When Eric Flint conceived the "Ring of Fire," a cosmic event that transposed an entire town (Grantville) from year 2000 America to year 1632 Germany, he created more than the basis for a series of novels. The concept attracted fans, inspiring them to comment and even write their own "fanfic" stories in the milieu Flint devised.
Some of those fans are writers in their own right: Mercedes Lackey, for one. Others are just as able if less well known, as this second collection of fan stories shows. Many of these stories began their life in the 1632 Slush Pile at Baen's Bar. For those who desire to get into science fiction writing, this is one path to publication.
The Grantville Gazette includes five fiction and three non-fiction pieces, plus an introduction by Eric Flint. The book also gives the ground rules for stories in the Ring of Fire milieu, the most important being, if it isn't native to the time, and wasn't in the real-life town of Mannington, West Virginia, you can't use it in the story. For that reason, ideas and knowledge are the strongest assets possessed by the Grantville "up-timers."
"Portraits" by Eric Flint places an up-time American nurse posed as a cheerleader in the model's seat of Pieter Paul Rubens. Technically, Rubens is an enemy, yet he manages to persuade the girl to sit for him, dressed in nothing but Old Glory and her own dignity. She has a secret agenda, however, one that is only revealed after her portrait is complete.
"Anna's Story" by Loren Jones tells the events of the night of Ring of Fire from the perspective of a rural German girl, and the crotchety old farmer who takes her into his farmhouse. Anna is appropriately wide-eyed over the wealth of the Americans, while her mother is worried that this lord they have come to live with will expect more from them than a servant's work.
"Curio and Relic" by Tom van Natta introduces a type of gunsmith not often discussed in time-travel stories. Paul Santee has a gun collection ranging from matchlocks to machine guns. More important, he knows how to repair, cross-part and modify ammo to supply most of the firearms that made it down-time with Grantville. The Vietnam vet has an important part to play in Grantville defense.
Article comments
1 - Maglase
I saw this online, then the next day a buddy was reading it. Now I come to blogcritics for the first time in a while, and here is a review.
Someone is trying to tell me something!
2 - Victor Plenty
If you haven't read 1632 yet, I strongly second DrPat in recommending you do so before reading the Grantville Gazette. Not only will it make the Gazette easier to understand, it is an outstanding story in its own right.
3 - Maglase
Oh, I've read 1632, and 1633 as well. I haven't seen Ring of Fire, and like I said, I just saw this book online yesterday.
I love the cover.
4 - Victor Plenty
Yes, that cover is certainly easy to love.
5 - DrPat
If you like that cover, guys, I guarantee you'll love the ending of "Portraits." Remember Gretchen in 1632? She has a, um, unique response to the nurse's embarassment at her portrait pose.