too good, a little too noble, they are richly drawn and hold the readers attention. The plot is (from my own American point of view) perfectly plausible, and the leader of the American community embodies what we think we should be.It's not a perfect SF or Alt History novel, the good guys are a little too good, and the bad guys are a little too bad; the heroism is a little to heroic and the villainy is a little too villainous. In Bahktinian reads more like an epic than a novel. And there is one storytelling technique that Flint likes to use that gets on my nerves--often times the narrator and everyone in the story knows what a character is thinking or planning and the characters react to that knowledge while the reader is left in the dark. The first few times I encountered this, I had to go back and re-read a page or two to see if I missed something. Fortunately, Flint resolves the situation fairly quickly, but it makes at least this reader feel a little foolish.Overall, I give the book 4.5 stars, and I'd recommend it to SF, Alt. History, and 17th century European History buffs. I'm looking forward to reading the other books in the series.
    • 5/5
      1632 is one of Flint's best works. His theme that a community in trouble must not let go of their values is inspiring. His concept of a down to earth, West Virginia town, transported back in time to Thuringia, Germany is entertaining, humorous and exciting. A few of his characters suffer from being two dimensional, but his collaboration with David Weber in 1633 corrects that. If you are into optimism, you will not be disappointed.
    • 3/5
      Not a bad story overall. Once you accept the premise that the towns people will stay calm and be willing to slaughter roving bands of mercenaries, take in refugees of the Thirty Years War. And those people don't panic and adapt to the 21 st Century. Some of the plot twists are a little far fetched, but overall I enjoyed the bookWhat made the book good is that Eric Flint stared out started as a history major. So he has a good grasp on the real history and can incorporate it into the story without boring the reader.
    • 2/5
      Hate to admit it, but I couldn't force myself to finish the last 100 pages of this sci-fi historical reimagining. What would happen if a parcel of West Virginia and its inhabitants were plopped in the middle of Germany during the Thirty Year's War? Well, according to Eric Flint two things would happen: first, the W. Virginians would shoot a whole lot of the local people; second, they'd also marry a whole lot of them. It happened this way four of five times before I gave up.
    • 5/5
      An interesting piece of alternative history, yet still a fairly well crafted story. The other books available in the series add to its value, this is the 'start here' book.The plot is based on one science fiction option, aliens displace a West Virginia mining and rural town of 2000 into the Thirty Years War west central Europe. The comparison on modern with 17th century technology, politics, religion, and attitudes is fascinating and makes up for any shortcomings (few) in plot or character development.
    • 5/5
      Read for the 99th time...I had a hard time getting into it at the beginning, precisely because I knew it so well. It was like telling myself the story rather than living it. But Eric eventually drew me in, as always. I find this book, and to some extent 1633, better than the later books in the series - in this one, they are more often coming up against actual events of the previous timeline (like Gustav's battles, and the one he would have died in). So what did happen at Nurnberg, without American help? My usual questions after reading an alternate history book...but I never go to find the answers...
    • 3/5
      It's not very believable in the sense that neither the 20th century Americans nor the 17th century Europeans seems to experience much culture shock at being mixed into the others' cultures. Still, it's a quick and pleasant military science fiction book.